What exactly is Joscho doing here?

NewcastleBud

Well, first let me say that I'd rather not get into a huge argument about fast-twitch fibers or plyometrics (after all, this IS a website dedicated to Gypsy Jazz guitar),
What I will say though is the technique in question is very rapid tremolo picking (think of the sound on Dick Dale's 'Miserlou").
This time done with octaves instead of single notes and playing a melody of some sort.
They are NOT 8th note triplets or 164th note semi-demi-hemi quavers.
Yes, it is very fast, yes, it would help to keep the wrist as loose as possible and (most importantly),
Yes, (with practice....remember that?)
you CAN do this.
To say that only a select few are "born" to do this is just setting yourself up for failure before you even start.
I mean, with that approach...Django was definitely a genius in the true sense of the word, so why do the rest of us even bother?

kungfumonk007

So you are saying it is unmeasured? It sounds metric to me - that's what is so impressive. . . I think. . ., maybe I just need to rip the audio and slow it down to know for sure.

NewcastleBud

It is indeed impressive.
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by unmeasured.
If you're playing tremolo picked notes, they are even (thus, measured) up and down notes.
It's just that it's really freaking fast!!!
In my opinion (which granted, you never asked for), over thinking this will kill it faster than Snookie's career trajectory.
Practice, and lots of it, that'll do the trick!
Bonne Chance,
R

kungfumonk007

Thanks - I was asking your opinion , I'm working it. 4 hours a day for the next year should get me there, and hopefully I can stay relaxed enough not to get rsi.

Ultraspontane

It's ultra fast tremelo strumming. I'm working on it myself. Fastest I've ever done was 16th at 170 bpm. I want to be able to play 16ths at 200bpm.

Joscho has an incredible right hand.

kungfumonk007

Thanks - that was my big question - I was pretty sure he was doing triplets, but wasn't quite sure if he was alternating or doing the d,u,d, on every beat (which would be insane if he were!)

NewcastleBud

Sorry Kohno,
Yes on the octaves, no on the triplets ,
I'm fairly certain it's straight ahead, good olde fashioned tremolo picking ( Ultraspontane nailed it by describing it as "Ultra Fast").
But let's face it,..we could argue triplets vs. no triplets all day....what's the point in that?
I have a feeling Django (remember him?) is looking down at us all and having a laugh!!

kungfumonk007

I gave in ripped the audio and slowed it down since everyone is hearing the time differently -

Definitely I can confirm, it is measured (in time, not just a random or unmeasured tremelo) and it is triplets, though there are spots that it is not perfect, so even at half speed it is a little difficult to tell. Super impressive! It's going to take some work for me to get that up to speed.

kungfumonk007

P.S. If you are hearing dead people laugh at you I hope you'll go see a priest. . . or at least Bruce Willis about that. Sounds scary!

kungfumonk007

The thing is if he was playing 16th notes at that tempo I'd feel no reason to go on playing Definitely I can actually play fairly fast doing just a tremelo without regards to time, even nearly as fast as him on a good day, but hitting those triplets in that time at that speed is just something way beyond me at this point.