Phase 2: Western Swing Harmony & Movable Chords (Weeks 5-8)

Focus: Expand into the richer harmony of Western swing - dominant 7ths, Major 6th chords, minor chords, and inversions. You’ll learn how to spice up basic progressions with Western swing chord substitutes and play chords all over the neck using movable shapes. Rhythm-wise, you’ll start adding more frequent chord changes (often two chords per measure) to mirror Eldon Shamblin’s style.

1. Beyond Basic 7ths: Major 6th and Extended Chords (Week 5)

In Western swing, plain major chords are often replaced with major 6th chords for a sweeter, jazzier sound premierguitar.com. Also, dominant chords can take extensions (like 9ths) to add color. Let’s learn these:

  • Major 6th Chords: A major 6th chord = major triad + added 6th. For example, C6 is C-E-G-A. (Interesting note: C6 contains the same notes as Am7, but it’s used as a C-family chord premierguitar.com.) In practice, when you see a song with a C chord, a Western swing guitarist will often play C6 instead premierguitar.com.
    • Try an open position C6: x 3 2 2 1 0 (that’s C on 5th string 3rd fret, G on 4th open, E on 4th 2nd fret? Wait, let’s tab properly:) Actually, a straightforward C6: C6 = x32210 (C-E-A-C-E, which is C, E, A, C, E - has A the 6th). Play that and compare to a plain C (x32010); hear the difference with the added A note.
    • A6: Since A is a common key, learn A6 = x02222. This is like an A major chord (x02220) with the high E string fretted at 2 (F#). So A major (A-C#-E) becomes A6 (A-C#-E-F#). You can also play A6 as 5 4 4 2 x x (barre chord form) if you want a movable version.
    • Practice switching between major and major6 forms in songs you know. For instance, in that 12-bar blues in A, try using A6 instead of A7 as the I chord occasionally (A6 has a more western swing flavor, whereas A7 has more tension).
  • Dominant 9th Chords: A 9th chord adds the 9th (which is the 2nd scale degree, an octave up) to a dominant 7th. It gives a richer, bluesy tone. Common example: D9 (D-F#-C-E). One handy shape: D9 = x5455x. (In TAB: fret 5 on A string (D), 4 on D string (F#), 5 on G (C, the 7th), 5 on B (E, the 9th), high E muted.) This shape is movable for any 9th chord. Try G9 (move the shape so root G is on A string 10th fret: x 10 9 10 10 x).
    • Incorporate a 9th chord in a turnaround: e.g., instead of G7 to resolve to C, try G9 to C. Or in the blues, play E9 instead of E7 for the V chord.
  • Minor Chords (Minor 7ths): Western swing tunes occasionally use minor chords, often as vi or ii chords in a progression. For example, in key of C, the vi is Am (often played as Am7) and ii is Dm (often Dm7). Learn Am7 = x02010 and Dm7 = xx0211 (or the movable shape for minor7 like 5th fret Am7: 5x555x which is actually Am7 = A-E-G-C). You’ll use these in classic progressions (coming up next).
  • Diminished 7th Chords: A secret weapon for passing between chords. A diminished 7th chord is 4 notes all spaced by minor 3rds (e.g., G# dim7 = G#-B-D-F). It creates a chromatic passing sound that resolves to a chord a half-step away. For now, just learn one shape: C#º7 (C#dim7) = x4535x. (This will come in handy moving from G to D or G to Am, etc.) Diminished chords are often inserted for chromatic bass movement - we’ll apply that soon.

Spend this week drilling these new chord types. Practice Tip: Make flashcards or a one-page “cheat sheet” of chord shapes (in TAB diagrams) for all these new chords (6ths, 9ths, m7, dim7). Each practice session, spend 10 minutes reviewing the shapes so your fingers start to remember them.

2. Movable Swing Chord Shapes & Inversions (Week 6)

To play Eldon’s style, you need to navigate the neck. Movable chord shapes allow you to play in any key and use chord inversions (different chord tones in the bass) to create walking bass lines.

  • Freddie Green Chord Grips: Eldon was influenced by Freddie Green (Count Basie’s guitarist) mentmorris.wordpress.com, who used 3 or 4-string chord grips. These often omit the 5th of the chord and emphasize the important color tones (3rd, 7th, etc). For example, a great movable dominant 7 shape:

    • A7 (moveable form): 5 x 5 6 5 x

      A7 (moveable form): 5 x 5 6 5 x. This has E (5th fret, 2nd string), G (3rd string 5th fret, the ♭7), C# (4th string 6th fret, the 3rd), and the A root on 6th string 5th fret. It’s a compact A7. Move it two frets up and you have B7, etc.

    • Another common 6th chord grip: A6 = 5 x 4 6 5 x (A on 6th string 5th fret, E on 4th string 6th fret, C# on 3rd string 4th fret, F# (6th) on 2nd string 5th fret). This is movable for any 6th chord (root on 6th string).

