Chordplay - The Chords Of Jimi Hendrix (Soul & R&B Chords)

Here's the next episode of Chordplay with another installment of The Chords Of Jimi Hendrix, but this time we're taking a closer look at his elusive and inspiring Soul and R&B chord moves and rhythm guitar ideas.
I've had a lot of requests to feature more of Hendrix's music and I've received lots of requests to focus on this area of Jimi's playing with students in private lessons over the years, so I figured it was time to dive into this unusual and very musical approach to playing chords/progressions using the slippery-smooth sounds found in Soul and R&B music, but using Jimi's unique twists to these chords and ideas. In numerous ways, he really did create his own signature stamp with this type of playing, as this episode reveals.
The ideas shared here include a brief overview of this concept, including plenty of nuggets of information surrounding this type of rhythm playing using fragments of basic minor and major triads/chords combined with notes from related (major or minor) pentatonic scales to the mix. This gives this concept a lot of motion and movement, as the partial and fragments of chords are manipulated and moved around. It really does make what you're playing jump out and "pop" for the listener.
Aside from the overview information and steering your fingers toward this slick chord-based concept, there are several classic Hendrix songs mentioned/performed in this episode that uses a number of these ideas, including timeless standards such as 'Castles Made Of Sand,' 'Wait Until Tomorrow,' 'The Wind Cries Mary,' 'Bold As Love,' and more.
Needless to say, if you're a Hendrix fan you'll find plenty to sink your teeth into in this lesson or for newcomers getting some of Jimi's unique/unusual chord world under their fingers - there's something for everyone hiding in this episode.
Dive in, have some fun, leave some comments/feedback, and please subscribe to Late Night Lessons - THANK YOU!

[@chrisoliver9295]

Dude, NOBODY has broken down Hendrix and explained his concepts and the sound he was putting down like you have! Well done!!

[@kristanbenson803]

Love Hendrix, back in 97 I thought he was still alive, I was new to guitar, my dad told me he’d died years ago, I genuinely cried...

[@uncleremus5046]

His voicings & rhythm playing were beautiful & brilliant.

[@bigalb8935]

I agree ✌️

[@brettnelson3565]

Unkle Remus, I'm with ya on that, this is an unselfish display of helping to understand Hendrix style licks and chords, and riffs, and double stops in the style of Hendrix theory... he's definetly most helpful with sharing Hendrix guitar trix, If you like Hendrix, check out another cat by the name of ("Andy Adedort") here on youtube. He's another very excellent Hendrix enthusiast teacher that is worth checking out if you haven't already. Its always helpful to find people that know all the little secrets of cracking the Hendrix mysteries. The more the merroet as far as I'm concerned... peace ~

[@GooseGumlizzard]

yeah, David is pretty great

[@davevanepp5087]

Genius! Keep the soul deep dive coming, Dave!!

[@waynesmith1942]

Thank you for the post, I found it absorbing as a non player just to see the intricacies of Jimi's genius..

[@countingcoup]

“You end up in this syrupy chord world of Jimi Hendrix” ~ love that phrase! Nice and sweet with an undercurrent of smooth flow... Perfect ~

[@handsolo1546]

Castles made of sand is such a beautiful tune. Great job breaking this down, you really hit the embellishments chords and scales succinctly. Awesome 👍

[@NJAY104]

Thanks for this, exactly the stuff I love to see explained and demonstrated! After all these years his music still sounds so fresh and inspiring 👍

[@sotirios6882]

I've always imagined what it would of been like if the two G.O.A.T. guitar legends, that being JIMI / EVH would've crossed paths in the early years. Possibly did an album together. That would've definitely been electric my friends. Genius. Guess we'll never know until we get to heaven. Great lesson regardless Dave. ROCK ON.🎸

[@hutz13]

Really informative lesson Would love to learn more from you on these Jimi ideas

[@voronOsphere]

Yes! There's always more Jimi to explore with David's approach!

