hello all!

HotBoots

Hello all. I started pretending to play gypsy jazz about 6 or 7 months ago, and just got a dell arte in september. I play in a rock n' roll reggae band, but after listening to django and other great players, i've gotten hooked to gypsy jazz.

Anyways, I'm having a little trouble clarifying EXACTLY what to do with my right hand. I've read a lot about the technique here and elsewhere, and though i'm doing good, i feel like somethings still not perfect.

I just started playing with my picking hand hovering above the bridge 2 weeks ago. I feel like because of my physiology (5'7, short wingspan and baby hands) it is hard for me to really break my wrist and keep out as far as someone I watch like Joscho (he seems to hold his wrist really far out). But, I am holding it away from the strings and seeing improvement daily.

I feel like I am building some new muscles in my forearms and often get kind of cramped up (even in my elbow area a little bit), but when I play for a few hours I get a little bit more loose and tend to go with it easier - do I want to feel like my arm is getting a new workout? as if its getting stronger in a new way, and soon going to be able to support higher quality playing? If i don't want to be using so much strength from my arm, do you suggest trying to really exaggerate pick movements? like if i were just doing an alternate picking exercise or something, trying to use the weight of my hand as much as possible to avoid forcing it...?

This may not make any sense.

hope to hear back, and sorry if this was a waste of anyones time.

Nick B.

MichaelHorowitz

Hi Nick,

I don't think someone with a smaller build/hand size would in anyway be prevented from doing Gypsy Picking. I've seen 10 year old Gypsy kids to it. See: [url=http://www.djangobooks.com/archives/2008/03/28/jimmy_rosenberg_young_jimmy.html#001230]http://www.djangobooks.com/archives/200 ... tml#001230[/url]

Joscho doesn't really use Gypsy picking....he has an idiosyncratic approach which works for him but may not be easy to emulate by others.

For in-depth instruction on traditional rest-stroke picking see:












Gypsy
Picking

Frans

Hi Hotboots,
don't be concerned if your built is on the small side, you are probably just as tall as most gypsy guys and if you take a look at Django's clips he is also not breaking out his wrist in a big way.
I'm six foot two and my arms are of the longer type, this has given me a lot of problems in finding a right-hand position which doesn't make me look like the humpback of Notre Dame, I have had serious neck pains from playing too "hunched" If you are in doubt just follow Michael's "Gypsy Picking" or Dennis Chang's "Jazz Manouche" vol 1
they teach both in excellent ways gypsy picking, you can also learn a lot by checking out great players like Bireli, Stochelo or Angelo on Youtube, the "awkwardness" of playing with a floating hand will certainly disappear after a few months, just be aware of what you are doing with your right hand and try to stay relaxed and have fun
kind regards
Frans

HotBoots

thank you guys for such the quick replys. It is good to hear from two different people that size doesn't matter (when it comes to gypsy guitar, at least).

I have already grown pretty accustomed to the new way I have been playing, I feel like my hand is in a position similar to gonzalo bergara's when he plays. Unless i see something that tells me im doing this completely wrong, i'm going to continue trying to get better in this position.

As far as Joscho goes, though he seems to break his wrist a lot, what style of picking is he using? is it not straight alternate picking? I heard on one of his lessons or somewhere that the way he gets his high velocity is by starting with a downstroke on ever string, isn't that the most important element to gypsy picking?

BluesBop Harry

I think if you learn how to play rhythm (la pompe) right you'll get into the posture and motions a lot faster.
Remember to shake out that match! Practice slow and from the wrist using gravity. Unless you're practicing like mad you shouldn't feel any muscle discomfort.
It'll take time but it's really worth it.
Speaking of Tchavolo, he's not tall at all and what a right hand the man has!
As a note: Stochelo said in an interview that for some years he only did downstrokes, so that might be a good way to begin.

V-dub

Hi Nick,

I think we may have met before. I play in East Bay reggae group the Soul Captives. We did a show at the Gilman last year with Chris Murray.

Anyway, welcome to the exciting and frustrating world of gypsy jazz! In my opinion reggae guitarists have an advantage in that they actually give a shit about rhythm guitar.

The technique you get from playing reggae helps too, as you're probably already used to playing rhythmically and making good use of gravity and left hand muting to get percussive effect.

Let me know if you want to jam sometime.

Vic

HotBoots

great to hear from you. It's amazing how small this world is.
We played together at Gilman, right? I think our band is working on another show there for a demo release in a few months.

Anyways, i'm moving back to the bay area in 10 days. it would be cool to jam, i've only gotten to play gypsy jazz around people who don't know anything about the art. did you say you were in the east bay too?