Honestly what I’ve found playing more complex pieces, specifically ragtime, or honestly anything with fast picking, the mistakes come when you’re actively thinking about what you’re playing. Think about what’s coming and quickly memorize it, not in your head, but in your hands. It’s kind of hard to explain, but it becomes muscle memory and then you can work on speed.
So true the second I start thinking about what the next note is I stuff up. My dad says that to sing or play perfectly you need to be in state of complete relaxation and just let the notes come to you.
I caught myself smiling when I watched this. Not necessarily because I'm particularily impressed over the technique, which is okay too of course. It's just that most amateur guitarpickers on TH-cam looks like their playing in their own funeral or something. This guy seem to enjoy what he's doing. Makes a huge difference.
@@werewolfhunter2011 Perhaps because they're paying too much attention to being "the best" technically instead of enjoying the actual music. Atleast, that is something that has always struck me about the whole youtube guitar world
John James is the guy the young Elvis Costello used to go to watch at the Hanging Lamp in Richmond in 1968/69. Says so in his book. Still the best ever
I remember this man from 1972..rushing out and buying a Transatlantic sampler LP from Colletts Records in London. I recall reading in The Record Mirror he was called "'The Welsh Django Reinhardt"'. I was astounded by his version of "'Picture Rag"" and i haven't recovered yet. I never realised he was so humorous.
Hey there, thanks for watching. I don't have the tab but I did learn to play this tune from watching the video - working out the notes is pretty easy compared with making it sound as smooth and polished as Mr. James! I've also worked out the Slow Drag from his other video that I posted - that one is a little more complex... If you want and if I get time I could post up a tutorial video...? Happy picking!
You nailed this. I play about half a dozen of John's pieces. I've been playing some of them for 40 years. Regrettably they all lack his fluency and drive
+Forming Stories Same lol I tried playing guitar about 7 months ago and started with this song... Worst mistake of my life.. I now quit and want to play again but REALLY REALLY REALLY want to learn this song. I say just take it easy and learn some easy songs and move up, Unless you already know how to play good haha
lol, ive been playing for 15 years. I thought i played pretty decent until i started looking up ragtime videos. I mostly play metal type stuff, but this video made me realize i suck haha.
yeah, check this channel. got lots of music on here. Even have two albums, one called LIFE, a 30 minute instrumental adventure that flows as one giant song split into 7 tracks.
It's actually not as hard as it might seem at first glance. If you wanna get started on this kind of technique you should first check out one of Tommy Emmanuel's videos on how to get started on fingerstyle guitar th-cam.com/video/u0ocjT3gObE/w-d-xo.html After a while stuff like this gets really easy
This is just cool as it gets. Glad I am going to give it a go by watching this one video over and over. Just learning a few parts can be liberating! WOW!
Astounding player. Adapted to guitar so well, an unlikely task. Took some very interesting and melodic liberties but remained utterly within the spirit of 12St. R. Reckon a lot was improvised and the next splendid version wouldn't be exactly the same although just as enjoyable. Thank you. You made a sax player very happy (2nd love is guitar!)
have a live tape of performance in 74 in guildford john was very brilliant and funny.....toured a few dates with him in germany with a band ...rolled up to do gig at club and it had burnt down the night before....john was still funny....where are you now....nice bloke love you to hear tape of 74
John James ...I remember an old track of yours from MANY years back called Nola and that was a great influence on me and my friends back then in early Liverpool...Great to see you finally!
awesome... John James is a great guitarist and very funny with it... he played Cardiff Uni in the early 70's and I remember him playing a Levin goliath and taking all the bridge pins out, playing something and then putting them all back in again! made a big impression as you can see... his mastery of ragtime style is demonstrated by the way he is just SO relaxed, whilst dominating that fretboard and his right hand is doing everything almost unwittingly except we know it isn't unwitting at all. thanks for posting
Aww man this technique is great! I'm already learning it and I'm very excited to be using it in my music. And to adapt to this kinda style! Thank you!!!
ThaSupaboi I sped it up at just the right time, just after they stopped talking and he started playing without interruptions. It was magical, thank you!
He's playing a Martin M-36. It's probably from the late '70s or early '80s. It's 16" wide, but it has the depth of a 000. The model (and the fancier M-38) was developed because people were converting old Martin arch tops into flat tops, and Martin saw a market for them. They are sometimes known as 0000's.
I'm American so when I first read this I thought you meant you saw him playing a tele, as in a telecaster! I thought oh cool, I'll have to search for John James playing telecaster in 1974...then I read it again and realized that's not what you meant! Lol
Funny how this stuff died out with not many learning it, and then people like Tommy Emanuel come along playing this style, and think it's new :') definitely something I'm gunna learn :D
@stevieclel I don't think it's a 000-45, maybe a 000-35, 000-28 or 000-18. The 42's and 45's all have abalone inlay on the top if I'm not mistaken, and I can't see this guitar that closely, but it doesn't look like it has any inlay on the top. As far as the year, I would guess by the finish that it's 60's-70's, but once again, I'm not sure about that at all.
