It's one of those riffs that you can spend 3 aggravating months not getting anywhere with, but then suddenly it kicks in when the muscle memory gets it right and you start to relax.
@@jaconova completely worth the effort imo, you can always learn a new technique or chords while learning other artists songs to use in your own creation. For instance in learning #41 by DMB, it gave me the ability to stretch my fingers and allow me to somewhat comfortably fret the 3rd and 5th chords in the verse without using my stubby ass thumb.
Stumbled upon this song for the first time today. Let's say I've been trying it for... 30 minutes. Long way to go, haven't even made the intro yet, which I'm learning from Cifraclub channel, but this comment feels like a light at the end of the tunnel there. I also feel like (hope) if one gets the intro groove right, the rest comes along smoother afterwards
Meh kinda but same time the first album you're not thinking I'm gonna be famous.. It's coming from your soul. Also usually the first album includes songs you have been playing for years tweaking a little here and there
I'd be honored if some John Mayer fans who remember his music from the early '00s would take a listen to my acoustic piano & vocal performances of CLARITY and QUIET on my YT channel in tribute to the ongoing brilliance of the boss. Live acoustic with no autotune or digital editing. Thanks and peace.
I toured with Mayer 7 years. (Was there at 0:50) I heard/saw him do that song each of the almost 300 shows. The middle of the setlist merely said "JM SOLO". He'd play three acoustics there, but we didn't know what. Sometimes Wonderland or Stop This Train. and when he dropped that low E to C, I knew it was Neon. Always amazed how his thumb climbed up the neck for all of the low notes. The last chord, that thumb reaches waaaay past the fingers. I guess he has no fat on it to mess up the clean note :D Thanks for the detailed video. His playing is worthy of note.
Man, i would love to sit down and just pick your brain for hours. just looked you up. youve done some wild stuff, i studed audio engineering years ago. I bet youd have some great insights and interesting stories!
@@haydenmoore584 It definitely was a learning experience being with such an A-list crew, and being around such heavyweight musicians. I learned so much as a songwriter, as a singer, as a guitar player, and assisting Rene Martinez and setting up John’s rig.
@@mccloysong looking to make strat noiseless with no muddleingin in low high mix along with a 7 way with toggles if you have suggestions on parts to make some jimi scream I am all ears. Was gonna talk to smokey bs in the morning. Much love keep rocking!!
You nailed it low e to c. "He said he used to tune it to that in his bedroom after discovering the legend Charlie Hunter. He'd tune it down to C then all of a sudden it would re-contextualize the string. Then nothing's where it should be on the guitar anymore so he had to figure out what he can do that's in this song so that he can work around with it. He talked about how he had a weird natural thing he would do with his hand where he would do a thumb tap pick sequence that eventually turned into the rhythm of that picking at the start of the song." - John's words telling the story about how he came up with the song at his show in Vancouver on April 10/2023
Well the singing over isn't an issue if you've listened to the song to the point of knowing every single interval and timings. since it's the same picking pattern all the time (except for the pre chorus) and the singing starts and ends at the same point after everytime you finish the riff, it's really just the groove and consistency that's the hard part. Disconnecting your mouth from your fingers by staring into the abyss is also a great way to do it lol.
@@viktorceder4985 It's still an obvious layer of difficulty to an already complicated riff. There's plenty of great guitarists that don't sing while downpicking basic 8th Notes. Mix in an actual riff that is considered easy, and many still don't do that. So singing while playing a difficult riff, is simply insane, and is at a master level.
@@gredangeo Except that im not a master by any means. Singing over was never an issue for me when learning the song because of how many times I'd listen to the song prior. Belief chorus is arguably his hardest guitar part to play and sing over, and im not sure anything else even comes close. I wanted to learn belief the same day I heard it for the first time thus much harder to figure out the playing while learning the singing.
I use it on Going to California by Led Zeppelin. See I’m that guy who normally uses 4 fingers, but just like Paul said about John Mayor and Mark Knopfler, they use it to keep a groove going. If you think of your thumb as a metronome it’s really interesting to see what you can do with two fingers lmao. (Also, don’t think because I’m writing this your joke wasn’t funny. It’s bad that the first thing I thought was “now this does bring a smile to my face”😂)
@@arnavdeshpande2581 It's the flow needed. You practice that technique at a slow pace, then you add in the chords and slowly speed up. It just takes hard work
No it really sounds gay, why dosen't Vinny grow his OWN beard intead of relentlesly Staring at some other dudes beard, Vinnie youve been voted gay by your own comments, Would you like to add anthng Vinny?
This part was originally written on piano by Clay Cook when he and John were a duo here in Atlanta, that’s part of why it’s so tough to play correctly on guitar. Great video man!
Absolutely! Lo-Fi Masters had more talent in their band than any 10 member band I've ever seen! Lol. But for real, John and Clay writing, recording, and playing together was basically unfair.
I remember as a kid, before I played any instrument I heard 'Your Body is Wonderland', and I thought John Mayer was hot garbage. It took me years later, after I picked up guitar, a friend actually showed me a video of John playing this song, and I was completely gobsmacked. He's by far one of greatest guitarists of this generation, and to think all I thought was he was some "popstar" when I was growing up.
I got to meet John Mayer around 1999/2000 when he was opening for Guster. I had heard a few of his songs and tried to play them and realized he must have huge hands. So my buddy and I got to hang out with him after the show. The first thing I asked him was to put his hand up- each of his fingers is about a joint longer than mine! Funny night.
