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Swing Blues Survival Guide: Rhythm
Essential Rhythm Techniques For Swing Blues Guitar
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About this course
Swing Blues covers a variety of genres from the jazzy influenced Jump and West Coast styles to the Western Swing and Rockabilly styles of the 40’s, 50s and 60’s. Guitarists like T-Bone walker, Bill Jennings, Tiny Grimes, Duke Robillard, Hollywood Fats and Charlie Christian are widely acknowledged for establishing the role of the guitar in this exciting musical genre.
David Blacker’s Rhythm Edition of the Swing Blues Survival Guide guides you through all of the essential concepts and techniques you’ll need command of to play solid rhythm guitar across virtually the entire Swing Blues songbook.
”Swing blues rhythm styles cover a range of genres, from classic swing to western swing, rockabilly, jump blues, west coast blues and bebop. Having a range of these sounds and textures to play with is the key to solid swing blues rhythm playing. Aside from absorbing a new rhythmic vocabulary, playing swing blues rhythm requires an advanced understanding of blues harmony and chord substitutions, all which we’ll cover in the Rhythm Edition of the Swing Blues Survival Guide.”
David organized the course into two sections. In the first section, you’ll learn the key concepts that form the theoretical basis for playing swing blues rhythm, while also examining key techniques which are used frequently: Basic Swing Blues Harmony, Advanced Swing Blues Harmony, Half-Steppin’, Comping Study 1 and Comping Study 2.
In the second section, you’ll play your way through 10 specific Performance Studies designed to give you the chordal and rhythmic vocabulary of some of the greatest swing blues guitarists.
David demonstrates all of the Performance Studies over rhythm tracks and then breaks them down by stepping you through the key concepts, techniques and creative approaches that he used in each study.
T-Bone's Choice Cuts - ”T-Bone Walker is a great guitar player to study when it comes to rhythm playing. As with many jump/swing guitarists, T-Bone's approach often blurs the lines between rhythm and lead. In this segment, we'll look at two really characteristic T-Bone rhythmic vamps in the key of C. They both work well over a mid-tempo swing groove and can be used interchangeably. In the first segment, we'll look at some simple horn like stabs that outline the I, IV & V chord changes. In the second segment, we'll look at backsliding into some fat 9th chord voicings.”
The Hollywood Shuffle - ”In this study, we're going to look at Hollywood Fats' rhythmic approach to a shuffle in E, based off the tune Red Headed Woman. We'll look at things like the interplay between rhythm and lead elements, walking bass lines, and some characteristic Fats voicings. Take note of the interplay between the E13th chord over the I (major sound) and the A7 chord over the IV (dominant sound), which Fats used a lot in his playing.”
Tiny's Time - ”In this lesson, we'll look at voicings on the top three strings in the key of Bb, inspired by some of the comping patterns played by guitarist Tiny Grimes. One of the key takeaways from this piece is the endless possibilities that can come from small moveable chord fragments on the top three strings. We can move up the neck, down the neck, and play different inversions to really create a unique rhythm sound and approach.”
T-Bone's Weather Report - ”In this piece we'll take a look at T-Bone's rhythmic approach to his classic "Stormy Monday Blues." This classic rhythm pattern is a MUST KNOW for any Swing Blues player. You can cop it note for note, or use the elements to craft your own rhythmic variations. It's in the key of G, and features some great fat 9th chord voicings, half-step approaches, and arpeggiated picking.”
Swingin' With The Duke - ”Aside from being able to mimic many of the classic swing blues guitarists to a tee, Duke Robillard mixes it all up into his own unique thing. This piece was inspired by his take on some of Freddie Green's 4-to-the-bar style comping ideas. It's in the key of Bb, with chord movement spanning the fretboard from the 1st to the 12th fret.”
