George Benson's Speed Secrets: I Couldn't Play Fast Until THIS!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 มิ.ย. 2024
- In this video, I'm sharing with you the secret to playing fast - and it's something George Benson knows all about!
George Benson is one of the world's most successful jazz guitarists, and he knows how to play fast. In this video, we're taking a look at some of the techniques George Benson uses to play fast - and it will help you play faster too! Whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, this video is a great way to improve your speed and playing skills.
Intro and outro backing tracks provided by Phil Wilkinson: www.playjazztracks.com
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:40 - First Exercise (Up, Down)
02:24 - Second Exercise (Down, Down, Up)
03:48 - Expanding Second Exercise
05:09 - Adding Hammer-on's and Pull-off's
07:12 - Demonstrating the Exercises
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Wow...!!!
I can't believe it. I'm 64 years old and I've struggled with playing fast and fluid my entire life. I assumed that I was just relegated to not being fast....to being a slow-hand.
And when I saw you play fast in the first exercise..I thought.."I'll never be able to do that that fast."
Well...less than 1 hour later...I'm playing faster and more fluid than I ever have..it's astonishing...I'm amazed at what happened.
Thanks so much...I only wish I'd have discovered this 30 years ago....lol...before I sold me Jazz guitar in shame...
I dont want to admit how many yrs Ive been playing. Have really struggled with accuracy. I watch your attack and it looks very light. A heavy pick hand has always been my nemisis.
Over 20yrs and the same problem. It is embarrassing but i haven't quit and i try to stay rooted in reality.
Your not alone
Yep. This exactly
I agree this is me too. Happy I’m not the only one in the same boat
Me too. And I have noticed many metal shredders also pick very lightly. So I’ve switched to 9s, which helps to pick more lightly. You just can’t hit them so hard! 😅 I’m doing some progress!
Very clearly explained, thank you Nathan! ... Great lesson! 🎸🙏🏻
My pleasure!
I remember learning this from Tuck, from Tuck and Patti. It's a common jazz picking technique I've used since I learned it in '98. Definitely helps clean playing/notes and dexterity
OMG, this is gold, Sir ❤❤❤ thanks, upload more licks for like this and for Jazz blues
Excellent video. Thank you and God bless.
Beautifully explained and produced 🎉🎉🎉
Thanks a lot 😊
Great work, Nathan! Very nice explanation. Makes me think there is hope for this kind of swing in my playing!!
You can do it! Anyone can play like this, it just takes practice!
Excellent video thanks for the technique!
Glad it was helpful!
I like the smoothness of the examples.
As noted somewhat below regarding the pick-holding technique. It appears you are using the pad of the index finger vs. the side. The middle finger adds some support as well? Contact with the string is being made with the right side/backside of the pick vs. the front side. Pick gauge? Light pick grip with the note power coming from the left hand. This also lessens the pick noise. Nice video. Am looking forward to your pick-holding video.
I saw George Benson in Vegas around 1981…. Top five concert ever….a master guitar player and good singer
This is absolutely wonderful. Thanks for posting.
Really appreciate that, thank you!
Excellent presentation, Nathan - will be back for more! And thanks for turning us on to Steve Kavelcheck - 👍👍 to both of his albums - each very different from the other. Great, quirky compositions!
Appreciate that! Yes Steve is great, so glad you’re listening to him!
Very good stuff - high production value and I like the background lighting. subbed! With this technique you strictly avoid awkward inside-picking-motions. never thought about it this way though sometimes inside-picking can feel good - don't ask me why. George Benson seems to be in line with Malmsteen in regards to this technique.
Thanks for the sub and appreciate your support! Also glad you found the video helpful :)
Brilliant breakdown. Thank you
Appreciate that!
Wonderful video 🎸👍 thank you!
Many thanks!!🙏
Thanks for the very helpful video brother ❤
Glad it helped!
Great breakdown, excellent synopsis.
Much appreciated!
Thank you for this nice explanation.
You are welcome! I hope it helps you!
What an awesome lesson.
Thanks! 😃
Just found your channel. I'm a self-admitted hack, and I had been struggling with alternating picking for decades. What you are sharing here will solve a few issues I have had with that. Great video! Sweet chops. Thanks for posting.
So glad this was helpful!
Love George . Great video ❤
Thanks so much!
Excellent video. Thanks, Nathan!
Glad you liked it!
Also checked out Steve, who you mentioned. Thanks!@@NathanBortonMusic
Great video, thanks.
Thanks for watching!