[@Jacksonkellyfreak]

Bold as love has that swirling solo at the end, and that was always my favorite solo by him. I was like 11 and my uncle bought that album and I think I stopped in my tracks when I heard that.

[@anthonytremblett8187]

It's like blasting off into space! A fave of mine too.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

The first arpeggio driven solo I learned is the end of Bold as Love. Well, to be fair, the Woody Woodpecker theme is where I discovered sweep arpeggios. lols

[@StealthParrot]

One of my favorites too, even down to the amazing lyrics, something about that song. Frank Marino does a killer cover of Bold As Love on Live At The Agora.

[@Jacksonkellyfreak]

@@aylbdrmadison1051 lol that's a new one on me but pretty cool

[@Jacksonkellyfreak]

@@StealthParrot that whole album is great but it was like nothing else ever at that time

[@cacornett58]

I'm 63 years old, nobody ever showed me how to play Hendrix explained like this video. Thanks man. Oh and you youngsters or anybody who wants to know what Hendrix was all about, listen to Electric Ladyland and Axis Bold as Love albums. You'll be amazed.

[@billtice5057]

Fantastic as always!

[@johnc.mitchelljr.2716]

the half step lower tuning is essential to remain true , , maybe you've noticed how most renditions of Cash's Folsom Prison never sound quite true to the original and that's because he used 1st fret capo and sang it in the key of F , , big difference ! Thanks for the pointers : )

[@qddk9545]

Simply fantastic!!

[@TheBlackStrat502]

Love all your series! Great info, playing, and just fun to watch. Thank you!

[@mariofabrizi5050]

1.55am, Strat in hand, soaking this up . Been fooling with these ideas for a while but Dave just gave me hours more to dig into. My playing seldom improves by large leaps, it's usually micro jumps like these ideas that I can incorporate into my playing and where I notice improvements. Hendrix maybe the most influential guitarist in history (so far)

[@djerratic83]

wow you are changing my life!! thanks for these lessons!

[@hakankillberg6043]

This is awsome. Best ever. Thanks David👍👏🎸

[@simonwiltshire7089]

Outstanding lesson! Thank you :)

[@Cal1ize]

Thank you for breaking it down some - greatly appreciated!

[@alejandropfanner597]

Great lesson. I Always learn something new from your vids. Thank you!!

[@image30p]

Excellent! Those are some of my favorites. Thank you for showing me all the shapes. It was really nice to watch and hear you play them too.

[@thecreamman3527]

Your channel rocks,very happy I found it

[@voronOsphere]

Sweet!!!!!! Thanks, David!!!! Jimi's genius is sounding great in your hands!!!!

[@robertbernas1104]

Well put on all said - awesome breakdown of Jimi inspiration cheerz as always brutha!

[@matiasponsxx]

The Best instructor. Thanks Man!!!!

[@MT-or7lv]

ah how nice...a little Hendrix lesson and styles. I dig it!

[@joeurbanowski321]

Thanks man..! Explaining this really well..!👍🏼

[@shaibal6363]

Loved this lesson. It’s the best breakdown of the Jimi rhythm style I’ve seen. Thanks so much.

[@AFaceintheCrowd01]

This was a beautiful and very touching tribute to Jimi. Thank you for your insight.

[@shaundomingue6509]

You are such a great player and teacher!!

[@PaulJonesy]

Another brilliant lesson, and I have to say not just your playing is impressive but that tone!

[@greg77hot]

Been waiting for this .... thanks Dave

[@rjsilvas8597]

YES! I just finished practicing Bold As Love over and over again, and now this. 🔥

[@lees7836]

Thanks again David. I really appreciate how you go in to Hendrix’s nuances. He was a master for sure and one of the main reasons I got in to guitar.

[@richardrigsby5286]

David, great video. You've inspired me to try my hand at this fluidity, which I have always sucked at.