    • Practice forming these shapes up and down the neck. These smaller grips are great for the muted swing strum (less string noise).

  • Chord Inversions: An inversion means a chord tone other than the root is in the bass. In Western swing comping, **using inversions allows the bass line to move stepwise even if the overall chord stays the same premierguitar.com.

    • Example: G to E7 transition. Instead of jumping from open G (320003) to an open E7, do this: play G/B inversion (which is G major with B in bass: x20033) then resolve to C or C6. Actually, let’s use a simpler example: In key of C, if the chord stays on C for a measure, you can play C6 (root position) then C6/E (E in bass) on the next beat to create a moving bass (C down to A or E, etc). This implies motion while staying on a C chord.
    • Another common one: G - G7/F - C/E - Cm/Eb - G/D… This might look complex, but it’s a descending bass: G (bass G), then G7 with F bass, then C with E bass (which is actually an inversion of C), then C minor with Eb bass, then G with D bass. This kind of line is exactly how Eldon would connect G back to G via C chord movement. (If you recognize it, this is very similar to the “Stay All Night” Eldon-style chord rundown guitarlessonsbybrian.com !)
    • Exercise: Pick a chord, e.g. G6 (3x543x, a G6 shape). Find a different inversion of G - for instance, B in bass (x2x033 for a G chord) or D in bass (xx0(open)787 - a higher voicing). Practice toggling between the inversions while keeping a swing rhythm. As Premier Guitar notes: “Don’t just sit there! If you’re hanging on a chord, make sure to move that sucker around…chord inversions imply change when the harmony is static premierguitar.com.” In other words, when staying on one chord, try different voicings or bass notes every couple beats to keep it interesting.

  • Connecting Shapes Exercise: Take a simple progression like C - A7 - D7 - G7 (which is I-VI7-II7-V7 in key of C, a very common swing progression). Practice it with movable shapes instead of open chords:

    • C6 (8th fret root, or C6 = 8x797x),
    • A7 (5x56x5 as above),
    • D9 (10x10910x, or any D7 form at 5th fret),
    • G7 (3x343x).
    • Aim to change chords smoothly on beat 1 and beat 3 (two beats each). This is a simplified “Rhythm changes” cycle used a lot in swing. Tip: If changing shapes is hard at full speed, practice the transitions slowly without rhythm first. Eventually get it in time with the sock rhythm.

3. Western Swing Progressions & Substitutions (Week 7)

Now we delve into typical Western swing chord progressions. Many Bob Wills songs share similar patterns. You’ll learn to recognize these and use substitution chords to add Western swing flair:

  • The “Texas” ^ I-VI-II-V Progression: This is the classic Western swing cycle (also common in jazz as “Rhythm Changes”). For example, in key of G: G (I) - E7 (VI7) - A7 (II7) - D7 (V7) → back to G. This series of dominant-seventh chords descending by fifths gives a satisfying circle-of-fifths movement. Practice this in a few keys:

    • In G: G - E7 - A7 - D7 - G (try each chord for 2 beats, then switch, looping it).
    • In C: C - A7 - D7 - G7 - C. Hear how the last G7 pulls strongly back to C.
    • Notice: VI and II are secondary dominants here (they aren’t the diatonic vi or ii minor; we make them dominant 7 to push the progression forward). This kind of chord substitution (using a dominant in place of a minor) is very Western swing. As one source notes, these harmonies are designed to give improvisers room and momentum amazon.com - and indeed, each 7th chord begs for the next.

  • ii-V Patterns: Another jazz staple in Western swing: inserting a ii-V progression to lead to a target chord. For example, if you’re going to V (say G7 to go to C), insert D7 (the V of G7) before G7? More concretely: in key of C, instead of just a measure of G7, play Dm7 → G7 (ii→V of C). This gives movement. Practice the I - vi - ii - V as minor/dominant mix: e.g., C - Am7 - Dm7 - G7 - C. Listen to how it feels more “jazzy” than staying on C or G for too long. In Western swing, often even if the original tune is simple, guitarists will expand a single chord into a ii-V to create a little walking chord movement bb.steelguitarforum.com.

  • Diminished Passing Chords: Incorporate your dim7 shape from earlier as a bridge between chords:

    • Between I and ii: e.g., G - G#º7 - Am7 - D7. Here G#º7 is a half-step above G that smoothly leads into Am7 (ii). (This works because G#º7 is essentially functioning as a D7♭9 without root - a common substitution to lead to Am7.)
    • Between I and IV: e.g., C - C#º7 - Dm7 - G7 (leads into F if that were the I, or into Dm as ii of C).
    • Diminished chords often share identities (C#º7, Eº7, Gº7, Bbº7 are the same in many cases), so one shape can serve multiple purposes. Use them sparingly at first - get used to the sound of a chromatic passing chord. It should feel like a brief “tension” that resolves into the next chord.

