Gypsy Picking book - When to move on?

Lahm

Hi, After years of enjoying Django's music, I've decided to give it a try and learn to play the music. I got Gypsy Picking about six weeks ago and have been practicing about 2h per day following the instructions in the book. I've been working on the first nine picking patterns and can play them nice and clean at 100 bpm or quicker, depending on the pattern. Would it be OK to move to the corresponding musical examples or should I keep practicing with open strings until I can play faster?
BTW: Thanks for the posts in this forum. They ultimately gave me the push to buy the book and learn this style. And thanks to Michael for his wonderful book.

pinkgary

Move on, move on. You must be bored stiff of open strings by now.

I think, if you're asking the question, you're ready to do it.

The point of the first section is so you can just concentrate on your right hand. Start the musical examples & if your right hand carries on using the right technique when you're thinking about your left hand then it's all good. If not......... back to open strings...

Lahm

Wow, that was quick. Thanks, pinkgary. I'll try the examples tonight.

I might be a weird guy but I'm not bored doing the open strings at all. It's so great to hear how strong my sound has gotten with the rest stroke!

MichaelHorowitz

Once you get the basic gist of the reststroke w/open strings then I think it's good to start learning some of the musical examples. Just take them slow and make sure you're playing them ultra clean!

Have fun...

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BluesBop Harry

I stayed with open strings only for a while too, like 4 or 6 six weeks.
It really paid off! I didn't get bored either, felt kinda like a video game or something...
But like Gary said if your picking hand's got it start incorporating the fretting one.
Best,

djangology

I'd say you should move on and practice the gypsy picking for 10 minutes a day during your warmups. (or more if your a pro)

Lahm

Man, you guys are great! So many helpful replies within one hour. Thank you so much.

I did realize that my right hand assumes the broken wrist position automatically when I grab my guitar. I tried to play the old way the other day but it felt funny. The fact that I'm not able to play my old stuff at the moment is very scary though.

pinkgary

Don't worry. Like the book says, the best way to get it right is to do nothing but gypsy picking for a while, then, when it's right, it becomes easier to swap from one style to another.

I find using a different pick helps me get back in the ole alternate picking zone.

BluesBop Harry

At first I thought that after some time I'd use alternate for some stuff and GP for the rest. But it became so comfortable and sonically satisfying to gypsy pick that I never went back, now if I can't gypsy pick (descending downstrokes) fast enough a particular phrase I find myself using legato so it ends up being alternate.
I sometimes might use a backward sweep as an effect to play some jazz lines too but most of the time GP is more than fine.