DjangoBooks.com

What's wrong with this la pompe?

vincevince Davis & San Francisco, CANew
edited December 2011 in Gypsy Rhythm Posts: 133
Hi All,

As I listen to more of other players' la pompe, I'm hearing I'm doing something wrong but I can't figure out what it is. Is the upstroke too long? Maybe it gets gallopy at faster tempos? I've attached a sample of at two tempos. I don't know how to describe this, but sometimes I feel like my rhythm inverts at faster tempos — what's going on here? Also, the whole thing sounds really wet, which I don't like as much.

Vince
I don't know whether I'll ever be an excellent player if I keep practicing, but I'm absolutely sure I won't be if I stop.

Comments

  • itsthewooitsthewoo
    Posts: 8
    It sounds like you're rushing at the faster tempos. By classic jazz theory, those should be 8th notes, but they sound more like 16th notes.
  • JonJon melbourne, australiaProdigy Dupont MD50B, '79 Favino
    Posts: 391
    To me it sounds like you just need to work a bit more with a metronome, and maybe get rid of the little embellishments that you're doing every few bars and just play dead straight rhythm. The basic stroke sound fine, but the time could do with some work.

    It sounds like your right hand is struggling a bit to make the faster tempo too - if it feels too fast, slow it down a bit and work on that until it feels good, then gradually bring the tempo back up. All of this with a metronome though, and really focussing on precision. You won't be able to play fast well unless you can really swing a slower tempo.

    Also, like Gonzalo says, try playing along with the recordings of the masters to get close to feeling how they feel when playing a groove.

    Hope that helps somewhat...

    Jon
  • rimmrimm Ireland✭✭✭✭ Paul doyle D hole, washburn washington
    Posts: 605
    You seem to be throwing in a little skippy upstroke-thats not wrong per say but it could throw your playing out. Sit with the metrenome for 20 minutes and gradually bring your tempo up to speed.
    Heres a video I posted on straight pompe

    http://www.youtube.com/user/belfastgyps ... S51Ch7FMt0
    I got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell
  • vincevince Davis & San Francisco, CANew
    Posts: 133
    Rimm: do you mean the upstroke embellishments I periodically throw in, or the upstrokes on beats 1 & 3? Thanks for the video, that really swings! Are you playing a subtle upstroke on lower strings on beats 1 & 3? From your video, I'm also gathering I need to make 2 & 4 more accented. I'm having a hard time getting the bark you do.

    Thanks to jon and itsthewoo too for your input — I will definitely play with a metronome more.
    I don't know whether I'll ever be an excellent player if I keep practicing, but I'm absolutely sure I won't be if I stop.
  • seeirwinseeirwin ✭✭✭ AJL J'attendrai | AJL Orchestra
    Posts: 115
    In addition to what the other people have mentioned, the thing that is missing (to my ear, at least), particularly at the faster tempo you posted, is a clear strong 1 and 3 beat. Those beats really drive the rhythm and are frequently overlooked by people first learning the style, since the 2 and 4 get the spotlight. If you listen to Gonzalo or some of the other modern guys, at certain tempos, there's not even really a chord on the 2 and 4 - it's just a muted accent. Of course, there's the more traditional "la pompe" sound in which the chords are definitely sounding on 2 and 4, but the 1 and 3 are still present and hard-driving. This is true whether you are doing an upstroke style or not. What I heard is that your 1 and 3 lost much of their assertiveness at high speeds and I think that contributed to the sense of "inversion" you mentioned.
  • rimmrimm Ireland✭✭✭✭ Paul doyle D hole, washburn washington
    Posts: 605
    ..Don't get me wong-you are deffo on the right track and really close-its the upstroke on 1 and 3 that I would cut out. Its occasionaly going to creep in, as it does for all rythm players, but its a case of less is more (well thats the sound that I like anyway..)

    Heres the Gonzalo way, again its personal preferance-great players like Dave Kelbie play upstrokes and manage to swing really hard, but I like to play it really straight. :)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D--cQRSaIu4
    I got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell
  • BluesBop HarryBluesBop Harry Mexico city, MexicoVirtuoso
    Posts: 1,379
    Check this out: http://www.dc-musicschool.com/catalogue/
    The lessons by Hono Winterstein should help a lot!
Sign In or Register to comment.
Home  |  Forum  |  Blog  |  Contact  |  206-528-9873
The Premier Gypsy Jazz Marketplace
DjangoBooks.com
USD CAD GBP EUR AUD
USD CAD GBP EUR AUD
Banner Adverts
Sell Your Guitar
© 2024 DjangoBooks.com, all rights reserved worldwide.
Software: Kryptronic eCommerce, Copyright 1999-2024 Kryptronic, Inc. Exec Time: 0.017427 Seconds Memory Usage: 1.008797 Megabytes
Kryptronic