I just like the way he articulates things...”the Phrygian mode, which has an equal right to exist...” I can’t imagine anyone else saying that. I love it.
he has the unnerving relaxed attitude of a fighter pilot describing in real time how to get out of a tail spin to the only remaining concious passenger who is now flying the broken plane drunk and making it sound less stressful than going to the shop for an item ...any item ... its just a metaphor , go away
Think I prefer him talking, don't really like his playing or why he feels the need to wanna play fast all the time, by the end of the eighties all of that shred stuff, the arpeggios, the tapping, had been done to death by pretty much everyone and their dog and it became overkill.
English would also be a highly valid option. The man’s mastery of language is really beautiful. He is able to convey concepts which might otherwise become convoluted to explain in a witty, concise and ultimately effective manner.
@Marco Estors wow you must really know the guy to know exactly how he would be. Or you're just a cynical moron who's projecting his own pathetic reality onto others. Either way, bravo
Guthrie is a good guy. I remember when as a young guy he won young guitarist of the year award. He’s a decent well brought up man with good values and work ethic who loves his music and decided to seriously study the guitar instead of other disciplines or academic careers that people of his studious nature normally pursue. Therefore having studied guitar all his life seriously, he is a master of the guitar and other related disciplines. It’s a lesson to all. Talent is only one thing. But unless you apply it with a serious work ethic and consistent study and dedication, you will not achieve your goals or mastery. There are talented musicians I’ve met in the past, complete creative geniuses and self taught naturals but they lacked discipline and morals and a work ethic so they ended up losers, getting nowhere, always chasing drugs and women and wasting their lives penniless and producing nothing. Very sad. This is why there’s so few Guthrie’s around. Because unless you’ve all the necessary requirements and keep working hard, you won’t get anywhere in life. Some don’t care to, but as long as they don’t complain about it or blame others and get jealous of those who did do something in their lives, then I guess it’s ok.
I see Guthrie and immediately click. This guy is Special. Absolutely on Another Level. I could watch and listen to him play & teach all day. G.G. = Beast Mode.
His level of understanding is akin to a person that defuses bombs for a living. He speaks a holy language that only the musical seekers can seek to believe in.
Guthrie has the only valid claim to Bob Ross' heritage as a teacher of the arts. I should be very distressed at the unimaginable chasm between Guthrie's skills and mine, but instead I feel strangely relaxed after watching this video.
I think you can just tell that he absolutely loves it, he isnt judging anyone he is imparting wisdom, I had an old guitar tutor that while he wasnt into the marty friedman style scales as I was he would not ask me to play anything he just taught me, very hard to find. Top blokes.
@@phutureproof So true. I also feel like he's not bullying anyone with his immense knowledge. He's just providing food for thought and backing it up with unfuckwithable logic based on an immense knowledge that was derived from an absolute love of music which was fostered by his family. I think that strong family support is what allows him to be accessible. Either way, he's a friggin genius that is far beyond parlor tricks. Plus, he doesn't need studio magic to produce amazing songs... *steps off soapbox*
This is how humbleness effects people. His playing shows the skill gap but his words show you how to approach his level. I think he knows in a lot of ways he’s on an island, but he’s very good about inviting people to join him.
Just a shame that it's 2020 and videos are still being uploaded in 720p... I had to shrink this down to the mini player on my screen to remove the pixellation! 😂
I think this might be old because now he has gray hair. He was doing tours with the Aristocrats up until Covid. I saw him in Dublin back in Feb '20. He was excellent, of course, but I do wonder if he's become tired of music/guitar or something. It must be a very difficult time to be an artist right now.
Was so star struck to just give him a nod of recognition on an underground train. And he simply gave a modest nod and a smile back. Such a humble Legend ❤🤘🦁
In my honest opinion. He IS the guitarist of the new age. I am obsessed with guys like Satriani, Lynch, DiMartini, Blackmoore, Malmsteen, Sambora etc etc. But I always somehow compare them to Guthrie. And everytime they just come up short. Guthrie has an amazing ability to just be in the "mode" no pun intended. He can play virtually every genre, flawlessly. Hes very creative, and he always keeps my ears perked, sometimes expecting the next note, and sometimes not. He's really a breathtaking musician, and a truly gifted guitariest. I don't think there's anybody on the planet, that could go 1 on 1 against Guthrie and win. #sorrynotsorry.
@@matteob7320 No it's not nonsense. Guthrie is at a much higher level in all aspects. Mancuso's musicality, understanding and playing is at a bachelors degree level compared to Guthrie phd level, capisce? Or Mancuso is still at high school music whereas Guthrie is at university as the professor. Comprehend?!
I think this is where players hit a plateau though, once you're consciously looking to express music rather than learn technique (which really is the first few years of an instrument) it quickly becomes a source of frustration. I often find I can't play anything emotionally relevant despite having good technique/theory in the back of my head. Suppose it's like being able to speak vs telling a story.
