What's wrong with this la pompe?

vince

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

itsthewoo

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.

Jon

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

rimm

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

vince

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.

seeirwin

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.

rimm

..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

BluesBop Harry

Check this out: http://www.dc-musicschool.com/catalogue/
The lessons by Hono Winterstein should help a lot!