Stochelo's tone????

BluesBop Harry

Hi,
I know that his tone is in his hands and there's no way to replicate it (that`s not what I'm after)...and he surely can get it anytime on any guitar...
But I wonder if someone could give a few hints for approximating it.
Watching the Bireli Jazz A Vienne DVD I hear Stochelo has a lighter, warmer, more hollow tone than the other players.
I'm curious as to what factors might contribute to this? Touch? Strings? Pick?
Thanks.

MichaelHorowitz

Stochelo uses Silk and Steel strings...Galli or D'Addario:











D'Addario
Silk and Steel Strings (11-47) J40







Galli
Gypsy Strings VO27 (1 Set)







Galli
Gypsy Strings GSL10 (1 Set)









He used to use big picks back in his early days, but like a lot of the hyper-virtuosic players he switched to thinner picks for more articulation. Especially when playing fast, nimble, modern lines. But you loose some of the warm, traditional sound.

Stochelo uses a small piece of tortoise, or a wegen similar to the big city:

Wegen
Big City 2.2mm (4 Pack)

'm

nutloaf

I have a replica of stochelos pick, it came with his book.He uses a thinner pick these days because he says it is easier when switching between electric and acoustic. His plectrum is very similar to the ones michael has pictured.

BluesBop Harry

Thanks,
I tried a thinner pick, usually I use a Wegen 3.5 and last night I was playing with a real tortoise shell about 2mm.
I got a lighter tone and more articulation with the thinner pick but my speed seemed to go out the window as well as my volume.
Using a dunlop stubby 3mm was more or less in between, Does anybody use these?


I'll try some silk and steel strings in the future but... I have a feeling Stochelo's tone has more to do with his touch, because he sounds like that on every record i've heard of him, and he's using different gear.
Anyway, Anyone else got some ideas?

A.K. Kibben

Defiantly try the Galli GSL11's... (or 10's)
Medium Silk and Steel...(Coated I believe)
Last forever and are better than the GSB11 and the V27's...
Michael's picture shows the GSB10 package...Silver Plated...
A.K.

MichaelHorowitz

BluesBop Harry wrote:

I'll try some silk and steel strings in the future but... I have a feeling Stochelo's tone has more to do with his touch, because he sounds like that on every record i've heard of him, and he's using different gear.
Anyway, Anyone else got some ideas?

Yes...a lot of it, actually most of it has to do with him. But it's worth mentioning that almost all his recordings are with the SAME gear. Selmer with silk and steel strings. On his first CD he played a not so great Favino and his tone suffered. He also had recorded a few tracks with a nylon string, electric, an Eimers, and an Ovation. But those are few and far between. Most of his stuff was done with his Selmer.

However, he used a bigger pick and higher action on the older recordings. You can hear that he had a super fat, incredible tone on the earlier stuff like Caravan and Live an the North Sea. In recent years he's used smaller picks and lower action. I don't think it sounds as good....but still pretty damn good.

BluesBop Harry

Yes... as you say still pretty damn good.
I guess the strings contribute, but I believe him being so relaxed all the time has more to do with it. Also it sounds like he isn't picking that hard, i mean not hard as Tchavolo, still hard but with much more finesse...and maybe closer to the soundhole/fretboard than most?

Elliot

Stochelo picks hard but with great economy of movement - tiny flicks through the strings with a slightly pointier pick than most people use magnifies the impact of each note and gives him a staccato sound, as it seems to me. Him and Jimmy probably have less real estate on the string than anyone else.

Ken Bloom

There are a number of points that haven't yet been mentioned here. First is the perfect co-ordination between right and left hand. The left hand finger and the point of the pick landing on the note at precisely the same nano-second gives you brilliant clarity. The other really major factor is the combination of exactly how much pressure the left hand fingers exert co-ordinated with the exact angle the pick meets the string and the amount of force that carries the pick through the string. Using the rest stroke technique, the weight of your left hand has a lot to do with this.
All of these factors contribute to tone regardless of the gear used. One of the thing I love about Sel/Mac guitars is that each person does develop their own individual tone. This is much more pronounced on these guitars than on flat-tops. You can analyze the individual factors that contribute to tone even if you can't reproduce them all. It does give you some valuable guidelines to developing your own tone. I find clarity the constant battle. I just keep working on waltzes and scales with an eye to perfect co-ordination bewteen the two hands. Just my 2p.

Larssen

Yes...a lot of it, actually most of it has to do with him. But it's worth mentioning that almost all his recordings are with the SAME gear. Selmer with silk and steel strings. On his first CD he played a not so great Favino and his tone suffered. He also had recorded a few tracks with a nylon string, electric, an Eimers, and an Ovation. But those are few and far between. Most of his stuff was done with his Selmer

Is this the Selmer you are refering to?

http://www.eimers-guitars.nl/

It's a bit expensive for me. Think I'll just settle for silk and steel for now

Bluesbop harry:
I can recommend the Galli VO27 which in my opinion are better than the Galli GSL11's. I get a softer and warmer sound with these than with Argentines. And no problems with bad strings...

Christian

Elliot

That's a good point(s) Ken...which is why I switched to coconut - I couldn't feel plastic picks with my fretting hand. Now my coordination is much better.

Btw, this isn't a plug - I AM NOT SELLING COCONUT PICKS!!!!