This is a fantastic “use your intuition” guide to improvising. Some notes in the scale over that chord are destination notes (such as the chord tones of the chord you’re on) and some notes in that scale are the tension notes. They beg to be resolved with a destination note and sound wrong if you leave a phrase hanging with them. But starting out, the main thing to know is the notes in the chord. You can get away with a lot as long as you move into one of those notes. Even an actual “wrong” note can sound right if you tie it back into the chord artfully (chromaticism gives you a lot of leeway as long as you always know where you’re going)
His knowledge can help the best players in the world to the beginner guitarists equally. He just knows how to break everything down into such a human way. 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
Always love Guthrie’s method of teaching modes, altered scales, harmony, and tones not as separate unrelated recipes and shapes but rather as the additions to pentatonics - 2nd and 6th interval variations added to minor pent to get three minor modes and 4th and 7th variations added to the major pentatonic to get three major modes (skip locrian) - and that inherent focus on the color or politeness/aggressiveness of interval tones - transfers much more easily into improv, altered choices, and hearing music while exercising technique than does learning patterns of modes or patterns as things unrelated to those basic 1-3-5-7 sounds. Plus that lordly baritone voice and constant clever wordplay makes everything sound enlightening.
Everyone knows how great a player GG is, but having read his lessons in Guitar Techniques since the early 2000s and watching footage like this, it becomes clear that he is an immensely capable music educator. Thanks, Guthrie!
Guthrie's just got a very Zen-like approach to guitar. Wish I had witnessed the uncanny machine known as Shawn Lane but Govan's as close as it comes. And I say that with much respect. Peace!
There are definitely better notes to play over the various chords and understanding those notes is important because you can't just shred constantly over the notes without holding one note. The min 6 is always iffy over the root chord. Phrygian's flavor note (the sharp root) is iffy over the root chord. Just so many that it's not enough to just know them all. You should HEAR them and you'll never really hit a bad note and HOLD it ever again. Spend a little time with the chords and modes, that's all. The 1, 2 and 5 are always good over its respective chord. :) beyond that.... explore and see what happens. Guthrie knows so much and has some little humor he throws in to make it interesting.
@@georgetzathas9002 no, I meant 1, 2 and 5. Added 2 or 9 will always sound nice because it is always in both maj and min scales. I mean by 2, a tone. 2 frets. If doing that phrygian, then of course a tone above the root would suck hard. hehehe
Try this lesson !!! Guthrie Govan never ceases to blow me away - especially with his modest , hysterical , understated way and then so casually pulling out these lines and phrases that are so incredible ……good seeing you John , let’s ride tomorrow 👍🚵♀️
YES... The relationship between speed and dissonance is a challenge. It''s not about what not to play in slower passages, it's working out how to support increasingly dissonant notes in the listening context while not losing your audience! My tip is to isolate and record the section in question and experiment with various options, then reinsert back into the music. Nice one G 😁
I've done this many times, and it works. It doesn't matter what genre you're playing, and it doesn't necessarily sound like jazz. If you play the same note a third time though, it becomes wrong again.
@Leigh Hewit Hahah, love it! A great song, coupled with a Python reference? What more could we want?!?!! I've got a vague memory of watching a video about how Army Of Me isn't actually Locrian, because Bjork sings the 5th- could be totally misremembering though!
@@JbfMusicGuitar I remember having a discussion in the youtube comment section on some video where it claims it was locrian. If I remember correctly, I didn't regard it as C locrian but as some mode of Bb. That had something to do with the bassline playing the Bb on the strong beats of the bar, therefor kind of implying that the root from which to build the scale is Bb, not C, something along those lines.
Love these explainations, he's the GOAT. I'm french, partly from Algeria and also a bit Turkish so these intervals sound familiar to me, exactly as maj7 or the blue note. I always open my chorus in jam sessions with phrygian and minor harmonics in order to disturb the audience in order to get their focus. I think it is due to culture: those intervalles are less common in USA but in Europe we are more used to hear these eastern influences: Django Reinhart, all the east Europe influences, in jewish music, arabic music... It's all about curiosity and pushing our musical boundaries beyond: it doesn't matter if you like it or not, as soon as you know why it disturbs you I think you'll be less offended ;)
There's a concept for this called Tolerance of Dissonance. Sure, the tritone sounds unresolved - it's supposed to - but that doesn't mean you can't leave your phrase on it. In fact, it gives you an opportunity to resolve the next phrase to the fourth or fifth or even the root. Hell, you could build a series of resolutions built on a diminished seventh arpeggio. We can't be ending all our phrases on chord tones every time. That doesn't even make musical sense.
Yeah I think this guy is too bogged down in theory and scalar patterns dictating how he expresses himself, that's where one sacrifices their feel over technique. When he deems some notes as 'wrong' it's all about the context in which they are placed and a host of other factors. Music isn't a science, and him treating it as such will never yield an emotional connection with an audience.
Well I can't say I totally agree with you but at the same time, Guthrie isn't reinventing the wheel, he just paraphrased what decades of knowledge from past guitarists already know.
@@jademonolith For sure. The general advice is to end your phrases on chord tones. The thing is, though, that every tone is a chord tone. Plus, if lines are to be conversational, does each one of your sentences end perfectly resolved? Mine don't.
There is so much musical wisdom in just this brief talk. I come back to this quite often and I direct friends and acquaintances who are new to playing the guitar or any other instrument to this video.
