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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:	GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:	Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:	KDX200::COOPER

Created:	Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	3280
Total number of notes:	61432

2718.0. "Octave Playing" by KEEGAN::TURNER () Mon May 03 1993 06:14

    
    Time for a new guitar PLAYING topic. 
    
    I've often heard talk of octave playing in connection with jazz guitarists 
    (especially Wes Montgomery and George Benson) and the recent note about a 
    Lee Ritenour tribute to Wes caught my attention. Having heard Wes
    Montgomery's "Incredible Jazz Guitar" )amongst others), I think I'm
    fairly clear as to WHAT octave playing actually is.
    
    The question is HOW?
    
    Dom
    
    P.S.
    And if anyone tells me that an octave pedal comes into it, I shall go
    out and sell my guitar tomorrow!

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
2718.1	Here's a start	NACAD::HERTZBERG	History: Love it or Leave it!	`Mon May 03 1993 10:57`	12
	-\|------------------------------12\10--8---------- -\|------------------------------------------------ -\|-----5--7--7/8--7--5/7--5------9\7---5---------- -\|--7------------------------7-------------------- -\|-----3--5--5/6--5--3/5--3----------------------- -\|--5------------------------5-------------------- You can either pluck the two strings with fingers, or if you're using a pick, hit them simultaneously, in which case you'll need to do some muting with the left hand to make sure only the proper notes sound.
2718.2	And now to 2682.21!	KEEGAN::TURNER		`Thu May 06 1993 06:05`	10
	re: .1 Thanks, I'll try that out this evening. Gee, it must take extraordinary timing/coordination to play some of the runs that I've heard from Wes Montgomery and co. I think that plucking the strings in the way you described is going to take some practice. Incidentally, I've noticed that the latest guitar lesson from Usenet (reproduced in note 2682.21) is all about octaves. Must be telepathy! Dom
2718.3	I Like the sound...	BSS::STPALY::MOLLER	Fix it before it breaks	`Thu May 06 1993 15:26`	13
	> Thanks, I'll try that out this evening. Gee, it must take extraordinary > timing/coordination to play some of the runs that I've heard from > Wes Montgomery and co. I think that plucking the strings in the way you > described is going to take some practice. I recall that Wes had some problem with his 'plucking hand' (like a missing finger - Maybe I'm thinking of Django Reinhart). Actually, you can play this style fairly quickly if you simply practice the style a lot. Somethings may not work very well, but others sound very nice. Try it! Jens
2718.4	The thumb	RANGER::WEBER		`Fri May 07 1993 08:14`	5
	Wes had no problem with his "plucking hand"--he used his right thumb for all his playing, but it was because he preferred this sound, not because of any physical difficulty. Danny W.
2718.5	turn it down, dear	RICKS::CALCAGNI	submit to Fred	`Fri May 07 1993 08:56`	10
	The legend is that Wes developed his thumb style because his wife complained about the noise whenever he played guitar in the house. So Wes would sneak off to the bedroom and try to play as quietly as possible, and the best way to do this was to pluck with his thumb. So jazz guitar history owes Wes' nagging wife a debt of thanks! A great story if true, I pretty sure it was directly from a Wes interview. /rick
2718.6	or Wobin Twower?	NAVY5::SDANDREA	Kramer is my hero...	`Fri May 07 1993 09:15`	5
	re : The legend is that Wes developed his thumb style...... wuz that Wes Paul? 8*}