Grappelli's Secrets: 3 Licks That Define His Legendary Sound

[@macleadg]

As a classical violinist, this really is helpful and familiar. Jazz players spend a lot of time on what notes to play, since things aren’t written out, so they seem to spend less time on how to play those notes. Classical violinists have all the notes on the page, so we spend most of our time on how to play them.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Merci, Grappelli is a timeless legend.

[@shadmansadif5148]

Fantastic video! Please keep making content like this. Your podcasts and videos always keeps me motivated.

[@MattHolborn]

Really glad to hear it.they keep me motivated too!!

[@ferdynantkiepski8309]

Nice one Matt

[@patriciayoung2977]

Makes me want to start straight away. Inspiring

[@CBMalloch]

I too love this content. Thanks, Matt! One heads up, though -- when you're zoomed in tight like you are in this video, neither end of the bow is visible sometimes, and that makes it hard to see the bow changes.

[@MattHolborn]

Thanks so much for the kind words and the constructive feedback! Funnily enough I have a new camera lense on the way that will help rectify this in the future hopefully.

[@mandofrog]

Excellent! I like all your videos Matt. This one in particular I'll be studying, as I believe Grappelli's groove is the epitome of violin playing. And I'll second CBMalloch's comment about not being able to see your bow movement.

[@PeteHartley]

Grappelli's style, " where is your violin my baby?" as he pinched my cheek... I was young and good looking once!

[@MattHolborn]

Ha I’m so sad I never got to meet him!

[@paulmitchell5349]

Grappelli was also a master pianist. He used to demo chords for jazz musicians on the piano.

[@Clomwellschimdt]

Love this content! Really appreciate your insights and selection of licks. Please make more like this!

[@MattHolborn]

Thank you pal, really appreciate the feedback!

[@wallacefoster1119]

Thanks Matt

[@MattHolborn]

Thanks for watching!

[@keithmarkham8787]

I saw Him play in Sunderland several years ago, great night of music

[@MattHolborn]

Always wish I had the chance!

[@carolinaguimaraes1609]

Thanks for this video!

[@MattHolborn]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@sadhbhdelahunt]

Thanks, informative.

[@MattHolborn]

I’m glad!

[@gabe.e]

good stuff man

[@JustFiddler]

matur suksma

[@leopardtiger1022]

You are talking too long. Show demos and music score. Watch Gabriel Bismut video on Steffan Grapelli minor swing.

[@MattHolborn]

You spelt Stephane Grappelli wrong.

[@sixfix79]

Whoa wait a minute that’s not fair, Matt you are not talking too long. I just came across your lesson and even though I am a guitarist I am incorporating your lesson into my playing especially the slide falling note Please don’t be put off by these people that are probably jealous that you can play so well. Just added you as a very worthy subscription.

[@igmaralderetejazzviolin2016]

Grappelli was a great promoter of manouche jazz, and jazz encompasses many more styles, swing, bebop, blues, among others, which he never played, which is why he cannot be considered a jazzist.

[@MattHolborn]

Don’t quite agree with you there. Grappelli was influenced by all of the American jazz he listened to in the 1930s. He did play with Django who happened to be of Manouche descent but really they just played their idea of the jazz of the time. Labels like Jazz Manouche and Gypsy Jazz appeared around the 1970s. The stuff I look at in this video is based around early Grappelli which I think was influenced loads by Louis.

[@Clomwellschimdt]

bro what?

[@igmaralderetejazzviolin2016]

obviously I'm not disparaging him, as I mentioned before he developed a style, manouche or gypsy jazz, but he also lived through the era of Parker, Coltrane etc etc and he never played any bebop or the rest of the jazz styles, always his gypsy and mostly keys similar to the violin, E, A, D and G major and some in C, which is very understandable due to the difficulty…. Anyway, in any case I recognize his value in his time, but music evolves and I think that even if it is with a violin, to say that he is a jazz player you have to go through what the styles of jazz really are. 👍🏾🎼🎻

[@Clomwellschimdt]

@@igmaralderetejazzviolin2016louis armstrong also never played bebop, or fusion, or hard bop, or free jazz. And very few bebop players i’ve met play trad jazz. Your definition of “jazz musician” is very unusual I’ve never heard anybody claim this before. It’s really as simple as if you play jazz you’re a jazz musician. No need to overthink it.

[@igmaralderetejazzviolin2016]

As unusual as it may seem to you, I think so, just as any classical music performer must know all the styles, baroque, classical, romantic or contemporary to be classified as such, because to classify someone as a jazz violinist, they must knowing how to play all the styles, another thing quite different is to become a “specialist” in a specific style, or due to ease or ability.