If I could go back in time 40 years and tell myself one thing (in addition to your 5 excellent tips), it would be to stop emulating your favorite players so much. Take what you need from them and move on. Find your own voice on the instrument.
I don't buy that at all. What's worked for me is learning other people's material. There's absolutely no way you can learn to speak a language by just learning the alphabet, which scales are the musical equivalent of. It's impossible. You have to learn other people's material to understand how to make your own stuff up. This is what works for me at least as well as many other people I've come across. Scales and theory is useful but not as useful as constantly learning other people's material, especially if you're not natural at creating. If anybody tells you different they are going to have you chasing your tail. Easiest way to get to making music is first spending a few years learning other people's music.
I worked a lot through the years and didn’t have much time to practice on my guitar. Two things that changed things for me in my playing, 1. I stopped believing that I could never play like my favorite guitarists. I had hands and a guitar, I could learn, so then I did. 2. I got rid of my junky guitar and bought a strat. That might not work for everyone, but I found the strat so much easier to play and the darn thing stayed in tune most of the time with much less retuning. I check the tuning on my guitar when I’m finished practicing and put it on the stand, most times it’s still in tune or maybe one or two strings are slightly off. It is always that darn G string!! I guess I like stretching it the most?
I think the old adage of its not how fast you play its what you play is a great one to remember. Learn all the notes on the finger board. And play with as many other musicians as you can this is so so important
Tip #4 is spot on. I circled back to my youth and returned to playing from charts (in community bands (R&B and Big Band with horn players, keys and yes, drummers playing off charts) - eyes on the chart rather than fretboard. Gradually grabbing the notation (melody) - the black dots, lines and spaces. The guitar comes onto an equal footing as a musical instrument. I suggest starting with the music notation (not guitar tab) for Chitlins Con Carne (Kenny Burrell who I believe Hendrix admired) SRV covered this tune. Learn it from notation - manageable. Then move onto Pink Panther theme, Bond Theme, Ennio (Good Bad and Ugly) - or even Munsters TV theme - audience favs. But read the notation - sleepy neurons will wake up. Riffs are good for noodling - think of yourself as a musician first, a guitar player second.
Thank you for this video. As a beginner I find noodling helpful. It helps me get rid of all those buzzes and play more clean notes. I was always perplexed about the fixation to scales in uncountable guitar lesson videos. For me, music comes from my head and I practise to hit them with my finger. On one hand, don't let habit and convenience dictate your music, on the other hand practise scale pattern? So, what is it? I don't remember practising scales on violin, that is after I managed to hit the notes on an instrument without frets. When I started to look at theorie, it reminded me of learning languages. There are handful of gifted individuals for whom music is their mother tongue. They "know" how to speak "music". For most of us it is the second, third language we learn. Knowing rules helps us to reduce the amount of things we have to learn significantly. Also as with any artificially created language, it is much easier to learn than a real language that accumulated huge baggage. For me learning some basics of music theorie resulted in biggest progress in shortest time. I disagree with talent. It is everything. Music is luxury. This means we only want the best of best. You can make your living as an average electrician, carpenter etc. but you have to stick out of the masses if you want to be a professional musician. In asia uncountable children start at the age of four with 10+ hours per day drill until they have to make their own living at around 30. If they did something during all the lessons, music schools, universities, then it was practising. Yet, most of them never end up as musicians.
I am limited by my lack of knowledge of the fretboard. I say that every time I pick of my guitar. Oddly enough, I found my copy of the Fretboard Warrior today. I think it's a sign 🤘. BTW, your guitars all sound incredible, no matter what you play!
Great tips man. This is more for a intermediate level, but being self taught I wish I would have recorded my playing much much earlier than I did. I promise going back and listening to yourself you will hear every good and bad habit you have. It will stand out like a sore thumb. The bad that is.
Watched your for 4+ years after my stroke I am still doing the Hard stuff and now . . . . I am dangerous as I cry to my song of Heart in my my head since a 9 year old in my first band. Guitar has helped me get my stroke in the rear view of life. Your awesome thanks you Jeff
They’re a great story told by one of Jimi’s early band mates of how they’d be just walking down the street talking, but Jimi would have his guitar and be playing. And then he come by the next morning and there would be Jimi, asleep with his guitar in his hands.
My thought on theory is it gives us more dots to connect to move from one thing to another, and easy escape routes from a possible lost feeling in a shady area. Great advice, as always Jeff!!
Guitar can be an incredibly difficult instrument to start on, especially if you are learning music theory at the same time. Expect some bumps in the road, be patient with yourself, and find the best teacher(s) you can. It is worth the effort!
