If you have trouble playing over chord changes and want to learn how to play Jazz guitar I can’t think of a better place to start than studying Charlie Christian’s solos and guitar parts. It’s helping me and I wish I had done it years ago. In less than a month I’ve advanced more than the last 20 years.
If you learned the basics of reading music you would find a song is set in a key not chord changes and in that key there is modes. copying some tab that's not what charlie christian learned, Benny Goodman would have never hired him if he couldn't read his lines in the sheet music.
@theprogrammerroland, we are not actually sure whether or how well Christian could read. It is said that he “learned to read” from a guitar teacher in his formative years, but there is no mention of Christian being a music reader in any of the literature about his life and career. The closest thing we have is a picture of him standing at a piano bench with Goodman who is holding an open book, presumably music, and Christian is wearing glasses. Historians tell us that Goodman discovered Christian in a jam session, and was blown away by Christian’s originality and style as an improviser. Nothing about music reading requirements. It would not be surprising if Christian were mostly playing by having memorized the tunes, or maybe just looking at the page to follow written chord symbols. His role in Goodman’s band didn’t actually require sight reading single notes, and he is never heard playing passages that would have required sight reading. His famous rendition of the melody on Stardust, for example, is quite loose and clearly is delivered from memory. We just don’t know whether or not Christian could read, but one thing is for certain: he was NOT thinking of the music as collections of chords that belonged to key centers and applying some concept of modes. No way. He was playing chord-by-chord. He used triads and 4-note arpeggios, he used arpeggio substitutions (the mi7b5 over a dominant 7 was a favorite) and he used licks that he had pre-memorized - tailored to fit specific chords. You only have to transcribe one or two of his solos see this. It’s very literal. And this is exactly what David demonstrates in the lesson here. Your reply to the commenter is just plain wrong.
Thanks, David, you're one of the best guitar instructors around today. A great lesson! Every serious guitar player, no matter what genre you are into, should study Charlie Christian, who is definitely one of the greatest virtuoso/ musical geniuses of the electric guitar. His rhythmic and harmonic sense is so highly developed that every great jazz player has been influenced by him. And to think that he accomplished such greatness and then died at the age of 25.
Thanks for this david, I always try to play around the root, but never looked at it quite this way, really opened up some new ideas for me, thanks I am now a new subscriber.
I’ve been learning from your books and videos for years. So glad you’re sharing your talents on CZcams. You give just enough theory to understand what’s going on, but get right to playing cool stuff. Thanks, David.
I've mentioned this before but, amazingly, it would seem that sometimes Charlie note choice would depend on what "shape" he was working around. This resulted in him approaching the third from two frets or one fret depending on the shape. I also feel that because Charlie didn't use his left hand pinky that fact - as stated above - effected his note choice..
powerful stuff. Been playing for decades and never thought this through. Very useful -- going to work on it and plug it into my playing asap. Thanks so much
Wish I'd seen this a long time ago. I've been trying to outline the ii V I chords which doesn't sound bad but it sounds predictable. It's even harder when I use a quick iii vi ii V7. I've found that I like making the three chord a dominant sound better than a m7 but I have a hard time making that four chord turnaround not sound hurried or frantic. I have a couple lines I worked out and practiced but if I'm taking a solo for more than two choruses, I run out of ideas.
💰💪🦫🤓🎶🔥🇺🇸👍👏👌 Every guitar player should own and listen to Charlie Christian with the Benny Goodman Band in the box set you referenced ......came out a number of years ago.....
David I'm surprised that Truefire haven't produced a full blown Charlie Christian course. Ideally, I would like such a venture to include Charlie favourite "moves" ( which you've already covered somewhere), and then an analysis of a few of his solos. Such solos MUST include "Swing to Bop" and "Stompin' at the Savoy". from the Minton sessions. Charlie's appeal is very wide and such a course would interest jazz. country, western swing, blues and rockabilly guitar players.
Cool lesson! Thanks. One thing I’ve realized from playing a lot of these early blues tunes is that the ii-V at the end of the form is often played with a major II7. Do you ever try to address that little variation? I realize they both will work, but once you start to hear the difference, it’s quite noticeable.
Great lesson! Any advice for coming up with licks/phrases that sound like swing? Even when I focus on the right notes, my solos don't sound anything like this (>.
I think they're .010s. I'm not entirely sure because I don't know that I've changed them since I got the guitar (!) unless maybe I broke a high string along the way or something. But that's generally what I play for electrics. And usually John Pearse brand, because I've been an endorser for them for something like twenty years.
It's a 390: smaller than a 335 and hollow like a 330. Mine, yes, has mini humbuckers but I think that's a little unusual, most of them seem to have P90s. I absolutely love it though it can be a little feedback-prone in louder situations.
If you have trouble playing over chord changes and want to learn how to play Jazz guitar I can’t think of a better place to start than studying Charlie Christian’s solos and guitar parts. It’s helping me and I wish I had done it years ago. In less than a month I’ve advanced more than the last 20 years.
If you learned the basics of reading music you would find a song is set in a key not chord changes and in that key there is modes. copying some tab that's not what charlie christian learned, Benny Goodman would have never hired him if he couldn't read his lines in the sheet music.
