Too Much Swoosh

TPC168

I think my rythm playing is taking on too much of a 'swooshing' characteristic. I know players comment on the effectiveness of this sound, but if the pick to much at an angle when playing la pompe can this sound be too overbearing. I notice when the pick is more parallel to the string, this sound isn't as present and distracting to the soloist. I guess tilting it slighty may be the key.

When I listen to the backing tracks over at Stephane Wrembel's site I like the rhythm going on there alot. It's really crisp and tight without the the excessive swooshing sound.

http://www.stephanewrembel.com/rhythmtracks.html

Could it be that the upstrokes in my playing are too slow? Or possibly too heavy-handed?
Thanks

MichaelHorowitz

Stephane Wremble plays w/out upstrokes so that probably explains the difference.

Swooshing is actually desirable by many players....the Dutch rhythm players seem to like it the most. Elios Ferre and Boulou Ferre often use it as a special effect.

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TPC168

Thanks for the reply...I guess it really depends on the soloist and the song. The Alsace pompe four is a little tighter/crisper, but I'm not entirely sure it swings harder than traditional. On easy swing tunes like Swing 42, the bass and chords kind of rhythm lends itself to a bit of pompe four, and uptempo numbers sound good with this. The group that I'm in likes me to mix it up so I'll go with a quicker upstroke Parisian Style on some songs and then I may go more traditional on other tunes to keep it interesting.

Recording is a bit strange, because the swoosh sometimes sounds unpleasant in the mix.

I'd be curious to hear what some accompanists here use predominately. Also, who are some other guitarists that play in the Alsace type pompe four rhythm? I'd like to check them out.

lemanouchecbien

TPC168 wrote:

Recording is a bit strange, because the swoosh sometimes sounds unpleasant in the mix.

:shock: This seems strange to me...can you put a sample of your "bad" pompe ?

TPC168

It's not that is sounds bad...and I probably should have re-phrased that part about it being unpleasant in the mix. Simply for some of the songs we do, the drive of a straighter rhythm is more complementary than traditional upstroke la pompe...that's all.
I just wanted to know of some of guitarists who employ a straighter "four" style with emphasis on 1 and 3 more than 2 and 4. I know Wrembel and Chatelain do this.

Jack

For similar sounds you should check out some of the German crew:



You can also buy them separately--great stuff! It tends to be rougher around the edges than someone like Mathieu C. but has a charm all its own.

best,
Jack.