8 Bar Blues’n - ”The 8 bar blues is a format used widely in swing blues, so it's good to get comfortable with the changes and possibilities. In this piece, we'll look at a double stop style approach to comping through an 8 bar blues in Bb. You can hear this kind of thing in the playing of guys like Hubert Sumlin, Hollywood Fats, Cliff Gallup, and others. “
Jumpin' With Junior - ”This approach is in the key of G, based off some of Junior Watson's ideas on the album Double Dealin’ by William Clarke. It's a pretty straight-forward rhythmic approach to jump blues. Take note of the different harmonic textures, from 6's to dominant 7th & extended dominant sounds.”
Swing It On Over - ”This piece was inspired by the pedal steel solo on the Hank Williams song "Move It On Over." Pedal steel riffs often incorporate some really great chordal moves, and can provide a wealth of inspiration for new comping ideas. The idea behind this one is to tune into the different chord melodies as well as the different shapes and fragments used.”
Hollywood Stomp - ”Hollywood Stomp was inspired by the rhythm playing of Hollywood Fats. I highly recommend picking up his two album set entitled The Hollywood Fats Band, which has a ton of great jump blues rhythm ideas. This piece is in the key of D, featuring some nice moveable chord shapes built off the top four strings. Try to tune into the subtle differences in tonality from chord fragment to chord fragment.”
All of the Performance Studies are tabbed and notated for your practice, reference and study purposes. You’ll also get Guitar Pro files so that you can play, loop and/or slow down the tab and notation as you work through the lessons. Plus, David generously includes all of the rhythm tracks for you to work with on your own.
Grab your guitar and let’s get swingin’ with David Blacker!
David Blacker’s Rhythm Edition of the Swing Blues Survival Guide guides you through all of the essential concepts and techniques you’ll need command of to play solid rhythm guitar across virtually the entire Swing Blues songbook.
”Swing blues rhythm styles cover a range of genres, from classic swing to western swing, rockabilly, jump blues, west coast blues and bebop. Having a range of these sounds and textures to play with is the key to solid swing blues rhythm playing. Aside from absorbing a new rhythmic vocabulary, playing swing blues rhythm requires an advanced understanding of blues harmony and chord substitutions, all which we’ll cover in the Rhythm Edition of the Swing Blues Survival Guide.”
David organized the course into two sections. In the first section, you’ll learn the key concepts that form the theoretical basis for playing swing blues rhythm, while also examining key techniques which are used frequently: Basic Swing Blues Harmony, Advanced Swing Blues Harmony, Half-Steppin’, Comping Study 1 and Comping Study 2.
In the second section, you’ll play your way through 10 specific Performance Studies designed to give you the chordal and rhythmic vocabulary of some of the greatest swing blues guitarists.
David demonstrates all of the Performance Studies over rhythm tracks and then breaks them down by stepping you through the key concepts, techniques and creative approaches that he used in each study.
T-Bone's Choice Cuts - ”T-Bone Walker is a great guitar player to study when it comes to rhythm playing. As with many jump/swing guitarists, T-Bone's approach often blurs the lines between rhythm and lead. In this segment, we'll look at two really characteristic T-Bone rhythmic vamps in the key of C. They both work well over a mid-tempo swing groove and can be used interchangeably. In the first segment, we'll look at some simple horn like stabs that outline the I, IV & V chord changes. In the second segment, we'll look at backsliding into some fat 9th chord voicings.”
The Hollywood Shuffle - ”In this study, we're going to look at Hollywood Fats' rhythmic approach to a shuffle in E, based off the tune Red Headed Woman. We'll look at things like the interplay between rhythm and lead elements, walking bass lines, and some characteristic Fats voicings. Take note of the interplay between the E13th chord over the I (major sound) and the A7 chord over the IV (dominant sound), which Fats used a lot in his playing.”
Tiny's Time - ”In this lesson, we'll look at voicings on the top three strings in the key of Bb, inspired by some of the comping patterns played by guitarist Tiny Grimes. One of the key takeaways from this piece is the endless possibilities that can come from small moveable chord fragments on the top three strings. We can move up the neck, down the neck, and play different inversions to really create a unique rhythm sound and approach.”
