Tears

phil_g

Nice transcription Michael thank you. This could be the first ever music book I make it all the way through!

Just come off an injury that stopped me playing so it's great to work out some new stuff too, will be posting my mp3 as soon as I re-record it.

Couple of quick questions please.

Playing fingerstyle on a Mac - do you think it's an advantage to really dig in to find the best tone?
I suppose that is authentic since the Mac predates amps. My regular style is a fairly light touch, been playing rags & stuff on a flat top but the DG255 seems to appreciate a bit less subtlety?! Same applies to Improv#2 which I'm well on with at the mo, the 1st chords sound pretty thin on the Saga if I play them in my style but a bit of extra attack seems to work.

Other q re tears. In Stef's section Django plays the trem zoom at the end of the 9th chords. How the hell did he sound like that if he was using his fingers!? Did he maybe switch to a pick for that or was he using 1 or 2 finger tremolo to do that? That's the only bit I haven't got nailed. I can play it ok but using a finger strum technique after picking I just can't get the volume. Playing the lick in isolation with a pick no probs.

Thank you, best music book I ever bought

Phil

MichaelHorowitz

phil_g wrote:

Nice transcription Michael thank you. This could be the first ever music book I make it all the way through!

Thanks Phil...glad you like it!

Playing fingerstyle on a Mac - do you think it's an advantage to really dig in to find the best tone?

It's pretty clear on recordings that Django is digging in very hard. Especially on Tears...he's really slapping those bass notes.

Other q re tears. In Stef's section Django plays the trem zoom at the end of the 9th chords. How the hell did he sound like that if he was using his fingers!? Did he maybe switch to a pick for that or was he using 1 or 2 finger tremolo to do that?

He definitely switched to using a pick after the 1st chorus.

Thank you, best music book I ever bought

Thanks....it took me 10 years to write it so I'm glad all the work is appreciated!

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phil_g

Cheers Michael, I can play this piece with a pick but it's a bit wooden on the Cm section cw my fingers, might have to learn to palm the pick or something. 10 hours more practice on this piece should make the odds!

I thought if I put my 1 take version up it might spur me to record it again now I've got a better handle on the piece & changed a few fingerings (to your recommendations), this was a week ago & it sounds old to me now.

It's on my site http://philgardiner.fastmail.fm until I do it again

10 years well spent 8) Thank you

Phil

mmaslan

The mp3 sounds great! Is that you on flute too?

phil_g

That's my wife Andrea on flute 8)

Thanks very much

nuages

Very nice Phil! Sorry to hear about your injury. Keep up the good work.

Jimmy

phil_g

Thanks guys

Jimmy how's your saga mate? you got the 250M didn't you?

I have changed my right hand technique for playing the Mac fingerstyle

I've been playing fingerstyle on flat top guitars for years & I'm a nail player. My tone was not right & didn't sound authentic at all as per the clip I recorded.
Impro#2 I suffered more than tears, I was dying of treble using my nails on the high sections.

I discovered that by using the pads of my fingers and more attack that the note sounds quite bassy & the treble rings through, starting to get that gypsy sound coming through, works best when I'm plucking near the sound hole. I had a similar moment the other day working with a pick & the GP book, ah there's the sound I'm after, well sometimes anyway. The whole tone of the instrument and the volume just fill out.

Apparently Segovia never used his nails to play, John Williams was one of the early classical players to do this so it points to correct old technique. Might be a bit obvious but when you have your own style & take up a new form it doesn't always occur to change everything.

Cheers, Phil