Comments

• Bones Moderator

  August 2017 Posts: 3,319

  Hey Rafa, thanks for that link!
  
  I started a thread a while ago titled 'Practical Arps' (I think it was called). Search for that for some other info although I can sort of summarize it here. Actually though, I probably should have titled it 'Practical Licks'. What I noticed in most books that I bought was that the arp studies were not 'practical' (i.e. to play the patterns/triads/etc uptempo was not practical since the fingerings or picking patterns were awkward and inefficient). Sure if you are a god and have infinite speed and dexterity I guess one does not need to worry about awkward fingerings or picking patterns but for someone like myself (old, messed up hands) who does not have superhuman speed or dexterity like most of our idols have it is important to find efficient ways to outline the arps. What I've found is that it is not so critical going from low (pitched) strings to high (i.e. picking downward) because you can always use sweeps or alternate picking. The 2 note (or even number) per string helps most for going from the high strings to the lower strings so that you don't have to use 'double down' strokes. Now I am talking specifically about licks that you want to be able to play fast (like triplets or 16th note 'runs'). Again, sure if you are superhuman double down strokes are no problem at speed and even us mere mortals need to be able to do it to a certain extent for some of those idiomatic phrases and melodies. But you can 'design' your flashy licks/exercises to use 2,4, etc notes per string for the descending portion to maximize efficiency. You can add color notes from the chord (6, 9, b9, etc) or chromatic tones or other 'tricks' (if you want to call them that) to achieve efficient 'patterns' (whether horizontal or vertical). And lets face it, yes- those flashy high speed runs that people thrown in from time to time are pre-planned and and well practiced, not improvised on the fly, at least unless you are some sort of god.
  
  Sorry if some of this is too obvious but I wasn't sure how much info you were looking for. So to get back to the root of your question what I am doing since I couldn't really find sources that specifically addressed this issue is that I just take the arps, licks I hear, phrases I like, or actual melodies that are 'awkward' to finger on the guitar and just customize them. They still need to capture the essence of the original but 'make it your own'. No shame in that. This is improvised music. No one sticks to how the original score was written. Certainly Django didn't. Or if you like using double down strokes and you can do it at speed more power to ya. Or I see a lot of people using alternate picking sometimes for descending lines and making that work too. It's all good. Have fun!
  
  PS- yeah what JDR said :-)

  
• rafapak ✭✭

  August 2017 Posts: 219

  thanks bones, in your post you included my thoughts. I also find all those shapes you mentioned awkward to play. You are right . I have to spend time customizing them so that they are fun to play , not burden.
• Bones Moderator

  August 2017 Posts: 3,319

  Yep make them your own.
  
  Here's the other 2 previous threads:
  
  http://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/15609/practical-arps/p1
  
  http://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/14280/
  
  Hope it helps.
• Lango-Django Niagara-On-The-Lake, ONModerator

  August 2017 edited August 2017 Posts: 1,855

  Here's a classic 1931 Lang two-note per string arp, listen for it around 2:14 in this YouTube video of Bing Crosby's moody depression-era ballad "How Long Will It Last?"
  
  
  
  E string: 5-7-10
  B string: 5--7
  G string: 4--7
  D sting: 4--7
  A string: 5--7
  E string: 5--7
  
  Start from the bottom, of course... sorry for the odd tablature but I had some problems with formatting!
  
  I think you could either call this one a D6/9 arp or just a plain old D pentatonic scale.
  
  Will
  
  

  Paul Cezanne: "I could paint for a thousand years without stopping and I would still feel as though I knew nothing."
  
  Edgar Degas: "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.... To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
  
  Georges Braque: "In art there is only one thing that counts: the bit that can’t be explained."
  
• Bones Moderator

  August 2017 Posts: 3,319

  Yup, Ed Zachary! Thanks Will