I hear that saying a lot “learning music theory will decrease your creativity “. I played for many years not studying music, but when I started I learned to express myself much better!!!
Such great advice Jeff. Like in all disciplines, managing your time by focusing on the “critical few” things that matter most will get you to your goal.
Thank you Jeff I thought I was noodling all the time but you just made me realize I was actually practicing. Every session I try to apply a new concept in my noodling / improvisation and it has been pretty positive so far I try to express with the instrument. Theory is a tool that serves well the expression of inner feelings. Consistency is important. I believe keeping the instrument at reach is very helpful I agree on work on playing guitar rather than just playing but it is also important to always have fun 😊 Cheers from France!
I agree with you 100 % .Time spent on guitar is health and inspiration. Love your professional simplistic approach of teaching and conveying your knowledge and expertise to us music Lovers.May you be happy and healthy my friend. With your teachings one can master every style they want. I am a painter Artist and a guitar enthusiast .Music opens me up on canvas .... Thanks a million for sharing your experiences. Regards MarHak .....
If I could go back to '86 when I really started playing guitar it would be to practice practice practice and learn every last detail of my instrument. I got in a band in the late 80s and instead of continuing to learn the guitar I started making my playing more band oriented if that makes sense, then in the 90s I got in another band that was a national touring band and I really stopped practicing and just played when the band played or rehearsed, then in the mid 2000s when the band ceased to be I found that even though I'd been playing for almost 20 years I really wasn't that good on my own outside a band setting.
#1 can be a real stinger for a lot of players. I know it stung me LOL. BUT, I learned from it, and it's going to change they way I "practice" from on. I'm a 20 + years plus player and I wish I had learned this then. I have a lot of catching up to do.....thanks SO much for this little tidbit.
The last two are so inter-related. From way back the press and the musicians have sold this notion that great artists just 'have a gift' and actively avoid for the most part discussing the hours and hours they spent grinding. The take-home with Hendrix is the story that he took his guitar to the toilet. With Clapton his aunt recalls him playing the same tiny lick over and over. These stories were kept from us to a great extent growing up to suggest that these players' skills and knowledge were god-given. And then ironically, in the first shred era, many of us contrasted the shredders who were open about how hard they worked with the "soulful" players and "reasoned" that practice made you a guitar-as-sport kind of musician. And this got talked about so much. Billy Corgan even used to talk about his shred phase like it was a waste of time - like it had nothing to do with how he played grunge. Luckily I think this myth is much weaker than it used to be - thanks in no small part to videos like this one.
man you ALWAYS have the most solid advice. number 1 was a hard lesson for me to learn early on but it for SURE made me more creative and an overall better musician. not just a gtr player
Thanks Jeff! Your videos are really very useful and reasonable to take the instrument in hand, and get people to make music to get the right tone from the instrument, you do useful things and it sounds right to me, great work and great lessons.Thanks!!!
Love this one! To a varying degree I'm guilty at times on most of these except #4 & #5. I'm hungry for a cohesive course of fundamentals on theory. If any of your lessons or courses come to mind, and/or if you can recommend private instructors, I’d appreciate some direction. Wish I could find a teacher with private lessons for adults; online or in-person. BTW, loved the Peter Green / BB's Box masterclass today! We'll done as always!
Here are mine: 1. Don't sweat spending hours memorizing the fretboard notes - play music. You'll find landmark notes and the dots will connect over time - sitting there memorizing where all the G's are is the fastest way to quit and sell your guitar on eBay. 2. Learn by playing new musical pieces that interest you, not practicing scales. 3. Stop with the pentatonic and blues cliche riffs. Play the interesting notes outside the these worn out boxes. You can only re-package the 1, b3, 4, 5, b7 (min.pentatonic) so many ways over 100 years. Example of good rock playing? Go listen to Tom Bukovak ("501ChorusEcho" on TH-cam). He's a rock guy who makes everything about getting away from cliche riffs. He is the most musical session guy on TH-cam.
This might be the best one of these you've done yet. Or at least the most reality based. I too had to figure out all of the points that you make here. I definitely share your pet peeves about the whole "anti knowledge" mentality. When you try to explain what a 5th or an octave or a diminished chord is, there are those who mock you and say " don't teach me that $#@!& I don't want to know it, that's not rock and roll, that's gay little #@&?! Stuff" I don't waste any time on these people any more. One more that I would address is the gear fetish. When I was 19, I worked all summer to save up for a great guitar, I found a '62 Gibson 335. I took it home expecting to sound like Chuck Berry, Freddie King, B.B. King and Clapton from the Farewell Cream movie all in one. ..... I sounded exactly like me. A 19 year old kid who still had a lot to learn, then I remembered something grandpa said many years before: "The skill isn't in the tool, it's in the mind that guides the hand that holds the tool." The reality of grandpa's words went all the way in that day. Thanks for sharing the wisdom, and for being one of the good guys! *CHEERS!*
So many heroes on the guitar, some who appeared “overnight” spent their whole teens and early 20’s practicing all day long. Edward, Eric, Page, all of them.
