Stanley Jordan
D.Stearns
contemporary fraternity of instrumentalists sure could use a few more
Stanley Jordans!
In the end it's all about contributing something that's in some way
musically moving, and I believe this is the same for conservatives and
experimentalists... for the traditional artisans and the technical
innovators alike. But I've always had a soft spot for those who push back
our horizons and show that there are indeed new possibilities out there too.
Those who are gifted, driven and brave enough to plow on into uncharted
waters. As a guitarist, Mr. Jordan certainly did all that!
When I first heard his playing I simply couldn't believe that someone had
developed the concept and the technique to the level that he had... his
playing seemed so much more open and less prone to some of the obvious and
repetitive devices of the technique than I had imagined possible at the
time. Being a huge Tatum fan, I finally felt that if someone could bring
*that* to the guitar this was the guy--and if this wasn't the guy, well, he
sure as hell was showing the rest of us how it could be done!
I've always hoped that a player would come along who could adapt the touch
technique to a more traditionally austere, hollowbody and roundwounds
tone... and in the positive sense of a jazz guitar continuum, someone who
could trump Mr. Jordan at his own game (so to speak). Well, I haven't heard
this person yet, and some 15 or 20 years after he burst onto the scene,
that's pretty amazing.
take care,
--Dan Stearns
Bob Russell
D.Stearns at ste...@capecod.net wrote on 3/4/02 4:02 PM:
>
> I've always hoped that a player would come along who could adapt the touch
> technique to a more traditionally austere, hollowbody and roundwounds
> tone... and in the positive sense of a jazz guitar continuum, someone who
> could trump Mr. Jordan at his own game (so to speak). Well, I haven't heard
> this person yet, and some 15 or 20 years after he burst onto the scene,
> that's pretty amazing.
I know what you mean. I don't think it's possible to get the "traditional"
tone with that technique. The touch technique seems to demand certain
parameters - very low action, light strings, solid body guitar, etc. - that
lead one away from a "traditional sound". Personally, I don't have a problem
with that. If saxophonists (for example) worried too much about a
"traditional sound", I suppose they'd all still sound like Frankie
Trumbauer.
-- Bob Russell
http://www.uncwil.edu/people/russellr
Ellen & Thornton Lewis
style, or "tapping"} all the time. I don't think you can do this and get a
"Wes Montgomery" tone. When you play traditional style you're striking the
strings almost over the pickup. The waves from the string are being
generated very close to the "microphone" and most of the overtones are very
strong near the mic. When you tap the wave starts at the fret you are
tapping behind, usually far away from the pickup. This reduces both the
volume and the richness of the overtones the pickups respond to. As a result
you need to play at much higher volume settings on the guitar and amp to get
the same volume as an archtop played normally. If you played a traditional
jazz archtop at these volume settings you end up with feedback and, if you
were tapping ,you would still have unsatisfactory sustain. Thus tappers'
preference for solidbodies (I play a Strat with a humbucker in the neck
position.) It's a tradeoff, but you get alot in return. I think the
technique is great, but if you want to sound like Wes or Kenny Burrell, it's
not going to happen without a studio's worth of sound equipment at which
point you might as well be Madonna singing through a harmonizer. My 2 cents,
Thornton (if you want tips on how to do it, email me)
Bob Russell
etl...@rcn.com wrote on 3/4/02 10:37 PM:
That's what I was getting at more or less; the style calls for totally
different equipment. Even disregarding questions of equipment, the method of
attacking the strings produces a totally different sound. I doubt that even
a studio's worth of gear would change that.
Thanks for your "amplification"! Good points all.
D.Stearns
Don't get me wrong, I'm not too hung up on traditional sounds and approaches
either! However, most all the jazz oriented stick-touch technique folks I've
heard have a very pronounced, brittle or glassy sound that I've never been
overly fond of. I think the technique shouldn't demand certain
setup-equipment restrictions to the point of being a distraction, and in
what I've heard, this is sometimes--though certainly not always--the case.
Anyway, that's what I was trying to get at.
The solo guitar pieces of mine that are up at this site use a bastardized
version of the touch technique:
http://shredlikehell.homestead.com/stearns.html
I play with the open strings totally dampened and the guitar pitched at an
angle so that I can use more overhand wrist snap and a heavier attack. This
allows me to use any gauge strings (including roundwounds) or any type of
electric guitar (including bass) that I want without loosing too much in the
dexterity end of things. You've certainly got to work for your legato, but
from my own experience I believe it allows for a wider range of dynamics,
especially when it comes to varying shades of staccato.
take care,
--Dan Stearns
"Ellen & Thornton Lewis" <etl...@rcn.com> wrote in message
news:a61eh8$a1v$1...@bob.news.rcn.net...