Awesome video. So useful.
Glad it was helpful!
Very useful, thanks.
Appreciate you watching! Hope it helped!
This lesson is awesome ❤
Thanks for watching!
Very well done my friend.
Thank you kindly! :)
well-done channel... thanks for ur efforts. Will defiantly follow,👍💙
Appreciate that! 😊
Fantastic playing…sounds terrific!
Many thanks!!
Fantastic!
Thanks for watching!
great lesson
Thanks so much!
Great tone👌🏻
Thank you :)
This is great. I realize that i am stuck alternating picking everything and to do a whole line with downstrokes is almost impossible! I am working on it.
Glad it was helpful!
Great explanation thank for the information 👍🏼🎼😎🎶
Glad it was helpful!
Very nice instructional 🏆...more on advanced picking please 👍🏼😁🥧
Thanks! Will do!
This lesson has been super useful, just what I needed, thanks Nathan, most appreciated
Glad to hear it!
@@NathanBortonMusic have you done any other lessons that focuses on this technique?
I just released a George Benson Blues video that is built of this video. My latest one if you want to check it out! Some of the lines don’t perfectly follow this formula however, but it mostly works out!
@@NathanBortonMusic excellent thanks for the heads up Nathan
Awesome!
Thanks for watching :)
This is really helpful. I also would recommend looking at John McLaughlin and especially Al DiMeola, who must be the quickest and most efficient pick players out there.
Thanks! I’m not 100 percent sure on this but I believe Al DiMeola is strict alternating picking? Also a very useful style!
Al DiMeola and John McLaughlin appear to be using downstroke escape motion (DSX) as opposed to the upstroke escape motion (USX) described in this video. Troy Grady’s Cracking the Code details these mechanics and is a fantastic resource.
Excellent video. What about the picking hand? Do you have a video describing how you are holding the pick similar to George Benson? Thanks.
I’m planning on making a patreon video for that point! I didn’t include it in the video as I wanted to focus on the picking and less on the holding of the pick. I’ve seen people use bensons method with multiple different pick holding (and slant) methods and wanted to make the video as concise as possible
Magnifique.
Great class!
Thanks for watching!
Your welcome!@@NathanBortonMusic
excellent!
Thank you! Cheers!
Nice. Thanks.
You bet!
Fantastic! More Bensonesque content, please!! :-)
Thank you! Just did a part 2 too this video, you can find in this videos description!
Thank you for breaking down his technique. Can you show how he applies this to his version of "My Cherie Amour"?
Especially the string riff that is in Stevie Wonder's version. Thank you
The best lesson ever
You are generous unlike the teachers who asked a fee
Aw man, thanks so much!
Nathan, on a subject that many teachers have tried to explain, I think this is one of the best and a very clear foundation. Many thanks appreciated
Glad it was helpful!
Agreed. This is one of the best. Benson's style wasn't necessarily unique, but it was exceedingly amazing. Nathan has a great knack for disecting it.
nice. thx 4sharing.
Thank you! Cheers!
Interesting (and quite funny) that these are pretty much exactly the same picking mechanics that Yngwie Malmsteen uses. Lovely lines, playing and video. 👌
Isn't this basic "economy picking" ?
Thanks!
Thanks so much!!!
Excellent ! I did pick up some pointers from you. You're a good teacher. If only the neck of your guitar had some "dots" on it, like road signs as another guide, would have been even better!
Very useful! Fun fact, George Benson, on about half of his recordings, is not using a pick! Just his thumb. I play with my thumb like him, and I’ve learned how to play with upstrokes, and this video will help tremendously. Especially the part about down down down up, but starting with the up first. That is totally a sound I’ve heard Wes play too that now doesn’t feel out of reach.
Great Video :::: saludos
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
Would you take a request Nathan? I'm having trouble when I'm trying to use 16th note lines to improvise. It's all about the flow and how to think in that rhythm, but it seems that I just can't figure it out. I think this would be an awesome video!!!
Hey, I hear you. I have the same trouble. I'm comfortable with 8th note lines and 8th note triplet lines, but 16th note lines are a huge problem. I've made some progress lately, but not where I want to be. Lately, I have taken one of my favorite lines that I learned out of a Dave Stryker book. I use it a lot and comfortable with it. It starts on beat one, usually and is sort of a typical 8th note bebop line with some enclosures and arpeggios. If I play it double time, it tends to sound good playing it on the "and" before the one, where I would normally play the phrase. I practice it over a Bb blues at 80 bpm and try to increase the tempo gradually. Seems to be working. I also do the same with enclosures on major and minor triads and John Coltrane Giant Steps digital patterns, i.e., play 1-2-3-5 scale degrees on Bb7 and keep moving up a tritone. I can't do any of this for a whole chorus, but thrown in here and there gives me a little more variety in my playing. Also, getting more comfortable hearing myself play faster and knowing where to put it, so that I don't lose my place in the form or turn the beat around. Anyway, you're not alone.
