Swing Guitar Lesson: Learn How to Play Rhythm Like Freddie Green

Here the San Francisco guitarist, writer, and historian Nick Rossi offers an appreciation of Freddie Green, the legendary jazz musician who held the guitar chair in the Count Basie Orchestra for five decades. Rossi's full lesson feature, including standard notation, tablature, and chord frames, is available in the January/February 2023 issue of Acoustic Guitar magazine. Download it-or order the print edition-at bit.ly/3XcIRFk.

[@ProfessorTime]

I've been waiting for a Freddie Green "Master Class" my whole life. Alas, the wait is over. Thank you so very very much Nick.

[@Trombonology]

Nick's minute analysis and demonstration is precisely what the Green approach to the instrument calls for. Having been seen, since his early Basie years, as the exemplar of swing rhythm guitar, Freddie has become essentially the Kleenex of this style. This may be viewed as a compliment, but it's also often based in very limited acquaintance with and understanding of what he was actually doing. "Freddie Green Style" YT lessons are often laughably inaccurate. As Nick illustrates so well, Freddie's technique was deceptively simple. Only a discussion of this depth and thoroughness allows us to appreciate the amount of study and listening, as well as practical experience, that went into what we hear on Basie records. It sounds so effortless but, as can be appreciated in this lesson, Freddie closely studied his material and instrumental environment to achieve this effect. Many thanks to Nick and AGM!

[@ner1971]

You are so very welcome. Thank YOU for the thoughtful and insightful comments and appreciation.

[@jeffroberts_tunes]

This is great! Beyond the recreation of historically authentic playing this opens up so much voice leading, substitution, and voicing economy in chord work. Thank you!!

[@ner1971]

You are welcome Jeff. Thank *you* for your kind words. I am glad this lesson is opening up some pathways to some new ideas for you.

[@PedroCastillo85]

Clear explanations, gracious seriousness. wonderful appreciation!! Somewhere I read the highest form of "critique" (of course, in the possitive/classical sense) is when the analysis seems inbedded with the artist's and his or her work's spirit, as in this case. The lesson appears to be intrinsically influenced by Our sweet lord and savior St. Freddie Green and His Testaments: the softness along firmness, His elusive temperament, the classical undertones, and the gentle-smiling unpassiveness appear to move the "critique". BRAVO to Mr. Rossi!!! By far the most elegant expert I've seen on this holy matter for some of us. He does it all so well, clearing and explaining part of the misteries yet without touching them completely, just as the Archtop Saint did with his rusty angelical strings... Thank you AG for making this. There is a paritcular Colombian fan, studier, and lover of The Green Testaments deeply gratified for this long awaited video. Forgive my Latin wordiness... He was a man of few words but so many meanings..

[@jimconnelly2851]

It's all here. The sound, the swing, and the feel of great rhythm playing. Thanks, AG !

[@kant20045]

“Rythm by the code”, a book by Mike Dowling will teach you that in 6 pages + 30 complete songs to practice. Also, have a look- I mean a ear- to the rhythm technique call “La pompe manouche” as it is played by the Django Reinhardt band; listen for example, the French guitarist Romane playing a title of Cosma ( on KZbin “Diner de cons (feat. Romane)”)

[@frednormanguitarist6603]

Nice video, Nick. Another beautiful guitar! A short story about my experience with Freddie Green: Years ago, in my early exposure to jazz guitarists, I saw a Count Basie concert (70s or 80s). During a short break in the program, as Freddie looked through his book, he didn't hold his (Epiphone) guitar on his lap - but, rather - he set the guitar guitar down on the bottom of the rim of its lower-bout. There was Freddie, sitting beside his guitar, as it was standing - all by itself - on the stage! That was very impressive and very "cool"! Thank you, Nick.

[@cowtownfiesta]

Excellent insightful and thought-provoking lecture and lesson👍

[@akmt123]

Excellent... cheers from Canada.

[@MorningCarnival]

More from Nick please!!

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

We have more video lessons from Nick on our site: acousticguitar.com/author/nick-rossi/

[@anitadavideduo]

Great Nick! Thank you very much for this cool video!

[@ner1971]

You are very welcome! I hope you got something out of the lesson.

[@anitadavideduo]

@@ner1971 Yes! 🙂

[@37BopCity]

I saw Freddie Green playing live with the Count Basie orchestra back in the 70s. I had a great seat, down front close to the orchestra, and noticed two sides to Freddie's guitar playing. The first is the harmonic side of his playing those chord shells in his famous Freddie 4 on 4 style that everyone knows so well. But there's another side that doesn't get talked about much that I've seen ---- the percussive side. Freddie hit the strings in such a way that the strings rang out like the snare or the hi-hat. He was playing with a very loud big band and could still make his presence felt. He played a very large Stromberg arch-top that was designed to cut through the sound. You can't understand this until you see and hear a guitarist with a big band.