I had to spend time learning those scales and notes and making the connection to the key of a track, which took me into playing over the chords, and if I hadn’t learned that stuff, I would still be both not sure where so to speak to play, I would not know what would work or why. I did that beating or yelling you mentioned until I put in the time calling out the notes in the scale pattern in different positions. The theory at least basic theory set me free. Dynamics came with knowledge. I guess I was going to disagree with you but I think it’s important to play those and those exercises until you have facility, then you can play the guitar instead of playing at the guitar. Great way to put it Jeff.
I have a friend who was a prodigy, was playing professionally at 12. But once he decided to dive head 1st into theory he became whatever comes after prodigy 🤷♂️. 😂😂 You make 100% sense! I concur on all points! So much so, I think I’ll subscribe!✌️
@@JeffMcErlain The main “regret” I have is when first beginning to play not incorporating hybrid picking. I just didn’t know what it was. Small town & YEARS before TH-cam so I became a straight pick player. Even @ AIM, 90+% of students were alternate pickers(late 80’s-88-89) J. Herring was my instructor and he had/has such a unique, strange right hand technique, maybe I was simply overwhelmed 🤷♂️🤣 ✌️
Great video Jeff. I think the idea that knowing less = more creativity is self-induced Dunning Kruger Effect. I understand why people feel this way. More understanding of one’s craft can make you feel less creative especially when you realize how much creative music has already been made before we even picked our guitars. Knowing more can be inspiring and disheartening for me simultaneously.
Interesting point. As I get older I kinda feel like f#ck it. I’m just gonna play my stuff and if people like it great, if not, wherever. Like bebop, once I came to the conclusion/epiphany that I don’t really care for it. It was quite freeing.
@@JeffMcErlain Yep. And BTW I actually love bebeop, but the freeing part for me was realizing that 95% of the institutional approach I initially took trying to learn it was completely useless and the stuff I can play will never be at the level of many others, but we've all gotta do our things.
Hi Jeff! Awesome playing! Any chance you could let that playing rip on a future video? Tabs would be greatly appreciated!! Coolest vibe on TH-cam!! Thank you
Practicing something "incorrectly" only ingrains bad habits which later on...WILL have to be RE-Learned in order to improve! Hendrix played in a Big Band along side fellow musicians that definitly knew what they were doing even if he was SHOWN or taught by them. But musicians that play for a LIVING will not put THEIR REPUTATION at RISK just to bring in a NICE GUY\GIRL.Everything that doesn't ADD...DETRACTS! Thanx Jeff you've been missing in my Subs and I don't know why.
Big thank you for that. Talent is overrated... i fully get the point, but at the same time, you"re living proof of the contrary. Thanks for your musicianship, and your generosity for sharing your so valuable insight and advice.
I've honestly never seen anyone who knew as much about music as you sir, I always thought I was the only one who saw it all that way. somehow I don't feel alone anymore 😢...All the people have a stick in their ass or a concrete head on their shoulders, in truth there are no rules. People should really keep an open mind..
I've discovered great well known guitarists who claim to know little about theory really know a lot, They either don't feel like talking about it or are trying to preserve their "mystique" as being naturally gifted.
I think 'putting the time in to learn theory, to know what is what', maybe doesn't work for everybody. But definitely everybody who come across this video and your channel. If you're gonna spend time on youtube searching for how to become a better player - be sure to watch educative video's.
Jeff I noodle alot but what I found is that the more expression the way you attack the strings and put simple emotion in your playing.has helped me immensely
Hmmmm, that's not the whole truth, my own uncle mastered 5 instruments perfectly without ever having had lessons and he was in demand as a musician all over the world. I only play the guitar myself and only have a rough idea of what he was doing 🤷♂️
There are so many choices on YT but I did like this one to start. th-cam.com/video/_eKTOMhpy2w/w-d-xo.html. Also at TrueFire I can highly recommend Jeff Scheetz’s Street Theory. Fantastic course and for guitar specifically.
