Johnny Smith Lesson-classic jazz guitar

[Samrsmiley]

Hi everyone, I wanted to let you know that I just posted a lesson on Johnny Smith and his chord approach. It's got some awesome cluster chords and great uses of triads to get a bigger sound. Check it out!

Johnny Smith Chords

[dijos]

Love johnny smith! Thanks! Moonlight in Vermont is a overlooked gem

[Samrsmiley]

Sure thing, he's unbelievable for sure. I'm having a blast taking a deeper look into his style!

[ac15]

Originally Posted by Samrsmiley

Hi everyone, I wanted to let you know that I just posted a lesson on Johnny Smith and his chord approach. It's got some awesome cluster chords and great uses of triads to get a bigger sound. Check it out!

Johnny Smith Chords

Thanks for posting. Johnny Smith is one of my all time favorites.

[gtroates]

The opening phrase of Johnny Smith's version of "''Moonlight In Vermont" as I hear it is this (low string to high string, commas separate each new chord or third):
CEGA, EG, GACE, BD, FACE, (low F from previous chord sustains here) AbCbE.


I like to play it like this, although Johnny could have been using different strings (I never saw him play this):

------------------------------------
----10---8----5----3---5---5-----
----12---9----5----4---5---4----
----14---------7--------7---6-----
----15--------10-------8---------
------------------------------------

Johnny Smith made a point of playing everything with a pick, even when he played Classical music arrangements, the chords he plays on this sound strummed instead of simultaneous striking as you will hear in fingerstyle arrangements.

I enjoy Johnny's playing on this whole album. The four note long stretch close voiced chords aren't conducive to fast tempo playing, they work best in ballads like he uses them here.

[rangercaster]

very nice work !!! ... i love the old players like Smith, Van Eps, and Django ...