When Mayer played in Denmark recently, he honestly had a pretty arrogant vibe around him. Like he didn't really want to play and just wanted to get paid and leave. Pretty disappointing concert. The music sounded good as you'd expect, but there was no stage personality
It's hard to explain to people who don't play guitar just how insane of a song Neon is. I've been playing for almost 15 years, and it's the one song that truly frustrated and stumped me. I gave up trying to learn it after just 2 days, because I was so confused. It's such a unique composition and unlike any other song I've ever tried to learn. To me it proves that Mayer is a musical savant.
After hours and hours of trying to play this I just give up and intentionally threw a guitar pick in the sound hole just to shake my guitar violently in anger to get it out.
Thanks for the ( non destructive) tip on how to punish instruments for not playing well enough in our hands. I will try the " pick- shake treatment" on my mandolin & ukulele. See if that doesn't smarten them the hell up!
I tried it. Paul's right. Don't try this. I have like Steve Vai hands and even for me it was uncomfortable. I usually play bass notes with my thumb but this chord is something else.
I was there at the Live in LA/Where The Light Is Concert. Neon was the first song he played and the crowd went nuts when they heard the low c. I still remember it. And you are so right about this song. I've been practicing it for years. Sometimes, it also helps to have a guitar that resonates correctly. I play a Martin DM and the low end doesn't speak like it does on a D-28.
@Magnus Ramsey I think you meant to write the D28 works if you plug it in. That depends on what y8u define as 'work's, the D28 is too stiff to get the top moving by finger picking oh I fingerpick on mine but it's best suited for flat picking. I never plug in my acoustics , always mic them. John uses an OM fur LA live and it looks as though he uses an LDC mic , I've looked and I can't see s cable coming out only a guitar strap but he may be plugged in too. Fact is you will never get that sound only from plugging in an acoustic. OMs 00s or 000s are much better suited for songs like Neon. I'm drooling over Pauls Collings it sounds fantastic. And he plays it like a god
You've explained this in a way I never could. KUDOS on that alone, let alone your diligence in learning to play it in such a pleasant and authentic way.
I for one, really appreciate this video and all the hard work that went into producing it. For the first time, it opened my eyes to see the level of genius that John Mayer is. I've listened to John's songs for the longest time but never really thought about how complex his songs are. Aside from playing this crazy song, which in and of itself is an extremely difficult thing to do; John is singing! That concept is just wild to me.
Show this to anyone who says John isn’t a master guitarist...I don’t listen to his stuff much, but videos like this of clearly amazing guitarists picking apart his music and just showing how incredibly intricate it is really shows off his skill and style
I don't see anything "masterful" about it. It's something difficult to do because you didn't learn technique the way he did. But it's nothing complicated or difficult (or inspiring). Watch Stanly Jordan play and tell me how this is in the same universe of "difficulty" as what he does.
Ive been binge watching your videos and Ive been really inspired. I sat my guitar down after playing for many many years, 35 years in fact. I hit a wall in my playing and time became sparse in my life to break through it....After watching your videos I picked my guitars up again last night. With rusty flat strings I went through some triad exercises you were doing and just had a moment again. Im headed to the music store to buy a few sets of strings to get all of my guitars back up and running. Im 50 now and my guitars have been sitting for about 5 years and I almost forgot how much I love them. Thank you very much for what you do Sir (Paul). Sub'd and Bell'd
I literally played it "wrong" since ever... I don't have classical background and was wondering why my picking timing sucked. This video solved it almost instantly! Thank you.
Then you clearly dont pay attention to the guitar world. He has been known as one of the best blues guitarist alive for awhile now and even Clapton thinks he's the best alive... hard to say that's "underrated"
I don’t think anyone who plays the guitar would underrate Mayer. But I think because of his commercial success, casual listeners would never know that he is a master.
To everyone who is intimidated by the title of this video. Don't be! This song is very doable if you have some (slappy) fingerstyle and general guitar skills. I thought it was impossible, but using this video and the live version and other youtube videos I did it! You can too.
Agreed. I just started learning this today (keep in mind that I've been playing guitar for about a year, but I've been a pianist for 10 years so my finger dexterity is better than it would be otherwise), and it's coming along much quicker than I expected. I think that the hardest part of this riff is figuring out how Mayer plays it, and that is solved by videos such as this one.
I think the reason people think it’s so difficult is because they try and learn it when they’re just a beginner. I’ve been playing for a few years seriously and although it is a little tricky it’s not that difficult for me. Just practice.
i know haha. i learned this last week and it only took me about a day or two to get it down comfortably (not perfect) i definitely surprised myself with all the comments about this song.
Actually no! I learned this in 2 days! Not the whole thing of course but I can play maybe the first 30 seconds? If you wanna learn this song, I suggest learning who says or stop this train.. Or both.. But they're essentially the same, in terms of fingerpicking and slap technique.. I had so much trouble learning who says because I'm not used to using only 2 fingers and I'm not used to the slapping technique but once I got it down, learning Neon was a piece of cake.. Kind of😎
@Theo Emanuelsson aw shit, my mistake. I somehow got confused. I mean, Who says and stop this train are similar. I'm too lazy to re-read my comment.. Who says and stop this train are not the same as neon but they help make it easier to learn neon.. I totally contradicted myself..? Im confusing myself haha, you're 100% right.
@Theo Emanuelsson I think my whole comment is wrong , I probably confused myself because I mention who says, stop this train, and neon.. idek but the point is you're 100% correct
I was a bit late coming to the JM party so Live was my first album/DVD - and the first song, after the noodling in the hills? Neon! Been hooked ever since.