Enjoyed bud, a lot of common sense, I would gently disagree with talent being overrated. Take a kid of 4/5 playing a piano concerto to concert standard or 12 year old Joe Bonamassa playing with BB. Anyhow thanks for your time it's really appreciated. 👍👍🥃Respect to you mate
Thanks man!! I do make that distinction that not everyone can be the magical player. But I stand by my thoughts that hard work can override talent. Also I will argue that young virtuosos, as impressive as they are, do not usually have the depth of an older player. They certainly have a propensity for the instrument yet still practice their butts off even at that early age.
I'd go one further and say practicing scales 1-7 is a waste of energy and counterproductive. I don't think it ever actually translates to fretboard awareness. But, then again, so much of guitar instruction is simply unquestioned tradition that really is more about making the instructor's job easier and giving the student busy work than the stuff that is useful, but requires much more intellectual focus in the woodshed. Your stuff seems to be a refreshing departure.
@@JeffMcErlain I learned this the hard way by spending way too much money trying to learn how to play jazz (which I still suck at, but at least know HOW to get less sucky) and then coming across resources that explained what the classic players were thinking vs what the interpreters selling books and degrees assume they were thinking because they used their music theory knowledge as prescriptive when it was barely even accurate in being descriptive.
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If I could go back in time 40 years and tell myself one thing (in addition to your 5 excellent tips), it would be to stop emulating your favorite players so much. Take what you need from them and move on. Find your own voice on the instrument.
Excellent advice
@old Dog. For sure.
Its almost like we thought if we could copy them we could get their job lol
So many of us have made that mistake
I don't buy that at all. What's worked for me is learning other people's material. There's absolutely no way you can learn to speak a language by just learning the alphabet, which scales are the musical equivalent of. It's impossible. You have to learn other people's material to understand how to make your own stuff up. This is what works for me at least as well as many other people I've come across. Scales and theory is useful but not as useful as constantly learning other people's material, especially if you're not natural at creating. If anybody tells you different they are going to have you chasing your tail. Easiest way to get to making music is first spending a few years learning other people's music.
I worked a lot through the years and didn’t have much time to practice on my guitar. Two things that changed things for me in my playing, 1. I stopped believing that I could never play like my favorite guitarists. I had hands and a guitar, I could learn, so then I did. 2. I got rid of my junky guitar and bought a strat. That might not work for everyone, but I found the strat so much easier to play and the darn thing stayed in tune most of the time with much less retuning. I check the tuning on my guitar when I’m finished practicing and put it on the stand, most times it’s still in tune or maybe one or two strings are slightly off. It is always that darn G string!! I guess I like stretching it the most?
Well said! After 40 years of performing, I recently found a fault in my playing. Practice time is now devoted to relearning and avaoiding this fault.
I think the old adage of its not how fast you play its what you play is a great one to remember. Learn all the notes on the finger board. And play with as many other musicians as you can this is so so important
Yup! Great additions!
Tip #4 is spot on. I circled back to my youth and returned to playing from charts (in community bands (R&B and Big Band with horn players, keys and yes, drummers playing off charts) - eyes on the chart rather than fretboard. Gradually grabbing the notation (melody) - the black dots, lines and spaces. The guitar comes onto an equal footing as a musical instrument. I suggest starting with the music notation (not guitar tab) for Chitlins Con Carne (Kenny Burrell who I believe Hendrix admired) SRV covered this tune. Learn it from notation - manageable. Then move onto Pink Panther theme, Bond Theme, Ennio (Good Bad and Ugly) - or even Munsters TV theme - audience favs. But read the notation - sleepy neurons will wake up. Riffs are good for noodling - think of yourself as a musician first, a guitar player second.
I endorse this post! 🤘
I agree, I studied theory during "COVID" & my writing and soloing has taken off to places I never knew I could go....
Talent is like genius, 99% perspiration 1% inspiration.
Love number 4, having some basic theory knowledge actually frees up your creativity not restrict it! Thanks again Jeff!
Thanks Tommy!
sooo true Jeff...."At the end of the day, it's ALL about music"......not scales, etc.etc.....those are just the "Tools"....
Thank you for this video.
As a beginner I find noodling helpful. It helps me get rid of all those buzzes and play more clean notes.
I was always perplexed about the fixation to scales in uncountable guitar lesson videos. For me, music comes from my head and I practise to hit them with my finger. On one hand, don't let habit and convenience dictate your music, on the other hand practise scale pattern? So, what is it? I don't remember practising scales on violin, that is after I managed to hit the notes on an instrument without frets.
