Jazz Stuff (the thread formerly known as "Just ordered some jazz guitar books...")

Megii

Branshen said:

Nice one jalapeño. JS has alot of knowledge. The tape warble threw me off abit until I realised it's a really old recording.

Yep, nice post @Jalapeno - I must watch that in full when I have an hour to kill.

Branshen

Do people play arpeggios as groupings of two or four notes? I find when I do it as groupings of two notes (which can be done with three fingers), I get a very gypsy jazz sound.

Anyone have any insight on this?

Megii

Branshen said:

Do people play arpeggios as groupings of two or four notes? I find when I do it as groupings of two notes (which can be done with three fingers), I get a very gypsy jazz sound.

Anyone have any insight on this?

I'm afraid I'm not quite understanding what you mean @Branshen , but it sounds like an interesting observation you make - could you try to explain a bit more please, sorry to be slow on the uptake!

Branshen

It's something I just discovered today, but I'll try my best.

We position our hand and fingerings to maximise efficiency. So if I wanted to play a B7 arpeggio, I can play it with all four fingers and not move my hand at all (I.e. grouping of four).

But if you were to think of it as groupings of two notes, you move your hand every two notes, resetting your fingers and not using your pinky. It gives the arpeggio the "gypsy bounce".

Anyone relate or am I just talking nonsense?

Megii

I think I'm with you @Branshen - personally I don't think I do that specific thing a lot with arpeggios, although I do find I change position on the neck quite a lot in general, sometimes when I suppose it would be possible to stay in one position. Not sure why I do that, but I think it does maybe give a certain kind of effect. Don't think you're talking nonsense anyhow - it's an interesting idea, and I'm sure it has value.