Not only is he playing all this while singing, he is also using his thumb to play the bass notes on the low E string. Mind cannot compute. System overload, rebooting.
Which is also how he slides on the last bass line notes. Which wasn’t mentioned in this video. Nearly impossible without using the thumb. Still can’t get the slide down
This riff was fun to learn. So much technique involved to get it to sound like JM, It’s beena couple months since I started learning it, finally feels completely natural to me.
Neon has always been one of my favorite riffs of all time and I have never been able to play it remotely proper, though I've tried. Ever since I first heard the song when I was around ten, I somehow knew then how unbelievably insane it was that John was playing the riff in this way, and singing the song at the same time. Thanks for explaining all the elements that come together to make this song so special.
mannn, love the way u explaining about this song so much, also this 10:14 editing while you play the song while you explaining things was the best part of the video.
The main riff isn’t that bad if you do it over and over again. HOWEVER, tackling the improv, live intro, and solo is another beast. Fun to learn/play! Worth every second.
This video truly shows just how genius that man is when it comes to song writing. Breaking it down like this really shows how incredible it is and that bass line really brings it WAY over the top. He's simulating 3 different types of instrument at once. Just crazy.
This is encouraging because I have been told I’m pretty good at finger picking but only use my thumb and index finger….using the others has always been too difficult to me…so that gives me hope to learn this song 😂
Paul, great work! Isn't it amazing that, in general, we'd never show a new person to learn this style - but the material that comes from such a style is remarkable. In reality, John plays the acoustic steel string like it's a classical, the low C gives the growl. Tough piece as we have to adapt not just notes, but style and then singing on top of it!
I remember hearing this song for the first time (as a guitar teacher) and thinking how on earth does one person do all that with two hands? Great video, and song.
This is my favourite warm up song of all time, its so difficult to get right but once it sits, it really sits. I can never forget it, no matter if it goes 3 months since the last time I touched it, it sits in my fingers perfectly, its such an exercise I think everyone should attempt to play it. Though i do not play on the E-string with my thumb, IDK how he does that with his hand, he is not human.
I love to hear teacher with a beautiful voice , close your eyes & his tone & his vibe can awaken that crush on your professor like all you want to do is get a hug from him and smell his sweater from his shoulder to his neck , think about how you want him to get behind you and place his hands on your guitar and show you his mastery. I've never taken music or been to college but my fantasies start here with Paul. He can play the music teacher in any movie I would like to see , He is like the most interesting man in the world . If he is my teacher , I am his best student . I am memorizing everything he says , watching his lips move .
For any John Mayer song go to Zartimus, he's not the best player but I'll be damned if he misses one single muted note or percussive slap in his tutorials.
This video makes me wanna learn this riff. Guess I’ll just hit the first note and then start playing something much easier. Yeah I’m in that guitar noob mood right now
This is (by far) one of my favorite guitar songs. Great observation on the bass notes. That bass-riff throughout the song really does carry it along and give it a lot of contrasting depth. Thanks so much for the breakdown.
This video is absolutely outstanding! Thank you for taking the time to create such a wonderfully crafted educational piece. Now please forgive me, but I have to ask, what is the brand of that grey jacket/cardigan you are wearing atop your white shirt? It is very appealing to me! :)
Simon T it is pretty nice! Pretty much all I’m qualified to comment on! I’m here because people are comparing Alejandro Aranda to John Mayer. And I commented that John Mayer didn’t do much for me. But, he’s pretty cool too :)
Spazr you’ll only get hurt if you push yourself to your absolute physical limit. If it starts hurting more than normal, just remember that many people physically can’t play this song.
One of the things that I love about your channel is that you are so open and honest about those passages, songs, and licks that you strive to play accurately, and subsequently correct yourself.
I remember the first time i got into this channel was because of this video. After watching this i immediately subscribed. A year later i can now safely say im not a beginner guitarist anymore T.T and that's thanks to you, Paul.
It's not quite there yet though. One of the parts I like about the riff is how his thumb slides from the second to last and to the last base note. That slide is the thing that takes the riff to another level for me. So not playing with the thumb (which I can't do at all because my thumb don't bend enough for that) limits the execution a lot.
I play 12 bar blues instinctively ,I'm Lazy and impatient and i'm stuck in more than one rut . I enjoy watching you break down guitar with the most complex chords . I'll never use my thumb . I've not really dedicated time to actual practice or theory . I do bang out noise every day and I love all things guitar , and I think if I find the right guitar effects pedal I'll instantly become a better player , practice be damned .
EXCELLENT VIDEO! I see someone else is a John Mayer stan for the right reasons. Really like how you are so passionate and really break the song down!!! Also the something's missing joke sent me. Would love to see more stuff analyzing and playing his stuff! Brilliant.
Paul, I and many others can’t explain our appreciation in words for you. I don’t know if these are supposed to be tutorials but for me they work absolutely amazing as one + you’re teaching songs that I’d never would think of learning if it wasn’t for you. Thank you very much!
@@Airakobra he means he didn't think about it in such a technical sense. he probably noodled it together and came up with it. he wasn't like hmmm i wonder how i can incorporate my flawed picking technique into a rhythmical element. he just made it with 15 years of guitar experience.
you're playing it all wrong. you didnt say "Good Evening" at the beginning
Gabriel Ordonez HAHAHAHA true
HAHAHHAHAHA this is gold 🤣🤣🤣
yeah where the light is
Hahahahaha. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
🙌🙌🙌
Me watching this video while glancing at my guitar...
My guitar: *"Don't even think about it!"*
😂
😂😂😂
hahah same
Yo this hits hard 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yea I just looked at my guitar, and it gave me the middle finger.