Here is link to PDF's and Guitar Pro Files for etude and examples: patreon.com/NathanBortonMusicPatreon?Link&
Part 2 to this video: th-cam.com/video/uflNwxm0Yf0/w-d-xo.html
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:40 - First Exercise (Up, Down)
02:24 - Second Exercise (Down, Down, Up)
03:48 - Expanding Second Exercise
05:09 - Adding Hammer-on's and Pull-off's
07:12 - Demonstrating the Exercises
Love your videos. Always feel like I have a significant boost in my playing after your videos. 👍🏼
@@deejay7339 thank you 😊 that makes me happy
Mr Benson is amazing
First off, I love your channel.
This concept has similarly radically changed my guitar playing since I started using it. I, like many others, came across Downward pick slanting from watching Troy Grady. It took me a while to realize how to implement it, but basically it boils down your entire picking technique into basically two different moves, like you demonstrated. It really puts the onus back on the fretting hand to organize lines in such a way that they can be picked, or not picked.
The concept I’m currently trying to develop is using this technique with upstrokes on the downbeat and also slurring into the downbeat when hammer/pull off/sliding is needed. I’ve found this best simulates the lines you hear in jazz where the up beat is often accented in double time lines.
Yeah great point about up beats!
What model guitar is that? Looks and sounds great!
Cool.. Now my right hand and brain needs to know how to keep up with my pick. Great video, btw.
Thanks for watching!
Awesomeness thx
No problem!
❤ thanks for sharing. I probe it and IT's very helpful. I feel very organic!!! Benson máster guitar player
Great to hear!
Great playing and excellent lesson! I really like that you organise your presentation so clearly including the transcription right on the screen. I am a little surprised in this video to see that you appear to have adopted George’s RH “backward” pick grip but didn’t mention it at all🤔I think you previously used the “standard” grip (but with your middle finger holding the pick ala Mike Moreno) It must be said that you do seem to have gone up quite a bit in speed, not that you were any slouch before. LOL Have you changed over entirely to GB grip? The world needs to know 😁
Hey! Great to see you again! Appreciate your support. Yes, I didn't mention the downward pick slant because I've seen people use Benson's picking not using his pick angle (and sound amazing). I wanted this lesson to be more of a starting point for people, as there are way more in depth lesson's on the internet about this topic. I though if I could make a way for people to understand it and dive right in that could be a good way to go :) I also wanted it do be super focused on the picking (up, down, hammer-on's and pull-off's) and less on how to sound like benson as the pick slant does change the sound. Basically, I wanted to make as concise lesson as possible. Also I actually always held my pick like this, but recently I have slanted it even more as I really like that sound versus a more flat pick angle
@@NathanBortonMusic Thanks for your expansive reply! I have tried to do the Benson pick grip and just haven’t found it workable for me. (Bear in mind I got my first guitar Xmas 1960 at age 13) 😎 There was no useful instruction available at that time and my RH pick grip just fell into place right away. Also I played drums before that (rudiments etc) and was blessed with a natural time feel. Many years later I got a book by Barney Kessel , called The Guitar, quite the tome and the pick grip that he laid out was what I was already doing. Then the Guitar Player magazine years were a golden time for guitarists of all stripes. I took close note of the masters in the jazz world with Joe Pass in particular being further confirmation.Not to forget Johnny Smith. Then I was on to Pat Martino with his similar but more “open” RH fingers (and that pinky sticking out LOL) He was something else… his RH a “high school dropout” ? (His words) I think not. Anyway I’ll just stick with the leading edge grip and leave the trailing edge thing to you and your wunderkind colleagues. Just one more thing, I wouldn’t conflate pick slant with leading edge vs trailing edge approach. You can slant the pick in either direction regardless of what grip you use. Also, I’ve found two-way pick slant ing being the answer ( for me anyway) -depends on how many pick attacks per string. Suggest you check out Ben Eller’s video on TH-cam on 2-way. Has a couple of exercises that if you dissect them you’ll find the concept has very wide utility. Best always 🤓
I also switched to "reverse grip" early on. It's key to having upstrokes and downstrokes sound the same, I have a whole theory about it (equal muscle support to the depression of the pick against the string), I even wanted to make a video about it (by my playing is not impressive, so...). Most guys who play rhythm guitar with percussive precision, like Ray Parker Jr use this grip as well.
