Chords for Playing like LES PAUL ain't NO JOKE!

[Fm] Today we're gonna do a song which is [A#] very significant for two reasons.
[C#] Number one, it has legendary guitarist Les Paul [C] playing.
And [Fm] number two, it also has extensive multi [A#m]-tracking,
which [C#] for a song from 1951 is completely mind-blowing.
So the [G#] song is called How High the Moon,
[Fm] and it's by Les Paul and Mary Ford.
Let's have [A] a listen.
_ [Bm] _ _ [A] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [Bm] _ [A] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [Am] _
_ _ [C] _ _ [Em] _ _ _ [E] _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _ [A] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [E] _ _ [F#m] _ _ So the [D] first thing you notice is they're having fun.
She's making eye contact with Les Paul,
and Les Paul is looking towards the camera,
having a big smile on his face.
Also, you can immediately from the start hear the multi-tracking.
And in case you're wondering what on earth is multi-tracking,
well, different layers upon layers of sound stacked upon each other.
So you can have multiple guitars playing at the same time.
And this is one of those earliest examples of songs where you have that technique.
In the intro, for example, Les Paul is playing on one guitar, this [A] part. _
_ [D] _ [F] _ [A] _ And on the other guitar, he's playing this part.
_ _ [G] _ [F#] _ _ [A] _
_ And those two guitars put together a very rich flavor like this. _ _
[D] _ [A] _ _ Together sounds fantastic.
And when you look at the footage and you look at Les Paul playing,
let's back up a little bit.
[E] _ _ _ [F] _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
He's playing the what's called swing rhythm, which is something like [F#m] this.
_ _ _ _ [F#] _ _ _ _
[G] _ _ But when you look at his right hand, [E] it's all over the place.
He plays it like [F#m] this.
_ _ _ _ [Am] _
_ While having an enormous [Gm] smile on his face.
Now, is it necessary to do those movements and everything?
Well, as far as the sound, it doesn't make any difference, right?
But it just looks a bit better on camera, I guess.
He's just having so much fun.
_ _ [F] I could shine [G#] a beauty [A] conglomerate _ _ until you will steal my heart.
_ Isn't _ _
_ _ _ _ [C] _ that a great way to start your solo?
[C#] _ _ [Am] _ _ _
Beautifully done.
And it's very rhythmic. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [G] You can clearly hear the influence of jazz here.
It's like a trumpet doing a solo.
Beautiful.
_ _ _ [Gm] _ _ _ _
[Dm] _ _ _ _ [Am] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [G#] _
[A] _ _ [C#] What the hell was that?
[Gm] Let's do that again.
_ _ [Dm] _ _ _ _ _ [Am] _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ That looked complex.
Well, when you listen to what he's playing, it sounds like this.
[F#] _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ But he's adding some small embellishments. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [A#] Remember also, the tempo of the [F#m] song _ would mean that you need to play it.
_ _ [F#] _ My _ _ _ freaking God, that's hard.
And when you look at the footage, it looks like he's going from string to string
on different places on the fretboard.
Let's have a look.
_ _ So _
[C] _ that would suggest that he's playing it [Am] like_
[F#m] _ [B] _ _ [F#] _ _ [B] _ _
_ _ _ [C#] _ The hell?
Are you kidding me?
Now, OK, there are two possibilities.
Either he's putting up a show because he's on camera
and the studio version, he stays on one spot.
Or it could actually be the case that he is doing this on two different strings
in that [Am] tempo.
That's incredibly hard.
In both cases, _ respect. _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _
_ These are all licks that later on Scottie Moore would use,
and it would be the _ _ [B] standard rock and roll lick you would [G#] get, right?
Like, _ _ _ _
[Em] typical rock and roll lick.
[C] _ _ _ _
_ _ [G#m] Just remember, this song is from _ _ 1951.
This was before the advent of rock and roll.
Elvis Presley was not to come for another five [Dm] years.
So again, ahead of its time.
_ _ _ [A] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ Those _ _ _ _ _ _ [F#] _ _
_ _ [Em] _ _ _ _ [Gm] _ _
_ _ [F] _ _ guitar lines in the [N] back, so brilliant.
Again, multi-tracking, two guitars, one playing [A] this, _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [Am] _ while the other guitar is [C#] playing.
_ _ _ [F#m] _ [C] _ _
_ _ [A] And those two guitars together make this.
_ _ _ [Am] _ _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ _ [Gm] _
_ _ _ [Am] _ _ _ [A] Incredibly catchy and not easy to play at all. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ [F#m] _
_ [Am] _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ [Am] _
_ [G] _ _ _ [Em] _ _ [G] _ _
_ _ [Gm] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [F] _ _ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ [A] _ _ [D] _ _ [F#] _ _
_ [E] _ _ _ [D#] _ _ [Bm] _ _
[E] _ _ _ Oh, nice.
This is a very classic 50s, very melancholic thing to do.
[D#] _
_ [D] _ _ _ Beautiful stuff.
Incredible, influential and fantastic guitar player, Les Paul.
Okay guys, to end the video, I will play the guitar solo.
You can find [N] the tabs as well as the backing track on my Patreon site.
And remember, if you play this guitar solo or any of this stuff,
be sure to have that same smile on your face, just like Les Paul.
That's more important than hitting the right notes.
Here we go. _ _ _ _ _
[A] _ _ _ _ _ [Am] _ _ _
_ _ [G] _ _ _ _ [Gm] _ _
_ _ _ [Dm] _ _ _ [B] _ [F] _
_ _ [F#m] _ _ [Am] _ _ [D] _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ [E] _ _ [F#m] _ _
_ _ [F#] _ _ _ _ _ [Em] _
_ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _ _
[Dm] _ _ _ _ [A] _ _ _ _
[Bm] _ [A] _ _ _ [Bm] _ _ [A] _ _
[E] _ _ _ [F#m] _ _ _ _ [Am] _
_ _ _ _ [Em] _ _ _ _
[Gm] _ _ _ _ _ [F] _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _