Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Stop fighting your chords β start driving them. In this lesson I break down "the pump": the simple, percussive quarter-note strum that lets you comp behind any standard with a pro groove, using nothing but 3-note shell chords on Autumn Leaves.
You'll get the right-hand "motor," the left-hand squeeze that kills the muddy buzz, and the big idea most players miss β a strong rhythm carries you even when the harmony isn't perfect. Lock this in and you can open any songbook and play in time with the band.
πΈ Free: 5 licks + backing tracks (PDF) β https://jazz-cheat-sheet.vercel.app/
β±οΈ Chapters
0:00 "The pump" strum explained
0:37 Autumn Leaves: the 3 shell chords
1:46 Build your right-hand motor
3:32 The Freddie Green groove
4:46 The left-hand squeeze (kill the mud)
6:44 Putting it over a iiβVβI
10:27 The B-section chords
12:58 Rhythm + melody together
16:43 Full play-along (Autumn Leaves)
πΈ Frets For Days (my guitar course): fretsfordays.com
β€οΈ Support on Patreon: patreon.com/user?u=34604252&fan_landing=true
π Merch & Music: rotemsivan.com/buy
πΈ Instagram: instagram.com/rotemsivan
Stop fighting your chords β start driving them. In this lesson I break down "the pump": the simple, percussive quarter-note strum that lets you comp behind any standard with a pro groove, using nothing but 3-note shell chords on Autumn Leaves.
You'll get the right-hand "motor," the left-hand squeeze that kills the muddy buzz, and the big idea most players miss β a strong rhythm carries you even when the harmony isn't perfect. Lock this in and you can open any songbook and play in time with the band.
πΈ Free: 5 licks + backing tracks (PDF) β https://jazz-cheat-sheet.vercel.app/
β±οΈ Chapters
0:00 "The pump" strum explained
0:37 Autumn Leaves: the 3 shell chords
1:46 Build your right-hand motor
3:32 The Freddie Green groove
4:46 The left-hand squeeze (kill the mud)
6:44 Putting it over a iiβVβI
10:27 The B-section chords
12:58 Rhythm + melody together
16:43 Full play-along (Autumn Leaves)
πΈ Frets For Days (my guitar course): fretsfordays.com
β€οΈ Support on Patreon: patreon.com/user?u=34604252&fan_landing=true
π Merch & Music: rotemsivan.com/buy
πΈ Instagram: instagram.com/rotemsivan
