The Summer of Rhythm Guitar 2026: Take a Walk on the mild side

[ragman1]

Here are some other voicings that I use quite frequently:

(key of Bb)

Minor Triad 2nd Inversion
G-
10-X-8-12-X-X

Minor Triad
C-
8-X-5-8-X-X

Major Triad
Bb
6-X-3-7-X-X

Augmented Triad
F+
5-X-3-6-X-X

Try playing that Major Triad followed by the Augmented Triad. Gorgeous old sound.

Blimey, you must have one of those gymnastic wrists.

[AllanAllen]

Blimey, you must have one of those gymnastic wrists.

Proper left hand form, thumb on the middle of the neck, helps with these wide chords.

[mr. beaumont]

Great stuff Brent!

[joe2758]

Brent, you're really getting that left hand touch that is commonly missing when the style is attempted

[Christian Miller]

Jonathan Stout: 20 Most Used Basic Rhythm Guitar Voicings

https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/atta...0-voicings-pdf

Attachment 132801


I'm sure most forum members have seen this Jonathan Stout pdf before.

I think the shapes on this list generate around 75% of my playing income.

[mr. beaumont]

I think the shapes on this list generate around 75% of my playing income.

And the best part is, its not even 20-- plenty of multipurpose shapes.

[sgcim]

I'm talking about the type of strumming Barry G. is doing here. It sure ain't Freddie Green's technique,
and Bob Bain used the same type of strumming on that clip someone posted on the Tonight Show Band.
I'll try to find it.

[sgcim]

Here's Bain clearly demonstrating that strumming I described in my earlier post.

[mr. beaumont]

Today's fun...mostly 4th, a little 3rd, on Cherokee.

[sgcim]

Thanks. This comes after watching many Denis Chang videos.



A variant of the figure 8 strumming style. Very old school approach.



This movement is the later La Pompe strumming style. I think Denis Chang mentioned that this style emerged in the 40s.

Can't hear the guitar, though.



Bouncey and nice!

So you're saying that Barry G is starting on the downbeat and alternating all four strokes in the shape of a figure eight for each bar?
Whatever he's doing the guys in the Kenton band preferred him in the rhythm section to Sal Salvador, who was making it hard for Stan Levey to hold the rhythm section together and driving the band at the same time. Levey said "When I was with Stan's band, the rhythm section was not the greatest because the two of them were not very good team players and it put most of the work on my back". The bass player was Don Bagley..
Lee Konitz questioned Salvador's creativity, saying "I wish Sal had felt a little freer about his accompaniment. He made it difficult for me to find more attractive melodies to play". Billy Bauer was his fave guitar player.
Bain is clearly starting the strum with am up stroke. A friend of mine learned that type of strum from watching his teacher, Carmine D'Amico on gigs, and said CD used a kind of stirring (the soup) kind of motion.

[sgcim]

I can't really tell from your video what exactly is going on, but it kinda looks like a miniature version of this:

see also PMB's comment about this strumming style: Eddie Lang Rhythm Style

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Here's more Dave Kelbie. Go to 0:15, and slow down the video to 25%.

It looks like as he does this forward up-swing motion, you'd expect that he'll use an upstroke to hit the string, but he actually flicks his wrist to make it a downstroke! Fascinating stuff. The next question is why make the forward up-swing motion at all if it's just going to be a downstroke in the end? I think the pendulum swinging motion helps him to keep time more consistently: large motions with elbows and forearms keep time better than smaller motion wrists and fingers, methinks.

Like Stan Levey said, "Just be a team player". Wayne Wright said something like that to me when I asked him.

[mr. beaumont]

I think the pendulum swinging motion helps him to keep time more consistently: large motions with elbows and forearms keep time better than smaller motion wrists and fingers, methinks.

Becomes a larger body movement...more like dancing.

[PMB]

In its most extreme form, I've heard guitarists employing that pendulum swing to imitate the 'wah' effect of a trumpet section. Accents are played on the backbeats near the bridge to produce a bright, nasal-like quality.

[AllanAllen]

Man, if all I ever had to do was rhythm guitar and be part of a small ensemble, I'd still be happy. Plus, I don't have to worry about no solos!

A few weeks ago this guy came out to one of my gigs and thought it was a jam session. After feeling him out on break I figured how bad could it be and told the guys he was going to sit in.

Maaaan I was in heaven, locked in with the bass player while sax and trumpet traded solos.

Even on last nights duo gig, I did the head took a solo, bass took a solo and then I said “let’s cruise for one” and we busy comped a chorus together. Really fun to try something new like that on the fly.

[mr. beaumont]

A little more backyard fun.

[GuyBoden]

A little more backyard fun.

Very enjoyable, great to hear someone having fun.

[mr. beaumont]

Here's a few sheets, a G and C blues. Could be a decent jumping off point for someone wanting to try this kind of playing.

[mr. beaumont]

Entry #4

Enjoy!

Tips for playing drop-2, drop-4 voicings:

- Tilt your entire fretting hand for better reach
- Keep your pinky on the B string

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AF105F-NT
ECG24
SSL2+
Logic Stock EQ

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Entry #3 (fat FG voicings)
Entry #2 (movement with FG voicings)
Entry #1 (walking FG voicings)

But you left out my favorite string!

J/k sounds great. These would be really nice in a small group.

[joe2758]

Brent, by mixing drop 3, drop 2, and drop2 & 4 you can achieve really nice contrary motion

[joe2758]

Well I was gunna say I used it all the time in my old solo arrangements on youtube...but I didn't see any lol. example could be

5
3
5
3
x
x (F6 drop 2)

6
8
6
x
7
x (E dim drop 3)

8
6
x
7
5
x (Dm7 drop 2/4)

forgive any mistakes i don't have a guitar, but should give you the idea

[joe2758]

Yeah anything you want. that voicing is the bane of my existence haha

[Webby]

View this post on Instagram

[mr. beaumont]

Was just watching that clip! I think Herb's way of doing it on an electric guitar sounds great.

[AllanAllen]

That website jazzlegendlessons is selling unlicensed clips from HotLicks videos. You can get the whole hour video for less by going to the Hal Leonard website.

Just FYI.

[GuyBoden]

View this post on Instagram

For the non INSTA users, I think it's this video.

Starts playing Rhythm lesson at about 42 mins.

Edit: I think Herb states he is only using three note chords for his Jazz blues "Rhythm lesson" with bass.