@@aakashmondal789 I know what you mean, but in this case specifically I wouldn’t say it’s right to assume that he purposefully wedged Layla into it, I think it’s much more likely that he just did it by accident
I’ve had the amazing opportunity to do a masterclass with Guthrie. I was ever to fall into a lot of money I wouldn’t go spending it on Lamborghinis or penthouse apartments, I’d put it on a lifetime of lessons with this man.
Damn just a couple hours ago I was thinking I haven't seen a Guthrie vid in a few months & bam this shows up in my feed. Must be fate. I need this lesson. Then again I need any guitar lesson he's willing to give.
e b 6 13 10 5 7 5 g 7 12 9 4 0 0 d 8 13 10 6 0 0 a 8 11 8 4 e 3 1 I transcribed this for you. the chords are Bb, the next 3 are in drop-2 voicing, AbMa7, FMa7, Dbmi7, the last 2 chords are hard to name, let's just say Emi9 with no root, and Fma9 but who really knows. There might be a better way to name the chords but im just doing roots since there's no key. So if you want to learn these voicings they're called drop 2 voicings.
Unequaled - in the parlance of our times. This fella is of a class of knowledge and communication that simply is supreme. I a, very inspired by his playing, teaching and entertained in his way of communicating…what else could you want?
I agree with the commenter who said to record as many Guthrie lessons as possible. My absolute favorite guitar instructor. I never get tired of listening to his insight, wit and wisdom in regards to all things music, in particular; theory and the guitar. Thanks very much for this video!
This dude fascinates me. He looks like a hippie, but talks like a professor with a doctorate in music theory. You can tell by the way he talks and plays, he knows what he's talking about.
How on earth have I gone this long without ever knowing Guthrie Govan exists? What an incredible guy! I look forward to exploring his playing more! Thanks DIME!
Chips and sauce. Minor pentatonic = chips. The flat 5 note is the sauce. Chips without sauce is boring. Too much sauce ruins your chips. Use sauce repsonsibly! Guthrie is king!
If you like those tense "wrong" notes you should give the aussie band 'the Drones' and 'Tropical Fuck Storm' a go. Killer musicians who use them in some of the coolest ways i've heard.
wgerd98 he seems to be the only AVATAR to master ONE ☝️ ELEMENT to a point that transcends all other elements together to defeat The Justin Bieber Lord!
This guy has a special way of relaying this information in a manner that makes sense. Somebody should really pay him for a few days of his time, and just record as many of these kind of lessons as humanly possible.
It's interesting to see similarities in philosophy of one of the greatest guitar players to one of the greatest bass players - Victor Wooten. They both insist on playing and not being afraid of those "surprising" or "interesting" notes. Or as many of us would call them - wrong notes. Getting rid of this idea of wrong notes all together is a liberating feeling.
I love you Guthrie. I never consider anyone elses "theories" or "lessons" because yours are more about why you can do what you can do with which mode/scales. Where are my Lydian buddies at?
"Learn how unpleasant those notes are, so you can use them responsibly..." I would give my life savings in allowance to be enlightened by this man in person...
4:34 - that doesn't sound like a mistake to my ears, but mostly because as a player (and a listener), I'm anticipating and expecting (with tension!) it to resolve.
You can find most of them on JTC youtube channel and website, if you want more of him you can check his trio band with two other beast players bryan on bass and marco on drums. His band name is 'The Aristocrats'. Hope I whatever information I provided was helpful to you sir. CHEERS
Phrygian mode was approximately the ancient Dorian. Plato and aristotle loved it. But it is a matter of what one decides to emphasise. They were giving a lot of emphasis on the fourth degree of the scale (perfect fourth) and they were using rhythms that were mimicking the spoken language. Also many times the mode was played from the higher notes to conclude on the bass notes. Then there is a whole different mood created, kind of epic and heroic, one could say.
Ah nice one, thanks. I'm always interested in the older applications of music and its theory. The Gregorians had 12 modes if I remember correctly, which were hyper variants of our refined tertian system. I'm not sure if the eras overlap, but worth a look into if you haven't already.
3:05 Me: Oops, I've made a mistake. Guthrie Govan: No, you have to learn how unpleasant those notes so that you can then use them responsibly. This is the first and only time I'll pay attention to a health & Safety message.
Its all based on context. To people unexposed to eastern music such as balkan, greek, arabic, etc, those phrygian notes may sound "wrong" , but in fact the western listener simply isnt accustomed to the "feel". To the ecclectic, those notes sound perfect. Personally, i get a profound sense of mystery and awe when playing those notes and scales.
For sure. And in my own playing (and no doubt Guthrie knows this as well) those sour notes are great to linger on before resolving them into something more “pleasing.” Or just staying there and really owning the dissonance. Like he said it takes an understanding of the mode and the moods it can evoke so you can responsibly use dissonant sounds. For a beginner though it’s better to have them avoid those notes as much as possible until they have that confident grasp of the scale and actually have intention behind their playing.
I appreciate videos like this because it puts into words some of that which many of us know almost instinctively, that there are intervals and notes which aren't *wrong*, but should be part of a statement, a sentence that ends on some sort of resolution.