  • Western Swing Turnaround: The last two bars of a section often go through a quick cycle to return to the top. A common turnaround in Western swing is I - VI7 - II7 - V7 (already known to you!). For example, end a song in C with C - A7 - D7 - G7, then back to C. Try applying this to the 12-bar blues you learned: at bar 11-12, do I - VI - II - V (A7 - F#7 - B7 - E7) in the key of A, instead of just A-E. Suddenly your simple blues sounds like Western swing because of the catchy bass-moving turnaround premierguitar.com.

Practice routine for Week 7: Take “Stay All Night, Stay a Little Longer” as a case study:

  • Level 1: Play it with just two chords (I and V) as you did in Phase 1. Get the form (verses/chorus) and keep steady rhythm.
  • Level 2: Add the IV chord if it fits (many versions use I and V only, but some might throw in IV on a turnaround lyric line - check a chord chart to be sure).
  • Level 3: Now try to incorporate the I-VI-II-V cycle in the chorus or between verses. For instance, in key of G: “Stay all night…” [G], “stay a little longer” [E7 A7], “dance all night…” [D7], “dance a little longer” [back to G]. Even if this exact sequence isn’t in the original simple arrangement, it fits the Western swing idiom (the famous **Eldon Shamblin “lots of runs” approach was essentially adding such passing chords and runs between the simple changes mentmorris.wordpress.com ).
  • Level 4: Try the descending bass line chords that Eldon might use (the G - G7/F - C/E - Cm/Eb - G/D - C#º7 - G sequence from earlier guitarlessonsbybrian.com ) in an appropriate spot, perhaps as an intro or turnaround for “Stay All Night.” This is challenging, but it will really open your ears to how chord inversions create a walking bass. You have the chord shapes from earlier; practice moving through them in order slowly, then in rhythm.

By gradually increasing the complexity like this, you’re essentially re-harmonizing the song like a Western swing pro. (Indeed, one tutorial notes that “Stay All Night” can be played with only 2 chords or 200 chords depending on the level of Western swing embellishment! guitarlessonsbybrian.com ).

4. Rhythm Refinement & Syncopation (Week 8)

As your left hand is getting a workout with new chords, don’t neglect the right-hand rhythm. In this week, focus on making your swing groove solid even with frequent chord changes:

  • Smooth Transitions: Practice switching chords on the fly without losing the beat. Start with 2 beats per chord (as in many Western swing tunes). Use a metronome at a comfortable tempo (e.g. 100 bpm). Loop a progression like G - E7 - A7 - D7, etc. Count “1-2, 1-2” and make sure the new chord is fretted in time for the next “1”. If there’s a hiccup, slow it down. Over time, increase speed. You want those quick changes to feel almost as easy as a punk rock power-chord change eventually.

  • Accents and Swing Feel: Now that you can play more chords, pay attention to dynamics :

    • Often, beat 1 of a measure is slightly accented (especially if it’s a chord change) and beat 2 is clipped and lighter, to give that chug-chug swing feel. Experiment with accenting the first chord of each bar a bit more than the rest, or even accenting beats 2 and 4 as mentioned, to see what grooves best.
    • Also try syncopating occasionally: for instance, a quick upstroke on the “&” of 2 (the off-beat) before changing a chord can give a nice propulsion. (This is advanced, so only if you feel the basic groove is really solid.)

  • Listen & Play Along: This week, choose “Roly Poly” or “Ida Red” and attempt to play along with the recording using the chords you think fit:

    • Start with a simplified chord set if needed (maybe just I, IV, V to get through it), but listen for spots where the music “walks” or “jazzy” sound appears - that’s your cue that a passing chord like VI or II or a dim might be happening.
    • After some tries by ear, find a chord chart (or ask your spouse) for the song and compare. Mark the chart where the progression goes beyond three chords - those are the Western swing embellishments. Now, with the chart as guide, play along again and try to hit those extra chords (even if just strumming once per change at first).
    • Don’t worry if you can’t nail Eldon’s every move; focus on keeping the rhythm steady. If the recording is too fast, use a slowdown tool or find a cover at a slower tempo. “Ida Red” especially can be very fast - it’s okay to practice it slower and gradually build speed.

  • Ear Training: By now you’ve learned the sound of 6th chords, 7ths, and so on. Quiz yourself while listening: Can you tell when a chord is major vs a dominant 7th vs a diminished? For example, diminished chords have a distinctive “tense” sound. When listening to “Bubbles in My Beer,” see if you can spot a diminished passing chord in the intro or turnarounds (many Western swing ballads use them). Check later with a chord source to see if you were right.

By the end of Phase 2, you’ve significantly expanded your rhythm guitar toolkit. You know Western swing chord flavors (6ths, 9ths, etc.) and can execute common swing progressions with passing chords and inversions. You should be able to comp through a song like “Stay All Night” or “Roly Poly” at moderate tempo with a fair number of the correct chords. Your rhythm hand should maintain the swing feel even as your fretting hand darts through chord changes. Now it’s time to put it all together and polish your skills on the specific target songs and more advanced techniques.