Minor Swing 1937

mmaslan

Dear Dennis,

I'm using your transcription to learn Django's 1937 Minor Swing Solo, and I'm wondering about the fingering in places like measure 13, where consecutive notes are played on different strings at the same fret. Does Django play this by barring with his first finger, or does he alternate first and second fingers? I'm guessing it's the first option, but I'm not sure. Is there an advantage to one way rather than the other, given that either is possible? For some reason, barring seems trickier, even though it should make the sweep stroke easier. Can you recommend any videos that show how it's done?

Thanks! Great transcriptions by the way--a wonderful resource!

stubla

Matcho Winterstein showed me his way of playing this--
3 notes on the top E string( ie .no open E on the top e string--i think thats what causes problems)
on the B string you play 6 notes starting with E 5th fret ending with the open B
on the G string 3 notes(bflat,a,aflat)
then ,logically, 6 notes on the 4th string(ending on open D string)
I play,like him,dud,dud etc per triplet--its how Django and Tcha play it
But if its easier to do it your way fair enough
it IS possible to use dud though ---in fact i think its easier----but do it your way if you like--the speed comes with time

Its great for the accents and really its just one pattern repeated.
Stu



----D--U--D
----3--2--1---------------
------5--4--3--2--1--0---
----3--2--1---------------
------5--4--3--2--1--0---

Carter O`Brien

exactly how Mandino showed it, adding further weight to the idea that these "secrets" of right hand technique are indeed passed on & are extremely important and not arbitrary.

I know everyone loves to rag on Minor Swing, & it is overplayed, but this version in particular really is incredible.

The one picking pattern Mandino showed in his video which really blew my mind was on this oft-quoted lick, starting on the top E:

----DU--DD--UD--DD--UD--DD--DU--DD--DU--DDU--DD
----12--11---10---9----8----7------------------------------
--------------------------------------9----8----6----5--------
----------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------7--

Not in a thousand would I ever just "stumble" on to a picking pattern like this, and when you play this tune at speed, it lends a particular accenting and tone that really just gives this solo so much ambience.

(I'm doing this from memory, so I'm not positive I have that last note right, but I'll check it over lunch & correct it if I screwed it up).

dennis

the matcho and mandino alternatives are definitely interesting for getting the rhythmic placement just right!! i'll definitely check it out as it makes good use of DUD DUD...

it goes to show you that even though the gypsy picking technique is to be applied in a particular way, there are still no rules, they're merely guidelines

even for that other descending chromatic lick that carter mentionned, you can attack a number of different ways (also depending on left hand fingerings)... i personally use strict alternate picking starting with an upstroke... and when switching strings i have no choice but to start with a down...

i think i saw bireli play it like this live one time (he actually quoted the entire solo)

mmaslan wrote:

I'm using your transcription to learn Django's 1937 Minor Swing Solo, and I'm wondering about the fingering in places like measure 13, where consecutive notes are played on different strings at the same fret. Does Django play this by barring with his first finger, or does he alternate first and second fingers? I'm guessing it's the first option, but I'm not sure.
Thanks! Great transcriptions by the way--a wonderful resource!

I assume we're talking about that Am chord ... you should just bar it but "rol"l parts of the fingers from one string to the other so the chords , don't bleed in.

good luck!

dennis

i just tried the matcho/mandino way out, really cool!! but i feel there's too much accent, when you hear django play it, the accent is on the first note, and the rest is just a smooth line. it's down to personal choice i guess

Laurent

[quote="stubla"]I play,like him,dud,dud etc per triplet--its how Django and Tcha play it
But if its easier to do it your way fair enough
it IS possible to use dud though ---in fact i think its easier----but do it your way if you like--the speed comes with time

----D--U--D
----3--2--1---------------
------5--4--3--2--1--0---
----3--2--1---------------
------5--4--3--2--1--0---[/quote]

Ok. I guess its back to the drawing board (or metronome).

Merci
L

Carter O`Brien

you guys inspired me to camp out with the metronome for a half hour on this crazy lick last night -

I did find kind of a cool little way to kick myself in the ass though, instead of just playing the lick with the metronome the whole time, I spent a while kind of "winding up" for the run by sitting on the first note for a few bars, then when I had the speed, tone and "ummph" where I wanted it, trying to keep that energy going for the chromatic run.

Needless to say, I crashed most of the time, but I discovered a few places where I was perhaps subconsciously slacking and not giving a note my all, so it was a good reminder for me to back up, slow down and make sure to articulate every note evenly and to try and keep the volume & energy up.

Man, if I understood Dregni's book, to think of Django improvising this during a *recording session*, back in the day when you couldn't just re-record at will, that's just outstanding - the fearlessness, the joy, the energy, the fluid melodicism, I really love this solo!

mmaslan

Mandino Reinhardt shows this lick in his note-for-note video

Where can I find this video? Is it on DVD?

Laurent

Where can I find this video? Is it on DVD?

I saw this being sold by someone on gadjodrom.com, there is a link to a sample of the video here...

http://christian.benedic.free.frK7Mandino2.mov

Sorry, but its all the information I have. If I remember correctly, it was cristobal who was selling it.

I have been using a tabledit file that I got from here...

http://jazz.chansons.free.fr/guitarejazz2.htm

Regards
L

Laurent

Carter O`Brien wrote:

the fearlessness, the joy, the energy, the fluid melodicism, I really love this solo!

I share your enthusiasm for this piece. I have heard people criticizing the practice of learning whole solos as being non-creative. I don't consider learning Django's original works any different than learning a Bach piece. And I don't mean to compare the two, just the practice of learning whole pieces.

Regards
L.