I just like the way he articulates things...”the Phrygian mode, which has an equal right to exist...” I can’t imagine anyone else saying that. I love it.
his sense of humour is captivating
He has a degree in english, if i'm not mistaken, or studied english at university
@@scorpiocurse7969 If you told me that he taught English, I wouldn’t be surprised.
he has the unnerving relaxed attitude of a fighter pilot describing in real time how to get out of a tail spin to the only remaining concious passenger who is now flying the broken plane drunk and making it sound less stressful than going to the shop for an item ...any item ... its just a metaphor , go away
@@EvilSean62 Yep. It's the confidence or whatever you call it that comes with the level of skill he's achieved.
"No one wants to hear that."
Everybody when they hear me play.
ScarredRomeo lol, you’re not that bad...
Or Ritchie Blackmore, to be fair.
AAAHAHAHAAA! ... that was so honest it was HILARIOUS! ... even though it WASN'T true -- your Mother ALWAYS wants to hear you play.
Mark Marsh not mine
@@markmarsh27 Actually both of mine don't (I am adopted..therefore 2 or more to be honest Mums!!) lol!!
please record as many lessons as possible with Guthrie.
There's a few more of these on the channel :)
100 thumbs up button please.... he’s the best guitar teacher on youtube imo
This is pure gold. Thanks
Yeah, he is a treasure to mankind 👍
@@dimedetroit Love it, though there is never enough Guthrie Govan lessons :)
He is literally the most intelligent guitar player in modern history. This man is the the professor's professor!
What about Frank Zappa and Dweezil.....
I can't decide which is more entertaining, hearing him play, or hearing him talk.
Hes like a hippy version of alan partridge
Haha hahahahaha this is the perfect comment.
@@mattnew33 it's all I could hear in my head
Think I prefer him talking, don't really like his playing or why he feels the need to wanna play fast all the time, by the end of the eighties all of that shred stuff, the arpeggios, the tapping, had been done to death by pretty much everyone and their dog and it became overkill.
I swear thats right
Guthrie Govan is one of the most brilliant musicians alive... He is also an amazingly clear communicator.
@MrMisterMan You shouldn't call yourself a simp
@MrMisterMan no way you’re over 16 based on your replies
Makes him a very good teacher. His videos are some of the best.
Agreed such clear communication of ideas and that too musical ideas!
I know Guthrie says he would be incredibly awkward without music, but I think he would make a good comedian, the guys so charismatic and funny.
He is really funny! Such a great natural charm that shines through the shyness.
English would also be a highly valid option. The man’s mastery of language is really beautiful. He is able to convey concepts which might otherwise become convoluted to explain in a witty, concise and ultimately effective manner.
@Marco Estors wow you must really know the guy to know exactly how he would be. Or you're just a cynical moron who's projecting his own pathetic reality onto others. Either way, bravo
Guthrie is a good guy. I remember when as a young guy he won young guitarist of the year award. He’s a decent well brought up man with good values and work ethic who loves his music and decided to seriously study the guitar instead of other disciplines or academic careers that people of his studious nature normally pursue. Therefore having studied guitar all his life seriously, he is a master of the guitar and other related disciplines. It’s a lesson to all. Talent is only one thing. But unless you apply it with a serious work ethic and consistent study and dedication, you will not achieve your goals or mastery. There are talented musicians I’ve met in the past, complete creative geniuses and self taught naturals but they lacked discipline and morals and a work ethic so they ended up losers, getting nowhere, always chasing drugs and women and wasting their lives penniless and producing nothing. Very sad. This is why there’s so few Guthrie’s around. Because unless you’ve all the necessary requirements and keep working hard, you won’t get anywhere in life. Some don’t care to, but as long as they don’t complain about it or blame others and get jealous of those who did do something in their lives, then I guess it’s ok.
Also if he died his hair and beard, he would be a great Russell brand impersonator
This dudes from another planet - his knowledge combined with actual technical chops across pretty much every discipline is just unmatched IMO
I see Guthrie and immediately click. This guy is Special. Absolutely on Another Level. I could watch and listen to him play & teach all day. G.G. = Beast Mode.
His level of understanding is akin to a person that defuses bombs for a living. He speaks a holy language that only the musical seekers can seek to believe in.
Guthrie has the only valid claim to Bob Ross' heritage as a teacher of the arts. I should be very distressed at the unimaginable chasm between Guthrie's skills and mine, but instead I feel strangely relaxed after watching this video.
i hope his soothing voice that makes you relax, cus realizing how far guthrie's skill compare to me is.. *@SQ>*&!!
I think you can just tell that he absolutely loves it, he isnt judging anyone he is imparting wisdom, I had an old guitar tutor that while he wasnt into the marty friedman style scales as I was he would not ask me to play anything he just taught me, very hard to find. Top blokes.
Justin sandercoe
@@phutureproof So true. I also feel like he's not bullying anyone with his immense knowledge. He's just providing food for thought and backing it up with unfuckwithable logic based on an immense knowledge that was derived from an absolute love of music which was fostered by his family. I think that strong family support is what allows him to be accessible. Either way, he's a friggin genius that is far beyond parlor tricks. Plus, he doesn't need studio magic to produce amazing songs... *steps off soapbox*
This is how humbleness effects people. His playing shows the skill gap but his words show you how to approach his level. I think he knows in a lot of ways he’s on an island, but he’s very good about inviting people to join him.
Im a simple man, I see a channel with quality Guthrie content, I subscribe..
