It’s Impossible To Play Guitar Like Him
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ม.ค. 2023
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John Scofield has been a favorite guitarist of mine for a long time now. The first time I heard him, there was just something “different” about his playing. Today we’re taking a look at what makes Scofield unique, and how his sound is defined by his incredible, unreproducible feel.
Scofield Vids:
Solo at the Elbphilharmonie
• John Scofield - Solo |...
Scary Goldings “Cornish Hen”
• Cornish Hen (ft. John ...
“My Foolish Heart” (2010)
• my foolish heart Joh...
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John Scofield used to be my neighbor. I never had the balls to tell him that he was and still is my hero guitar player.
Nooooo!!!
That is insane. Drive up to Scarsdale and get it done. You can't take this into the grave. Seriously.
Not to grill you, but I literally just came back from seeing him live in Frankfurt, Germany. Get it done dude. :)
Me too. He lived in the Westbeth building in the city in the late 80s/early 90s. I would always chat with him in the elevator.
@@gegloff1 exactly on the fifth floor in front of my appartment.
I had the opportunity to study with Scofield and it completely changed the way I approached the instrument. I was unlistenable for about a month as my brain assimilated the concepts he'd taught me. My band was scratching their heads wondering if I was ever going to make audible sense again, lol. He's such a down to Earth player who keeps his ears wide open and simply looks for opportunities to serve each song.
Are there any sources for the concepts he taught you?
Nice story!
@@stefanhoefer I guess just me. It was many years ago and the concepts were internalized immediately. We would sit on the floor in his apartment and he would ask what my musical intentions were. The first lesson he wrote out the head to Donna Lee. He got me straightened out in terms of the modes. After four lessons he said I was on the right path to get where I was going and from that point forward, we just started hanging in the studio and stuff. It took about a month to put it all into context, he went off to play with Miles and I went off and started doing my thing with Steve Washington and his Slave Family Of Funk crew.
Any brief peices of wisdom you would share that you learned from him? :)
I had a similar transitional experience 25 years ago when I incorporated the Gambale technique as my foundation. It takes a lot of practice to become conversant in that vocabulary. Now, I can't imagine playing any other way.
You only touched on a very small part of what Scofield does, his blues side.
In jazz, he does many other things. His harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary is incredible.
He is one of the best jazz guitar improvisers of all time.
John Scofield is brilliant, and you captured exactly why: his timing "slop" is more conversational, less robotic. I saw him live with Miles Davis in the "You're Under Arrest" tour here in Seattle (1985), and Miles walked off stage to let him rip a huge solo on his Tele. Remarkable. The audience were the one's "under arrest" hearing his slippery time feel, almost like watching a High Wire act. "Will he make it through the changes on time?"... as we gasped in amazement at his "sticking the landings". Much like Jeff Beck (RIP).
His guitar playing gives you the stank face on funky stuff, and makes you wanna cry on ballads, just incredibly special. Amazing video like always 😊
Beautifully put! Agreed. 😌✊🏽
Came home now from my Jazz band rehearsal (I'm 15)... our teacher showed us a theme by Scary Pockets and a bunch of other peole ("Scary Goldings") and I was blown away by the guitar playing... I asked who was that guy, it was John Scofield (I had never heard of him, unfortunately)! 1 hour later I open TH-cam and there is your video about him... THIS IS AMAZING!
You were able to put into words why Sco’s uniqueness can touch my heart and soul, he is such a beautiful musician, and to me the greatest alive today.
Thanks Rhett for the beautiful video, love your work and your passion.
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I had the pleasure of playing with and learning from John Scofield back in 2007 for a week. An incredibly kind, thoughtful, and inspiring guitarist. Had a great time with him back stage, at dinner, and learning more from him. Fun fact, the first song he learned on guitar was House of the Rising Sun. An absolute honor to meet him.
A GO GO WITH M.M.W. IS A MASTERPIECE!🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
Chank is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
What a great album
it is! chamber funk! ❤❤❤❤❤
One of the best albums ever!
Correct
I couldn't agree more. I've seen Sco several times live. There's just an amazing connection he has with his guitar. Phrasing, tone, musicality, communication and feel. Great video Rhett!