[@kevinmoore4237]

I was really excited to see a long video on Freddie Green because Basie's rhythm section has such magical swing and drive and its all wrapped up in the way Freddie Green locks in timbrally with the drums and bass. Sadly, even the best AI algorithms as of 2023 can't isolate guitar as well as they isolate drums and voices. The way Green, Page and Jones play together becomes almost one sound--but I've always wanted to hear a mix where the guitar is loud and clear - semi-soloed - to get a better sense of what he's adding to the mix. I'd love to hear any one of these 5 examples but with the guitar panned to one side and the bass and drums on the other *and for at least several choruses at full tempo!*

[@DaddySantaClaus]

singers love 4 on the bar rhythm, thats all the support they need

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

I didn’t realize, until Freddie Green died, that he and my grandfather were boyhood friends in Charleston.

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

This analysis makes me think that Freddie kept his banjo background all the way through. If you’re on tenor or plectrum banjo, you’re limited to a maximum of four notes in any chord. Single note rhythm lines are also common (Johnny St. Cyr was famous for this). Freddie seems to have adapted those techniques fully to the guitar.

[@GuitarguyRichard56]

Fantastic Thank you

[@bammbamm12]

It was probably Al Casey,, but if you can find "Lounging at the Waldorf" by Fats Waller, listen to the strumming - beautiful stuff.

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Follow along with the TAB and notation here: acousticguitar.com/swing-lesson-learn-to-play-rhythm-guitar-like-freddie-green/

[@daveyewart4289]

good job . be well

[@brandoncastro7738]

lol speed it up 1.25x, it’ll save you time. Great video btw

[@ozzie-sk9dh]

Suggest watching on 1.5 speed to get some of your life back. 😂

[@dat219]

Sharp dressed man

[@YoshiNishio]

Did the arrangers write chords for the rhythm sections? Walter Page, Count Basie, Joe Jones and Freddie Green never had music stands in front of them.

[@ner1971]

@YoshiNishio most of the time they were given simple chord symbols, at least by the mid-to-late 1930s. Early, chords were written out on staff some of time, but by the late 1920s, chord symbols began to be used more often. These were often very simple chords without the upper extensions, although some arrangers were a bit more specific/advanced in this regard. There are certainly a few photos with music stands in front of Page and Green live.

[@shaalis]

10:35 Luthier Ken Parker would be in complete aggreement.

[@nickcirillo6191]

😎

[@jazzfan400]

Great ! Where can we find the tab ?

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Tab and notation here: acousticguitar.com/swing-lesson-learn-to-play-rhythm-guitar-like-freddie-green/

[@elanalua]

8:08

[@TheArtofBlues]

I wouldn’t call that the blues, more like swing.

[@slimpickens2182]

He literally spends 44 minutes out of 45 just Trying to make it more than what it really is. Al lso cleverly wrapped up in this really slick looking presentation. This is literally the type of lesson that will get you to never achieve anything on the instrument..

[@kevintangney7907]

I'll bet you get invited to a lot of parties.

[@angelprince193]

​@@kevintangney7907😂😂

[@itzikvil1]

I noticed that too and think the same as you. This is freud.😊

[@andrewfiles4184]

Don’t display your ignorance so loudly dude, it’s really not impressive..

[@psychesonic1]

I enjoyed the chattiness.

[@zenovinciguerra5304]

Would u listen something like this? That s what i play and no one ever gived a fuck😮

[@axeman2638]

Way too much talk, and way too little demonstration.

[@moorfrosch5752]

99,5% talking

[@jean-lucbersou758]

lot of blabla as usual about Freddie GREEN and poor and pauper demo (far from F.G . 's real playing ) to illustrate the words .

[@jean-lucbersou758]

THE best way is to listen F.G. himself and Mike TARRANI 's 1958 interview meeting the Count 's quartet It gives a lot information and distinct audio ..F.G. tone is close to cello pizz and he plays lines which are more or less harmonized , quite an intermediate voice upper the bass lines . Very mobile and fluent voicings in a key , chords moving with few notes in the bar different from the KRESS , REUSS ,Mac DONOUGH 's keeping larger chords through bars .

[@busterstutts9849]

Wtf

[@johnnyangel504]

Oh.. man...Just Play it...! Talking too m😢uch..!!