Stanley Jordan
from picking and probably always will. When you pick near the center
of the string, you send two waves into the string, going in opposite
directions. The two waves interact in complex ways, and they sort of
"phase" in and out of each other. This creates a rich undulation. When
you tap, you only put one wave into the string. That's why it sounds
cleaner and simpler. You can see the difference on an oscilloscope.
When you pick near the end of the string, it sounds more like tapping.
The sound is not just brighter, but simpler, with less undulation. I
think this double-wave vs. single-wave idea might also help explain
why humbuckers sound warmer than single coil pickups.
Also, with tapping, the sound is created by the string hitting the
fret, which is a very simple event. Picking is more complex, because
you scrape the plectrum or your finger across the string before you
release it, which creates additional sounds and makes for a more
complex attack. It introduces more low-frequency elements, which can
contribute to a warmer sound.
These comparisons are hard to make because there are so many factors
that influence the sound of any technique. For example where you pick
on the string, as well as the material and angle of the pick make a
big difference. If you pluck with your fingers, they become part of
the resonant system too. Also, the size, shape and hardness of the
frets can affect your tapping sound. For example, harder frets will
tend to sound brighter. Lower frets will tend to sound warmer because
there is more wood involved.
But in general, for a given instrument and setup, picking (not too
far from the center of the string) will tend to sound warmer than
tapping, and playing with the thumb will tend to sound warmer than
playing with a pick.
I started using the touch technique as a way of expanding the
textural possibilities of the guitar--more independent lines and more
complex chord voicings. The fact that it gave the instrument a new
sound was an added bonus. But sometimes I want my tapping sound to be
warmer, so I roll off some top end, which does the trick just fine.
Still, you can make it as warm as you want using EQ, but tapping will
never sound like Wes, because Wes didn't tap. Every technique has a
different sound (as well it should), so when I want to sound like Wes,
I pick with my thumb. The touch technique is cool, but it is not a
replacement for traditional guitar techniques. For that reason, I
still like to use traditional techniques.
-Stanley Jordan
"Ellen & Thornton Lewis" <etl...@rcn.com> wrote in message news:<a61eh8$a1v$1...@bob.news.rcn.net>...
Charlie Robinson
--------------------------------------
I tried using the touch technique and encountered a lot of problems when trying
to get a consistent sound, if I didn't srike a string quite hard enough I got a
lot of unwanted overtones in the upper register. The matter of the coordination
that it takes to pull things off as you do also became a stumbling block. Then
I began to think "Is this technique going to be practical in terms of keys and
tempos?". In other words if someone came in and called Moments Notice in F
would I be able to transpose easily. Finally as with the octave technique that
was popularized by Wes there was this feeling of why bother, Stanley already
has this one, find your own. I have to hand it to you, what you are doing is
completely unique, I heard Jimmy Webster and what he was doing was very
primitive as compared to your contribution.
Sorry about our run in last year but as you have probably noticed things aren't
always what they appear to be here, as was recently discussed in another
thread, you can't be too careful sometimes.
Charlie Robinson Jazz Guitarist, Composer
You can hear me online at: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/robinsonchazz
or: <A HREF="http://rmmgj.iuma.com">http://rmmgj.iuma.com</A>
Stanley Jordan
> I tried using the touch technique and encountered a lot of problems when trying
> to get a consistent sound, if I didn't srike a string quite hard enough I got a
> lot of unwanted overtones in the upper register. The matter of the coordination
> that it takes to pull things off as you do also became a stumbling block. Then
> I began to think "Is this technique going to be practical in terms of keys and
> tempos?". In other words if someone came in and called Moments Notice in F
> would I be able to transpose easily. Finally as with the octave technique that
> was popularized by Wes there was this feeling of why bother, Stanley already
> has this one, find your own. I have to hand it to you, what you are doing is
> completely unique, I heard Jimmy Webster and what he was doing was very
> primitive as compared to your contribution.