[@thack102]

Thank you so much. Your an amazing teacher that in itself is really one aspect. Your a true player with that gift that not everyone get blessed with. But clearly you worked hard studied hard and maxed out on it! Thanks for sharing with the rest of us 👍

[@neilnolin823]

Excellent video, thank you

[@gsnsiqueira]

What a great lession. Congratulations from Brazil

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

Axis has been my favorite Hendrix album since I first picked up a guitar as a child in the 70's. Been working on all of those songs off and on ever since. Great lesson. Learned some some alternative fingerings for a couple of things here. Thanks so much David!

[@itsianwood]

REALLY good! Thanks.

[@barryhaynes103]

Great lesson !!! ... your vibrato is exceptional and so intuitive...

[@EARL65USA]

Your videos are nice and relaxed, like being in the same room. Hope you keep them coming,

[@gobodega5226]

Many thanks David for this Hendrix lesson. Bold as love goes wonderful with my new Nick Johnston Traditional 😊🙂🎸 Your channel is awesome.

[@MulaMusic67]

Wow! What a lesson, regardless of it being an analysis of Jimi's style - this is just a feast of great advise and playing. Thanks, David! 😎

[@powerplantproductions2987]

Really good video. Very helpful

[@jonathanalcover1539]

Really interesting approach to Hendrix. It's easy to listen to his tunes being so smooth and flowy and not realize how much articulation underlies them. Great lesson.

[@ChristianInSanDiego]

Great video....you have a very mellow/welcoming vibe. I'm very much a beginner but I saved this link so I can try to learn some of these concepts. This is exactly what I'm after.....that syrupy Jimi sound !

[@frankiedonofrio5438]

Such a great Lesson!

[@buddhamus]

Great lesson. I loved the way you broke it down and how to visualize the chord along with the scale. Even for an intermediate player, like myself, the concept was easy to grasp. Great stuff. Thank you.

[@chrisvanallsburg]

Nice to see Late Night Lessons show up in the YT feed. Hurrah!

[@ericmurray9477]

Hey David ! That a Choked me up , those two songs right now and it coming from Jimi through you well that touched me man , thanks reviving my talent , it always seems like you heard the same songs ,only you had formal music school of the arts. So it's kind of nice now that I have ear learned most of what you have taught so . You are a wealth of great knowledge my friend.

[@thebruckners]

My guitar teacher just had me start learning Little Wing last week so this is timely. Everything you said about the challenges of playing Jimi's partial chords and shifting around was immediately evident to me when I first tackled it, but it's coming together nicely. Thanks David.

[@FunkadelicPancho]

Jimi was just as brilliant of a rhythm player as he was a lead player. He really took the blues to another universe

[@TheMarc52]

Excellent lesson. This was really well thought-out and explained very clearly. I have always loved Jimi, but his music always seemed kind of magical and undecipherable. You have helped to clear up a lot of stuff. I've been getting into Cornell Dupree, and I can see a lot of similar ideas happening. Thanks.

[@makingsmokesince76]

Superb content. Thanks.

[@raylamb26]

Just stumbled onto this, thank you!

[@ElectricLuvz]

I pretty much went through the same thing.. knew about Jimi in high school and could play Purple Haze, etc.. but my main interest was metal, Malmsteen and Macalpine, etc. Then after graduating in 87, about halfway through college all of a sudden, it "clicked" and the beauty of Jimi's music opened up to me and I became crazy obsessed, seeking out anything about him that I could find and listen to. I still know so many of his concert recordings by heart note for note. I'm pretty familiar with all the techniques you show in this video but I have to say you lay it out so friggin well and explain it so succinctly. I can only imagine how much more quickly those ideas would fall under my fingers had I seen your lesson back in the day instead of figuring it out slowly over many years. Awesome vid man.

