Die Sprache der rechten Hand

Right Hand Techniques in New Orleans Music

So let's look at some of the right hand techniques I'm using. This is something I rely on a lot for this tune. It's a very New Orleans sound, which I believe shares similarities with Cuban music.

Riff Based on the Fifth

This riff is based on the fifth. Here are a couple of variations:

• Start on the minor third.
• You could also go for an open interval, like this.

Notice the anticipations there:

Three, four...

A nice little touch at the end. Those slides, those little chromatic movements, are something Jelly Roll used to do frequently. This technique imitates the sound of a clarinet or a trombone making those kinds of slides.

You can hear this style throughout New Orleans music. For example, just think of the intro to Tipitina by Professor Longhair, that kind of sound. Jelly Roll himself could do things like this.

That kind of sound...

Junco Partner Lick

Back to Junco Partner, here's that nice little lick, setting the context.

Three, four...

Incidentally, I am adding some of those crush notes between the thumb and the D and E to give it a bit more weight.

Another Musical Idea

Next, let's explore another useful musical idea that sounds very New Orleans. This is based on an inversion. By inversion, I mean taking the top note and putting it on the bottom.

So, you can use it in context like this:

• When you get to the four, flatten the third.
• Try doing something like that, using both the five and flat five.

Include some percussive elements based on that chord, which has a minor third to really give it a crunch. This creates a clash with what's happening in the left hand.

Harmonic Language

This harmonic movement provides the bite and grit that separates it from Afro-Cuban or Caribbean styles. It draws heavily from gospel and spirituals.

Working with the Five

Now, this next idea creates a tension that resolves beautifully in a New Orleans style. This is essentially from that riff on the five chords, adding tension and highlighting a 2-5 turnaround.

• Instead of the typical harmony, it emphasizes this harmony, which functions like a 2-7 chord but includes a ninth, played over a five pedal.

Harmonica Ideas

Incorporate some harmonica ideas here as well.

Percussive Chords

Lastly, let's revisit some other techniques using the right hand. I mentioned these very percussive chords. Think of them as a cowbell part, a hallmark of Afro-Cuban culture.

You can hear high-pitched cowbell sounds often in Cuban music. This has translated into New Orleans playing, functioning almost like a clave part, which you can obviously hear in Cuban music a lot.

These ideas serve as rhythmic punctuation, enriching your overall sound.