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Djangos multi-measure acs/desc runs in Swanee River

beavertoofbeavertoof nashville, tnNew
edited February 2009 in Licks and Patterns Posts: 60
Of course Django can take what would -not- normally be considered a swing tune and burn the house down with it.

He uses these chromatic, ascending/descending runs with the pick doing tremolo, in many of his solos, and especially well in this tune.

there is a clip of him doing a similar run on YouTube somewhere, and even watching it I have a hard time picking up exactly what is happening.

I think the secret to these is incredible timing, that is the left hand, doing the note changing with I think 1 finger, matches up -perfectly- with his incredible right hand tremolo picking.

has anyone mastered one of these buggers, and can post it? It would help if I at least knew the proper notes I was supposed to be hitting for sure.
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Comments

  • thomasbaggermanthomasbaggerman The NetherlandsNew
    Posts: 10
    the chromatic line is explained on multiple places on the internet

    playing it with two fingers gives the best sound

    ciao!
  • beavertoofbeavertoof nashville, tnNew
    Posts: 60
    the chromatic line is explained on multiple places on the internet

    playing it with two fingers gives the best sound

    ciao!

    hmmm... i guess somehow i have missed it multiple times then... thanks, i will keep looking.
  • sockeyesockeye Philadelphie sur SchuylkillNew
    Posts: 415
    Order Michael Horowitz's Gypsy Picking from this site for an explanation.

    I agree, Swanee River is an especially nice use of this trick. He does it 3 times, but the 2nd one, around the 2:00 mark, is just a killer! It comes out of a diatonic run and when he switches to the chromatic bit it almost sounds like he's still playing the diatonic scale at an ungodly speed.
  • BluesBop HarryBluesBop Harry Mexico city, MexicoVirtuoso
    Posts: 1,379
    I can't say that I have mastered this nice trick but maybe this can help:
    The chromatic thing is used more like an effect you're not supposed to be absolutely accurate as long as it sounds right and you land on the proper note. Timing and synchronization of both hands is key.
    Transcribe a few of Django's in different keys and with time you'll get close.
  • fraterfrater Prodigy
    Posts: 763
    I'd recommend the video of Romane where the chromatic run is explained very clearly (especially the role of the right hand, more complex than it seems...)
  • beavertoofbeavertoof nashville, tnNew
    Posts: 60
    thanks to all with the suggestions... i do have Gypsy Picking, but have not gone much past the first 4 i think patterns... I did not know that was in there, i will look.

    I found the YouTube clip:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v-6AH-S8L8

    It is around 2:52.

    It appears to me that he starts on the D string, maybe the D note, goes up a few frets, then G string, up a few, B string etc... until he is on the E string at which point I think he goes all the way up to a high D. (Gadzooks his right hand is so incredible!)

    Seems like that would not be too bad to do... I try it, it sounds like vomit!
  • BillyBobBillyBob Graham, WaNew
    Posts: 53
    I am trying to find the best fingering for the triplet chromatic run Django uses in Minor Swing. I've tried 3 so far, but just can't get that clean sound at any kind of decent speed.

    Here's what I'm playing now. It seems to make sense for rest stroke.

    ..........D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U D U
    E ----------------------------------------------------------
    B ----- 8-7 ------------------------------------------------
    G --------- 10-9-8-7--------------------------------------
    D -------------------- 11-10-9-8-7-6 ---------------------
    A -------------------------------------- 10-9-8-7-6-5 -------
    E -------------------------------------------------------------

    Any suggestions? Other fingerings? I have also considered just cutting it short and making it an eighth note run.

    Thanks
    Just your average Djoe.
  • beavertoofbeavertoof nashville, tnNew
    Posts: 60
    thanks Billy Bob, i have printed that out and will give it a try tonight.
  • BluesBop HarryBluesBop Harry Mexico city, MexicoVirtuoso
    Posts: 1,379
    This is the way I figured it out:


    E ----3-2-1-0-----------------------------------------------1--5---77-----------
    B -------- ----4-3-2-1-0- --------------------------------3------------5---------
    G --------- ---------------3-2-1-0 ----------------------1----------------5-----
    D ------------------------------------4-3-2-1--0-1-2-3---- -----------------5--
    A ------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------7
    E -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Every note is picked and it's straight gypsy picking!

    I've also seen it done this way:

    E ---------------------------------------------5---77-------------
    B -------- ---------------------------------6-------------5-----------
    G ------------------------------------- --7-------------------5--------
    D ------0-1-2-3-slide-while picking 6--- ---------------------5----
    A -------------------------------------------------------------------7
    E -----------------------------------------------------------------------


    The pitch of the slowed down clip is a little high btw
  • BillyBobBillyBob Graham, WaNew
    Posts: 53
    Thanks BB Harry.
    I used to try it the way you posted, and I revisited that fingering (last night) with some decent results. I think that my right hand has gotten better since I abandoned that fingering, so now it seems a little easier to play it in that position. I am also playing the 4th fret notes on the B and D with my 3rd finger and sliding down to the 3rd fret notes, and it sounds a little more crisper than when I tried to play those notes with my pinky.

    If I ever get that nice crisp (seemingly effortless) staccato that Django did in those chromatic runs, I would die a happy man.
    Just your average Djoe.
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