It's one of those riffs that you can spend 3 aggravating months not getting anywhere with, but then suddenly it kicks in when the muscle memory gets it right and you start to relax.
Yep, like any other basic song...
SadisticStang it ain’t basic bud
And then you realize its not your song, so its not worth the effort. Better create it something similar
@@jaconova completely worth the effort imo, you can always learn a new technique or chords while learning other artists songs to use in your own creation. For instance in learning #41 by DMB, it gave me the ability to stretch my fingers and allow me to somewhat comfortably fret the 3rd and 5th chords in the verse without using my stubby ass thumb.
Stumbled upon this song for the first time today. Let's say I've been trying it for... 30 minutes. Long way to go, haven't even made the intro yet, which I'm learning from Cifraclub channel, but this comment feels like a light at the end of the tunnel there. I also feel like (hope) if one gets the intro groove right, the rest comes along smoother afterwards
The crazy thing ? It's in his first album.
Meh kinda but same time the first album you're not thinking I'm gonna be famous.. It's coming from your soul. Also usually the first album includes songs you have been playing for years tweaking a little here and there
I'd be honored if some John Mayer fans who remember his music from the early '00s would take a listen to my acoustic piano & vocal performances of CLARITY and QUIET on my YT channel in tribute to the ongoing brilliance of the boss. Live acoustic with no autotune or digital editing. Thanks and peace.
After all the crazy things paul said about this song, I read your comment. I wanna cry
Room For Squares is his second album.
I can do it comfortably
Why am I here at 2 am, I don't even know how to play guitar
Please learn
EXACTLY!
Lmao same man it’s 2:26 am here rn
LOL..It's only 5:15 PM here, don't know how to play guitar and have no clue what this dude is talking about
Hahaha that’s awesome
I toured with Mayer 7 years. (Was there at 0:50) I heard/saw him do that song each of the almost 300 shows. The middle of the setlist merely said "JM SOLO". He'd play three acoustics there, but we didn't know what. Sometimes Wonderland or Stop This Train. and when he dropped that low E to C, I knew it was Neon. Always amazed how his thumb climbed up the neck for all of the low notes. The last chord, that thumb reaches waaaay past the fingers. I guess he has no fat on it to mess up the clean note :D Thanks for the detailed video. His playing is worthy of note.
Man, i would love to sit down and just pick your brain for hours. just looked you up. youve done some wild stuff, i studed audio engineering years ago. I bet youd have some great insights and interesting stories!
@@haydenmoore584 It definitely was a learning experience being with such an A-list crew, and being around such heavyweight musicians. I learned so much as a songwriter, as a singer, as a guitar player, and assisting Rene Martinez and setting up John’s rig.
@@mccloysong woah your really cool man nice job :)
@@mccloysong looking to make strat noiseless with no muddleingin in low high mix along with a 7 way with toggles if you have suggestions on parts to make some jimi scream I am all ears. Was gonna talk to smokey bs in the morning. Much love keep rocking!!
You nailed it low e to c.
"He said he used to tune it to that in his bedroom after discovering the legend Charlie Hunter. He'd tune it down to C then all of a sudden it would re-contextualize the string. Then nothing's where it should be on the guitar anymore so he had to figure out what he can do that's in this song so that he can work around with it. He talked about how he had a weird natural thing he would do with his hand where he would do a thumb tap pick sequence that eventually turned into the rhythm of that picking at the start of the song."
- John's words telling the story about how he came up with the song at his show in Vancouver on April 10/2023
What people forget to add is that he SINGS over all that mess.
THATS the icing on the cake.
He mentioned it in the video
Well the singing over isn't an issue if you've listened to the song to the point of knowing every single interval and timings.
since it's the same picking pattern all the time (except for the pre chorus) and the singing starts and ends at the same point after everytime you finish the riff, it's really just the groove and consistency that's the hard part. Disconnecting your mouth from your fingers by staring into the abyss is also a great way to do it lol.
@@viktorceder4985 It's still an obvious layer of difficulty to an already complicated riff. There's plenty of great guitarists that don't sing while downpicking basic 8th Notes. Mix in an actual riff that is considered easy, and many still don't do that. So singing while playing a difficult riff, is simply insane, and is at a master level.
11:02
@@gredangeo Except that im not a master by any means. Singing over was never an issue for me when learning the song because of how many times I'd listen to the song prior.
Belief chorus is arguably his hardest guitar part to play and sing over, and im not sure anything else even comes close. I wanted to learn belief the same day I heard it for the first time thus much harder to figure out the playing while learning the singing.
Last time I used a thumb for the g string I woke up in a police station
Moo goddamnit
Dont you ever do it again boi
That’s why the technique is rarely used publicly
I use it on Going to California by Led Zeppelin. See I’m that guy who normally uses 4 fingers, but just like Paul said about John Mayor and Mark Knopfler, they use it to keep a groove going. If you think of your thumb as a metronome it’s really interesting to see what you can do with two fingers lmao. (Also, don’t think because I’m writing this your joke wasn’t funny. It’s bad that the first thing I thought was “now this does bring a smile to my face”😂)
@@jazzmachine FFS...good effort mate
I think John Mayer also revealed recently how he play Neon on TikTok
If that helped you, you didn’t need it lol
@@evangelionl0vr857 We need a damn tutorial to understand Mayer’s “tutorial “
@@arnavdeshpande2581 It's the flow needed. You practice that technique at a slow pace, then you add in the chords and slowly speed up. It just takes hard work
I can’t stop looking at how clean and thick that beard is
Anon Ymous seems as if 395 people care
Spooderbeck damn ok
Arpit Das shut up man
@@arpitdas4263 idiooottt!!