When I started to look at theorie, it reminded me of learning languages. There are handful of gifted individuals for whom music is their mother tongue. They "know" how to speak "music". For most of us it is the second, third language we learn. Knowing rules helps us to reduce the amount of things we have to learn significantly. Also as with any artificially created language, it is much easier to learn than a real language that accumulated huge baggage. For me learning some basics of music theorie resulted in biggest progress in shortest time.
I disagree with talent. It is everything. Music is luxury. This means we only want the best of best. You can make your living as an average electrician, carpenter etc. but you have to stick out of the masses if you want to be a professional musician. In asia uncountable children start at the age of four with 10+ hours per day drill until they have to make their own living at around 30. If they did something during all the lessons, music schools, universities, then it was practising. Yet, most of them never end up as musicians.
Nice, Mr Jeff. Talent is the ability to focus and practice consistently for many years without losing drive.
I like that.
I am limited by my lack of knowledge of the fretboard. I say that every time I pick of my guitar. Oddly enough, I found my copy of the Fretboard Warrior today. I think it's a sign 🤘. BTW, your guitars all sound incredible, no matter what you play!
🙌🏻🙌🏻
Great tips man. This is more for a intermediate level, but being self taught I wish I would have recorded my playing much much earlier than I did. I promise going back and listening to yourself you will hear every good and bad habit you have. It will stand out like a sore thumb. The bad that is.
Watched your for 4+ years after my stroke I am still doing the Hard stuff and now . . . . I am dangerous as I cry to my song of Heart in my my head since a 9 year old in my first band. Guitar has helped me get my stroke in the rear view of life. Your awesome thanks you Jeff
They’re a great story told by one of Jimi’s early band mates of how they’d be just walking down the street talking, but Jimi would have his guitar and be playing. And then he come by the next morning and there would be Jimi, asleep with his guitar in his hands.
I always love your playing sir 🙏
Thank you!
My thought on theory is it gives us more dots to connect to move from one thing to another, and easy escape routes from a possible lost feeling in a shady area. Great advice, as always Jeff!!
I agree. I practiced scales and one day it's like a light bulb went off and I started being able to do some soloing.
Guitar can be an incredibly difficult instrument to start on, especially if you are learning music theory at the same time. Expect some bumps in the road, be patient with yourself, and find the best teacher(s) you can. It is worth the effort!
5 great tips thank you
I hear that saying a lot “learning music theory will decrease your creativity “.
I played for many years not studying music, but when I started I learned to express myself much better!!!
THANK YOU!!!
Such great advice Jeff. Like in all disciplines, managing your time by focusing on the “critical few” things that matter most will get you to your goal.
That is very good advice!
You should have at *least* 500K subs Jeff! Seriously - this is one of the best guitar channels on the tubes and I thank you for all the great content!
I endorse this message. 😂
Wooonderfull!!!
All is absolutely true!
And this wooonderfull played Strat...!!!
Thank you!! I have to admit the Strat is a relic…. My ‘64 is real though!
Thank you Jeff
I thought I was noodling all the time but you just made me realize I was actually practicing.
Every session I try to apply a new concept in my noodling / improvisation and it has been pretty positive so far
I try to express with the instrument. Theory is a tool that serves well the expression of inner feelings.
Consistency is important. I believe keeping the instrument at reach is very helpful
I agree on work on playing guitar rather than just playing but it is also important to always have fun 😊
Cheers from France!
Cheers from Brooklyn!! Great points and thanks for adding to the conversation!
I agree with you 100 % .Time spent on guitar is health and inspiration. Love your professional simplistic approach of teaching and conveying your knowledge and expertise to us music Lovers.May you be happy and healthy my friend. With your teachings one can master every style they want. I am a painter Artist and a guitar enthusiast .Music opens me up on canvas .... Thanks a million for sharing your experiences. Regards MarHak .....
Thank you, I really appreciate you telling me this. It really makes my day! Best, Jeff
Thanks Jeff, what you said has cleared my misconceptions.
You are most welcome.
Love that tune... Waters is at his best, and Beck sounds great--- Thanks, JEFF
Underrated record. Beck at his finest.
If I could go back to '86 when I really started playing guitar it would be to practice practice practice and learn every last detail of my instrument. I got in a band in the late 80s and instead of continuing to learn the guitar I started making my playing more band oriented if that makes sense, then in the 90s I got in another band that was a national touring band and I really stopped practicing and just played when the band played or rehearsed, then in the mid 2000s when the band ceased to be I found that even though I'd been playing for almost 20 years I really wasn't that good on my own outside a band setting.
I understand entirely!
Sounds like beck and waters in Roger Waters 3 wishes. Great tune. Awesome playing.
