The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary

View Poll Results: How's Your LaPompe?

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  • Great

    4 28.57%
  • Decent

    4 28.57%
  • Needs work

    4 28.57%
  • Never cared for it

    2 14.29%
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Posts 1 to 20 of 20
  1. #1

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    Someone asked jokingly on FB, but every joke has a truth, ye? So how's it? Are you working on it, good or great at it, or maybe you don't care?

    Rhythm guitar is my bread and butter, and Gypsy jazz's LaPompe is big part of it. At least I think it is... I was never praised for it, no was ever ostracized for it, so who knows!

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  3. #2

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    Pretty good, I think. Nothing fancy, but I can keep time and not rush or drag, and i don't turn the 2 and 4 into polka.


  4. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Pretty good, I think. Nothing fancy, but I can keep time and not rush or drag, and i don't turn the 2 and 4 into polka.

    Very cool. What app etc are you using for that?

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher
    Very cool. What app etc are you using for that?
    Thanks!

    It's called Acapella. Only runs on mac AFAIK.

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Thanks!

    It's called Acapella. Only runs on mac AFAIK.
    Ok.Thanks. All three play very well . I especially like the one with the beard. :-)

  7. #6

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    When the circus came to town, this tent always had the best music.


  8. #7

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    Looking for replacement gaskets.

  9. #8

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    Here's mine. Never mind the solo, which is not exactly musical, I can't solo in this Gypsy style too well. I think we kept the tempo though. Purists feel free to speak out.


  10. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive
    Here's mine. Never mind the solo, which is not exactly musical, I can't solo in this Gypsy style too well. I think we kept the tempo though. Purists feel free to speak out.

    I think your solo is quite tasteful.

    Rhythm sounds rock solid, some guys would complain about your 2 and 4 sounding too different than your 1 and 3, but a lot of gypsy jazz guys just like to complain.

    Who's your jamming partner there? He stomps all over your solo.
    Last edited by mr. beaumont; 08-21-2019 at 03:00 PM.

  11. #10

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    Rhythm sounds good to me. I think I prefer your pompe to the other felllas.

  12. #11

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    Thanks guys! When there's no bass player, I like to do alternate bass thingy whenever chords allow me. I'd like to think that's something Western swing players do, because I vaguely remember a video on that, but I'm not 100%. I do it habitually now, and it makes 2&4 standout more. But... I tested myself, if I completely mute strings in the left hand, the strumming strokes sound pretty much even, so the accent comes from left hand press&release rather than right hand dynamics.

    Still trying to figure out how effortlessly go from rhythm to solo mode without changing technique at fast tempos. That's where I tense up a bit.

    The other fella is a NYC GJ guru, he's fully devoted to the style, and doesn't accept any compromises. I learned most of the stuff coming to his jam sessions.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive

    The other fella is a NYC GJ guru.
    Yeah, he plays like someone told him that

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive
    Here's mine. Never mind the solo, which is not exactly musical, I can't solo in this Gypsy style too well. I think we kept the tempo though. Purists feel free to speak out.

    Your la pompe reminds me of Dave Kelbe. Is there a swishing sound when you play rhythm? Might be the diagonal angle of your pick stroke.

    I thought the other guy had a pretty solid la pompe. Very "in the style". Reminded me more of how Hono Winterstein plays rhythm. Lots of bass emphasis on 1 & 3 at fast temps.

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hep To The Jive
    Thanks guys! When there's no bass player, I like to do alternate bass thingy whenever chords allow me. I'd like to think that's something Western swing players do, because I vaguely remember a video on that, but I'm not 100%. I do it habitually now, and it makes 2&4 standout more. But... I tested myself, if I completely mute strings in the left hand, the strumming strokes sound pretty much even, so the accent comes from left hand press&release rather than right hand dynamics.
    I do the same thing.

    Probably why I like your playing haha.

    I’m not a purist la pompe person. I’d always rather have someone who accompanies with solid tempo, swing and subtlety over someone who plays this or that style ‘correctly.’

    Usually (but not always) the latter comes with a degree of musical inflexibility and you have to end up accommodating that player with their very specific and preconceived idea of how the music should go.