Just done subcribe. Thanks
Thanks for the sub!
Great lesson.
Appreciate that!
@@NathanBortonMusic Nathan, what strings do you use? And what Gauge?
@@analogalien if you look in the video description it should have a link to the strings, but currently I use string joy broadways with the 12 gauge set. Great strings and last decently long.
@@NathanBortonMusic Thank you for the info!
@@NathanBortonMusic rounds or flats? Sounds like flats.
Great lesson, thanks! Does one need to adopt his pick grip in order to pull this off?
Thank you! And to answer your question: not really. I’ve seen people use multiple styles of pick holding using bensons method and sound fine. The downward pick slant does help but you can definitely do it without that
Do you think we can have différent techniques, the frank gambale technique is différent but interesting too. Does the action makes différence for speed ? Type of pick ? The way you take your guitar too. Thx
Thank you for this very interesting video! I have a few questions. I see lots of people talking in the comments about the right hand pick angle/slant/etc used by George Benson. I'm thoroughly confused as I believe Benson doesn't even use a pick at all - playing with his thumb instead. Is this technique something that someone who plays with a pick came up to mimic his thumb picking?
Also, I am really curious what you think about economy picking versus this type of approach. I find that I naturally tend to use economy picking when trying to play fast but as near as I can see, this approach seems to be good for string skips (possibly better than economy?). Would love to see you cover that in a future video if you can.
Benson uses a pick. Wes Montgomery used his thumb. Occasionally Benson will pose his thumb to get the Montgomery sound. Montgomery was a big influence for Benson
You teach lessons? I'm fascinated by your pick grip. It looks like a grip that is normally considered to be a beginner mistake. You also use swing picking, which is considered a mistake. However, your speed, tone and left hand grip is essentially perfect. I'm astounded.
Nice tutorial. Also, I noticed you hold the pick the way I do and was always told it was incorrect. I never used the index finger curled with thumb over it and the 45 degree pick angle from the thumb. Any comments?
I just hold the pick like the because it felt nice for my playing. I say if you can achieve the sound and speed you want, it doesn't matter what style you hold the pick!
Hey Nathan, the exercise at 5:02, it would seem really counterintuitive to be picking up on downbeats and vice versa on upbeats, like in measure 3?
Hi LHG, thanks for your question. The reason for this picking is explained in the part right before that. We start on an up pick, so we can do the downward sweep after that, as demonstrated in the pervious exercise. The other up picks are based on the string change, as in this style we try to change strings on an up pick or a downward sweep pick. You COULD also start this lick off with a down pick and then do an up pick for the next note (D) then for the rest of them do a downward sweep. I find it easier to start with an up pick though!
hello ! but if I understand the whole about rest Strokes and Up strokes, I think you explain exactly the way it works for Gipsy Jazz, is'nt it ? (English is not may language, maybe I missed something ?)
Hello. I'm a rock guy who likes all sorts of music. You really have a pleasant tone going there. I dabble in jazz now and again. Really nice lesson that would probably be useful to any string player. well done as far as the shots of the picking hand and fretting also. If I manage to get this down I'm sure it will open many musical doors which is always great. Thanks. Take care.
So glad this video can help you out!
Is this style of picking that George Benson does similar to directional picking?
I thought I read that Benson also used an up-pick rest stroke when going from an up-pick on a higher string to a lower string (e.g., G down to D).
I think Shawn Lane used this technique as well. This is fantastic!
Thanks for watching!
Mint!
Thanks!
I notice you allow the arm/wrist to move without anchoring. Is it the rest stroke that gives your stability (like gypsy players) otherwise you indeed have excellent control. Tone and accuracy are wonderful.
I actually use my picky to anchor my picking on the pick guard. Thanks for your kind words!
Bruh you're very good!!!!!! 🎉
Thank you for your kind words :)
@@NathanBortonMusic Yes sir young brother. Thank you for sharing. I enjoyed watching your lessons. I won’t have time to learn it because I’m super busy. Take care my friend and brother. You’re more than welcome
One question, do you think Doug Raney would use these types of techniques to be able to play so quickly and fluidly?