No it really sounds gay, why dosen't Vinny grow his OWN beard intead of relentlesly Staring at some other dudes beard, Vinnie youve been voted gay by your own comments, Would you like to add anthng Vinny?
This part was originally written on piano by Clay Cook when he and John were a duo here in Atlanta, that’s part of why it’s so tough to play correctly on guitar. Great video man!
Very interesting, thanks! Love your work too man, top notch :)
Paul Davids thanks man!
That's so interesting. Kinda like Asturias(Leyenda)
Absolutely! Lo-Fi Masters had more talent in their band than any 10 member band I've ever seen! Lol. But for real, John and Clay writing, recording, and playing together was basically unfair.
Are there any videos of the two of them playing together? Shout out to CC - the songs he & JM wrote together are legendary
I remember as a kid, before I played any instrument I heard 'Your Body is Wonderland', and I thought John Mayer was hot garbage. It took me years later, after I picked up guitar, a friend actually showed me a video of John playing this song, and I was completely gobsmacked. He's by far one of greatest guitarists of this generation, and to think all I thought was he was some "popstar" when I was growing up.
I got to meet John Mayer around 1999/2000 when he was opening for Guster. I had heard a few of his songs and tried to play them and realized he must have huge hands. So my buddy and I got to hang out with him after the show. The first thing I asked him was to put his hand up- each of his fingers is about a joint longer than mine! Funny night.
Very cool. Funny how guster is almost the unknown now and he got huge.
TimoYork luckyyyyy
dude i fucking miss old guster.
Man, never knew he started by opening for Guster. Love both artists.
When Mayer played in Denmark recently, he honestly had a pretty arrogant vibe around him. Like he didn't really want to play and just wanted to get paid and leave. Pretty disappointing concert. The music sounded good as you'd expect, but there was no stage personality
That freakin live version of neon is sooo damn good. The he plays the guitar while singin. GOOSEBUMPS!
For some reason it sounds like you're narrating a wholesome recipe video, glorious descriptions and step by step explanations ☺
Spot on :-)
binging with davids
This is precisely how I picture a typical John Mayer fan looking and sounding.
Thanks!!
Like an npc?
It's ironic considering I look nothing like this. I could never sound as cool as this guy!
😂
@@GrrFromGrrland RIP npc was so young...
It's hard to explain to people who don't play guitar just how insane of a song Neon is. I've been playing for almost 15 years, and it's the one song that truly frustrated and stumped me. I gave up trying to learn it after just 2 days, because I was so confused. It's such a unique composition and unlike any other song I've ever tried to learn. To me it proves that Mayer is a musical savant.
This is ASMR for guitarists.
Heck yeah man
Totally
I was about to write it but you anticipated me😂
Almost like music for guitarists 😐
He talks to much.
That “Somethings missing” part was very clever
Very deep.
Almost as if it was a new deep...
I see what you did there...
Get out
Thank you, i was wondering which song it was! It would have driven me crazy!
You should win awards for your videos. Those who appreciate such things, really enjoy your creative editing. You care. Thanks.
After hours and hours of trying to play this I just give up and intentionally threw a guitar pick in the sound hole just to shake my guitar violently in anger to get it out.
I felt this
Thanks for the ( non destructive) tip on how to punish instruments for not playing well enough in our hands. I will try the " pick- shake treatment" on my mandolin & ukulele. See if that doesn't smarten them the hell up!
My guitar laughed at me
😂😂ps:-hope you r not angry..its just the pick stuck inside
This comment is so underrated I laughed soooo hard
"warning, if you try to play this shape with your thumb, chances are you will dislocate something in your hand." LOL
I just tried to do it after thinking "how bad can it be ?" It was rather painful hahaha !
I was practicing the song today my index and middle finger kinda locked for a second HAHA
Pow Music would love to know what you think of my 16 year old grandsons live version of this song th-cam.com/video/W2dmLkOjrJE/w-d-xo.html
I tried it. Paul's right. Don't try this. I have like Steve Vai hands and even for me it was uncomfortable. I usually play bass notes with my thumb but this chord is something else.
@@brendahawkins3965 Your grandson was great.
I was there at the Live in LA/Where The Light Is Concert. Neon was the first song he played and the crowd went nuts when they heard the low c. I still remember it.
And you are so right about this song. I've been practicing it for years. Sometimes, it also helps to have a guitar that resonates correctly. I play a Martin DM and the low end doesn't speak like it does on a D-28.
Really? Wow, that would've been a great experience! I only remember the DVD falling on my doormat... Still a memory ;)
You're lucky to be there.
I have D-28. It's absolutely not the right guitar to use for Neon. OM size for finger picking. Like the Collings Paul uses
Lucky bastard !!! :D I hate you! :D
@Magnus Ramsey I think you meant to write the D28 works if you plug it in. That depends on what y8u define as 'work's, the D28 is too stiff to get the top moving by finger picking oh I fingerpick on mine but it's best suited for flat picking. I never plug in my acoustics , always mic them. John uses an OM fur LA live and it looks as though he uses an LDC mic , I've looked and I can't see s cable coming out only a guitar strap but he may be plugged in too. Fact is you will never get that sound only from plugging in an acoustic. OMs 00s or 000s are much better suited for songs like Neon. I'm drooling over Pauls Collings it sounds fantastic. And he plays it like a god
You've explained this in a way I never could. KUDOS on that alone, let alone your diligence in learning to play it in such a pleasant and authentic way.