Rhett, these are some of the best videos you do - analyzing and honoring the greats. This video really inspired me and let your love for guitar come through in a way that's contagious. Nice work and thanks!
Since my first listen to "A go go" I was hooked. You can recognize his style in seconds on any record. Scofield and Ford are two guitarists that just know how to be mindblowing with the least amount of notes. Amazing.
No one can phrase like him. Everyone who tries ends up sounding drunk lol. Everyone listens to him and is inspired by the phrasing and out of the box tones and approach- hes the perfect example of a jazz musician who crossed over brilliantly. Unafraid of treble, distortion, odd tones and creative spice while still being as true as one can be roots player. Ive been fortunate to see many sides of Sco. With MMW playing the funkiest outside boogaloo you can imagine, to a jam session with Nels Cline using a 330 into a cranked deluxe, super outside. To a straight ahead hit with Joey D, sprinkled with his notorious flourishing and pure fusion with Dennis Chambers. The dude is the best and continues to innovate and stay inspired
I’ve loved Scofield for decades. One of my favorites and so totally unique.
one of my all-time favourite players, always all feel, all soul, and with a beautiful tone. thanks Rhett!
such a well informed breakdown of Sco's approach and why he is so unique in his tone and phrasing, love it
It's impressive how well you bring to light and articulate the nuances that's in music of accomplished musicians, and why it's part of what makes them unique. These are things that non professional guitar players like me, do not necessary process or have the ear to hear until someone points them out. And I feel like it's so crucial to be aware of this stuff to become a better musician and appreciate what each musician brings to the scene. Thank you Rhett!
Great acknowledgement Rhett. I've been a fan of Scofield's since the first time I heard him in 87, and he deserves every player give him a listen.
Fantastic feel, and his tone is perfection.
Thanks so much!
that live album „Pick Hits Live“ really hit me back then. Grooving like hell and exactly that edge of playing that you describe. ❤
He did a gig in my town back in 2019 and I was lucky to see him. John did the whole gig by himself, with his Ibanez and his looper. Absolutely world class!
Those clips you shared are amazing! So inspiring. Thanks for putting this together!
The first time I heard Sco was in 1984 performing with Miles Davis at Montreux Jazzfestival. It made me immediately a big fan of him and Miles. I never heard a guitarist playing in a eclectic way with this fluidity like he did, never ever, since today. I was completely blown away
The album Sco did with Pat Metheny, I Can See Your House From Here, is an interesting study of how each player approaches a melody. Most of the tracks start with both playing a melody in “unison,” but Sco, in the left channel, has more stretch in his timing and dynamics. If the song is a tree, Metheny is the branches, and Sco is the leaves, each moved by the breeze in a different way.
I always liked how he played slightly behind the beat. It makes you feel you are trudging along in a groove stooper.
He’s a master musician in every sense. Sco know music, lots of music. And such an original voice. I love how he plays something different every single time he plays. Sco is totally in the moment, which few people really do when they play. He’s a massive influence on me.
I love these videos that explore the nuances of a great guitarist’s style. Well done. More please!
I just love this style of music. It makes me wanna try and learn to play! Awsome video Rhett♡
His rhythm and tone are incredible, but I think another standout feature of Sco’s is his dynamics. He understands that shaping phrases with volume is a key part of evoking emotion and finding a fresh kind of pocket.
Would also love a video on Bill Frisell!
Yes, please, a similar analysis of Frisell's style would be much appreciated.
Your channel is a light for artists abroad that do not have accessible music and like minded musicians around. Im in Malaysia, most guitarists here are into shredding, neo-soul/jazz, or emo pop punk and look down on everything else . Your channel just vibes with the blues rock and soul guitarist. As always, thank you
Yes! So glad you made a video on him. Also glad u mentioned the A Go Go album with MM&W. One of my favorites- still waiting on the vinyl reissue!🙏😀. Excellent vid as usual, man.
Rhett, this is one of your best videos. I can hear your excitement in your voice. Love it!
Miles said Sco "plays so behind the beat, but makes it work somehow" The way he uses slurs, bends, and sometimes phrases backwards is unmatchable!! John has his own style, you know it's him, in a couple notes!!
yeah, real behind. love it. I go back to the Still Warm & Blue Matter CD's.