Yes, there are a lot of obstacles. Conventional guitar techniques are
certainly easier to begin with. When I first got into the touch
technique, I really didn't think there was much potential there, but I
guess I was really stubborn and little by little I started to figure
out how to do it. Picking the right instrument and adjusting it
properly turned out to be crucial. Also, the symmetrical 4ths tuning,
which I had already been using, helped to simplify the fingerboard,
which really helped manage the complexity of independent hands. I also
got a lot of stuff from piano technique. Since I was playing a lot of
piano, that really helped too. I'm thrilled to have taken to time to
work all this out, but I've got to tell you, it is still so satisfying
to pick up a guitar and play it in the conventional way.
>
> Sorry about our run in last year but as you have probably noticed things aren't
> always what they appear to be here, as was recently discussed in another
> thread, you can't be too careful sometimes.
That's OK, Charlie. No hard feelings. I understand what you were
doing, and I agree about the need to be careful.
-Stanley Jordan
www.stanleyjordan.com
Mark Smart
> textural possibilities of the guitar--more independent lines and more
> complex chord voicings. The fact that it gave the instrument a new
> sound was an added bonus. But sometimes I want my tapping sound to be
> warmer, so I roll off some top end, which does the trick just fine.
> Still, you can make it as warm as you want using EQ, but tapping will
> never sound like Wes, because Wes didn't tap. Every technique has a
> different sound (as well it should), so when I want to sound like Wes,
> I pick with my thumb. The touch technique is cool, but it is not a
> replacement for traditional guitar techniques. For that reason, I
> still like to use traditional techniques.
>
> -Stanley Jordan
Good to hear from you again, Stanley! Welcome back.
I mostly play with a pick, but I have dabbled in the tapping
technique a bit on Chapman Stick. You are totally right, it is
possible to get a nice warm tone out of a tapping instrument by
EQing it very differently than you would a plectrum guitar. I
would run the bass half of the Stick through a Sansamp Bass DI
and the treble half through my Fender guitar amp with some
chorus and the treble rolled WAY down. A very nice sound. Not
a Wes sound, as you said, but more of an Abercrombie sound.
A lot of Stick players just run the Stick right into a flat
PA system, but I never liked that sound much for jazz.
I was also very excited about the chord voicing possibilities,
but in the end was overwhelmed by having to relearn everything.
I still get the Stick out periodically and play some of those
cool close voicings. But mostly I'm still trying to figure out
how to play regular old plectrum guitar.
You should know that your influence is being felt here in Champaign,
Illinois...there is a guy named Bill Kubaitis here that plays
in your two-handed tapping style on a neon yellow Les Paul.
Mark Smart
Brad
How was your show at the Knitting Factory show on Feb. 26th? I was hoping
to catch the webcast but I was at a rehearsal. Hopefully, they'll put an
archive of it on the website.
BTW, do you have any plans to perform on the west coast (e.g. Seattle,
Portland, San Fran, Vancouver)?
Thanks,
Brad
Vancouver, BC
P.S. Don't ever stop pushing the limits. I am just starting to work on
getting some right hand independence and wanna thank you for blazing the
trail. :-)
"Mark Smart" <mws...@InsightBB.com> wrote in message
news:ff6e842a.02030...@posting.google.com...
Tom Walls
s...@stanleyjordan.com says...
> --------
> > I tried using the touch technique and encountered a lot of problems when trying
> > to get a consistent sound, if I didn't srike a string quite hard enough I got a
> > lot of unwanted overtones in the upper register. The matter of the coordination
> > that it takes to pull things off as you do also became a stumbling block. Then
> > I began to think "Is this technique going to be practical in terms of keys and
> > tempos?". In other words if someone came in and called Moments Notice in F
> > would I be able to transpose easily. Finally as with the octave technique that
> > was popularized by Wes there was this feeling of why bother, Stanley already
> > has this one, find your own. I have to hand it to you, what you are doing is
> > completely unique, I heard Jimmy Webster and what he was doing was very
> > primitive as compared to your contribution.
>
> Yes, there are a lot of obstacles. Conventional guitar techniques are
> certainly easier to begin with. When I first got into the touch
> technique, I really didn't think there was much potential there, but I
> guess I was really stubborn and little by little I started to figure
> out how to do it. Picking the right instrument and adjusting it
> properly turned out to be crucial. Also, the symmetrical 4ths tuning,
> which I had already been using, helped to simplify the fingerboard,
> which really helped manage the complexity of independent hands. I also
> got a lot of stuff from piano technique. Since I was playing a lot of
> piano, that really helped too. I'm thrilled to have taken to time to
> work all this out, but I've got to tell you, it is still so satisfying
> to pick up a guitar and play it in the conventional way.