Thst guy would fit in literally any ikea ad
I do believe he is Scandinavian so...makes sense lol
@@nobodyknew From his accent: must be Dutch. Still makes sense though :P
Huib Piguillet Damnit; I’m usually good at noticing accents, but I presumed this guy to be from some obscure region of Iberia.
He lives in the Netherlands and hes dutch, btw check the video description
how John sings during such a crazy part, it's incredible
I for one, really appreciate this video and all the hard work that went into producing it. For the first time, it opened my eyes to see the level of genius that John Mayer is. I've listened to John's songs for the longest time but never really thought about how complex his songs are. Aside from playing this crazy song, which in and of itself is an extremely difficult thing to do; John is singing! That concept is just wild to me.
hahahahah
Show this to anyone who says John isn’t a master guitarist...I don’t listen to his stuff much, but videos like this of clearly amazing guitarists picking apart his music and just showing how incredibly intricate it is really shows off his skill and style
I don't see anything "masterful" about it. It's something difficult to do because you didn't learn technique the way he did. But it's nothing complicated or difficult (or inspiring). Watch Stanly Jordan play and tell me how this is in the same universe of "difficulty" as what he does.
I really admire players who can come up with something like this on the first place....great analysis
I never felt is was difficult to play @ all. I simply press play on the phone, & it started playing right away.... nothing to it :)
You...
Got me.
Yousician😂😂😂
Hahaha
haha!
jocko john but did you slap the play button? It adds a whole new dimension to things.
Ive been binge watching your videos and Ive been really inspired. I sat my guitar down after playing for many many years, 35 years in fact. I hit a wall in my playing and time became sparse in my life to break through it....After watching your videos I picked my guitars up again last night. With rusty flat strings I went through some triad exercises you were doing and just had a moment again. Im headed to the music store to buy a few sets of strings to get all of my guitars back up and running. Im 50 now and my guitars have been sitting for about 5 years and I almost forgot how much I love them. Thank you very much for what you do Sir (Paul). Sub'd and Bell'd
I clicked thumbs up with my thumb, and index finger, and then i slap-subscribed. Thanks for the video!
Slap subscribe? This is not Davie504 😂
You should receive a Phd from the John Mayer Music University for that research ....!!!
Fv E
Look up Zartimus
Adrian Yuen ok... that guy should receiving a double PhD...
I was thinking the same, then I read your message! The way he conceptualizes knowledge is fantastic!
I literally played it "wrong" since ever... I don't have classical background and was wondering why my picking timing sucked. This video solved it almost instantly! Thank you.
I want bigger thumbs for christmas
Peter Andre you should ask your mysterious girl
@@PeterZeeke Put them on a table and have someone smack them with a hammer
😂
@@PeterZeeke that comment was insaneia
Deal
John Mayer is definitely underrated as a serious guitarist imo.
mrlevinielsen he really isn’t though?
I’ve never heard of anyone underrating him. Lol. The average person doesn’t appreciate the guitar ability and focuses on vocals.
Then you clearly dont pay attention to the guitar world. He has been known as one of the best blues guitarist alive for awhile now and even Clapton thinks he's the best alive... hard to say that's "underrated"
definitely not there is even a prs john mayer
I don’t think anyone who plays the guitar would underrate Mayer. But I think because of his commercial success, casual listeners would never know that he is a master.
To everyone who is intimidated by the title of this video. Don't be! This song is very doable if you have some (slappy) fingerstyle and general guitar skills. I thought it was impossible, but using this video and the live version and other youtube videos I did it! You can too.
Agreed. I just started learning this today (keep in mind that I've been playing guitar for about a year, but I've been a pianist for 10 years so my finger dexterity is better than it would be otherwise), and it's coming along much quicker than I expected. I think that the hardest part of this riff is figuring out how Mayer plays it, and that is solved by videos such as this one.
I think the reason people think it’s so difficult is because they try and learn it when they’re just a beginner. I’ve been playing for a few years seriously and although it is a little tricky it’s not that difficult for me. Just practice.
Awesome perspective
That’s how I thought about learning Spanish fly by Eddie Van Halen it’s ridiculous both crazy to learn by masters of the guitar
i know haha. i learned this last week and it only took me about a day or two to get it down comfortably (not perfect) i definitely surprised myself with all the comments about this song.
@@trendkill3333 Exactly, your the only person who isn't a Sheep on this comment . section
9:56 wow, I wish I can do that, at that speed.
Update: wished to play it 2 weeks ago, now I learned how to play it!
Mind telling us what tutorial you referred to?
Blaine Alvares
th-cam.com/video/oImbkCfhvlc/w-d-xo.html
The tutorial is by Ross Campbell
Ha 69 likes either way congrats
@@luissalcido5694 :)
# good job man glad to hear you learned it
I feel like it would be way easier to figure out how to time travel than learn how to play this song.
Actually no! I learned this in 2 days! Not the whole thing of course but I can play maybe the first 30 seconds? If you wanna learn this song, I suggest learning who says or stop this train.. Or both.. But they're essentially the same, in terms of fingerpicking and slap technique.. I had so much trouble learning who says because I'm not used to using only 2 fingers and I'm not used to the slapping technique but once I got it down, learning Neon was a piece of cake.. Kind of😎
@Theo Emanuelsson It's not exactly the same but they're sooooooo identical.
@Theo Emanuelsson aw shit, my mistake. I somehow got confused. I mean, Who says and stop this train are similar. I'm too lazy to re-read my comment.. Who says and stop this train are not the same as neon but they help make it easier to learn neon.. I totally contradicted myself..? Im confusing myself haha, you're 100% right.