That opening and backing that is. Hahah
😉🤫
@@JeffMcErlain amazing player man. Subbed. I'm a huge Gilmour , beck fan. Knophler too.
I just realized that I hadn't subscribed yet. So I just subscribed. You are teaching some great stuff here. But most of all, I just love your playing.
Thank you Dennis. I really appreciate that.
#1 can be a real stinger for a lot of players. I know it stung me LOL. BUT, I learned from it, and it's going to change they way I "practice" from on. I'm a 20 + years plus player and I wish I had learned this then. I have a lot of catching up to do.....thanks SO much for this little tidbit.
Thanks for being here!
The last two are so inter-related. From way back the press and the musicians have sold this notion that great artists just 'have a gift' and actively avoid for the most part discussing the hours and hours they spent grinding. The take-home with Hendrix is the story that he took his guitar to the toilet. With Clapton his aunt recalls him playing the same tiny lick over and over.
These stories were kept from us to a great extent growing up to suggest that these players' skills and knowledge were god-given. And then ironically, in the first shred era, many of us contrasted the shredders who were open about how hard they worked with the "soulful" players and "reasoned" that practice made you a guitar-as-sport kind of musician. And this got talked about so much. Billy Corgan even used to talk about his shred phase like it was a waste of time - like it had nothing to do with how he played grunge.
Luckily I think this myth is much weaker than it used to be - thanks in no small part to videos like this one.
Thanks, excellent points!
You or your tech really know how to float your bridge...so smooth and always in tune.
All me! It’s kinda of an obsession.
@@JeffMcErlain good for you. I went to a Vega Trem on my Strat. Love it. Thanks for what you do!
man you ALWAYS have the most solid advice. number 1 was a hard lesson for me to learn early on but it for SURE made me more creative and an overall better musician. not just a gtr player
🤘🤘
Honestly, Jeff, you are one of the most erudite musicians around today. Love your channel and todays points were bang on. Thanks!
Thats one beatiful Strat my friend.Alwayz love your advice and playing.
Thank you!
Putting the truth out there instead of dividing them with lies... thanks! Great insight and sound advice.
Thanks Jeff! Your videos are really very useful and reasonable to take the instrument in hand, and get people to make music to get the right tone from the instrument, you do useful things and it sounds right to me, great work and great lessons.Thanks!!!
Love this one! To a varying degree I'm guilty at times on most of these except #4 & #5. I'm hungry for a cohesive course of fundamentals on theory. If any of your lessons or courses come to mind, and/or if you can recommend private instructors, I’d appreciate some direction. Wish I could find a teacher with private lessons for adults; online or in-person.
BTW, loved the Peter Green / BB's Box masterclass today! We'll done as always!
Great video Jeff, I sometimes forget to try and be musical especially with scales, thanks for the reminder.
Very useful and informative video. So true.
one of the best video pieces of advice I've ever seen. Bravo!!
Here are mine: 1. Don't sweat spending hours memorizing the fretboard notes - play music. You'll find landmark notes and the dots will connect over time - sitting there memorizing where all the G's are is the fastest way to quit and sell your guitar on eBay. 2. Learn by playing new musical pieces that interest you, not practicing scales. 3. Stop with the pentatonic and blues cliche riffs. Play the interesting notes outside the these worn out boxes. You can only re-package the 1, b3, 4, 5, b7 (min.pentatonic) so many ways over 100 years. Example of good rock playing? Go listen to Tom Bukovak ("501ChorusEcho" on TH-cam). He's a rock guy who makes everything about getting away from cliche riffs. He is the most musical session guy on TH-cam.
Your playing style really speaks to me - Thanks Jeff
Thank you Kevin.
This might be the best one of these you've done yet.
Or at least the most reality based. I too had to figure out all of the points that you make here.
I definitely share your pet peeves about the whole "anti knowledge" mentality. When you try to explain what a 5th or an octave or a diminished chord is, there are those who mock you and say " don't teach me that $#@!&
I don't want to know it, that's not rock and roll, that's gay little #@&?! Stuff"
I don't waste any time on these people any more.
One more that I would address is the gear fetish.
When I was 19, I worked all summer to save up for a great guitar, I found a '62 Gibson 335. I took it home expecting to sound like Chuck Berry, Freddie King, B.B. King and Clapton from the Farewell Cream movie all in one.
..... I sounded exactly like me. A 19 year old kid who still had a lot to learn, then I remembered something grandpa said many years before:
"The skill isn't in the tool, it's in the mind that guides the hand that holds the tool."
The reality of grandpa's words went all the way in that day.