Sadly, I feel like I haven't seen any "new" videos of Guthrie in a long time. Seeing this made me very happy. Thank you!!!
He hasn’t. Which sucks. I’m glad he made this too.
Just a shame that it's 2020 and videos are still being uploaded in 720p... I had to shrink this down to the mini player on my screen to remove the pixellation! 😂
And seeing him look exactly the same as the old videos too.
I think this might be old because now he has gray hair.
He was doing tours with the Aristocrats up until Covid. I saw him in Dublin back in Feb '20. He was excellent, of course, but I do wonder if he's become tired of music/guitar or something. It must be a very difficult time to be an artist right now.
Imagine how good Guthrie has become with all the practice during quarantine
It's just unfair
I bet he has A minor pentatonic down by now.
Can he become any better?
Xc Force maybe
At this point I believe he's able to play guitar with his mind, not using his fingers anymore tbh xd
Was so star struck to just give him a nod of recognition on an underground train.
And he simply gave a modest nod and a smile back.
Such a humble Legend ❤🤘🦁
In my honest opinion. He IS the guitarist of the new age. I am obsessed with guys like Satriani, Lynch, DiMartini, Blackmoore, Malmsteen, Sambora etc etc. But I always somehow compare them to Guthrie. And everytime they just come up short. Guthrie has an amazing ability to just be in the "mode" no pun intended. He can play virtually every genre, flawlessly. Hes very creative, and he always keeps my ears perked, sometimes expecting the next note, and sometimes not. He's really a breathtaking musician, and a truly gifted guitariest. I don't think there's anybody on the planet, that could go 1 on 1 against Guthrie and win. #sorrynotsorry.
Matteo Mancuso all the time
With all due respect to GV, Buckethead is the 🐐 and sadly he doesn't talk.
@@matteob7320 he aint nowhere close nor have the phd iq of Guthrie to begin with.
@@Marco-bh9im to begin with phd iq is total nonsense... to end with
@@matteob7320 No it's not nonsense. Guthrie is at a much higher level in all aspects. Mancuso's musicality, understanding and playing is at a bachelors degree level compared to Guthrie phd level, capisce? Or Mancuso is still at high school music whereas Guthrie is at university as the professor. Comprehend?!
In other words: Musical context is critical, using your ears is essential, playing with relevance and sensitivity is advised.
Beautifully summarized
Ear music is a must
I think this is where players hit a plateau though, once you're consciously looking to express music rather than learn technique (which really is the first few years of an instrument) it quickly becomes a source of frustration. I often find I can't play anything emotionally relevant despite having good technique/theory in the back of my head. Suppose it's like being able to speak vs telling a story.
"I'm not playing any wrong notes"
Not that you ever could if you tried, Guthrie...
If he did, music theory would expand for them to be right
I enjoyed the fuck out of this comment James
That means I can do something on guitar not even Guthrie can do.
These comments killed me tbh
@@matthewlyle3295 yours as well
Please please please more of these!!
OK, stand by for more Guthrie goodness! :)
@@dimedetroit awesome!
Nice.
A genius at teaching, making the difficult theory entertaining. I always feel better after watching him talk theory - a national treasure.
Guthrie has the rare combination of being a brilliant player and an equally gifted teacher.
Jaw dropping! And he seems like a lovely chap who really just wants to help. Our community is much richer with Guthrie in it!
This is a fantastic “use your intuition” guide to improvising. Some notes in the scale over that chord are destination notes (such as the chord tones of the chord you’re on) and some notes in that scale are the tension notes. They beg to be resolved with a destination note and sound wrong if you leave a phrase hanging with them. But starting out, the main thing to know is the notes in the chord. You can get away with a lot as long as you move into one of those notes. Even an actual “wrong” note can sound right if you tie it back into the chord artfully (chromaticism gives you a lot of leeway as long as you always know where you’re going)
I swear in a few more years he will be looked at as the greatest guitarist to have lived. We are lucky to experience this in our time.
His knowledge can help the best players in the world to the beginner guitarists equally. He just knows how to break everything down into such a human way. 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
Always love Guthrie’s method of teaching modes, altered scales, harmony, and tones not as separate unrelated recipes and shapes but rather as the additions to pentatonics - 2nd and 6th interval variations added to minor pent to get three minor modes and 4th and 7th variations added to the major pentatonic to get three major modes (skip locrian) - and that inherent focus on the color or politeness/aggressiveness of interval tones - transfers much more easily into improv, altered choices, and hearing music while exercising technique than does learning patterns of modes or patterns as things unrelated to those basic 1-3-5-7 sounds. Plus that lordly baritone voice and constant clever wordplay makes everything sound enlightening.
There are a lot of incredibly self-aware musicians, but Guthrie is arguably the most articulate about it.
This man has so much music knowledge and creativity in his head it's unbelievable
Guthrie not just play the note... but he understand the sound produced from the note and he know when and where to use it. Super brilliant.
Everyone knows how great a player GG is, but having read his lessons in Guitar Techniques since the early 2000s and watching footage like this, it becomes clear that he is an immensely capable music educator. Thanks, Guthrie!
All notes matter! All scales have an equal right to exist! This man is brilliant.