When I was 16 years old I listened to Scofield a lot also with my "Walkman" during travel haha. Now 44 years later he's still one of my all time favorites. John deserves so much credit.. Its a treasure for the world he's still performing. Loved your clip. You nailed exactly how John plays. It's all about having your own "fingerprint" as a musician but there are only a few who accomplish this fully.
Great vid! You gotta great voice on guitar too man, especially on those little tracks you put together on some of your content, i always love those!
This was very well done. Nice job Rhett. Love Scofield’s playing. Lucky to have seen him many times over the years and even hung out with him. Very down to earth nice guy.
Great video, Rhett! Sco is the man; a living legend!
Thank you for this! Showcasing a brilliant player and how he arrives at this time. This is growing the guitar community.
You're really making that head bobbing Rick Beato style be bopping listening thing happen. It really shows that you have rhythm, soul & are SO into it.
Great concept!!
Thanks for the appreciation of Scofield. I’ve followed him since the early 80s through the Miles years and had the opportunity to see him in many different contexts. Check out the video of him with Abercrombie, Tal Farlow, and Carlton on autumn leaves. His lines are so incredibly sophisticated.
Seriously, awesome. Thanks Rhett!
This is your best video to date. Great job. You pointed out so many things I missed. I saw the switching of the pick and finger picking but not to different locations.
Lovely video, thanks Rhett
Thanks for this Rhett. Always loved JS!
Glad you included a bit of ballad. His ballad feel is amazing. The group with Joe Lovano one of my favorite groups ever. Saw them around Meant to Be and What We Do and Past Present. So amazing. Pick Hits Live was an amazing document of his live sound during the Gramavision era. The first record with Lovano and Charlie Haden Time on my Hands was a masterpiece. His early stuff with Billy Cobham is interesting too, although it's more of a fusion style before he got more into the gritty-funky-bluesy thing. Loud Jazz is an awesome studio record on Gramavision. I like Flat Out too, that's where he was moving more into straight-ahead territory.
Thanks for opening our eyes to these great players. This sort of thing is invaluable. The number one thing missing from my younger years as a player is having someone help my curate my taste and awareness of great music. You're doing this for free every week and I cannot overstate how lucky young players are to have access to this.
John has inspired me forever, if i need some inspiration i just listen to him. Amazing tone, sound and guitar player.
The Scary Goldings stuff with Scofield and Robben Ford is incredible. And yeah playing around with phrasing is so much of the fun, finding bends, slurs etc you like is what makes you most recognizable... just look at sco and beck
Man. This is so spot on and articulates some of what is so special about Sco!
I don't know if you guys have listened to his album "A Go Go" but the entire thing makes you feel like you're about to be in some epic Oceans 11 style heist.
Freaking awesome.
Up All Night might be my fave... it is just insane music.
Oh man A go go the song is amazing too!
This is incredibly inspiring. Amazing video as usual Rhett 👌🏻
Thank you. This was very good and inspirational. You can bring out some very interesting things from these guys. Blessings on you, bro.
Rhett, I had to stop the video mid way and comment. Your so on point man, he just lets the movement happen without cause. Non intentional just al feel and what a wonderful sence of loose pocket.I've been watching you for some time now and this is the first time I told myself " I need to get with Rhett's lessons" been a guitarist for 40 years and could be so much better.
I saw JS in 2002 and he was on fire, at one point he used a reverse looper to play 4bar call and response with himself and every loop and phrase worked perfectly. Insane talent
When any friend has asked me about Scofield over the years, I always direct them to start with Still Warm.
The albums you mention are good, but Still Warm was a watershed event for me as a teenage guitar player when that album dropped. Techno is maybe the best example of song so funky, so pocket, that you can't even really imagine anyone but Scofield playing guitar on it. And as a bonus, Omar Hakim's outro on Techno might be the greatest drum outro I've heard.
👏 excellent video! Thank you for doing this one! Guys like him and Allen Hinds…hearing them play is one thing, watching them play is another and then to have someone like you breaking it down…simply maaaaaarrreeloouussss! Thanks Rhett! 👏
Allen Hinds is really good. I should listen more to him 😂
@ yes. As an Allen Hinds Patreon you can even sit in on group video chats and he will answer your questions etc. he’s a great human being on top of being a great musician!
