Studying Wes Montgomery

[Midnight Blues]

Is it me, or do you find it just wrong to use a pick when you're studying/learning something from "The Man"?

[Cordalis]

Not me, for sure. And I don’t have that kind of thumb at all.

[wintermoon]

t's you

[ronjazz]

Do you use a reed when copping a Bird line?

[Alter]

I like to play with the thumb, but if Pat Martino can do a Wes tribute playing with a pick it's ok for mere mortals too!

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Even on octaves? They sound the "most different" to me, comparing pick to thumb playing.

The first time I used an octave pedal I thought "this is gonna be instant Wes, in a stomp box"... No. The effect sounds okay, but nothing like Wes. More like you're imitating an organ.

[Cordalis]

Octaves sound better with thumb, no doubt, but it happens when using that technique, studying Wes or playin any other thing.

BTW, I fell in love to Wes thumb sound when I was a kid. I didn’t understood the language but that sound hooked me till today.
I can’t see any advantage in replicate the thumb use if it’s not natural to our technical approach. I love Wes but I play hybrid picking, it’s my way.

[Midnight Blues]

Not me, for sure. And I don’t have that kind of thumb at all.

I don't either, nor the fingers, the playing ability. I could go on and on.

[Midnight Blues]

t's you

I'm not surprised, but knowing myself as I do, I thought so.

[Midnight Blues]

Do you use a reed when copping a Bird line?

How did you know?

[Midnight Blues]

I like to play with the thumb, but if Pat Martino can do a Wes tribute playing with a pick it's ok for mere mortals too!

Agreed!

[Midnight Blues]

Even on octaves? They sound the "most different" to me, comparing pick to thumb playing.

The first time I used an octave pedal I thought "this is gonna be instant Wes, in a stomp box"... No. The effect sounds okay, but nothing like Wes. More like you're imitating an organ.

Definitely a different tonal quality and to me, much better in terms of jazz.

[Midnight Blues]

Octaves sound better with thumb, no doubt, but it happens when using that technique, studying Wes or playin any other thing.

BTW, I fell in love to Wes thumb sound when I was a kid. I didn’t understood the language but that sound hooked me till today.
I can’t see any advantage in replicate the thumb use if it’s not natural to our technical approach. I love Wes but I play hybrid picking, it’s my way.

I feel in love with it (his tone) as well when I was a kid (12-13?) along with his phrasing and to this day (nearly 50 years later), although some get close, no one sounds like him to me.

Guys like Rit amaze me the way they can go so seamlessly between the two.

[MarkRhodes]

Here's a lesson by Richie Zellon on how George Benson (who learned much from Wes) played octaves w thirds and other voicings. (George played octaves w 5ths too.)

George used a pick. (Though he can play w/out one too, thumb-style)

[Dennis D]

I'd say if your playing & technique evolves into using your thumb it's ok ! But if it ends up being a gimmick, no.

MHO

[Midnight Blues]

Here's a lesson by Richie Zellon on how George Benson (who learned much from Wes) played octaves w thirds and other voicings. (George played octaves w 5ths too.)

George used a pick. (Though he can play w/out one too, thumb-style)

Yeah, GB is "decent" with either.

Steve Laury can really play octaves as well.

[Cordalis]

I feel in love with it (his tone) as well when I was a kid (12-13?) along with his phrasing and to this day (nearly 50 years later), although some get close, no one sounds like him to me.

Same age numbers to me, just a little bit more than 50 later.

[Gabor]

I wish if just this only thing would me my problem, I mean use thumb then problem solved. Unfortunately any time I try to learn and play along his solos I can not manage even close. It sounds completely wrong, or at least the very essence is gone...

[ragman1]

I don't see any point in using your thumb unless you can play what Wes played with it. Most of us find that pretty impossible. He could articulate single notes clearly at a rapid speed, which is a bit of a phenomenon.

But he was double-jointed or something, so I'd say trying to imitate him with a normal thumb would be a bit pointless. Could be wrong, of course :-)

[Midnight Blues]

I wish if just this only thing would me my problem, I mean use thumb then problem solved. Unfortunately any time I try to learn and play along his solos I can not manage even close. It sounds completely wrong, or at least the very essence is gone...

Same with me Gabor. I find myself playing more with my thumb/fingers on an acoustic guitar rather than electric. Although an L-5 can go both ways, I tend to use a pick more.

[Midnight Blues]

I don't see any point in using your thumb unless you can play what Wes played with it. Most of us find that pretty impossible. He could articulate single notes clearly at a rapid speed, which is a bit of a phenomenon.

But he was double-jointed or something, so I'd say trying to imitate him with a normal thumb would be a bit pointless. Could be wrong, of course :-)

I certainly find it impossible. I can't match Wes' speed with a pick let alone with my thumb.

I don't know if he was double jointed or not, but his hands were quite large and he had very long fingers.

I think it best, at least for me, to reserve using my thumb for his chord melodies and that's about it.

[ragman1]

His thumb was definitely double-jointed, or some other physical anomaly. It's well documented. What isn't so well documented is the simple fact that using your thumb will never turn you into Wes Montgomery :-)

[Midnight Blues]

His thumb was definitely double-jointed, or some other physical anomaly. It's well documented. What isn't so well documented is the simple fact that using your thumb will never turn you into Wes Montgomery :-)

True dat!