Kurt Rosenwinkel's string gauge?

**thagirion** · 12-04-2018, 08:40 PM

Anybody know? According to two interviews in 2000 and 2005 respectively it says that he used 13's, but I have seen people online claiming having talked to him, saying that he uses 12's. The ''unofficial'' fan page, ''The Music of Kurt Rosenwinkel'' also claims that he uses 12's (D'addario EJ21).

Anybody here that knows for sure?

**jorgemg1984** · 12-05-2018, 07:45 AM

I believe that, as he focused more on the left hand legato, he started using lighter strings. I think he uses 11s today, maybe even an unwound G?

**steinny** · 12-06-2018, 05:56 PM

I remember seeing somewhere Kurt saying definitively he used the EJ21 set, I can't seem to find that source right now though. This was a while ago.

**steinny** · 12-06-2018, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

I believe that, as he focused more on the left hand legato, he started using lighter strings. I think he uses 11s today, maybe even an unwound G?

Interesting, where did you hear he's using 11s now?

**steinny** · 12-06-2018, 06:07 PM

So in this video you can see at around 1:53 his A and D strings have the green cloth wraps indicative of Thomastik Bebops. A bit hard to tell but it does look like G is unwound, so perhaps this is a Thomastik BB 12 (or 11) set?:

**Jabberwocky** · 12-06-2018, 06:15 PM

That's a beautiful Westville guitar. I am sure Masaki-san of Walkin Japan knows what gauge Kurt Rosenwinkel uses.

**jorgemg1984** · 12-06-2018, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by steinny

Interesting, where did you hear he's using 11s now?

I believe from a friend who is a friend from him... but maybe it's just a 12 set with an unwound G. Anyway a 12 Thomastik set is probably equivalent to an 11 from another manufacturer.

**steinny** · 12-06-2018, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

That's a beautiful Westville guitar. I am sure Masaki-san of Walkin Japan knows what gauge Kurt Rosenwinkel uses.

indeed. Masaki tells me:

”Recently Kurt is using Thomastik BB111. I did some setup of his guitar
with it.”

Solved!

**takauya** · 12-07-2018, 12:43 AM

He used to use D'adarrio EJ22s probably until mid to late 2000s. I started to using the set because of him saying it and still my favorite.
Now, as Jorge says I've heard he's using even 11s. The source was Japanese magazine or something when he came here. It's kinda surprising but considering how he "modifies" his tone all these years it makes sense to me. Maybe it's suited for his fluty-tone.

**christianm77** · 12-07-2018, 09:59 AM

TI bebops feel very light for the gauge

The top strong gauge is rarely the issue when playing legato, more the middle strings I find, which are light on TIs

So that would suit his style more maybe

For this reason I like TIs and D’addario balanced tension nickel bronzes for acoustic, usually 12s for me. 11s would feel very slinky! Like a 9 set with a heavier top

Makes the guitar a hell of a lot easier to play for jazz.

**christianm77** · 12-07-2018, 10:06 AM

I also think Kurt had some issues with his fretting hand, I think perhaps lightening the strings might have something to do with that?

**jorgemg1984** · 12-07-2018, 10:37 AM

I'm not sure, it may be - but if you listen to his playing, he clearly steers from a more "picked" playing to a heavy legato playing. I think it would be hard to use so many slurs with a 13 set.

**christianm77** · 12-07-2018, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

I'm not sure, it may be - but if you listen to his playing, he clearly steers from a more "picked" playing to a heavy legato playing. I think it would be hard to use so many slurs with a 13 set.

I dunno, I’ve always perceived a lot of slurs in his playing.... can’t say I’ve listened so much to his recent stuff... maybe!

**jorgemg1984** · 12-07-2018, 11:52 AM

It's easy to compare

Early:

More recent years (post Remedy):

If we're talking about records, "The Remedy" is where the shift for a more legato style is more obvious to me. He used slurs early on, but the change is perceptible - I have quite a few masterclasses where he talks about that.

**christianm77** · 12-07-2018, 12:00 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

It's easy to compare

Early:

More recent years (post Remedy):

If we're talking about records, "The Remedy" is where the shift for a more legato style is more obvious to me. He used slurs early on, but the change is perceptible - I have quite a few masterclasses where he talks about that.

Yeah, i hear it when it’s put up like that.

The Kurt I’ve listened to tends to be the early to mid 00s, I haven’t really checked out that much since

**takauya** · 12-07-2018, 03:25 PM

I remember around 07 or 08 his tone and playing changed quite a bit. Around the time he briefly used a Sadowsky semi hollow. BTW, you gotta check this Kurt's solo on Joshua's Elastic band tune "Swunk" It's so sick! The guitar tone is haunting. It starts from around 6 min if you want to skip but I recommend you to listen from the beginning.

Recently I'm listening to the 90s-00s Mark Turner albums a lot and Kurt just kills it on every tune. Particularly Dharma Days is scary good.

Oh, I just remembered that there was an interview video on Artist Share site when Remedy was released. He's practicing legato and talking about it. He was saying something like he was not really good at it and needed to improve. I was like is he kidding us?

**jorgemg1984** · 12-07-2018, 04:45 PM

Yes, I love his early stuff. Chris Cheek's "I Wish I Knew" is probably my favourite record, ever! And I sure I wish I had his legato chops

**christianm77** · 12-07-2018, 06:15 PM

Actually I’ve been listening to his playing on Joel Frahm at Smalls. I like that solo he plays on the first tune, a mode I haven’t heard him in much recently, playing very boppy. Nice phrasing.

Nice to hear him play an old school med tempo too.

Also his playing on the Big Band album, I like that too. Really captures the live vibe.

**christianm77** · 12-07-2018, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by takauya

I remember around 07 or 08 his tone and playing changed quite a bit. Around the time he briefly used a Sadowsky semi hollow. BTW, you gotta check this Kurt's solo on Joshua's Elastic band tune "Swunk" It's so sick! The guitar tone is haunting. It starts from around 6 min if you want to skip but I recommend you to listen from the beginning.

Recently I'm listening to the 90s-00s Mark Turner albums a lot and Kurt just kills it on every tune. Particularly Dharma Days is scary good.

Oh, I just remembered that there was an interview video on Artist Share site when Remedy was released. He's practicing legato and talking about it. He was saying something like he was not really good at it and needed to improve. I was like is he kidding us?

I think he’s comparing himself to holdsworth lol

Guys who can actually legato like holdsworth don’t come with the jazz musicianship so much (Tim Miller an exception), it seems. But actually I’m glad Kurt has his own take on it.

I think that super fast stretchy interval stuff always suffer from the comparison. It’s so Allan that you’ll always end up sounding like a tribute.

I’m sure there’s guys who can do it and choose not to....

Oh cool Stephon Harris is on that one

**jorgemg1984** · 12-07-2018, 07:10 PM

I love that Frahms record! The Big Band one too, but I'm biased

I think where Kurt differs from Alan or Tim, is his use of legato with a clean sound... it's very impressive!

**takauya** · 12-08-2018, 01:26 AM

You can listen to the full 4 sets of Frahm/Kurt Quartet on Smalls archive.
Search for "kurt rosenwinkel" - SmallsLIVE

The sets on 6/1/2008 w/ David Tronzo are very experimental. They play free and kinda like electric Miles vibe. I hope Kurt will play at Smalls more often so that we can watch and listen to his live sets.