T-Bone's Weather Report - ”In this piece we'll take a look at T-Bone's rhythmic approach to his classic "Stormy Monday Blues." This classic rhythm pattern is a MUST KNOW for any Swing Blues player. You can cop it note for note, or use the elements to craft your own rhythmic variations. It's in the key of G, and features some great fat 9th chord voicings, half-step approaches, and arpeggiated picking.”
Swingin' With The Duke - ”Aside from being able to mimic many of the classic swing blues guitarists to a tee, Duke Robillard mixes it all up into his own unique thing. This piece was inspired by his take on some of Freddie Green's 4-to-the-bar style comping ideas. It's in the key of Bb, with chord movement spanning the fretboard from the 1st to the 12th fret.”
8 Bar Blues’n - ”The 8 bar blues is a format used widely in swing blues, so it's good to get comfortable with the changes and possibilities. In this piece, we'll look at a double stop style approach to comping through an 8 bar blues in Bb. You can hear this kind of thing in the playing of guys like Hubert Sumlin, Hollywood Fats, Cliff Gallup, and others. “
Jumpin' With Junior - ”This approach is in the key of G, based off some of Junior Watson's ideas on the album Double Dealin’ by William Clarke. It's a pretty straight-forward rhythmic approach to jump blues. Take note of the different harmonic textures, from 6's to dominant 7th & extended dominant sounds.”
Swing It On Over - ”This piece was inspired by the pedal steel solo on the Hank Williams song "Move It On Over." Pedal steel riffs often incorporate some really great chordal moves, and can provide a wealth of inspiration for new comping ideas. The idea behind this one is to tune into the different chord melodies as well as the different shapes and fragments used.”
Hollywood Stomp - ”Hollywood Stomp was inspired by the rhythm playing of Hollywood Fats. I highly recommend picking up his two album set entitled The Hollywood Fats Band, which has a ton of great jump blues rhythm ideas. This piece is in the key of D, featuring some nice moveable chord shapes built off the top four strings. Try to tune into the subtle differences in tonality from chord fragment to chord fragment.”
All of the Performance Studies are tabbed and notated for your practice, reference and study purposes. You’ll also get Guitar Pro files so that you can play, loop and/or slow down the tab and notation as you work through the lessons. Plus, David generously includes all of the rhythm tracks for you to work with on your own.
Grab your guitar and let’s get swingin’ with David Blacker!
What you'll learn
- Navigate chord changes in a 12-bar blues with extended harmony
- Play walking bass lines in both open and closed positions
- Perform Hollywood Fats-style turnarounds with proper voice leading
- Play authentic swing blues rhythm guitar in multiple styles
- Blend rhythm and lead playing seamlessly in a shuffle context
Release date: 11/13/2015 • 2h 05m runtime
Sample lessons
Advanced Swing Blues Harmony
Demonstration
Comping Study 1
Demonstration
Swingin With The Duke
Overview
Swingin With The Duke
Performance
What's included
38 lessons • 15 charts • 15 Jam Tracks
Swing Blues Survival Guide: Rhythm
Hi, I'm David Blacker and welcome to the rhythm edition of Swing Blues Survival Guide. Swing blues rhythm styles cover a range of genres, from classic swing to western swing, rockabilly, jump blues, west coast blues and bebop. Having a range of these sounds and textures to play with is the key to solid swing blues rhythm playing.
Aside from absorbing a new rhythmic vocabulary, playing swing blues rhythm requires an advanced understanding of blues harmony and chord substitutions. This understanding is required for both rhythm and lead playing, which is why this course also serves as the foundation for the lead edition of Swing Blues Survival Guide.
I've broken this course into two sections, looking first at the key concepts that form the theoretical basis for playing swing blues rhythm, also examining a few key techniques which are used frequently. In the second section, we'll work through specific performance studies designed to give you the chordal and rhythmic vocabulary of some of the great swing blues guitarists.
