That gypsy sound

GiveMeYourGuitar · August 2017

Sorry if this has been asked a thousand times, I read the article that Micheal did for premier guitar and that was helpful but I was hoping someone could give me a more in depth explanation. I understand the basics, emphasizing 6 and 9, harmonic minor works well over dominant chords, diminished licks, chromatic enclosures, ect. Are there some things that a lot of modern gypsy players have in common that give that signature sound? I've only been playing this style for a few months. I'm a music student, so no need to dumb down the theory.

PapsPier · August 2017

I am not sure what gypsy sound you are trying to "reproduce": there are so many different sounds. Giving us a name or several names of players you like would help.
The gypsy sound is more about the right and left hand technique rather than about what notes you play.
Of course what distinguishes the modern players and the old school players is also the notes they play. But the way they play is really really different.

Petrov · August 2017

as @PapsPier says, learn the technique. That is half the battle (or more!)

Whoever is your favourite artist in this genre, listen to them and learn the phrasing of these players. The more you listen to this music, the more you will internalise that "sound".

There are plenty of online courses at reasonable prices as well. Take your pick.

If you like that 30s sound, I've picked up this and love it https://www.soundslice.com/store/1930s-django-sound/

If you like the modern players, check out
https://www.dc-musicschool.com/store/

Petrov · August 2017

I wanted to add. You seem to understand the basic theory behind what makes that "sound"

Your question to what these players have in common....Lots of practice and time invested!

You may just be at that point where you need to use that theory and play around with it and learn what sounds good.

Buco · August 2017

It's hard to say what is it that makes you say "oh yes, that's the sound" when you hear a good GJ player. But it's more than one thing. Because the two players like say Adrian and Tchavolo have a very different "signature sound". Both in how they approach soloing and and the tone.
So much so that most of the great ones are pretty easy to pick out in a blind listen.
But I'd say if you put everything that makes a player on the scale, it's the tone that weighs in the most: the single notes quality, the projection, the attack...

Elí Saúl · August 2017

You can dumb down to theory all you want and still not get the "right" sound.
While it is important to understand what kind of resources are used in a style, it's also important to involve yourself around that music and culture.

Music it's really just a language with different accents and ways of approaching phrases and we categorize them as styles, genres etc.
Your sorroundings will also have effect in this kind of stuff, for example here in Mexico I'm sorrounded by Latin music, mariachi and boleros, which makes kind of easier for me to familiarize with them. However gypsy jazz has been a whole different story, I try to engage myself on it, listening a lot of this type of music. Singing along scatting Django's melodies and solos along the other artists of my liking. Playing with others involved in the style, and transcribing on a regular basis anything related to it. It's not immediately but slowly I get more familiarized with the genre, and how I pretend to sound playing it.

I think doing something similar can help you, and also analyzing what you transcribe helps you have a plain good insight on why some things are pleasant to your ears, idk maybe you can discover that you love the sound of the b9 over a dominant before resolving and things like that.

Jazzaferri · August 2017

imo IF you want to get the real deal..go back and spend a lot of time listening to Django.....all the great players who play this style have all spent time listnening and learning from his phrasing