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Jim Kellys Guitar Workshop
Jim Kelly
R & B Rhythm

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JimKellyBookV1

7/3/02

2:04 PM

Page 28

R & B Rhythm
Audio CD Tracks
Band
11
Play-along 12 (no guitar)

Enhanced CD Tracks
Band
B6
Play-along B10 (no guitar)

As the title implies, this is a rhythm

guitar study. It is a good groove to
work on and relies a lot on the use of
string muting. The single note lines
are strummed that is, they are
treated like chords. This is
accomplished by muting strings with
your fretting hand (left hand).
Blocking the sound of the surrounding
strings allows you to get more
aggressive with the strumming and
helps in creating the groove. This is
common in funk stuff as well as with
players like Jimi Hendrix.
Work on the muting and the feel, it
will probably be stiff at first, but after
you play it a while it will loosen up.
A good exercise for this style of
muting is to hold down one note, say
D on the 5th fret of the A string with
your first finger. Now strum with the
pick, but get only the one note. Use
the side of this finger, slightly arched
to block the other strings. Be sure to
experiment with the angle to get the
right results. Next try holding notes on
other strings, for instance A on the 7th
fret of the D string, and figure a way
to mute the surrounding strings while
strumming. All this sounds more
complicated than it is, but believe me
you will find many uses for this
technique.
Remember in your pursuit of guitar
skills to spend a fair amount of time
with rhythm playing; it can often be
the thing that will open up other doors
for you.

28

JimKellyBookV1

7/3/02

2:04 PM

Page 29

R & B Rhythm
Jim Kelly

R & B ( = 92)
(D7) D7

b nn ! >
b
c
!
& b # n
>

(G7) G7

>
b n
& bb nn ! !
>
bn

(D7) D7

>
>
&! ! ! !

>C
& !.

>
! .

>G
! .

>
! .

J
Last X Only

(D7) D7

D7
D7
^.
^
>
>
.. !
!
& !!!!


.

Copyright 1997 Jim Kelly. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

29

JimKellyBookV1

7/3/02

2:04 PM

Page 52

R & B Rhythm
Jim Kelly

R & B ( = 92)

D7

(D7)

>
bb n n 1 ! !
c
&
b n# 42 >

2
4
3
4

3
5
4
5

b
b
b
b

T
A
B

>
n 4
n 2 ! !
n 3

>
n1
3

5
3

6
4

4
2

5
3

>C
!.

D7

>
! .

3
5
4
5

5
5
5
3

1 1

J
3
3
V1

III
2
4
3
4

>
>

!
!
!
!
&
T
A
B

G7

(D7)

(G7)

&

T
A
B

5
5
5

>G
& !.

>
! .

4
3

(D7)

1
2

D7

>
>

! !
!
!

III

T
A
B

3
3
4
5
5
3

10

10

2
4
3
4

3
5
4
5

3
5

D7

^
& !
T
A
B

1
3
5
7

1
2

4
5

1
2

D7 Last X Only

^
.. !

1 3.
3

..

2
3
5

3
5

Copyright 1997 Jim Kelly. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

52

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5