One day all men will be like Guthrie
‘They have a right to exist’ is the jazz credo. 🤗 Great presentation, Guthrie.
What an absolute GEM he is. What a joy to watch, listen and learn. Thank you :)
I can’t help but smile throughout everything he says and applies to the guitar
Guthrie's just got a very Zen-like approach to guitar. Wish I had witnessed the uncanny machine known as Shawn Lane but Govan's as close as it comes. And I say that with much respect. Peace!
This man is comedic genius. His talent is just mind blowing
There are definitely better notes to play over the various chords and understanding those notes is important because you can't just shred constantly over the notes without holding one note. The min 6 is always iffy over the root chord. Phrygian's flavor note (the sharp root) is iffy over the root chord. Just so many that it's not enough to just know them all. You should HEAR them and you'll never really hit a bad note and HOLD it ever again. Spend a little time with the chords and modes, that's all. The 1, 2 and 5 are always good over its respective chord. :) beyond that.... explore and see what happens. Guthrie knows so much and has some little humor he throws in to make it interesting.
Quite
Are you a wizard?
@@lurker9634 nah. But it'd be nice to have some magic abilities sometimes. hehe
You mean 1, 3 and 5. Also, I swear I see you in every guitar video xd
@@georgetzathas9002 no, I meant 1, 2 and 5. Added 2 or 9 will always sound nice because it is always in both maj and min scales. I mean by 2, a tone. 2 frets. If doing that phrygian, then of course a tone above the root would suck hard. hehehe
Try this lesson !!! Guthrie Govan never ceases to blow me away - especially with his modest , hysterical , understated way and then so casually pulling out these lines and phrases that are so incredible ……good seeing you John , let’s ride tomorrow 👍🚵♀️
YES... The relationship between speed and dissonance is a challenge. It''s not about what not to play in slower passages, it's working out how to support increasingly dissonant notes in the listening context while not losing your audience! My tip is to isolate and record the section in question and experiment with various options, then reinsert back into the music. Nice one G 😁
To my ears, all of that was beautiful. Govan has progressed to a point where nothing sounds bad
Pete Townshend once said: if you play a wrong note once it's an error, playing twice it's a lick.
I heard the same thing, but its called jazz
I've done this many times, and it works. It doesn't matter what genre you're playing, and it doesn't necessarily sound like jazz. If you play the same note a third time though, it becomes wrong again.
Adam Neely: repetition legitimizes
repetition legitimizes
repetition legitimizes
Sounds like Pete right ?
Miles Davis said: if you play a wrong note, play it again so the audience thinks its part of your genius.
A genius and a comic. God truly blessed this man.
0:15 All modes are created equal, except Locrian.
Until he plays it
@@nicoloparacini633 Haha, yep totally, can't argue with that!
@Leigh Hewit Hahah, love it! A great song, coupled with a Python reference? What more could we want?!?!!
I've got a vague memory of watching a video about how Army Of Me isn't actually Locrian, because Bjork sings the 5th- could be totally misremembering though!
@@JbfMusicGuitar I remember having a discussion in the youtube comment section on some video where it claims it was locrian. If I remember correctly, I didn't regard it as C locrian but as some mode of Bb. That had something to do with the bassline playing the Bb on the strong beats of the bar, therefor kind of implying that the root from which to build the scale is Bb, not C, something along those lines.
He even said it was rubbish one time
Besides that he is the best guitarist of our time - i also truly believe he is the best teacher of all time.
This video’s 1 downvote is from Guthrie’s razor. Has been unemployed for years
Think it was jealousy
I was wondering about that.
that neck beard has got to go.
TH-cam comments tend to not yield audible laughter from me. Today is not that day.
And his toothbrush as well
Love these explainations, he's the GOAT.
I'm french, partly from Algeria and also a bit Turkish so these intervals sound familiar to me, exactly as maj7 or the blue note. I always open my chorus in jam sessions with phrygian and minor harmonics in order to disturb the audience in order to get their focus.
I think it is due to culture: those intervalles are less common in USA but in Europe we are more used to hear these eastern influences: Django Reinhart, all the east Europe influences, in jewish music, arabic music...
It's all about curiosity and pushing our musical boundaries beyond: it doesn't matter if you like it or not, as soon as you know why it disturbs you I think you'll be less offended ;)
There's a concept for this called Tolerance of Dissonance. Sure, the tritone sounds unresolved - it's supposed to - but that doesn't mean you can't leave your phrase on it. In fact, it gives you an opportunity to resolve the next phrase to the fourth or fifth or even the root. Hell, you could build a series of resolutions built on a diminished seventh arpeggio. We can't be ending all our phrases on chord tones every time. That doesn't even make musical sense.
Yeah I think this guy is too bogged down in theory and scalar patterns dictating how he expresses himself, that's where one sacrifices their feel over technique.
When he deems some notes as 'wrong' it's all about the context in which they are placed and a host of other factors.
Music isn't a science, and him treating it as such will never yield an emotional connection with an audience.
@@pleasepermitmetospeakohgre1504 Implying Guthrie can't play with "feel" and only relies on theory is hilarious.
Well I can't say I totally agree with you but at the same time, Guthrie isn't reinventing the wheel, he just paraphrased what decades of knowledge from past guitarists already know.