[@TheWayneCreativeComboBands]

The most intuitive instructional Jimi Hendrix Learning lesson I have Eva watched. This just opened my 2021 Album. Yes I’m a major follower of Jimi Hendrix for 27 years I’m now 40. Over the last 3 years I’ve built up a very large collections and listened back to back for well lost count how many hours. I’ve a total of 15 cds with the majority of the albums which are required. I’m still a learning guitarist of just over 4 years but I’ve self taught myself a lot. Can’t wait to get amongst your channel but this Jimi Hendrix episode is if not the best tuition and instructional learner ever to be put onto you tube

[@scamerino]

i just got into e gutar about 3 months ago because of the 60s 70s music (im 22btw) and i started with little wing and bold as love and of course music theory and pentatonic scale. so far i can play little wing and its so much fun to play it and improvise. very inspirational video :)

[@ciboserio]

Super cool tutorial, thank you!

[@colintierney4858]

Hey Dave, thanks for a great lesson.

[@donaldmccoy49]

Jimi was my 1st guitar hero, then came EVH, then I discovered Zappa...my Rushmore of guitar..

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

Three of the best ever right there.

[@lifegoeson2183]

Spot on the top 3 undisputed best guitarists of rock.

[@voronOsphere]

@@lifegoeson2183 Definitely super innovative!!! All three!!!

[@voronOsphere]

You need to add a fourth guitarist to your Mt. Rushmore. That would be the coolest illustration!!!!!

[@donaldmccoy49]

@@voronOsphere I absolutely feel the 'other' would have to be Derek Trucks...he totally refined the slide guitar role....NO ONE sounds like him ... so #4 is Derek Trucks..

[@arthurthorsey1208]

Cool lesson started trying to play Jimi back in the day but did not start to understand until I learned Wind Cries Mary and Little Wing ...watched him in the movie and adopted his noodling to the Thrill is Gone thanks for the ideas

[@openlatedentistryandorthod7094]

Blown away by 12 to 15:00 minutes! The sense of rhythm is great!

[@rossscarbro4602]

Buddy I just came across your channel and subbed. At first I was like “ this guy’s pretty good”. Then I realized you write articles for guitar mags. Then I looked through your past posts and saw so many cool guitarists mentioned. Then I watched more videos and said “this guy is REALLY GOOD!” I really like what you’re doing. Only think I wish you’d do- and I know this isn’t the ideal way to learn, but it works for me- is to somehow provide tabs for these licks that you breakdown. Things go by quickly and it’s be cool to have a visual reference. Thanks for what you do!

[@buddylobos5277]

This was good lesson on 2 levels. 1st great tips to help you improve & blend some of that feel into your playing.. #2 You said Hendrix was to big to be ignored as a guitar player. YES. That really hit me because I've been avoiding his material. I was wrong. You were very right. Excellent video & Thank you very much.

[@warrior4949]

Awesome lesson!

[@victorformosa2825]

Very interesting how you get into the nuts and bolts of the likes of Hendrix and Page, for those who don't know watch the last 24 hours of Hendrix on KZbin it's an eye opener.

[@rogerwilliams2629]

Friggin great lesson!

[@bigalb8935]

Very cool lesson 🧐

[@tat2dlukydevl]

Another great lesson!! Thanks for sharing.. peAce

[@breathtimebreath4934]

AMAZING!!!!!

[@philiptruitt]

Thank you!

[@johndawson6975]

great one... fun,,keep up the good fight.

[@jay_sun_michael]

Hi, David. This was a great breakdown of Jimi. This helped me a lot. I just wanted to say after following your channel and Facebook page for a while that you are an incredible, open minded guitar player and teacher. Not sure if it's something you're interested in but you belong in the limelight more. I think any professional touring band would benefit greatly with you as their axe man. All best to you and thanks for the knowledge. 🙏

[@estelombo]

btw, what type of utter, simpleton, gave this or any of Davids videos a thumbs down???. has to be one of the best guitar tutorial channels out there....sheer brilliance and breaks everything down so even i can begin to understand

[@fernandoberiayoel6676]

Great job! Salutations from Madrid!

[@ek2thehands]

Wow, you just gave a lesson in the first 1/3 of the video for me to work on.