@Theo Emanuelsson I think my whole comment is wrong , I probably confused myself because I mention who says, stop this train, and neon.. idek but the point is you're 100% correct
ImAnEthicalHacker you didn’t learn 30 seconds of this song. Stop lying!
I’ve been playing for a few years now and the live version of this song has always boggled my mind. This video gave me chills.
I was a bit late coming to the JM party so Live was my first album/DVD - and the first song, after the noodling in the hills? Neon! Been hooked ever since.
Not only is he playing all this while singing, he is also using his thumb to play the bass notes on the low E string.
Mind cannot compute. System overload, rebooting.
@Theo Emanuelsson show us how to play it. I WILL WAIT
Which is also how he slides on the last bass line notes. Which wasn’t mentioned in this video. Nearly impossible without using the thumb. Still can’t get the slide down
Rob Smithwick yes! I’m really surprised that he didn’t mentioned it.
If you're a bass player at all that should be natural to play slap bass
@Theo Emanuelsson still waiting
In order to sing while playing this riff, your spirit must be infused with the rhythm. John Mayer is not a guitarist. He’s a State Alchemist.
Doktor Nouveau my 16 year old grandson performs this. Would love to know what you think th-cam.com/video/W2dmLkOjrJE/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/channels/38JyCAb2Xy3kYGeCq2aBQQ.html
Please subscribe
Ed and Al
Sad that a talented guitarist plays such forgettable mediocre music. A soon to be forgotten musician.
Your body is a Wonderland. 😬
This riff was fun to learn. So much technique involved to get it to sound like JM, It’s beena couple months since I started learning it, finally feels completely natural to me.
Damn you Paul another challenge to add to my ever growing list. Nice steez !!
this comment is from 2 days ago?
Yeah how if it's only been a few hours?
I had early access through Patreon. I've been supporting Paul since he opened his Patreon. @@frankiejesus226
Mr Scrofulous is from the Future
john mayer: i just played the damn thing lol 😂
Your videos are so incredible. Absolutely fantastic.
Neon has always been one of my favorite riffs of all time and I have never been able to play it remotely proper, though I've tried. Ever since I first heard the song when I was around ten, I somehow knew then how unbelievably insane it was that John was playing the riff in this way, and singing the song at the same time. Thanks for explaining all the elements that come together to make this song so special.
He said he felt something was missing, proceeds to play Something Missing by John.
fooltothink89 you got the joke
mannn, love the way u explaining about this song so much, also this 10:14 editing while you play the song while you explaining things was the best part of the video.
The main riff isn’t that bad if you do it over and over again. HOWEVER, tackling the improv, live intro, and solo is another beast. Fun to learn/play! Worth every second.
As a guitar teacher, this is the first song that I couldn’t deliver fully for the student. Mayer’s a genius.
John plays it on a Coach/Parlour size Martin, not a standard size guitar, which makes getting your thumb over for the bass notes a whole lot easier.
Not a John Mayer fan, but this riff is magic, as I now know, thanks to another genius. Cheers!
This video truly shows just how genius that man is when it comes to song writing. Breaking it down like this really shows how incredible it is and that bass line really brings it WAY over the top. He's simulating 3 different types of instrument at once. Just crazy.
Absolutely loved this. Insightful, clear, detailed. Simply amazing
im glad you enjoy doing this. whoever is trying to play or learn music should actually be exposed to master opinions and analytics. thank you
This is encouraging because I have been told I’m pretty good at finger picking but only use my thumb and index finger….using the others has always been too difficult to me…so that gives me hope to learn this song 😂
Paul, great work! Isn't it amazing that, in general, we'd never show a new person to learn this style - but the material that comes from such a style is remarkable. In reality, John plays the acoustic steel string like it's a classical, the low C gives the growl. Tough piece as we have to adapt not just notes, but style and then singing on top of it!
8:43 "Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want"
3 years ago I never thought I'd be able to play this song. Now 3 years later I finally realized I was correct.
Alright, you got me. Video comes to an end and I got goosebumps.
You should sell ice to the penguins
You Sir made my day LMAO
Or fridges to the Eskimos
Eskimos do need fridges to keep things from going too cold.
@@Sandarpan well I bet you're real fun at party's aren't yah
@@actionman9900 Not fun enough for the lame jokers
100%. The live version is, hands down, the best. Man...thank you so much for this!!!
Beautifully executed great tutorial I’m new to guitar but now I’m truly inspired to learn. Paul David’s you are a remarkable teacher thank you 👍🏻
I knew it that John Mayer was from another planet. How can anyone (except him obviously)can play this riff. Hats off to him 😵😵
Not just play it, but CREATE it from scratch. Genius!
and don't forget singing along with the riff
No one is going to talk about the QUALITY of this video. Great playing, but masterful storytelling. Thank you!
Beautifully done and WOW on the explanation!
That's what I would call a "song surgery"! Excellent analysis, content and editing Paul👍
I remember hearing this song for the first time (as a guitar teacher) and thinking how on earth does one person do all that with two hands? Great video, and song.
This is my favourite warm up song of all time, its so difficult to get right but once it sits, it really sits. I can never forget it, no matter if it goes 3 months since the last time I touched it, it sits in my fingers perfectly, its such an exercise I think everyone should attempt to play it. Though i do not play on the E-string with my thumb, IDK how he does that with his hand, he is not human.