Hello Nathan, I don't really understand the efficiency of rest strokes. When I play the first phrase you demonstrated I seem to be way faster when using free strokes. Maybe it's just because I've always used this technique. I just can't wrap my head around this new technique, it feels kind of weird. Maybe I just need to practice.
Hi thanks for your question! The rests strokes come into play first by first accenting the feel of the up stoke (which allows for string changes) and secondly, as demonstrated in the video, when changing strings with the sweep downstroke. Look at the second exercise and its extensions in this video for more clarification. Thanks!
Cool stuff. Subscribed and liked...As an aside. And I have no affiliation to him, but "TROY GRADY: CRACKING THE CODE" is utterly amazing. Very informative, very entertaining, covers EVERYONE from Jazzers, to shredders and all points between. Enjoy.
Thanks for the sub!
@@NathanBortonMusicThanks for spreading the good gospel of Mr.Benson. One of Jazz Music's finest. As far as the Troy Grady stuff. You begin to realise that guys as divergent as Yngwie Malmsteen to Eric Johnson share the same approaches. Then you realise other guys like Steve Morse or Micheal angelo Batio approach it completely different. As do the "Gypsey Jazz" guys. All Fascinating stuff under the same tent we calling "Speed picking"....and that doesn't even include fingerstyle or 2 hand tapping ect. . Endless possibilities. So much fun. Cheers!
What brand guitar strap is that? Looks comfy!
It’s called the CFG Zero Gravity guitar strap, it’s really amazing!
Are you using flats or rounds in this video? Sounds good!
Using rounds! Stringjoy broadways 12 gauge
The GOAT!!!!!!!!!
The shred master!!!
Yes
YES!
Hm, great sound and technique! I get a terrible screeching sound on round-wound strings ... when I try to hold pick like this. How do you manage to get such a clean attack? It is a mystery to me. I am trying to from more "ordinary" picking hand position (I feel cramped and quickly fatigued) to this Benson (?) style. It is hard to see from this video - the angle and motion of pick across the strings.
Sorry about that! I don’t have a go pro, or one of those small cameras what can get that angle :( however I’m using a downward pick slant. It seems to get a fatter sound, which is why I use it!
Good lesson. Seems like the "Doo-dot" bebop feel is built into the grip. Agree/disagree? Would rather have the right rhythmic feel than melt-your-face shred speed.
What are you talking about?
Hi Nathan - What type, size and brand of pick are you using here?
Hi! I’m using the Dunlop Blue Turtle pick. It’s the 1mm, thanks!
Thanks for the quick reply! Well, the pick together with the strings and tone your fingers emit sounds really good! Everybody tells me that for jazz you need super thick picks like 3mm etc. I beg to differ. Yes thick is good but you can also sound jazzy with 1mm thickness. You just proved that! Thin or thick, it comes down to what sounds good in the ear and is an individual choice. Thanks Nathan!@@NathanBortonMusic
Do you typically use a thick or thin pick. Is one better than the other for these exercises?
I use a 1.0mm dunlop "turtle" pick!
You Learned from A Master Of Guitar In George Benson .
Hey Nathan, great video. But, with all/most notes picked the attacks all sound the same.
I really like the sound of slides into notes giving a chromatic & rhythmic musical zing to the phrasing.
Is it impossible to play a three note per string descending scale with this technique without using hammer ons/pullofs/slides?
If you start on an up pick for first 3 notes, then add a pull off for the next 3 it should work!
Damn, you mentioned Steve in the final seconds. Hes a local around here and I agree he is a master.
Yes! I’m a doctorate student at UNCO, and confirm that Steve is the MAN!
@NathanBortonMusic Have you/ are you studying with Steve? Obviously you've learned much and have worked hard. Hope to see you gigging sometime.
@@BoCoOverland currently at UNCO studying with Steve. Running a TH-cam channel and a online studio, along with doing the doctorate degree, leaves me little time to gig outside of Greeley unfortunately :/ when things slow down hopefully I can make it out to more sessions!
It really is your picking now, dude.
So alternate picking?
Benson rips that arpeggio in the beginning of Affirmation
Lol
YEAH! That part is so Killin very time
at 0.54, isn't the opposite : down strokes to change strings, up strokes to keep going
It can be both, later on in the video I go over example of each
Can you play clean that fast with thin gauge strings?
Yes definitely! You can probably play faster to be honest. When I've tried to play guitar's with thinner strings and lower action I notice that it is easier to play faster, BUT I have to pick way lighter in order to get a good tone. It's all just a balance :)