Thanks for sharing the wisdom, and for being one of the good guys!
*CHEERS!*
Thanks man! You make excellent points here as well!
So many heroes on the guitar, some who appeared “overnight” spent their whole teens and early 20’s practicing all day long. Edward, Eric, Page, all of them.
I had to spend time learning those scales and notes and making the connection to the key of a track, which took me into playing over the chords, and if I hadn’t learned that stuff, I would still be both not sure where so to speak to play, I would not know what would work or why. I did that beating or yelling you mentioned until I put in the time calling out the notes in the scale pattern in different positions. The theory at least basic theory set me free. Dynamics came with knowledge. I guess I was going to disagree with you but I think it’s important to play those and those exercises until you have facility, then you can play the guitar instead of playing at the guitar. Great way to put it Jeff.
Hi Jason! Glad you enjoyed the video and thank for the excellent comments. I appreciate it!
Great Jeff !
Thank you!!
Your videos are always great pieces of advice. Thanks Jeff.
Valid points. Love the new strat!
Thanks Richard!
05:12 - not nit picky at all! Spot on in fact.. Great video
Ha! Thanks!
I have a friend who was a prodigy, was playing professionally at 12. But once he decided to dive head 1st into theory he became whatever comes after prodigy 🤷♂️. 😂😂
You make 100% sense! I concur on all points! So much so, I think I’ll subscribe!✌️
Funny! Thank you for the note and thanks for being here! I appreciate it!
@@JeffMcErlain The main “regret” I have is when first beginning to play not incorporating hybrid picking. I just didn’t know what it was. Small town & YEARS before TH-cam so I became a straight pick player. Even @ AIM, 90+% of students were alternate pickers(late 80’s-88-89)
J. Herring was my instructor and he had/has such a unique, strange right hand technique, maybe I was simply overwhelmed 🤷♂️🤣
✌️
~This was good advice.😊
Thanks 🙏 Man! very good tips !!
Gorgeous playground 🤩🤩🤩
Thanks!!
great advice ! thank you , I'll take it all
Your are welcome!
Thanks Jeff great advice as always, thanks have a nice day while my fingers bleed 😂 lol
Thanks, Jeff. Solid advise.
You’re welcome!
Great video and beautiful playing, Jeff! Very inspiring.
Thank you Juan!
Great video Jeff. I think the idea that knowing less = more creativity is self-induced Dunning Kruger Effect. I understand why people feel this way. More understanding of one’s craft can make you feel less creative especially when you realize how much creative music has already been made before we even picked our guitars. Knowing more can be inspiring and disheartening for me simultaneously.
Interesting point. As I get older I kinda feel like f#ck it. I’m just gonna play my stuff and if people like it great, if not, wherever. Like bebop, once I came to the conclusion/epiphany that I don’t really care for it. It was quite freeing.
@@JeffMcErlain Yep. And BTW I actually love bebeop, but the freeing part for me was realizing that 95% of the institutional approach I initially took trying to learn it was completely useless and the stuff I can play will never be at the level of many others, but we've all gotta do our things.
Thank you Jeff. Good knowledge.
Great stuff Jeff! Thanks!
Thanks Chuck!
Great advice ❤ THANKS
Thanks Jeff as ever fantastic advice 😊
you play great; love it; #2 is my fav
Thank you!!
Excellat Jeff. Truth
Nice video Jeff!
Thanks broham.
#4 may carry some truth for people with a strong tendency to overthink.
Hi Jeff! Awesome playing! Any chance you could let that playing rip on a future video? Tabs would be greatly appreciated!! Coolest vibe on TH-cam!! Thank you
sounds like you're playing Jeff Beck on Roger Water's Amused to Death
Great advice, thanks!
😉🤫
excellent advice !
Thank you!
Great content.
I guess this is good for beginners. Although not myself.
Practicing something "incorrectly" only ingrains bad habits which later on...WILL have to be RE-Learned in order to improve! Hendrix played in a Big Band along side fellow musicians that definitly knew what they were doing even if he was SHOWN or taught by them. But musicians that play for a LIVING will not put THEIR REPUTATION at RISK just to bring in a NICE GUY\GIRL.Everything that doesn't ADD...DETRACTS! Thanx Jeff you've been missing in my Subs and I don't know why.
Thanks Jeff! Do you offer lessons?
Million $ tone.
🙏🏻
Johnny Winter was once asked why he sounds so fantastic and the answer was "a lot of practice". In his case, that was 6 hours a day 🤷♂️😄
I smell Jeff on amused to death
"talent is most definitely overrated" best quote of the week 😂
Yes Sir get out there play and have fun .
