Body Positioning and Downstrokes

periclimenes

Hell All,

I just got my copy of Gypsy Rhythm in the mail today and I am excited to dive into the GJ style. I have been playing for about 15 years, and I have a couple of questions about the body positioning:

1. On the downstroke, when you are supposed to let the gravity do the work, I find that I am all over the place. The pick hits the strings, slides onto the pick guard, off of the bottom of the pickguard, and on the return to the ready postion, I sometimes get the wood above the strings with the pick. I'm trying to stay relaxed and not let my muscles get in the way, but this didn't seem right.

2. On the first few exercises (flat four and la pompe), I find that my right arm migrates down so my right elbow is resting on the upper bout of the guitar (instead of having the a spot 1-2 inches below the elbow be in contact with the upper bout). Should I try to avoid this? Does it matter?

3. Finally, on la pompe, the book says the grace note and beats 1 and 3 should be primarily the bass strings and 2 and 4 should be primarily the treble strings. Is this something I need to worry alot about as I try to get the feel of la pompe? Or does this just come naturally? Right now, if I focus too much on where the pick is going to hit the strings on what beat, it's hard to get into the feel of the rhythm.

Thanks in advance!

-peri

periclimenes

I guess I should also mention that I don't have a GJ guitar yet, so I am using a taylor 310 acoustic guitar.

MichaelHorowitz

periclimenes wrote:

1. On the downstroke, when you are supposed to let the gravity do the work, I find that I am all over the place. The pick hits the strings, slides onto the pick guard, off of the bottom of the pickguard, and on the return to the ready postion, I sometimes get the wood above the strings with the pick. I'm trying to stay relaxed and not let my muscles get in the way, but this didn't seem right.i

You'll get more accurate with time.....it just takes practice.

2. On the first few exercises (flat four and la pompe), I find that my right arm migrates down so my right elbow is resting on the upper bout of the guitar (instead of having the a spot 1-2 inches below the elbow be in contact with the upper bout). Should I try to avoid this? Does it matter?

Everyone is a little different...as long as your hand position is good, then some variation in arm position doesn't matter too much.

3. Finally, on la pompe, the book says the grace note and beats 1 and 3 should be primarily the bass strings and 2 and 4 should be primarily the treble strings. Is this something I need to worry alot about as I try to get the feel of la pompe? Or does this just come naturally? Right now, if I focus too much on where the pick is going to hit the strings on what beat, it's hard to get into the feel of the rhythm.

Yes, you should be very aware of this....it won't sound right unless you're paying attention to which strings you're hitting.

Good luck!

-Michael