The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by marcwhy
    My main trio is sax, bass, and guitar; when we need more volume for certain gigs, we add a drummer.]
    Ummm - if you look at your amp closely, you’ll find a knob labeled “volume”. It has a similar but more pleasant effect than adding a drummer, Marc.

    But seriously folks, my wife and I hoped at least one of our children would be a musician. Sadly, we got a drummer instead [kaching!]

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  3. #27

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    Drummers are central to jazz in a way that guitarists envy and fear. Drummers are also in general better humans and more fun to hang out with than almost all guitarists most of whom should never be allowed to leave their practice rooms and inflict themselves upon wider society* a fact given eloquent voice in the pages of this very forum.

    (I would say that you could let them out for gigs, but I do not in fact think this is necessary either)

    You have to specify ‘drummer less trio’ in contrast ‘guitarless trio’ is just a jazz trio. Guitar is so marginal to jazz no one would think to specify it.

    People who go on about how drummerless trios are better really need to meet some real drummers lol (though maybe they are too busy playing gigs with piano players**)

    But I’m a drums fan, Drummers are some of my favourite musicians.

    * I count myself in this category.
    ** pianists have similar problems to guitarists but are at least competent musicians

    As Chet Baker himself said it, ’it takes a hell of guitarist to be better than haemorrhoids’
    Last edited by Christian Miller; 04-19-2022 at 02:28 AM.

  4. #28

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    "** pianists have similar problems to guitarists but are at least competent musicians"

    Pianists have more another problems.
    There is not a good instrument everywhere, or it is not there at all.
    Playing on the so-called keyboard is not it.
    The guitar is simply more mobile.

  5. #29
    Dutchbopper Guest
    Some people seem to perceive this thread as an anti drummer thread. That was not my idea. It's not about kicking out drummers or diminishing their role in jazz. It's about my personal preference. I prefer playing without one because:


    • good jazz drummers in my neck of the woods are rare (amateur level/mediocre is the norm)
    • it is better and nicer for my ears
    • a good trio can swing as hard without one (swing is not in the instrument, it's in the player)
    • the gigging opportunities are much better (venues - especially smaller ones - prefer the intimacy and low volume setting)
    • the drummerless format is very well accepted over here (countless gypsy trios are out here proving it)
    • I personally prefer the format because of the intimacy of the sound (lots of my favourite jazz music is drummerless)
    • it's a classic format in jazz in the first place


    That's it. Will I never play with a drummer again? Heck no. I will.

    DB

  6. #30

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    All I have to say is Hammond rulez.

  7. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dutchbopper
    [*]it's a classic format in jazz in the first place
    If the story is true that jazz evolved in the brothels of the US south-east then it would probably be THE classic format.


    I mean, there are more important rhythms and banging going on in such places

  8. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by kris
    "** pianists have similar problems to guitarists but are at least competent musicians"

    Pianists have more another problems.
    There is not a good instrument everywhere, or it is not there at all.
    Playing on the so-called keyboard is not it.
    The guitar is simply more mobile.
    Very true. We can spoil music in a wide variety of situations.

  9. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dutchbopper
    Some people seem to perceive this thread as an anti drummer thread. That was not my idea. It's not about kicking out drummers or diminishing their role in jazz. It's about my personal preference. I prefer playing without one because:


    • good jazz drummers in my neck of the woods are rare (amateur level/mediocre is the norm)
    • it is better and nicer for my ears
    • a good trio can swing as hard without one (swing is not in the instrument, it's in the player)
    • the gigging opportunities are much better (venues - especially smaller ones - prefer the intimacy and low volume setting)
    • the drummerless format is very well accepted over here (countless gypsy trios are out here proving it)
    • I personally prefer the format because of the intimacy of the sound (lots of my favourite jazz music is drummerless)
    • it's a classic format in jazz in the first place


    That's it. Will I never play with a drummer again? Heck no. I will.

    DB
    I suppose both drummers and guitarists like to speed up, so we have that in common.

    In seriousness, the drumless situation with guitar playing rhythm was as you know the default set up for a piano trio I think until Bill Evans established the modern archetype. Playing drums on the guitar so to speak is fun.

  10. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
    Ummm - if you look at your amp closely, you’ll find a knob labeled “volume”. It has a similar but more pleasant effect than adding a drummer, Marc.

    But seriously folks, my wife and I hoped at least one of our children would be a musician. Sadly, we got a drummer instead [kaching!]
    Hi, N,
    Funny! One of my Chi-town buddies was a trumpet player who got all the good show gigs in the City for musicals and "star" traveling vocalists. One day at my place, we were talking about music and my son-in-law stopped by for a visit. I said casually, here's B . . . another musician. My buddy turned to me as B went to the kitchen to grab a drink and said . . ."He's not a musician . . . he's a drummer." That was the first time I heard that saying and you're, now, the second!
    Marinero

  11. #35

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dutchbopper
    Some people seem to perceive this thread as an anti drummer thread.
    I think and hope that most of it is attempted humor. My contributions certainly are - I’m fortunate enough to be playing regularly with a few truly musical drummers who are equal members of our groups.

    I do hate having to bring raw meat to feed them on breaks, though…….

  12. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
    I think and hope that most of it is attempted humor
    Wow. 'Attempted humour.' I guess I should get that on a t shirt. I'll get my coat.

    (That said, it is healthy that guitarists should know our place in the cosmic pecking order, which is somewhere above molluscs but below other vertebrates. Musically speaking, that is.)

  13. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by Christian Miller
    That said, it is healthy that guitarists should know our place in the cosmic pecking order, which is somewhere above molluscs but below other vertebrates.
    But unlike violinists, it makes us fret.

  14. #38

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    Quote Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
    But unlike violinists, it makes us fret.
    Good thing I know I have to put everything in a jazz context here, unless stated otherwise

  15. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by RJVB
    Good thing I know I have to put everything in a jazz context here, unless stated otherwise
    And we all know that there's too much violins in jazz!

    [FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW GILDA RADNER'S CHARACTER EMILY LITELLA FROM "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE", AND THEREFORE DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS FUNNY, IT'S A FAMOUS SNL SKIT FROM 1976 -

    The Drummerless Trio-violins_on_tv-png ]

  16. #40

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    One of my favorite albums recently has been the Ahmad Jamal Trio, with Ray Crawford on guitar and Israel Crosby on bass.


  17. #41

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    [QUOTE=Christian Miller;1193072]I suppose both drummers and guitarists like to speed up, so we have that in common.

    Laugh-out-loud truth!