@@jademonolith For sure. The general advice is to end your phrases on chord tones. The thing is, though, that every tone is a chord tone. Plus, if lines are to be conversational, does each one of your sentences end perfectly resolved? Mine don't.
Some of the cleanest, most lovely melodic playing ever.
Good to see a new GG video, haven't heard or seeing him in a while.
There is so much musical wisdom in just this brief talk. I come back to this quite often and I direct friends and acquaintances who are new to playing the guitar or any other instrument to this video.
1:32 Layla by Clapton. Guthrie is cheeky
No, it’s just an incredibly common pentatonic lick
@@maxeh9879 Really? It might be a common lick but I've heard Guthrie put such easter eggs multiple times whenever he improvs
@@aakashmondal789 I know what you mean, but in this case specifically I wouldn’t say it’s right to assume that he purposefully wedged Layla into it, I think it’s much more likely that he just did it by accident
I’ve had the amazing opportunity to do a masterclass with Guthrie.
I was ever to fall into a lot of money I wouldn’t go spending it on Lamborghinis or penthouse apartments, I’d put it on a lifetime of lessons with this man.
Damn just a couple hours ago I was thinking I haven't seen a Guthrie vid in a few months & bam this shows up in my feed. Must be fate. I need this lesson. Then again I need any guitar lesson he's willing to give.
Guthrie - thank you. The world is a better place with you in it. Your verbal and musical articulation are second to none.
1:11 - 1:20 what are the theories behind these chords? it sounds fusion and jazzy
I saw him playing 9ths and sounds like 7ths too. Common chord variations used to spice up music :)
e
b 6 13 10 5 7 5
g 7 12 9 4 0 0
d 8 13 10 6 0 0
a 8 11 8 4
e 3 1
I transcribed this for you.
the chords are Bb, the next 3 are in drop-2 voicing, AbMa7, FMa7, Dbmi7, the last 2 chords
are hard to name, let's just say Emi9 with no root, and Fma9 but who really knows.
There might be a better way to name the chords but im just doing roots since there's no key.
So if you want to learn these voicings they're called drop 2 voicings.
Unequaled - in the parlance of our times. This fella is of a class of knowledge and communication that simply is supreme. I a, very inspired by his playing, teaching and entertained in his way of communicating…what else could you want?
Guthrie: "No one wants to hear that"
Metalheads: Hold my minor 2nds
I agree with the commenter who said to record as many Guthrie lessons as possible. My absolute favorite guitar instructor. I never get tired of listening to his insight, wit and wisdom in regards to all things music, in particular; theory and the guitar. Thanks very much for this video!
This is why Frank Zappa is so great. He made all those ‘wrong’ notes sound amazing
This dude fascinates me. He looks like a hippie, but talks like a professor with a doctorate in music theory. You can tell by the way he talks and plays, he knows what he's talking about.
th-cam.com/video/yfsU5KfF6LE/w-d-xo.html
YEEEAH!!!!
Well, don't be superficial then
A good example of why we shouldn’t judge by appearances
All genuinely intelligent people look something like this, because they care very little about anything that isn’t abstract.
@@InceyWincey lol, what does «looks like this» mean? The guy has a great beard, nice hair and is slimmer than 98% of men his age
I can't tell you how much I enjoy your dialogue Mr Govan...
I´m usually not into "supergroups", but I imagine Govan+Wooten+Bozzio would be able to rip a hole into spacetime with unimaginably fantastic music
Well, I would argue that Govan+Beller+Minnemann (aka *The Aristocrats* ) is just as much of a super group - only with a more modest drum kit.
How on earth have I gone this long without ever knowing Guthrie Govan exists? What an incredible guy! I look forward to exploring his playing more!
Thanks DIME!
Chips and sauce. Minor pentatonic = chips. The flat 5 note is the sauce. Chips without sauce is boring. Too much sauce ruins your chips. Use sauce repsonsibly!
Guthrie is king!
I met him back when I was at Musicians Institute. He is such an amazing person and talented artist.
I must be weird, because I enjoyed everything that "nobody wants to hear" the most.
Me too. We're weirdos.
It's not too bad if you use the tension it brings to your advantage
Try listening to Jazz...Sounds like you would be a fan. Out of time, tourette's syndrome style of phrasing, ect.
It is pleasant to some people.
If you like those tense "wrong" notes you should give the aussie band 'the Drones' and 'Tropical Fuck Storm' a go. Killer musicians who use them in some of the coolest ways i've heard.
those parts sounded incomplete, but they sounded like they could be followed well by another cool part, leaves some good tension
Well, thank you for clarifying professor Govan.
I wonder if he ever gets tired of being in “THE AVATAR STATE” all the time.
To achieve that you have to be at his level on multiple instruments, if he dies tomorrow, he only would have mastered one element
Lol
wgerd98 he seems to be the only AVATAR to master ONE ☝️ ELEMENT to a point that transcends all other elements together to defeat The Justin Bieber Lord!
Lol
@MrMisterMan damn son, you better watch your diet, too much salt can be bad for you.
I could literally listen to Guthrie wax on about anything. All Day. START A PODCAST PLEASE!
Mate, being Spanish myself, nothing sounds wrong to me. It sounds Flamenco. Beautiful!!
