The Summer of Rhythm Guitar 2024

[mr. beaumont]

It's Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial start of Summer, so here we go...feel free to join in, and tag me @RhythmGuitarNation1 (I decided Shorts was too short, so I created a new YouTube channel)

Like and subscribe if that's your thing.

What is the Summer of Rhythm Guitar? Simply the idea of devoting time every day to playing old school Freddie Green style Rhythm Guitar. 3 note, 2 note, and 1 note chords. Any tune. Any tempo.

What is the Summer of Rhythm Guitar NOT?

Any other kind of "comping"

A teaching/tutorial platform...I'm learning, not telling anybody how to do it (though I will post occasional musings about the style)

I'm going to try and post at least once a week, maybe several times if I can.

And we can discuss all things rhythm guitar here. Hope this is fun/helpful for anybody interested in this style. All 3 of you

[mr. beaumont]

Part 2: The Blues

[pawlowski6132]

Oh, this is good. I'm gonna join in.

[mr. beaumont]

Oh, this is good. I'm gonna join in.

Please do!

Only criteria-- it's jazz rhythm guitar. Other than that, do whatever you want!

[customxke]

Ok…I’m lousy at this, but will give it a try with the hope that my ineptness will embolden others to join in.

[mr. beaumont]

Ok…I’m lousy at this, but will give it a try with the hope that my ineptness will embolden others to join in.

Nice! And what a beauty of a guitar.

[AllanAllen]

Bending the rules already, here's St. Thomas.

[mr. beaumont]

Bending the rules already, here's St. Thomas.

Rulebending is fine.

Wasn't sure if I'd like St. Thomas without a latin feel, but I sang along and liked it just fine.

[AllanAllen]

Rulebending is fine.

Wasn't sure if I'd like St. Thomas without a latin feel, but I sang along and liked it just fine.

This is how I normally play it with my group. The bass and drums cover the calypso and I'm just keeping time with chords. it's jarringly straight without the band.

[mr. beaumont]

This is how I normally play it with my group. The bass and drums cover the calypso and I'm just keeping time with chords. it's jarringly straight without the band.

Interesting...I can't hear the calypso rhythm with this...but I can definitely hear a swing.

[AllanAllen]

Interesting...I can't hear the calypso rhythm with this...but I can definitely hear a swing.

I don’t calypso. The other guys do.

Is that what you mean?

[mr. beaumont]

ALright, there have been questions, so I hope I can clear up what this is all about, and maybe get more folks to join and play along...

Overall, my intent is just to keep it loose. I don't want too many rules about it...

So for starters, here's why I'm doing it. I flat out love the style, and I'd like to get better at it.

By saying I'm going to practice it for at least a little while every day this summer I'm going to back it up with making videos...videos can help me gauge my progress but also just motivate me to keep going...if I say I'm going to post at least one video a week then I better practice!

What are the videos going to be? Any and everything rhythm guitar, and by rhythm guitar I mean specifically the type of rhythm Freddie Green played from the 1937 and on for the next 50 years. So I'll post videos of me actually playing (1 or 2 choruses, I think brevity is good for stuff like this unless I'm trying to illustrate something) but I'll also post musings about chord types, picking hand stuff, fretting hand stuff, picks, strings, setup, guitars, etc. What I won't be doing is trying to "teach" anything as I'm not an expert, I'm a student...but if some experts wanted to get on board, that'd be amazing.

So that's it, basically.

[mr. beaumont]

I don’t calypso. The other guys do.

Is that what you mean?

Yeah, I guess I'm having a hard time imagining calypso drums with this. Doesn't mean it can't happen, just my ears...I'd like to hear it!

[AllanAllen]

Yeah, I guess I'm having a hard time imagining calypso drums with this. Doesn't mean it can't happen, just my ears...I'd like to hear it!

We've got a 12:20 slot this Saturday

[mr. beaumont]

We've got a 12:20 slot this Saturday

Cool-- Kankakee?

I remember you posting a St. Thomas with your group on FB, but it was a straight 8ths groove? I remember liking it.

[AllanAllen]

Cool-- Kankakee?

I remember you posting a St. Thomas with your group on FB, but it was a straight 8ths groove? I remember liking it.

That was the first time we ever played it. It was more straight with (what I call) a New Orleans big beat feel. It could be that what I call Calypso feel is also incorrect. We're making it up as we go along.

The Festival is in the Northfield Square Mall parking lot & indoor atrium in Bourbonais, IL.

[alpop]

Here's a short one time through Indiana. I was participating in the Donna Lee thread, and I learned it in Ab, C, and F.

I thought I'd make use of the chords in F.

Comments or criticisms are welcome if you feel so inclined.

[mr. beaumont]

Here's a short one time through Indiana. I was participating in the Donna Lee thread, and I learned it in Ab, C, and F.

I thought I'd make use of the chords in F.

Comments or criticisms are welcome if you feel so inclined.

Nice playing, and that Godin sounds great!

[alpop]

Nice playing, and that Godin sounds great!

Thanks! It's one of the newer Kingpin P90 Jumbo guitars. It's 4 1/8" deep at it's max depth, and the extra air makes a big difference in oomph. (I believe that is the proper technical term.)

[mr. beaumont]

Today's musings:

[alpop]

Today's musings:

Great post! All that attention to detail would never occur to me. (Possibly because I'm concerned with just surviving)

That's a good insight into what makes good players sound good.

Thanks for that.

[AllanAllen]

I turned off my volume and tried FG style over the bass solo at Saturdays gig. Someone took a video. Log into Facebook | Facebook

[mr. beaumont]

I turned off my volume and tried FG style over the bass solo at Saturdays gig. Someone took a video. Log into Facebook | Facebook

Love it!

[AllanAllen]

Tried 2 strings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=cYR82IY87aQzl5Ap&v=c7h0cTQln0I&feature=yo utu.be

[Mick-7]

This book purports to be dedicated to the Freddie Green style of comping.

Swing and Big Band Guitar: Four-To-The Bar Comping in the Style of Freddie Green:

Swing and Big Band Guitar book - Amazon.com

And I found this 35 minute long YouTube video on the subject: