Beppe Gambetta- The Big Easy

BEPPE GAMBETTA – DIXIE BREAKDOWN

I recently did a recording project with guitarist extraordinaire Beppe Gambetta and haven’t been the same since.

Would you look at that right hand of his!

Talk about economy of motion…

I’m just going to refer to him now as “The Big Easy”

Even the Django Gypsy Jazz players don’t incorporate as much economy as Beppe does, as it appears so effortless while he is gliding though all of the strings.

What you ask is he doing? Well, instead of picking down up down up, Beppe uses a mass array of sweep picking variations. So as an example, to get from the G string to the B, he will use one continuous down stroke and, if he was to hit the top E string, he would continue through, almost like strumming with one big down stroke carefully timing his right hand to sound like it’s being picked rather than strummed.

Same happens going the other way. You can see his up stroke over 4 strings a couple of times on this video.

I got hip to this technique a while back and I can do it… but at a very slow speed. I can’t seem to get the coordination up past 100 on the metronome… I need to just keep pushing myself.

Folks, flatpicking is a workout… with the down- up down up…  the strength factor is always the factor.  And if you’ve suffered an injury like I have with your hand, you got to consider finding a different solution. Hopefully Beppe is gonna get off tour soon, come home and give me a teaching or two.

Now the album that I was talking about that I did with Beppe is due to come out.. All I can say is, it is AMAZING!!!  He does a lot of older style songs but of course in his own incredible style.

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