[@Paulomachadolobo]

Hey, Dave! I love your content. You're a great teacher. Those chordplay episodes are as useful as Beato's videos. Keep up with the good work! I have a request: I'd love to see you break down the riffs and chords (for example, the arpeggiated stuff) of Blue Oyster Cult! Greetings from Brazil! :)

[@mesmogruvinski]

I'm just mesmerised by your skills and knowledge. I've always loved Hendrix. I was six when Love Me Do came out and was into all the big rock bands and Fleetwood Mac were a real powerhouse band too with Greenie and Danny Kirwan. Then, like you say along came Hendrix(from another planet) from America, the huge country with lots of the musicians I loved Sinatra, Charlie Parker, Coltrane, Miles Davis. So many, I haven't got the space. Could you do a video on the Green Manalishi and Peter Green? Pretty please?

[@beachcomber4141]

I know what you mean by 'the light went on'! I was into Metallica and Dokken, basically 80's heavy guitar music and knew of Hendrix (of course) but never was too impressed. All the sudden I got Axis Bold as Love and when I heard what Hendrix was doing, it basically erased everything I was into before! When you have that epiphany with Hendrix (had several, the Mozart one was the most powerful) it moves you up a level!! Very nice breakdown.

[@easter_sunday]

This is a cornerstone for rock guitar. I’m another lefty who’s played for a few. The trick isn’t in the effects of the amplifier. It’s all about that Strat and his left hand on it. The left hand works like a drum. Rock on! PS favorite riff is the intro to Killin Floor during the 67 Monterey pop festival. That is chords as leads. Thanks again!

[@chasingtrailproductions3689]

Thanks for the lesson on Hendrix. You put a lot of thought into your lessons and have exposed me to people licks and chords that I never would have tried. Your history and backstories are really good as well. Thanks for all you do. BTW i see you change your pics on the wall but I wanted to ask your frame with all the guitar picks on wall that was up for Vitto Brata, can you give a little background on that?

[@doctorsteveb4906]

So awesome. You make it seem so easy. Syrupy I think you described it as. I would just like to know what the hell the person who gave you a thumbs down was thinking

[@TheJTish]

you are a serious picker, man! thanks for sharing

[@paulkardoulias9547]

yes more Hendrix please

[@Scottocaster6668]

#100th 👍up. Very cool chords, and your Strat tone.

[@anthonytremblett8187]

I've never argued who was the best guitarist of all time, but who's one of the most important was always Jimi Hendrix for me..One Axe to rule them all!✌

[@PaulJonesy]

I know people say Jimi wasn’t as technically knowledgeable as some others, but for me Jimi was just so musical and melodic, everything he played was so full of energy and beauty.

[@Jerrys_missing_finger]

Excellent playing and touch. Sub'd

[@randalljohnson2]

As a lifelong Hendrix fan and no stranger to every fart of his caught on tape this is an amazing breakdown of his chordal stuff.

[@mbreinin]

Am I alone in that I watch these lessons just to watch Dave play, with no hope of actually playing this stuff? Some of these concepts have eluded me for 30 years, and he plays them like he is brewing morning coffee. LOL

[@amandafeinner474]

I enjoy your guitar channel & your videos. Your Jimi Hendrix Chords videos are great. I love the choice of bands & guitarists you play on your videos. You didn't play any music from any female guitarists or female bands yet (e.g. Lita Ford, Heart, Halestorm, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, The Runaways). Since today was National Women's Day, my request is female guitarists & female rock bands.

[@waynegram8907]

More R&B chord lesson by Motown and Soul Artists and guitarists. Mostly they use telecasters not strats, even Duane Allman used a Telecaster for session work doing Motown type work for and the Allman Joys band which I really like those albums.

[@HotRodSixString]

Nice

[@shervinmokthari1251]

goooood shit this lesson is straight fire! thanks sir!

[@ozoneswiftak]

Looks like you have Seymour quarter pound in the upper and a Seymour double coil . Sounds great

[@openlatedentistryandorthod7094]

12:00 amazing 👍

[@jtavolacci]

I'm a big fan of your channel! Just a heads up, you don't need the apostrophe in heads up. 🤘🎸