Django's timing

Lango-Django

Here's probably a more useful analysis of Louis' phrasing, closely examining a 16 bar solo in a 1929 version "When You're Smiling".



I think Louis' use of a "long-short-short" pattern is something we can all try.... at least I know I'm going to!

Lango-Django

Progress report: I've been attempting to use Louis 3/4 pattern over some 4/4 songs both with BIAB and accompanied by another guitarist, but I've gotta admit I can't pull it off... good luck to anyone who can!

Louis makes it seem so easy.

Part of the thing is that Louis can play a Bb triad four times on his trumpet and make it sound cool... on the guitar, well, it just kind of sounds stupid...

Buco

Damn, I completely forgot I had a draft post that I never finished.
Well it took me awhile to find time to read that paper and I did it in pieces so my memory of it isn't the best but there are a few main concepts that I think I got out of it.
First of all I'll say that I'm equally opposed to overanalyzing music. People making YouTube videos going over and analyzing famous jazz solos never made sense to me. But they're getting a lot of views so it's interesting to somebody.

However, talking about analyzing wouldn't you think though that Django was analyzing Louis' timing himself? How did he learn to swing? Did he just listen to the records hoping if he does that a lot it's going to show up in his playing? No, that's what I do. But not Django. Whatever his methodology might have been. Most likely listening, learning to play it himself and figuring out how to replicate the feel of swing eights and such in his own solos.
There are things that are interesting and useful answers and findings in that paper.
People get their buttons pushed when, like what these guys are doing, there's a scientific approach to music, dissecting music via technology, looking for patterns to make grounds for an argument, codifying the art and so on. Well any paper will be reviewed and scrutinized so they have to make it hold up to it if they want it to see the light of day.

So what I got out of it is that Louis was extremely consistent in the timing of his phrasing. There are speculations about his timing that say, which is most common, that he was playing behind the beat but also around the beat, after the beat and on the beat. So all over the place. But not so as they found. His 8th notes swing ratio, the long-short phrasing, was calculated to be consistently 3:2 when rounded up. His off beats were behind the beat. His downbeats though were remarkably precisely on the beat with very little variation.

There was more cool stuff in there but it's getting late...

TheHotClubofBazounga

It is an excellent idea to look more in details into the rhythmic aspect of Django's craft (or any other musician). I strongly encourage you in that sense.