Being Portuguese myself, this sounds like Fado to me. 😀
Everything in music is aesthetics :)
AKA nothing wrong with either, etc :)
I agree. Sounded totally appropriate
As always a pleasure to listen to. Brilliant
Why is this man so absolutely brilliant on every level. iQ eQ and wit, all crammed into a universal language. Praise the Lord for mr Govan.
Not only a world class player but a fantastic teacher as well. Very few of those. Thanks Double G.
Guth, you're the KING OF KINGS, THE LORD OF ALL! ....and you even look like Him.
Praise be to our Lord and Saviour Guthrie Govan!
This guy has a special way of relaying this information in a manner that makes sense. Somebody should really pay him for a few days of his time, and just record as many of these kind of lessons as humanly possible.
This wasn't just a guitar lesson... this was a 400 level Harvard philosophy course
that was some Hogwarts shit, bro
Right
Damn, I thought it was illegal to play a mode if the note wasn’t in the chord until he put it like that.
I don't think there is anyone better
Can you imagine a guy like Angus
Taking a lesson from this guy haha
no shit. my brain exploded in about the first 37 seconds.
The "what A minor??" moment had me in stitches. So funny and so smart!
It's interesting to see similarities in philosophy of one of the greatest guitar players to one of the greatest bass players - Victor Wooten. They both insist on playing and not being afraid of those "surprising" or "interesting" notes. Or as many of us would call them - wrong notes. Getting rid of this idea of wrong notes all together is a liberating feeling.
I agree with that !!! ;)
I love you Guthrie. I never consider anyone elses "theories" or "lessons" because yours are more about why you can do what you can do with which mode/scales. Where are my Lydian buddies at?
Guthrie: Let me wipe your memory.
people with perfect pitch:
I this some kind of peasant joke I am supposed to understand?
An incredible musician who knows how to explain music so well.
The way he looks at us when he stops on 'bad' notes. Laughing my ass off
oh wow what a joy to see him play , a pure genius on guitar, a one in a billion talent
"Learn how unpleasant those notes are, so you can use them responsibly..." I would give my life savings in allowance to be enlightened by this man in person...
the most genious explanation on how music works
Every time I see Guthrie, I see Ian Anderson - so similar, yet so different
You're not the only one. Ian Anderson from the Thick as a Brick days.
First interview I’ve seen of him. Clearly a genius.
''I'm playing all the right notes....Just not necessarily in the right order''. -
Eric Morcambe.
4:34 - that doesn't sound like a mistake to my ears, but mostly because as a player (and a listener), I'm anticipating and expecting (with tension!) it to resolve.
This is fantastic, in what program are the Guthrie classes available on your website ? Can they be purchase seperately ? Thanks
You can find most of them on JTC youtube channel and website, if you want more of him you can check his trio band with two other beast players bryan on bass and marco on drums. His band name is 'The Aristocrats'. Hope I whatever information I provided was helpful to you sir. CHEERS
Hi Francis, our Creative Industries courses have lots of content like this - website link in the description :)
He is exceptional at both: playing the guitar and explaining plainly how he makes it sound so good
Phrygian mode was approximately the ancient Dorian. Plato and aristotle loved it. But it is a matter of what one decides to emphasise. They were giving a lot of emphasis on the fourth degree of the scale (perfect fourth) and they were using rhythms that were mimicking the spoken language. Also many times the mode was played from the higher notes to conclude on the bass notes. Then there is a whole different mood created, kind of epic and heroic, one could say.
Ah nice one, thanks. I'm always interested in the older applications of music and its theory. The Gregorians had 12 modes if I remember correctly, which were hyper variants of our refined tertian system. I'm not sure if the eras overlap, but worth a look into if you haven't already.
What a great explanation and exceptional playing... and nice bloke
3:05 Me: Oops, I've made a mistake.
Guthrie Govan: No, you have to learn how unpleasant those notes so that you can then use them responsibly.
This is the first and only time I'll pay attention to a health & Safety message.
amazing linguistics / dialectics, makes such advanced concepts graspable for the casual musician's brain
Its all based on context. To people unexposed to eastern music such as balkan, greek, arabic, etc, those phrygian notes may sound "wrong" , but in fact the western listener simply isnt accustomed to the "feel". To the ecclectic, those notes sound perfect. Personally, i get a profound sense of mystery and awe when playing those notes and scales.
For sure. And in my own playing (and no doubt Guthrie knows this as well) those sour notes are great to linger on before resolving them into something more “pleasing.” Or just staying there and really owning the dissonance. Like he said it takes an understanding of the mode and the moods it can evoke so you can responsibly use dissonant sounds. For a beginner though it’s better to have them avoid those notes as much as possible until they have that confident grasp of the scale and actually have intention behind their playing.
Definitely the best guitar teacher in the world. I could listen to him for hours, and he makes me get things I failed to understand for a moment.
I should've been practicing like he did way back when, instead of raiding my dad's liquor cabinet!
Hahaha !!
I appreciate videos like this because it puts into words some of that which many of us know almost instinctively, that there are intervals and notes which aren't *wrong*, but should be part of a statement, a sentence that ends on some sort of resolution.
Wonderful lesson in note choice psychology...and the art of playing right notes that are actually wrong... awesome...