@theprogrammerroland, we are not actually sure whether or how well Christian could read. It is said that he “learned to read” from a guitar teacher in his formative years, but there is no mention of Christian being a music reader in any of the literature about his life and career. The closest thing we have is a picture of him standing at a piano bench with Goodman who is holding an open book, presumably music, and Christian is wearing glasses. Historians tell us that Goodman discovered Christian in a jam session, and was blown away by Christian’s originality and style as an improviser. Nothing about music reading requirements. It would not be surprising if Christian were mostly playing by having memorized the tunes, or maybe just looking at the page to follow written chord symbols. His role in Goodman’s band didn’t actually require sight reading single notes, and he is never heard playing passages that would have required sight reading. His famous rendition of the melody on Stardust, for example, is quite loose and clearly is delivered from memory. We just don’t know whether or not Christian could read, but one thing is for certain: he was NOT thinking of the music as collections of chords that belonged to key centers and applying some concept of modes. No way. He was playing chord-by-chord. He used triads and 4-note arpeggios, he used arpeggio substitutions (the mi7b5 over a dominant 7 was a favorite) and he used licks that he had pre-memorized - tailored to fit specific chords. You only have to transcribe one or two
of his solos see this. It’s very literal. And this is exactly what David demonstrates in the lesson here.
Your reply to the commenter is just plain wrong.
Jimmy Bruno is a great teacher
You’re videos are so dense and tight. You give very potent and actionable instructions/advice.
Thanks, David, you're one of the best guitar instructors around today. A great lesson! Every serious guitar player, no matter what genre you are into, should study Charlie Christian, who is definitely one of the greatest virtuoso/ musical geniuses of the electric guitar. His rhythmic and harmonic sense is so highly developed that every great jazz player has been influenced by him. And to think that he accomplished such greatness and then died at the age of 25.
Looking forward to RMGC '23
Thank you David, tremendous work
Oh man! Just such a cool sound! I love the way you decode this stuff, David. Again, - love your playing, and your teaching style. Thanks so much, man.
David, you are the best!!!!!!
Thanks for this david, I always try to play around the root, but never looked at it quite this way, really opened up some new ideas for me, thanks I am now a new subscriber.
Great lesson....,. beautiful guitar.....👍👏😎☃️🎸👌
Very well explained! I remember David from a Dobro book I had back in the day.
My favorite guitarist. Still a beast. I wish he would have lived into his 70s. We would have gotten so much more wonderful music.
I know - it boggles the mind, doesn't it?
Great lesson man
Great teacher. Great lesson.
I’ve been learning from your books and videos for years. So glad you’re sharing your talents on CZcams. You give just enough theory to understand what’s going on, but get right to playing cool stuff. Thanks, David.
High praise indeed! Thanks so much.
This is clean clear and precise!
That's great, thanks David.
A great lesson! Thank you!
I've mentioned this before but, amazingly, it would seem that sometimes Charlie note choice would depend on what "shape" he was working around. This resulted in him approaching the third from two frets or one fret depending on the shape. I also feel that because Charlie didn't use his left hand pinky that fact - as stated above - effected his note choice..
powerful stuff. Been playing for decades and never thought this through. Very useful -- going to work on it and plug it into my playing asap. Thanks so much
Cool!
Outstanding ‼️🎸🎼🎶👍
Thanks for making this…. Super helpful.
And you got a sub!
Nice playing, teaching and one beautiful guitar you got there.
great stuff and killer tone!
Such good lessons man !!! thanks
Great lesson as usual , Maestro !
Thanks, glad you're enjoying them!
Very nice guitar and tone.
NS here! CC was a master!
Well done. Thanks a lot man
So good!
Love it…. Subscribed!
Great lesson as usual.
Thank you!
Could you please do a lesson on "swing to bop"? I have seen some good playthroughs, but a breakdown of licks over chords would be superb. Thanks!
superb
Don't know why I'm just finding this, and the fact you're in Austin, I'm just 20 mins away
Can you come to my house and give me a few lessons. Just love your teaching style.
Wish I'd seen this a long time ago. I've been trying to outline the ii V I chords which doesn't sound bad but it sounds predictable. It's even harder when I use a quick iii vi ii V7. I've found that I like making the three chord a dominant sound better than a m7 but I have a hard time making that four chord turnaround not sound hurried or frantic. I have a couple lines I worked out and practiced but if I'm taking a solo for more than two choruses, I run out of ideas.
💰💪🦫🤓🎶🔥🇺🇸👍👏👌
Every guitar player should own and listen to Charlie Christian with the Benny Goodman Band in the box set you referenced ......came out a number of years ago.....
David I'm surprised that Truefire haven't produced a full blown Charlie Christian course. Ideally, I would like such a venture to include Charlie favourite "moves" ( which you've already covered somewhere), and then an analysis of a few of his solos. Such solos MUST include "Swing to Bop" and "Stompin' at the Savoy". from the Minton sessions. Charlie's appeal is very wide and such a course would interest jazz. country, western swing, blues and rockabilly guitar players.
Lots of common ground between Charlie Christian and Junior Barnard from the Texas Playboys
Cool lesson! Thanks. One thing I’ve realized from playing a lot of these early blues tunes is that the ii-V at the end of the form is often played with a major II7. Do you ever try to address that little variation? I realize they both will work, but once you start to hear the difference, it’s quite noticeable.
You’ve sure got the CC tone.
Great lesson! Any advice for coming up with licks/phrases that sound like swing? Even when I focus on the right notes, my solos don't sound anything like this (>.
Ya genius is quite accurate
badass
Cool concepts David! Nice to have all that in one “box”.
Just starting to swing. Any more swing llessons?
That's the kind of tone I'm trying to get with my 335, what gauge and kind of strings do you have on your guitar?
I think they're .010s. I'm not entirely sure because I don't know that I've changed them since I got the guitar (!) unless maybe I broke a high string along the way or something. But that's generally what I play for electrics. And usually John Pearse brand, because I've been an endorser for them for something like twenty years.
Who makes that lid?
What guitar is that? 336 with mini hums?
It's a 390: smaller than a 335 and hollow like a 330. Mine, yes, has mini humbuckers but I think that's a little unusual, most of them seem to have P90s. I absolutely love it though it can be a little feedback-prone in louder situations.
@@FretboardConfidential thanks for the info, it has a beautiful tone.