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Old 01-19-2017, 05:20 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Staten Island, NY - for now
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I played rhythm in a '30s/40s-style big band briefly with a period-authentic '47 L-7, and had no problem whatsoever making my presence known without miking/amplification; although a combination of high action and ultra-heavy strings (14-60/15-62 - often with a wound B) were standard comp box fare back in the day, what many players don't realize is that your biggest ally is the chord voicings you choose. If you're playing with a piano, bass, and 20-piece horn section you don't need to play every note in a Bb13b9b5 chord: you just need to fill the sonic space between the bass and piano, without clashing with the horn section - a talent aspired to by many and genuinely achieved by few, requiring a solid command of both theory and fingerboard knowledge - and keep a steady groove (some players, myself included, lock in with the snare drum and ride cymbal, others with the bass - do whatever works for you). I'd also recommend scoring a copy of Mel Bay's Rhythm Guitar Chord System - this has been the comper's bible since 1947, and it'll give you a solid foundation in how it was done back in the day...
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