"Fake" Swing

I could call it "Easy Swing," but I like "Fake Swing."  However, there's nothing fake about it -- it's just an easy way to get into the swing thing.

This style relies on just two chord forms, both of which are "closed," meaning that they don't use any open strings.  The forms are a 6th and a 9th form.  They are moveable, so they can be used all over the fingerboard, as you'll see later.  First I'll explain how to finger the chords.

There are lots of rhythm patterns you can play, but first start using 4/4 time.  That's 4 beats to every measure, all downstrokes.  They look like this:

  ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓         ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓         ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓         ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

What you see is 4 measures, with 4 beats in each one.

To play this rhythm is swing style, each beat gets a different emphasis, but it's easy.  On the first and third beat of each measure, hold the chord down.  On the second and fourth beat, relax the left hand right after you do the downstroke.  The chord will stop.  Practice a little, and you'll get the idea.  Later, you'll find some rhythms of your own, but for now, use this one.

Making the "Fake Swing" Chords

For the 6th chord, we start with a regular "barre" G major chord.  Nothing more than an E chord moved up to G position.  The letters below the chord are I (index finger), M (middle finger), R (ring finger), and P (pinky).  The regular G has the index finger all the way across the 3rd fret, like a capo or bar.  Middle finger is on the 4th fret of the G string, and the ring and pinky are on the fifth frets of the A and D strings.  You may already know this one -- if you don't, you should.

To make a G6, we move one finger, the pinky, from its original position in a G chord,  to a new position on the 5th fret of the B string.  The X at the top of the diagram means to NOT play that string.  How??  Just let the ring finger lean over against the D string a little bit, so the string is damped.

To make the 9th chord, it's even easier.  First, lay your ring finger flat over the 3 high strings at the 3rd fret.  Hold down.  Next, stretch your middle finger over to the 3rd fret of the 5th string.  (Remember string numbers are counted from the floor to your face, low to high.)  Here's the hard part -- arch that finger, so as to not touch the 4th string.  Then put the index finger on the 4th fret of the 4th string.

This takes practice, but it's worth it.  Remember not to play the low E or 6th string.  A trick is to let your middle finger extend a little to let the tip touch the 6th string, which damps it.

Example 1 -- A Simple G Swing Vamp -- Only 2 Chords!!

  ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓         ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓         ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓         ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

Repeat over and over until your fingers bleed.  Heal up for a day, then do it again, until these two forms fall under you fingers without even thinking about them.

The stroke marks under the chords each represent one beat, so these are four beat bars.  Be sure you deaden the strings marked with X.

The stroke marks under the chords each represent one beat, so these are four beat bars.  Be sure you deaden the strings marked with X.

Example 2 -- Another Simple G Swing Vamp -- Only 3 Chords!!

  ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓         ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓         ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓         ↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

Again, repeat until you know this by heart.

A simple 1-4-5 progression, but using swingly chords.  Note that the only difference between Examples 1 and 2 is the addition of the D9 chord, which is the same form as the C9, moved up two frets.

Example 3 -- 12 Bar Blues/Swing Using the Same 3 Chords!!

G6	C9	G6	G6
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓
C9	C9	G6	G6
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓
D9	D9	G6	G6
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

Again, repeat until you know this by heart.

A simple 1-4-5 progression, but using swingly chords.  Note that the only difference between Examples 1 and 2 is the addition of the D9 chord, which is the same form as the C9, moved two frets higher.

Example 4 -- Another 12 Bar Blues/Swing Using the Same 3 Chords -- Just Arranged Differently in the Last Line

G6	C9	G6	G6
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓
C9	C9	G6	G6
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓
D9	C9	G6	D9
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

Practice, practice, practice.

Example 5 -- Another Arrangement of the Same Chord Forms

G6	C9	G6	G6
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓
C9	C9	G6	G6
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓
A6	D9	G6	D9
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓

Note that the only change is in the last line, where a "new" chord, same form as G6, but now called A6, appears.  Try this one.

You should be getting the idea, but next will be a more extensive example showing a bit about how far you can go with just the two chord forms..

Example 6 -- A Bigger Arrangement of the Same Chord Forms

G6	C9	G6	G6
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓
C9	C9	G6	G6
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓
A6	D9	G6	E9	A6	D9
↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓  ↓  ↓	↓  ↓	↓  ↓	↓  ↓	↓  ↓

Note that the only change is in the last line, where another "new" chord, same form as C9, but now called E9, appears.

Also notice that in that last line the last four chords are played for just two beats, so there are still 16 beats on that line.  This is often called a "turnaround," because it brings you back to the beginning, where you will start playing the top line again.

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