I’ve seen. The technique that I
have lends itself toward playing
phrases that are not based in
numbers—y’know, eighth-notes,
16th-notes. It’s not based on
that. I’m leaving myself open so
I can change from quarter-notes
or eighth-notes and stick some
fast triplets in there. Instead of
playing four notes, if I play trip-
lets I get 12 [scats a triplet-infused
phrase]. But if you play with
standard technique—if you get
used to playing quarter-notes,
eighth-notes, 16th-notes, 32nd-
notes, whatever it is—you get
used to this [scats a fast phrase in
steady eighths], and after a while
that bores me. So the technique
I’m using—which isn’t the great-
est, don’t get me wrong—makes
it so I can play those phrases
and still be within the realm
of playing the single lines with
the quarter-notes or the even
eighth-notes.
gives me much more snap when
the pick comes off the string.
I imagine this technique is
fairly dependent on specific
picks or gauges, then.
I use medium picks. They’re not
too stiff and they allow me to
have better rhythm. And the two
edges [on mine] come down to a
point that’s straighter than on a
Fender pick. I do that because it
Do you usually pick every
note, or do you integrate
hammer-ons and pull-offs
or sweep-picking in your
speedier lines?
There was a period when I
picked every note, but I find
that it’s not necessary in the
way I’m thinking now—I’m
beginning to let up on that.
As you get older, you don’t get
into the particulars so much
as you do when you’re trying
to speak a language. So I don’t
force that anymore. Kenny
Burrell asked me that once,
“George, are you picking every
note?” I said, “I don’t know—
I guess so, Kenny.” And he
was the master of the guitar.
He and Wes Montgomery
dominated the jazz world at the
time. So for him to ask me any
question about the guitar was
phenomenal.
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