His new album is awesome. He let the patreon supporters have dibs on the first run. I have it! Oh my! Unreal music! 🤩
Love the channel, another great video - thanks Rhett
And Thanks for one of your all time best videos! Great, Rhett!!!
It's so important to honor John Scofield as (one of) the most important electric (Jazz) guitar player of all time. He is famous for his inside/outside playing and for his phenomenal phrasing and "behind the beat" playing like famous saxophone player like Dexter Gordon.
you got me with the scofield video! great stuff, my guitar favourite as well!
This video made me smile from start to finish! I've been following / listening to / seeing Sco for more than 20 years -- he's amazing. You're remarks and assessment are spot on. He's such a master - perfectly unique. And he always sounds like Sco. I saw him once sit in with Soulive, played a Custom Shop Strat into a Fuchs amp, and he sounded JUST like himself. Amazing.
Scofield is amazing, but after seeing John McLaughlin twice I gotta say he doesn’t get enough recognition. His technique is so amazing and age doesn’t affect him. Best picking I’ve ever heard.
I also love Scofield :)
You’re right! There’s nobody like Johnny Mac
I've seen John McLaughlin about 15 times; solo acoustic, original MO, later MO, Shakti, etc. My favorite monster.
Agreed McLaughlin is off the hook! Tear your head off technique paired coupled with fiery passion, first time I heard Inner Mounting Flame it was like Hendrix had a baby with Coltrane. Then you have his work with Miles, solo stuff, all the guest appearances, and all his acoustic playing. An absolute guitar phenom. Don’t know what it is but Scofield’s playing kind of leaves me cold, not hating on the guy just doesn’t do it for my tastes. I tried to change my mind through this video but he still doesn’t connect with me, it might be his tone. For me Bill Frisell is hands down the most interesting and my favorite among the players that came out around the same time as Sco.
Fantastic video / instruction Rhett...ty!
Love Sco. First saw him in '76 and loved his playing since. Got yo know him a bit over the years....Nice, genuine man!
A lot of his stuff is rooted in New Orleans funk fused with bebop harmony...
Great video Rhett
Love this video man!
i have had the pleasure of meeting John a few times in Portland at jimmy macs (rip) and he was such a deep listener, the three or four times we talked he would go into this semi meditative state of listening to the other bands and no conversation would pull him out of it and you could just tell he just loved everything about music and especially a good melody!
Yep, incredible feel and groove, a sense of filling in the song rather than standing out, and the courage to leave space so the song breathes naturally, like a great conversation with close friends. There are other excellent players who do this well including Robben Ford and Larry Carlton but Scofield is a master.
The phrasing around 4:00 is incredible. Stunning.
Love Sco! Thanks for this video
Yes, you are right. J.S. is one of kind great musician. Thanks for a great descriptions of his talent
I entirely concur, with the intensity of your appreciation for him and the reasons you identify. He is really amazing.
Rhett - you have just made me a fan of yours and earned my 'subscribe' just by your acknowledgement and understanding of Sco. I discovered Sco about 5 years ago. He has become my favorite guitar player - for a million reasons but largely because I love his unconventionality, his tone, and utter braveness of chordal structure and general approach. I know he's pretty highly regarded in the Jazz world, but I still think he is still underrated - for me, he is the best.
Saw Scary Goldings in Paris last summer and maaaaaaan ! I never thought I'd love so much an instrumental show ! This was mind-blowing.
This is such a great video. Thank you for sharing these incredible musicians with us.
I always find myself struggling with that imposter syndrome and beating myself up, that I should be "better" for having been playing now for 23 years.
I'm so thankful I started playing with other musicians early on, and I think that just built this mentality into me back then.
Getting back into guitar now after a few years of not playing at all - I don't really have any others to play with, but luckily I have TH-cam and communities like this.
