There are countless technical definitions and subjective interpretations for swing. Formal music teachers will explain how pairs of written eighth notes are not played equally and will likely also suggest playing slightly behind the beat. Bill Treadwill's Big Book of Swing admits, "You can feel it, but you just can't explain it. Do you dig me?" Our favorite comes from the Jazz in America glossary, which defines swing as "when an individual player or ensemble performs in such a rhythmically coordinated way as to command a visceral response from the listener to cause feet to tap and heads to nod."

Two things that everybody seems to agree on though is that "swing" is all about feel and if want to learn how to play Jazz, Blues, R&B, Rock, Hip-Hop, Rock-a-Billy, House, Gypsy, Country or even Ska -- you definitely need to know how to swing. And no better way to do that than with Marcy Marxer's Swingin' Rhythm Guitar Handbook.

Video Introduction

Click below for a sample video from the course

About the Guitar Lesson Plan

Interactive Video Guitar Instruction

In the first section of the course, you'll learn the optimal right and left-hand positions and techniques for playing swing rhythm guitar. The second section covers the moveable chord voicings, inversions and chord progressions you'll need a grip on -- learn these and you'll be able to play hundreds of tunes with them! You'll also learn your first swing tune, Stay All Night. In the third section, Marcy shows you more chords, some alternate fingerings, some tips for economy of motion, and another swing tune, Get Along Home.

Section 4 further expands your chord vocabulary and introduces you to the blues with a few tasty turnarounds thus equipping you to play an almost unlimited repertoire of swing blues tunes. Section 5 steps up your swing game with even more chords, more progressions, more blues and more invaluable insight. The sixth and final section pulls it all together, adds Honeysuckle Rose to your repertoire, and ices the cake of your swing rhythm guitar bag -- you will now have all of the tools needed to dig into any songbook and swing your heart out.

Along the way, there are dozens of performance examples and playalongs so that you can put everything you're learning to immediate application -- you will play your way through the course! All of the chords, progressions and songs are also clearly charted out for you making the learning process even more of a breeze. TrueFire's interactive lesson player accelerates the learning process with handy tools for controlling video playback, looping sections, zooming and much more.

Duke Ellington and Irving said it best back in 1931, "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing." Dig into Swingin' Rhythm Guitar Handbook and you'll see and hear why truer words have never been spoken.

About Your Instructor

Marcy Marxer

Two-time Grammy winner Marcy Marxer is the Queen of Swing. A master of several stringed instruments, Marcy is extraordinarily dialed into traditional roots music be it old-time country, folk, bluegrass and of course swing. Marxer has over 50 recordings to her credit and was honored with her own signature C.F. Martin guitar.

Marcy also happens to be a very gifted instructor, which will serve you quite well in this introduction to swing guitar rhythm playing. If you know how to tune your guitar and already have a few chords under your belt, Marcy will get you up, running and swingin' in no time at all. Everything you need to know to play great swing rhythm guitar is presented in the Swingin' Rhythm Guitar Handbook.