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Strap or Lap - key to everything?
First post, thanks Mike, Josh, and all for a great resource! 
I was struggling to pick a first GJ guitar worrying about the typical stuff - scale length, neck thickness - when I stumbled across something that has really raised questions for me.
Check out this video of Bill Barnes playing the Pigalle and note the position of his left forearm: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=52225190
Bill's a pro who can really play, and both he and the guitar sound great!
What was important to me is that his forearm is raised vertically. This is how I hold a guitar. But it seems that with most gypsy players the left forearm is perpendicular to the upper arm and parallel to the floor.
Perhaps this explains why many people like thick necks - holding the guitar in gypsy style there is open space between the back of the neck and the palm of my hand that a thicker neck would help fill. The gypsy hold is similar to wearing your guitar low on the body when you play standing up with a strap - your forearm ends up in a flatter position.
It is very difficult for me to play this way. I tried some finger style chord melody I can play well on an archtop and I was struggling. I found myself hunching over, while I normally play with a very straight back posture.
More importantly, thumb chords became essential, because to barre from the gypsy hold you must bend your wrist, which guickly gets painful. With a raised forearm hold I can form barre chords without bending the wrist.
Like most things, this is probably a bigger issue for some than others. I just plan to ask for strap buttons on the guitar I buy so I can play with a raised forearm. I started out with classical lessons - using a foot stool and holding the guitar on my left hip - so making a change may be very difficult for me.
I was wondering what you more experienced players thought?
Paul
I was struggling to pick a first GJ guitar worrying about the typical stuff - scale length, neck thickness - when I stumbled across something that has really raised questions for me.
Check out this video of Bill Barnes playing the Pigalle and note the position of his left forearm: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=52225190
Bill's a pro who can really play, and both he and the guitar sound great!
What was important to me is that his forearm is raised vertically. This is how I hold a guitar. But it seems that with most gypsy players the left forearm is perpendicular to the upper arm and parallel to the floor.
Perhaps this explains why many people like thick necks - holding the guitar in gypsy style there is open space between the back of the neck and the palm of my hand that a thicker neck would help fill. The gypsy hold is similar to wearing your guitar low on the body when you play standing up with a strap - your forearm ends up in a flatter position.
It is very difficult for me to play this way. I tried some finger style chord melody I can play well on an archtop and I was struggling. I found myself hunching over, while I normally play with a very straight back posture.
More importantly, thumb chords became essential, because to barre from the gypsy hold you must bend your wrist, which guickly gets painful. With a raised forearm hold I can form barre chords without bending the wrist.
Like most things, this is probably a bigger issue for some than others. I just plan to ask for strap buttons on the guitar I buy so I can play with a raised forearm. I started out with classical lessons - using a foot stool and holding the guitar on my left hip - so making a change may be very difficult for me.
I was wondering what you more experienced players thought?
Paul
Comments
Great to know there are guys doing it both ways!
Yes, the Gypsy Jazz Police, they never forgave Selmer for making anything but horns.
Paul Tetreault
www.denischang.com
www.dc-musicschool.com
I totally agree with Paul and Dennis about Bill sounding great in this vid. Some thougths though:
He is playing in a chair with armrests, so if you don't sit really in the front edge (he doesn't), this is about the only possible way to hold a guitar.
If you let the back of your guitar lean on your body, you lose some volume. If you play solo pieces or if you're amplified it really doesn't matter, but in acoustic jam session it might be an issue.
http://www.jazzpartout.com
-G
Just something you work into I guess.
Paul Tetreault