Howard Roberts style chord tremolo

[Jessek3672]

Hi all,

Just curious, I realise this is a very particular subject I.e. our gypsy friends have their own take, as do other genres. I'm wondering how (besides years of practice and masterful musicianship) HR strums chords in a tremolo with such clarity, consistency and smooth dynamic swell. Wolf Marshall has transcription notes of "strum chord and tremolo highest two strings" for some HR transcriptions (Satin Doll). I've also found videos of his son strumming with his right hand with the pick on the fretboard to achieve the technique on "Deep Fry". I've found success with a downward pick slant and strumming on the fretboard, using a 2mm pick causes me some grief keeping dynamics balanced where I'm not picking up the neck e.g.very clicky and unbalanced picking over or behind the pickup.

My question is, are there any pieces of the recipe I'm missing here as I'd love to get a little closer to HR's control over his tremolo chords.

Note: Just talking chordal strums here.

[Mick-7]

There is not one correct technique for tremolo picking, it's literally "different strokes for different folks." However, it's a minute movement so governed mostly by wrist rather than forearm movement.

There are some good tips in a couple of these videos: Tremolo Picking - TikTok

Unfortunately there don't seem to be any videos of Howard playing that help....

[supersoul]

It's a key technique in mandolin playing, so I'd look up mandolin tremolo picking tutorials.

[Mick-7]

It's a key technique in mandolin playing, so I'd look up mandolin tremolo picking tutorials.

You can't really translate the technique from the mandolin because it's a much smaller instrument and therefore the position of your arm and angle of your hand is much different.

[Jessek3672]

Hi Mick,

Thanks for your reply, definitely different strokes. Here's the link of Howard's son playing the tune, while it's lovely his son has a video of him playing his father's tune, it is a shame there doesn't seem to be many live video examples of HR playing tunes from "Dirty Guitar Player". On review Jay seems to pick right over the pup and experiments with right hand ring finger tremolo over the fretboard. Thankyou for the video links! I think they may be more geared towards single string tremolo, in my limited experience, I'm finding chord tremolo demands a different technique to how my tremolo single string picking technique.

[Mick-7]

Hi Mick, Thanks for your reply, definitely different strokes.

Is this the version of Satin Doll you referenced? I transcribed it once, but not the entire thing. I think Howard uses the same tremolo technique for both single string and chord playing, it's probably not identical but it's very similar (you can hear it at 27 seconds into the clip and again later).

[Jessek3672]

That's the one, I'm sure there are many more examples besides this and "Deep fry" around, however, these are the examples I know of best. Found another YouTube video from a Honkey Tonk player that reflects the pick slant and light feel approach.

[Hep To The Jive]

IMO there's no shortcuts to tremolo technique, chord or single string. If you can do one, you can do the other btw. But yea, it takes time, for some years, if you got more talent maybe sooner. It's simple physics, relaxed wrist that you can shake with your forearm. If you can't do it naturally after years of playing, it means something is wrong with your basic techinque and maybe you need to start from the basics again. Tremolo is just byproduct of your proper relaxation while playing, not nesessarily a practiced by itself thing. That's my observation.

[jumpnblues]

I noticed in the video that Howard is playing through a Mark Series Mesa Boogie amp and 2, 4 x 4 Mesa Boogie cabs. Bet he had no difficulty being heard. He is a killer guitar player.

[stevo58]

You might look at tenor banjo players, the instrument dimensions are closer to those of the guitar, and there is extensive literature on the technique. Furthermore, playing a chord and tremoling (?) on one or two strings is standard technique. Basically it comes out of the wrist, and takes years of practice to do it well.

[Mick-7]

You might look at tenor banjo players, the instrument dimensions are closer to those of the guitar, and there is extensive literature on the technique. Furthermore, playing a chord and tremoling (?) on one or two strings is standard technique.

With a plectrum though? - because tremolo done fingerstyle is a different beast.

[stevo58]

With a plectrum though? - because tremolo done fingerstyle is a different beast.

Tenor and plectrum jazz banjos are normally played with a plectrum.

[supersoul]

I found these tutorials on mandolin tremolo picking to be helpful. In particular, in part IV she talks about the tremolo picking of double stop and chords.

Mandolin Tremolo with Ruth Roshan - YouTube

Part IV

[Maxr]

I came from a mandolin background, and despite the smaller spacing and paired strings I do feel like there is a lot of similarity in tremolo technique. I find it helps to loosen the pick grip a bit so it can pass through the strings quickly without increased volume. It is also good to experiment with pick angle both to minimize percussive string noise and allow for smoother motion. A more perpendicular attack works for me but mileage may vary with different pick shapes and right hand positions. And of course, the more relaxed you can keep your wrist, forearm, and elbow the better.