To became artist is very important listen. What music you like? Here you will arrive...
Love Roger Waters Amused to Death album!
Underrated IMO.
the licks at 8:21....mercy...
Thanks buddy!
Big thank you for that. Talent is overrated... i fully get the point, but at the same time, you"re living proof of the contrary. Thanks for your musicianship, and your generosity for sharing your so valuable insight and advice.
Thank you Autran Marc. I appreciate that. I don’t see myself as being all that talented, I feel I’m in the hard work category. Thanks for being here!
Thank you Autran Marc. I appreciate that. I don’t see myself as being all that talented, I feel I’m in the hard work category. Thanks for being here!
I've honestly never seen anyone who knew as much about music as you sir, I always thought I was the only one who saw it all that way. somehow I don't feel alone anymore 😢...All the people have a stick in their ass or a concrete head on their shoulders, in truth there are no rules. People should really keep an open mind..
Been playing guitar for 32 years. Sadly, I think I’ve spent about 28 of those years noodling…
Love that Strat Jeff, mid or late 60s??
It’s actually a Mike Landau 1968 custom shop RI I just picked up. Excellent guitar!
@@JeffMcErlain Ooh, it certainly looks the part, but I do love a green guard 🙂
I've discovered great well known guitarists who claim to know little about theory really know a lot, They either don't feel like talking about it or are trying to preserve their "mystique" as being naturally gifted.
I’ve often discovered there are gaps in their knowledge and actually are kind of insecure about it.
I think 'putting the time in to learn theory, to know what is what', maybe doesn't work for everybody. But definitely everybody who come across this video and your channel. If you're gonna spend time on youtube searching for how to become a better player - be sure to watch educative video's.
To be fair, noodling is practicing: practicing noodling.
Jeff what is your go to amp.just curious
Jeff I noodle alot but what I found is that the more expression the way you attack the strings and put simple emotion in your playing.has helped me immensely
Hmmmm, that's not the whole truth, my own uncle mastered 5 instruments perfectly without ever having had lessons and he was in demand as a musician all over the world. I only play the guitar myself and only have a rough idea of what he was doing 🤷♂️
How do I start learning theory? There are a thousand million resources and it’s overwhelming. What is a good resource for a beginner theory person.
Learn the Nashville System
There are so many choices on YT but I did like this one to start. th-cam.com/video/_eKTOMhpy2w/w-d-xo.html. Also at TrueFire I can highly recommend Jeff Scheetz’s Street Theory. Fantastic course and for guitar specifically.
Learn chord construction
If I may sugest, start with : do re mi fa sol la si do,...major scale,..the rest is in it...I think
Enjoyed bud, a lot of common sense, I would gently disagree with talent being overrated. Take a kid of 4/5 playing a piano concerto to concert standard or 12 year old Joe Bonamassa playing with BB. Anyhow thanks for your time it's really appreciated. 👍👍🥃Respect to you mate
Thanks man!! I do make that distinction that not everyone can be the magical player. But I stand by my thoughts that hard work can override talent. Also I will argue that young virtuosos, as impressive as they are, do not usually have the depth of an older player. They certainly have a propensity for the instrument yet still practice their butts off even at that early age.
My illusions have been shattered again. But maybe I can make some progress now.
Ha!! Glad I could help!
I am guilty of doing every single one of these things poorly. I'm reapproaching the guitar at 37 after being a multi-decade "noodler."
I'd go one further and say practicing scales 1-7 is a waste of energy and counterproductive.
I don't think it ever actually translates to fretboard awareness.
But, then again, so much of guitar instruction is simply unquestioned tradition that really is more about making the instructor's job easier and giving the student busy work than the stuff that is useful, but requires much more intellectual focus in the woodshed.
Your stuff seems to be a refreshing departure.
I think I have to do a series of these. I agree with you.
@@JeffMcErlain I learned this the hard way by spending way too much money trying to learn how to play jazz (which I still suck at, but at least know HOW to get less sucky) and then coming across resources that explained what the classic players were thinking vs what the interpreters selling books and degrees assume they were thinking because they used their music theory knowledge as prescriptive when it was barely even accurate in being descriptive.
The Intro is very Beck'ish 👍
Wish I knew it could later be a chick magnet
Ha! That’s the side benefit. 😉
My former and current wife love the fact that I play music however the current one wants me out of the dining room with all my gear
@@richardlewis1243
Wait a minute, you're meeting women from this?
Shhhh… don’t let my wife know. 🤫
Why do you all TH-cam guitar teachers were hats indoors?
To bother you. It’s a conspiracy.