To connect that to this video - I find myself both learning and becoming more confident watching these videos, realizing that I actually DO often already think in this kind of way, although I'm nowhere near as good at it... yet =) Dynamics and how I'm playing the guitar, how intense or soft every move is, being precise but not mechanical, all of it, I am constantly working on these things and being hyper aware of it. I look forward to the day it becomes second nature and thoughtless. =)
Absolutely one of my guitar heroes! Great video! His feel and tone are next level.
Great video !!! John is the greatest in so many levels. Thanks!
A lovely tribute Rhett
I have really come to love Scofield for the pure emotion in his playing. The open-minded approach that gives us "Country For Old Men" just blows my mind. I enjoy the hot, funky stuff even more because I know he will go for something simple and soulful when he thinks it communicates more. Great video, Rhett!
Oh, hell yeah! You finally did a video on my favorite guitar player! Sco is THE MAN. I’ve stolen so many things from him and incorporated them into my own playing, but I don’t even attempt to emulate him, it’s definitely impossible.
Professor Rick Beato conducts a great interview with John Scofield. The thing that stood out the most was what a humble, and nice man. I hear this about all of the great guitar players. They keep themselves humble, and subdue the ego though immensely talented. HOBO OUT
Nice Work!
Thank you for this video I think it is one of your best, the demonstration and representation of Mr. Scofield music was proper.
Sco is one of the very few, the very best. Timing, feeling, knowledge, groove... An incredible mucisian and improviser.
Rhett discovered jazz!
I was thinking the same thing.
Hello from Kansas City, Missouri Rhett. Great Video as always. What makes Scofield sound the way he does is not only his Behind the Beat Time Feel but also his Chromatisism, and what is sometimes called 50/50 Articulation, which is approximately Half the notes Picked, and Half the notes Slured. Theirs also the fact that Jazz/Blues/Soul/RnB/Funk Musicians are much more accustomed to a flexible Time Feel compared to some other Genres. In addition to his Phrasing, he's also a Great Songwriter. Then their's his Tone, which is a Semi hollowbody Guitar (Ibanez) with a Gain or Distortion Pedal. He used to use a Pro Co. Rat Pedal. In my humble opinion, the album Still Warm is Scofield at his most Scofieldian so to speak. The important thing with Scofield and all of the other Greats both Past and Present is not to try and sound exactly like them, but instead Assimilate their Language as much as possible, then eventually do your Own thing with it. For anyone that's interested their's a number of Scofield Instructional Videos taught by Scofield himself available on Amazon and TH-cam. Thanks.
great lesson and a half!
i have enjoyed many a concert of john's. and Frisell. masterful
Thanks for your awesome presentations, Rhett. I'm 66, am fluid on classical piano/violin, jazz guitar and drums. I listened a lot to John when I was at Berklee in the 70s, and I never could get into his sound at the time. He's progressed lightyears since then, and now I love his playing....and his attitude especially. Question: Would you ever consider doing something regarding the playing of Jackie King?
Well observed...spot on appreciation,well done R
Very useful information. Cheers.
Sco's great. Saw him with Joe Lovano and Bill Stewart. He was absolutely in the moment, peeling off fresh lines with ease. The best compliment my band ever got was from a local bass player: "you guys are loose AND tight!"
Great video. Scofield is one of the best. Thanks!
when i was on jazz schooll everybody listen to him hes one of the best in terms of feeling much love rhett
Was lucky enough to be second row center at his last concert here in Portland. Truly amazing artist and he picks his band well. Not a bad way to start my concert viewing coming out of the pandemic.
Wonderful and deeply inspirational. Thank you for showing me. I'll check him out
Good content sir. I appreciate this.
Rhett, spot on analysis.
I agree that John is incredibly underrated. Unquestionably, he’s a master.
It's interesting that you mention Scofield's feel. I saw a masterclass he gave one time and he said he felt he had bad time and a weird feel when he was coming up as a young guitar player.
He said he worked really hard on getting better and finally decided he would use his quirks in his time and feel to his advantage. They became a large part of his individual, unique, musical personality.
It’s the way he changes the dynamics on each note to make it sound like a voice such as his
I was at a outdoors Scofield show next to city hall when the midnight clock tower went off... he got the band instantly to modulate to the same drone as the clock and slowed the rhythm just enough that it made a funky syncopation they all played off of for literally 12 bells and then jumped back into business. It was amazing to see.