Daphne

Daphne · July 2023

Hi all,

Been starting to learn improvising. I've been starting of with Minor Swing and Daphne. For Minor Swing I use Am6/Dm6 and E7 Arpeggios and the Am Harmonic scale.

For Daphne I found that the D/D# Major bebop scale sounds pretty cool. And the Bm Pentantonic. Trying to use passing tones and enclosures etc

What more can I use? Correct me please if I'm wrong. Have almost only been playing rhythm.

DoubleWhisky · July 2023

Christiaan van Hemert made some good videos on how to solo over rhythm changes tracks like Daphne:

https://m.youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=Rhythm+changes+solo+hemert

wim · July 2023

For tunes in a minor key like Minor Swing, you may find melodic minor scale gives a more Django sound that harmonic minor scale. The 6th scale degree of a harmonic minor tends to clash with the m6 "flavor" a bit.

littlemark · July 2023

In Daphne (rhythm changes) don't chase the chords. Think tonic and tension. You can think about two bars of D. Then two bars of A7. Resolving the tension or not.

billyshakes · July 2023

To @littlemark 's point, Yaakov Hoter also covers this "simplification" in one of his videos that is free on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R05e0BZt2E0

voutoreenie · July 2023

Imo, one of the keys to mixing up your improvising over standard rhythm changes like Daphne's A section is to utilize some blues licks tastefully blended in with D major scales/arpeggios - think like any standard Dm blues lick but then resolve on the major 3rd and/or into D/DM7 arps (as one example). You could also try playing around with some Bm blues into Dm blues (or vice versa) resolving back into D. This works well for the Daphne B section too, just move everything up a half step.

Also, to expand on creating more of a bop feel, after the first 2 bars in the A section, think 2/5 progressions from Em to A7(or Dbø7 licks/arps) into Bb° arps/licks before resolving back into D or even just simplify into Em licks into Bb° arps - to take that a step further, once you start hearing the 2/5 more as Dbø7 arps into Bb° arps, you definitely get a of bit Django-ness from the Bb° arps, especially as they resolve back into D. Hopefully this makes sense...I'm sure someone else could explain what I'm getting at and the theory behind it far more efficiently than I'm capable of lol.

Last, kind of a "lame/cliche trick" but it's also very easy to quote Belleview and other rhythm changes heads over the A section in Daphne (whether as a solo lead in or just because).

Scoredog · July 2023

I liked Wim's comment, he is almost always an authority on Gypsy Jazz, that said I still find myself using a bunch of harmonic minor, maybe not quite as authentic but still very useful.

voutoreenie · July 2023

It's that Gb/F contrast going from Am6 to Dm6 which really adds beautiful tension in solos over tunes like Minor Swing, at least to my ears. That's also the classic half-step "Django bend" on the b string for Minor Swing over the Am6 (i.e. you bend the F to Gb).

Speaking of emphasizing the Gb in an Am6, for soloing purposes, it's also fun working with Gbø7 arpeggios as an Am6 ~~tritone sub~~ inversion (same with Bø7 arps over the Dm6).