Gonzalo "How I Learned" support group...?

Michael Bauer

I bought both volumes direct from Gonzalo in Northampton. I thought they were cheaper, working copies for musicians as opposed to what I assumed were the glossy versions for sale at Djangobooks, etc. I didn't care then and I don't care now that I have learned the fancy versions don't exist. I have several of Michael's books which are beautifully produced on high quality paper, etc, but every one of them is stained with beer, Pepsi, mustard, spaghetti sauce and cat hairballs. Ditto with Gonzalo's! So much for high production values...

In the end, it's about content, and Gonzalo's books are the only ones that focus more on connecting up licks and arpeggios in a musical context than just writing out endless licks. Joe Pass had every student, at his first lesson, play straight eighth notes all the way through a song with no phrasing. He said it told him pretty much exactly where each student was in terms of harmonic understanding. Gonzalos' books, properly studied, get us to the place where we can understand how to assemble licks and arpeggios into longer phrases.

As for the price, his books are cheaper than most, didn't require him to bankrupt himself to self-publish, nor require him to sell his soul to Mel Bay or some other publisher to get a fancy version out. Jean-Phillipe Watremez told me that he gets only about one quarter (25 cents U.S.) per copy of The Complete Django from the publisher. Thanks, but I'd rather put $25-30 bucks directly into Gonzalo's hands any day. How much would an equivalent amount of lessons from Gonzalo cost?
Some of the best material I have is in the form of photocopied handouts from Django in June, or from other events and lessons. Elliot, you know I always enjoy your take on the world, but I don't agree about the price/production quality issue.

Elliot

Interesting. I have a friend whom I just happened to get off the phone with that is another professional Jazz player, instructor, etc with a book that he's also written and published himself covering piano technique that very, very few people are at the level to play on (and it was seriously considered by a major publisher who was interested, but alas, the limited market story again). It is 250 pages for the same price. What's more, he is up on the current market for this kind of material, and after describing it to him assured me that this kind of offering commonly goes for $10. I'm not pressing the issue, there is no set price on something you value and if you want it fine, if you don't, etc, but that is the fact, Mike.

Jim Kaznosky

So...getting back to the real topic of this support group...

I really the approach that Mark DS takes for using the book. I've been using it as a lick source and I need to get back to using more for etude type practicing as well. Practicing at half speed seems to be a solid way of developing technique and ingraining patterns like this into your brains, as well as formulating some muscle memory for less used arpeggio forms. I'm real guilty of playing vertically in a few positions and I would imagine that some serious practice of the forms as a whole would break me out of this rut.

I've also been using the first two choruses of the oft-played Django Dark Eyes solo at real slow speeds as a way to develop a better horizontal approach to the neck. (I've played that diminished based chorus to death, both at home and live).

Ultraspontane

If you don't like it, don't buy it. If you already bought it and don't like it, sell it. Problem solved.

klaatu

Ultraspontane wrote:

If you don't like it, don't buy it. If you already bought it and don't like it, sell it. Problem solved.

Thank you, well said. IMHO, we've beat this subject to death.

And no, I'm not selling my copies.

GJFAN

Denis Chang DVD's are great. I am on the first one on soloing after going through the rhythm course one. I have also used Michael's book Gypsy picking which is a must have and a Robin Nolan book called Essential Gypsy Jazz Licks Volume 2. I found there were some great licks in Robin's book but there is no picking written in and I went through it before getting Michael's book and Denis's DVD's so I am currently reworking some of what I learned in it as the first time through I played everything with alternate picking. Also tried Robins Gypsy Jazz Online course. Just recently joined the Rosenberg Academy which I am having good success with so far.

rafapak

hi guys

I have Gonzalo's book, part 1. It is lovely book. Unfortunately it is difficult for me to perceive his fingerings from videos. Although it is impossible for me to try gonzalo's fingerings for reasons stated above ( I would love to try them if I could figure them out from videos but I can't ) I have some thoughts about fingerings. My thinking is that people have differently shaped bones in their palms and the length of fingers is different which creates situation in which fingerings that suit me would not suit somebody else for mentioned above reasons. Do you think guys that it is a problem when one selects his own fingerings that are a bit different when compared to those Gonzalo is showing?rafapak

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klaatu

rafapak wrote:

hi guys

My thinking is that people have differently shaped bones in their palms and the length of fingers is different which creates situation in which fingerings that suit me would not suit somebody else for mentioned above reasons.

You are probably quite correct. What works for one person may not work for another. Gonzalo happens to have long fingers, not to mention a lot more skill than most of us. It can be of value to start with his fingerings as a guide, but in the end you have to figure out what works for you. There are a few places in his books where I found that I could play a certain passage more easily by shifting one or two notes to a different string.

Django played those diminished arpeggios two notes to a string using his first and second fingers, which were very long and supple (and all he had to work with, for the most part). I wonder how many other people can do that? I can't - I have to use fingers one and three.

rafapak

measure 17-18 Hungaria

gonzalo says, memorize this lick and be able to play it in all frets.

does he mean that the student is supposed to be able to play this lick in all positions on the neck?

gone

Hey Guys, I'm here to help if i can as well, sorry about the videos not being so clear, i think by the time volume 2 came out i realized that and just wrote down fingering on the page.

When i say be able to play one lick in all frets i meant if you learn a phrase in C, move it up to D, to E, to F to G and to A, if you want to add flats and sharps even better.

This is sorta easy thanks to the mechanics of the guitar, however i do notice some students dont associate shape independently of where they are on the neck, meaning when they have to move that same shape up and the dots fit differently they are screwed. This is a problem we need to eliminate.

We should all pick up a different instrument for a week and learn a pattern in all 12 keys, and realize it's 12 different shapes!!! we'll come back running to hug our guitars again!!

Also, i tell all my students as well, pick and fingering are not as important as you think. You've said it, we have different hand shapes, but it is true sometimes fingering is KEY! the only way you can play a particular phrase is whit this specific fingering, and gypsy fingering, is not obvious sometimes.

I'm thinking of making a support group on facebook for the book, that way we can share more info,
should i??
Thanks
Gonzalo