>
Do you ever play conventionally in performance settings?
--
Tom Walls
the guy at the Temple of Zeus
http://www.arts.cornell.edu/zeus/
Stanley Jordan
> How was your show at the Knitting Factory show on Feb. 26th?
Thanks. It went great. I had some great guests who came to sit in with
me, including:
drummer and (electronic) percussionist Will Calhoun (from Living
Color)
http://www.willcalhoun.com/
guitarist Muriel Anderson
http://www.murielanderson.com/
drummer Cody Moffett
His new album "My favorite Things" should be coming out this month.
I played a lot on it.
violinist Billy Bang (from the Sun Ra Arkestra)
http://www.alamhof.org/bangbill.htm
+ numerous other fine New York players.
I was originally only scheduled to play one solo set, but I invited
some friends for a second set, which ended put going for three sets.
It becaome part of the 15th anniversary celebration month at the
Knitting Factory.
And I must say, there aren't a lot of venues where you can just play
and play until your fingers get sore. A truly musical venue, and
worthy of celebration.
> I was hoping
> to catch the webcast but I was at a rehearsal. Hopefully, they'll put an
> archive of it on the website.
As far as the Web cast goes, I'm not sure how they did that. One
person emailed me and said he could not find the stream. I do hope
there is some kind of Archive.
>
> BTW, do you have any plans to perform on the west coast (e.g. Seattle,
> Portland, San Fran, Vancouver)?
>
I'll be playing at Bumbershoot in Seattle this year (Aug. 30)
Also, two gigs in the San Francisco Bay Area in April, and A festival
in Medford Oregon, I think on July 19.
> Thanks,
> Brad
> Vancouver, BC
>
Do you have any venue reccomendations for Vancouver?
> P.S. Don't ever stop pushing the limits. I am just starting to work on
> getting some right hand independence and wanna thank you for blazing the
> trail. :-)
>
Thanks, but the pioneer days are over--it's time to pave the road!
Then again maybe the pioneer days are never really over because there
are always new musicians coming out with creative ideas.
So definitely keep up the developments.
-Stanley
www.stanleyjordan.com
Stanley Jordan
Yes. I mix a lot of conventional techniques in with my tapping. For
example, Last night I sat in with a trio featuring Larry Willis at the
Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles. I tapped out all my solos, but when I was
comping, I played almost exclusively with my thumb.
One recorded example is my CD "Flying Home," where I played with a
pick in a number of places. The entire song "When Julia Smiles" was
played with a pick on a semi-hollow guitar.
-Stanley Jordan
www.stanleyjordan.com
LAZZERINI
> Orpheum Theatre
> Commodore Ballroom
Well....
all reasonably nice places I guess
but all carry political/technical problems
For any of them to fly you need a promoter
There is a small club in town called The Cellar...
http://cellarjazz.com/
ja...@cellarjazz.com
... which could be construed as feasible/practical
if you are gigging solo and it serves routing logistics
Workshops/masterclasses could be a bonus
More details if you wish
e-me
LAZZ
Gary Allen
> The entire song "When Julia Smiles" was
> played with a pick on a semi-hollow guitar.
>
> -Stanley Jordan
> www.stanleyjordan.com
Hey Stanley,
Great to see you in this group. Went to you
see a couple years ago at Capper's in
Raleigh NC. Of course, you blew me & my
girlfriend away. The bad part of the whole
thing was that I spent around $180 for
dinner & drinks. The bitch broke up with
me 2 days later! The least she could have
done was break up before the show! Between
her & my ex-wife, the more I learn about
women the more I like my guitar.
Love to hear some of your conventional
playing on the hollow body.
Cheers!
Gary
Max Leggett
Please! The correct term is 'chick'.
Brad
The Commodore has a lot of history and was recently refurbished. I guess it
depends on the size and kind of audience you had in mind. You might try
connecting with the promoter for the Vancouver Jazz Festival (Coastal Jazz &
Blues Society) if you plan to be in the area. This year's festival runs
June 21 - July 1. They might also be able to recommend a venue and/or
promote a show if you are interested. If you decide to pay us a visit, I'll
do my best to hook you up with some of the best jazz guys in Vancouver. :-)
I've also been to a great local jazz club called The Cellar. There's always
great music and superb food but it may be too small (seats about 75). Here
are some links...
