Charlie Christian DWPS?

Playing Technique
#1

Apologies if Charlie Christian’s technique has already been investigated in this forum… If not, I’d be curious if those of you who’ve worked on his solos have been able to fit them into a DWPS framework. He has a couple stock lines that are one-note per string arps descending that I feel myself tempted to upward-slant-sweep for, or crosspick I suppose, but I can’t shake the photographic evidence that seems so clearly DWPS technique… Those descending arps seem too fast for consecutive downs, but maybe the Gypsy pickers out there might have some insight on this? Anyway, any info anyone has would be appreciated, and if I make any inroads, I’ll be sure to share here.image

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#2

According to guys like Barney Kessel that actually saw him perform, Christian used almost entirely downstrokes – rarely using upstrokes.

It’d be very similar to Wes’s thumb technique – he’d use “upstrokes” with his thumb occasionally, but it was mostly downstrokes and slurs.

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#3

I found this interesting video of the late, great Al Viola – though he’s not playing strict Charlie Christian phrases, he certainly seems informed by him. And voila, Viola uses almost all down strokes with great agility!

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#4

I can’t remember if it was in something Troy put out, or maybe in a youtube comment on one of his videos, but there was some mention of a print interview from the 70s or 80s with someone who once sat with Charlie Christian. I don’t think it was from Barney Kessel, though it could have been. I don’t remember the details, apart from remembering there was nothing shocking. I think it fell in line with what @dasein is bringing forward: mostly downstrokes.

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