Did Django use his Ring finger for soloing

dennis

Lango-Django wrote: »

I've long had a suspicion about this very thing when trying to copy the fast triplets in his Rose Room solo, starting around 1:03....

Actually that triplet run is very easy to play with two fingers. It is a completely different type of run from the one above

elias t.

Yes actually the Rose Room triplet is played two notes per string , on the other hand the Pigalle triplet could be played further up the fretboard beginning on the b string 20th fret and g with two fingers but I'm pretty sure the recording sounds like he played it on the high e and b string

dennis

I did consider the G and B strings for this run, but it would raise a number of issues:

1) The body gets in the way making it very very awkward to get into a proper position. Not impossible but definitely very awkward and very risky in the midst of an improvisation. Once your hand is in position though, it becomes very easy to play.

2) which leads to the next point, it becomes very easy to play, therefore, there shouldn't be any reason why his playing is not clean at all, he misses a quite a few of those top notes. The big hurdle is just getting into the right position , after that it's the same run pretty much.

3) Tone: right after that run, he plays an F natural that 's definitely on the high E string. While we can never say anything with 100% certainty, it would strike me as quite strange in the midst of an improv to just suddenly jump positions like that unless he planned this part of the solo in advance (which isn't necessarily far fetched, because there are examples of him planning very elaborate licks from the 1930s ie the yodelling lick in Body and Soul which he does again in I think Running Wild).

Another very interesting thing to consider: the note on the B string is constantly ringing suggesting that his finger never leaves the B string! The only way to do this is to use his middle finger, because the index finger is on the E string. Therefore, there are only two possibilities: He plays the top note with one of his damaged fingers, or we were wrong all along and he played everything on the G and B strings. Still if that were the case, I don't see why he'd miss most of the notes considering how easy it is once you're locked in to the awkward position (try it yourself)

This is as nerdy as it gets...

Buco

After Dennis' cool analysis there's not much more to add...
This is the sloppiest I've ever heard Django play, my thinking is he must've tried it with his less able fingers.