Question re: Wrembel 'Getting Into Gypsy Jazz' book

msmith40

I'm confused about a statement on page 8:

"Furthermore, each beat subdivision has it's own picking rules. A subdivision is played from the botton-up, subdivision by three bottom - up - bottom etc."

Does this refer to picking technique, as in:
'...played from the bottom-up...' translates to pick up-down.

If yes, then doesn't that go against the '....always pick a new string with a downstroke...' technique?

Thanks!

a

new string, new down stroke.

upbeat- upstroke (unless it's really slow)

more than one note per string followed by a string change to a lower string- leave the higher pitched string on an upstroke.

msmith40

Thanks.........but that doesn't really address my question.

Always pick a new string with a downstroke.
Got it.

Start and end phrases with a downward stroke.
Got it.

Pick back and forth when remaining on a single string.
Got it.

So what does "A subdivision is played from the bottom-up, subdivision by three bottom - up - bottom etc" mean...?

Thanks!

dennis

it means on one string only ... but it's not exactly true either, in fact there aren't really any hard rules in the gypsy picking thing... it's a very difficult subject because it's full of exceptions ...

the minute you come up with a rule , you';ll easily find an exception to it, the most important thing about this picking technique is that if it looks way too absurd to pul off, it probably is way too absurd... ie doing D U D D U D D U D in triplets at 300 bpm, when everyone else just does alternate picking....

rhythm, tempo and fingering greatly affect the picking choice... as in the case above