I started to learn for about 5 minutes ago
Nuzzle I can do it wahahaha
6:53 *Davie504 has entered the chat*
Yesssss face reveal at 1mil
SLAPP like on this comment or I will call the police
He already reveals his laugh haha at 5 million subs
Slap Like Now!
FAKE. Davie504 would never be in a guitar video
I love to hear teacher with a beautiful voice , close your eyes & his tone & his vibe can awaken that crush on your professor like all you want to do is get a hug from him and smell his sweater from his shoulder to his neck , think about how you want him to get behind you and place his hands on your guitar and show you his mastery. I've never taken music or been to college but my fantasies start here with Paul. He can play the music teacher in any movie I would like to see , He is like the most interesting man in the world . If he is my teacher , I am his best student . I am memorizing everything he says , watching his lips move .
Please please please do a tutorial on the rest of the song! Love this song and have been trying to learn it for a while now
cifra club already did It: th-cam.com/video/sf17osuWTnA/w-d-xo.html
For any John Mayer song go to Zartimus, he's not the best player but I'll be damned if he misses one single muted note or percussive slap in his tutorials.
This video makes me wanna learn this riff. Guess I’ll just hit the first note and then start playing something much easier. Yeah I’m in that guitar noob mood right now
This is (by far) one of my favorite guitar songs. Great observation on the bass notes. That bass-riff throughout the song really does carry it along and give it a lot of contrasting depth. Thanks so much for the breakdown.
This video is absolutely outstanding! Thank you for taking the time to create such a wonderfully crafted educational piece. Now please forgive me, but I have to ask, what is the brand of that grey jacket/cardigan you are wearing atop your white shirt? It is very appealing to me! :)
Simon T it is pretty nice! Pretty much all I’m qualified to comment on! I’m here because people are comparing Alejandro Aranda to John Mayer. And I commented that John Mayer didn’t do much for me. But, he’s pretty cool too :)
Great video!! I was stuck trying to play with my thumb. Now i realize that it's a lot easier to play like a normal guy. Thanks
I dislocated my thumb 3 years back when i was learning this song.. tht pain was worth learnt that song 🙈
R u serious? Actually getting scared of trying this now lol
Spazr you’ll only get hurt if you push yourself to your absolute physical limit. If it starts hurting more than normal, just remember that many people physically can’t play this song.
I'm trying really hard right now to stretch my thumb enough, and I have to stop from 10 to 10 min to let it rest
i just use my ring finger
oddly enough, ive never adapted to the proper fingerstyle technique!
im glad to know i can relate to john mayer somehow
One of the things that I love about your channel is that you are so open and honest about those passages, songs, and licks that you strive to play accurately, and subsequently correct yourself.
In order to learn how to play Neon, you need to obsess about playing it EXACTLY like John does. Down to the what finger he uses to hit what string.
Kostas1601 you can do it the right way or the easy way
@@xmccormick Exactly. The right way will always sound better though and it's worth it imo.
Dude in order to play this song I'll have to sacrifice a chicken, throw a cup of salt on to the guitar and awaken the music gods.
This was your best video yet , I love that song the most
Thanks. It helped a lot! You have a very cool channel!
"You'll dislocate something in your hand" 😂😂😂
I remember the first time i got into this channel was because of this video. After watching this i immediately subscribed. A year later i can now safely say im not a beginner guitarist anymore T.T and that's thanks to you, Paul.
Seeing an amazing player like Paul not using the thumb for the monster chords gives me hope in my future with guitar
It's not quite there yet though. One of the parts I like about the riff is how his thumb slides from the second to last and to the last base note. That slide is the thing that takes the riff to another level for me. So not playing with the thumb (which I can't do at all because my thumb don't bend enough for that) limits the execution a lot.
Thanks
What an amazing video Paul - love how it comes together at the end with you adding each element until you have the full riff!
I play 12 bar blues instinctively ,I'm Lazy and impatient and i'm stuck in more than one rut . I enjoy watching you break down guitar with the most complex chords . I'll never use my thumb . I've not really dedicated time to actual practice or theory . I do bang out noise every day and I love all things guitar , and I think if I find the right guitar effects pedal I'll instantly become a better player , practice be damned .
Wow. What a great tutorial!
*Something's missing plays in the background*
Me for some quarantined reason: *Laughs hysterically*
EXCELLENT VIDEO! I see someone else is a John Mayer stan for the right reasons. Really like how you are so passionate and really break the song down!!! Also the something's missing joke sent me. Would love to see more stuff analyzing and playing his stuff! Brilliant.
You are a true master teacher, thank you for show this great musician! New sub
After 3 months practicing, I finally dominate the first part.
"Gudivening"
splendid explanation. what an amazing song
Paul, I and many others can’t explain our appreciation in words for you. I don’t know if these are supposed to be tutorials but for me they work absolutely amazing as one + you’re teaching songs that I’d never would think of learning if it wasn’t for you. Thank you very much!
I don't know if I'm more impressive with his guitar playing or beard?
Definitely beard. Glorious mustache. Burt reynolds, Tom selick? Psssh
You have now 69 likes
Thank you for making this video. This is super super helpful and extremely useful!!!
This could definitely be a Patrick Bateman monologue
nice technical break down though JM probably didn't even think about it
I'd say he thought about the bass line with the arpeggios but I think the percussion came naturally afterwards.
What do you mean? JM is highly educated in music. Of course he thought of it
@@Airakobra he means he didn't think about it in such a technical sense. he probably noodled it together and came up with it. he wasn't like hmmm i wonder how i can incorporate my flawed picking technique into a rhythmical element. he just made it with 15 years of guitar experience.