    Considerations about the latter is one reason why I would never call myself a gypsy jazz guitarist. I don’t care enough about that one style to be part of the club. I am quite impressed by people who do it really well, but it’s not my path.

    I know what I am aiming for in my playing, but it’s not an ‘authentic’ this or that.

    I like variety on feels too. Even if you are playing on every beat all the time there’s a lot of variety and light and shade you can create. I always try to bear in mind -
    am I a snare?
    Hi hat?
    Ride?
    Dropping bombs or keeping it smooth four on the floor with the bass drum?
    2 feel or 4 feel?
    Pre war or post war?
    Staccato or legato?
    Voice lead chords or grab and whack?
    Voices moving or staying static?
    Upstrokes or not?
    offbeat accents?
    Shall I switch feels, and when?

    For instance own tune could have a heavy stride type feel, another a traditional la pompe, another more of a post war smooth rhythm guitar style and another a more Western swing feel - all without breaking the 4/4 swing thing. That to me is more interesting than 45 straight minutes of the same feel at the gypsy jazz tempo (you know the tempo I mean.)

    And of course you can break it up and comp too, if only to create a different texture to contrast the rhythm guitar. Playing arpeggio patterns on slower tunes and so on. There’s classic rhythm section tropes like shifting from 2 feel hi hat to 4 feel ride/walk and so on.

    I don’t do anything like this - esp. the latter - with actual GJ guitar players because I know they will hear it as wrong and annoying. Depends on the player. Some violinists and clarinets etc like constant 4/4, some don’t. Ultimately you have to play to them because you are the comper...

    One fella I played with recently was on a heavy 20s kick. Quite a stiff, straight feel with lots of bass runs when comping. What bonritmos would call Opanije accents. Sounded great, but I needed to adjust from my usual thing as a soloist. I quite like adapting in this way. But you got to ask - if I just came in and did my thing like he did, would the gig work?

    (The player in question can play like Adam Rogers if he wants. He’s clearly making a decision from beat one to do a very specific style. Plays a lot of super authentic early jazz. Me - not so much.)

    Anyway- My guiding factor is ‘would I like to play with this musician?’ Are they grooving? Are they listening?

    OTOH it’s striking how much one can diverge from the specifics of the Manouche style and still get called gypsy jazz provided you have a fiddle and a bit of rhythm guitar from time to time.
    Last edited by christianm77; 08-23-2019 at 03:29 AM.

  16. #15

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    +1 to all of that above!

  17. #16

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    Yes, all of the above is what makes rhythm guitar fun and an art in itself. And it's my fav thing to do. But yea being limited to just GJ is not a great path.

  18. #17

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    ''How's Your LaPompe'? was the question? Mine?---pretty average. Been playing the style for many years--mixing the style with the Freddie Green style. Recently moved to an area in the UK (Northumberland) where gypsy jazz style-'swing' style is non-existence. If you live in this part of the UK and know of any musicians (All instruments) in those styles and are looking for a rhythm guitarist send me a PM.

    Ps--I also play Double Bass. Thanks.

  19. #18

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    Here's an old video of me kind of trying to play in this style. I was awful at it, still am although i got a bit better at it eventually. Don't think i even used the gypsy guitar for the sound on the video, it was a Taylor 512 probably. I think it's that kind of folk music, when trying to play it, the real rhythmic nuances are the last thing you'll manage to do.. it's difficult!


  20. #19

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    My limited experience revealed two difficulties. One is getting the feel right so it sounds like gypsy jazz.

    But, the way harder part was playing a whole night of it, drumless, without slowing down. I mean, holding the tempo solid for the entire tune.
    Last time I did it, it felt good at the time, but when I listened to the recording, the head-out tended to be slower than the head-in. And, I couldn't find a particular moment where the slowing occurred. Just seemed to happen gradually.

  21. #20

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    I'm always amazed at the stamina of GJ rhythm players. One of my favourite concert DVDs is Birilli's Live at Vienna set. A brilliant concert - I tried playing along and couldn't even manage to keep up with and get through Minor Swing, let alone the other hour and a half of material. Kudos to anyone who can do this stuff all night long!

    Derek