SECTION 1: Essential Concepts
In this section, we'll cover five studies that will introduce some key concepts such as four to the bar comping, advanced swing blues harmony, half step approaches, and a range of interesting chord voicings.
Basic Swing Blues Harmony
In this exercise, we'll look at a four-to-the-bar comping pattern in the style of Freddie Green, the guitarist from the Count Basie orchestra. Freddie played big chunky chord voicings located primarily on the 6th, 4th & 3rd strings. These voicings are a great introduction to swing blues harmony, incorporating unique inversions of standard chords and lending themselves to some nice movement and transitions.
It's important to remember that Freddie Green played an acoustic archtop, so these chunky chord voicings were somewhat necessary to project over the orchestra. But if you're playing an electric guitar, you definitely want to apply a soft touch when playing these types of inversions, allowing the rhythm to be "felt" rather than heard. We'll also be substituting a II - V - I turnaround for the standard V - IV - I blues turnaround over this track.
Advanced Swing Blues Harmony
In this one, we'll begin very much like the first exercise until we get to the 4th measure where we'll incorporate a dominant 7 chord (as opposed to major), setting up the change to the IV chord really nicely with voice leading. We'll also have some nice chord substitutions in the 8th measure leading us into the II - V - I turnaround.
Half-Steppin'
Half-step approaches to chords help create motion through tension and release. In this exercise, we'll kind of overdo a bit to hammer the concept home. Pay attention to the transition over the 7th and 8th measure, and the final chromatic turnaround (after the II - V - I turnaround) in the 12th measure. Starting to hear half-step approaches is the key to opening the door to lots of other chromatic ideas.
Comping Study 1
In our first comping study, we'll look at some chord voicings that center around the D, G, & B strings. These voicings will typically be your "go to" shapes for louder, more electrified styles. Similar to the Freddie Green style voicings, these shapes lend themselves to some nice tight voice leading moves on the higher strings.
Many of these shapes are built using only three notes, comprising multiple chords all using the same notes. For example, a chord that's built off the 6th fret of D and the 7th frets of the G & B strings could be either a Bb7#5/G# or an E9/G#—sharing the same key chord tones.
It's good to start looking for these different relationships, as it opens up lots of possibilities for re-harmonizing a 12 bar blues. It takes some thinking and analyzing at first, but after a while you begin to see patterns emerge that you can transpose and apply all over the neck.
Comping Study 2
In this study, we'll add the high E string into the mix to build some lush four note voicings. This piece incorporates a lot of half-step moves and great voice leading elements, opening up with a Bb 6/9 chord, which has a really sweet swingin' flavor.
As we transition into the IV chord from the 4th measure, we'll use a great voice leading move with descending motion on both the high E and B strings. Then, in the 6th measure (2nd measure of the IV chord), we'll introduce a diminished or dominant 7b9 substitution. This is a really key substitution that players use on the 2nd measure of the IV chord to build tension back into the I chord in the 7th measure. This four note shape can moved up and down the neck in three fret intervals, while still remaining the same chord. This substitution offers a nice way to create the feeling of movement, and sets up a nice tension/release when it resolves back to the I. In the 8th measure, we'll introduce a dominant 7b9 leading into the II - V - I turnaround. The last voicing is on the V of the II - V - I, with an F7b9add13 (that's a mouthful!).
+ 31 more lessons
Reviews
12 results
neilg63
Verified buyer
02/05/25
Great swing blues course!
I’m enjoying this course a lot. It’s very easy to follow. David Blacker is an excellent instructor.
cussy180
Verified buyer
12/31/24
Swing blues
Brilliant course well explained and shows you how to start from the beginning of learning swing blues 5 star
Ben
01/30/23
Swing Blues Survival Guide: Rhythm
Another superb course from David Blacker! This takes you though Swing Blues rhythm in a clear, step by step way and builds gently in terms of sophistication. The explanations are brilliantly clear and everything about the course is well thought out: so useful!!!
jaimeguillenmd
Verified buyer
10/09/22
excelent
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