Coastal Jazz & Blues Society
http://www.jazzvancouver.com/
http://www.jazzvancouver.com/jazzfest.cfm
Commodore Ballroom
http://www.hob.com/venues/concerts/commodore/
The Cellar
http://www.cellarjazz.com/
The Orpheum
http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/theatres/orpheum/orpheum.html
Vogue Theatre
http://www.voguetheatre.com/
Cheers,
Brad
"Don Quixote" <xan...@NOSPAMiname.com> wrote in message
news:3c87c13a$1@nubby2....
> "Stanley Jordan" <s...@stanleyjordan.com> wrote in message
> news:f6f9a220.02030...@posting.google.com...
>
> > Do you have any venue reccomendations for Vancouver?
>
> Vogue Theatre
> Orpheum Theatre
> Commodore Ballroom
>
> My choice would be Vogue-- good sound and good visibility.
>
> dq
>
>
Glenn Poorman
>
> There is a small club in town called The Cellar...
> http://cellarjazz.com/
> ja...@cellarjazz.com
> ... which could be construed as feasible/practical
> if you are gigging solo and it serves routing logistics
> Workshops/masterclasses could be a bonus
Since you mentioned it ... if you want to see some amazing
tapping at the Cellar Jazz Club, check out Stick player
Greg Howard there this coming Sunday evening (03/10) at
8:00pm. There's a gathering of Stick players happening on
Granville Island all weekend so you might catch a few other
performances as well.
Glenn
Stanley Jordan
the Bumbershoot Festival, so maybe I can swing up and do something in
Vancouver too. That is such a beautiful city! I visited some friends
there a couple of years ago and we hiked in an old growth forest. I'll
never forget that experience.
-Stanley Jordan
www.stanleyjordan.com
"Brad" <bdhay03_nospamola@hotmail_remove.com> wrote in message news:<m30i8.48467$eb.19...@news3.calgary.shaw.ca>...
Brad
love to see you drop in for a visit and a show. :-)
I don't know who else in this forum lives in the Vancouver area but if you
need someone local to help with the legwork, let me know. I'd be happy to
help locate some reputable promoters, venues, musicians or just recommend
some great places to visit if/when you're here. I'm confident we could find
a great venue and pack it out (unless you prefer small and quaint).
Cheers,
Brad
P.S. Don, are you from the Vancouver area?
"Don Quixote" <xan...@NOSPAMiname.com> wrote in message
news:3c8d09df$1@nubby2....
>
> "Stanley Jordan" <s...@stanleyjordan.com> wrote in message
> news:f6f9a220.02031...@posting.google.com...
> > Thanks for all the great info. I'm playing in Seattle on August 30 in
> > the Bumbershoot Festival, so maybe I can swing up and do something in
> > Vancouver too. That is such a beautiful city! I visited some friends
> > there a couple of years ago and we hiked in an old growth forest. I'll
> > never forget that experience.
>
> That would be awesome! End of Aug/ beg of Sept. is a perfect time too!
>
> dq
>
>
LAZZERINI
11pm to find the music was already over half an hour since. No smoking - and
the music ends at 10.30 !! I know this ain't Cory's fault (Cory is the
owner) But... a jazz club? Jeez... The strait-jacket of BC licensing laws
makes everything real tough for practical survival
Only things that have ever worked her to my taste are consequently illegal
and after-hours
The Commodore?
Great potential - but set up for rock 'n' roll
With heavy-metal sound guys cursed by associated hearing incapacities
Orpheum and Vogue?
Good theatres - but a strong union base
Have to be prepared ahead of time to deal with some awful problems before
show-time
Checked out a show at the Vogue a few weeks ago and - quite apart from the
amateur-night ethos of the production - the lighting had only been half
finished. Riggers had been waiting around for a replacement for a failed
gizmo to arrive so they could (maybe) finish it. But when the clock ticked
around to its appointed hour they all went home according to their rule-book
without having completed the job. And the sound - once more - was abysmal,
too. Amazing that I was clearly the only person in the entire theatre who
noticed how bad everything was
I just cannot stand that kind of nonsense. This was no scout-hut
presentation - though it might as well have been - but a downtown theatre.
Pah!!
There are two other venues which work more effectively and productively
1 The concert hall at Capilano College
2 The concert hall at UBC (Chan Centre?)
I think I would choose the former
Sadly...
LAZZ
"Don Quixote" wrote:
Re The Cellar...
> Hmm, yes I was thinking of that place but it's too small for my taste.