It's probably hard, but right now I'm playing flamenco. Flamenco makes everything else seem easy (to me anyways). But I'm sure ragtime isn't easy at all. Which makes it fun to learn. :) Challenge breeds excellence.
I would say its the hardest, but its definitely tough to get the hang of. But once you get the timing down im your muscle memory its like riding a bike
Simon Reeves those are the really great versions of 12th street rag that exist. the British fingerpicking stile seams to lack merle Travis as a major influences, so when we hear you guys play it sounds bad to us, especially when it comes to our famous old songs. Fingerpicking got pretty evolved in the USA in the 1940's. Do you want to speak another language or something?
Mr. K. nobody would want to play like Merle Travis would they, if we copied him we wouldn't have people like eric Clapton, Keith Richards , and you wouldn't have had Elvis, the only decent guitarists you ever had were black blues men ,in fact I think ragtime was a black invention wasn't it.correct me if I'm wrong.
Perhaps you haven't realised that music isn't a competition. Roy Clark is a great guitar player. His version is single string played with a band and does not include any of the bass part, etc. So it probably isn't a fair comparison. Chet has a good version.Finally, to be abundantly clear, what you later call 'fingerpicking' derived from a wide variety of sources, including European and English classical traditions and US acoustic blues long before the 1940s.
Honestly what I’ve found playing more complex pieces, specifically ragtime, or honestly anything with fast picking, the mistakes come when you’re actively thinking about what you’re playing. Think about what’s coming and quickly memorize it, not in your head, but in your hands. It’s kind of hard to explain, but it becomes muscle memory and then you can work on speed.
Shoesalad EXACTLY!
I am just the same way when I play the Entertainer on piano!
Flow state. I get what you're saying.
So true the second I start thinking about what the next note is I stuff up. My dad says that to sing or play perfectly you need to be in state of complete relaxation and just let the notes come to you.
practice, thats about it
Yup it's called muscle memory, the memory doesn't come from the brain but from your hands and fingers..
I caught myself smiling when I watched this. Not necessarily because I'm particularily impressed over the technique, which is okay too of course. It's just that most amateur guitarpickers on TH-cam looks like their playing in their own funeral or something. This guy seem to enjoy what he's doing. Makes a huge difference.
Bjørn Granvang what do you mean? Why do they look like that?
@@werewolfhunter2011 Perhaps because they're paying too much attention to being "the best" technically instead of enjoying the actual music. Atleast, that is something that has always struck me about the whole youtube guitar world
this man, John James, is a legend! .. not just some amateur...
@@undrellx I second that, James is a brilliant guitar player, I'd like to hear that dude that said his technique is "ok" try it
@@joesmith-ok8ip 👍
I love that guitar style absolutely mesmerising. Those syncopated rhythms will have me thinking of this tune all day. What a wonderful plucker.
John James is the guy the young Elvis Costello used to go to watch at the Hanging Lamp in Richmond in 1968/69. Says so in his book. Still the best ever
I remember this man from 1972..rushing out and buying a Transatlantic sampler LP from Colletts Records in London. I recall reading in The Record Mirror he was called "'The Welsh Django Reinhardt"'.
I was astounded by his version of "'Picture Rag"" and i haven't recovered yet.
I never realised he was so humorous.
Oh yes ,, classic John James ,, used to love watching him live, doing the club rounds in the 70"s .. :)
So melodic and smooth. I really like this sound!
Hey there, thanks for watching. I don't have the tab but I did learn to play this tune from watching the video - working out the notes is pretty easy compared with making it sound as smooth and polished as Mr. James! I've also worked out the Slow Drag from his other video that I posted - that one is a little more complex...
If you want and if I get time I could post up a tutorial video...?
Happy picking!
pleaseeeeee
@@HALOWEENTHER Thanks for your comment - here's part one of the tutorial... Happy picking!
th-cam.com/video/Aw7fyTu023w/w-d-xo.html
@@SBOReeves OH GOD THANK YOU ♥♥
You nailed this. I play about half a dozen of John's pieces. I've been playing some of them for 40 years. Regrettably they all lack his fluency and drive
Dammit, I suck at guitar.
+Forming Stories Same lol I tried playing guitar about 7 months ago and started with this song... Worst mistake of my life.. I now quit and want to play again but REALLY REALLY REALLY want to learn this song. I say just take it easy and learn some easy songs and move up, Unless you already know how to play good haha
lol, ive been playing for 15 years. I thought i played pretty decent until i started looking up ragtime videos. I mostly play metal type stuff, but this video made me realize i suck haha.
Forming Stories WTH!!! OMG lol I only played for like a month... Do you make videos?
yeah, check this channel. got lots of music on here. Even have two albums, one called LIFE, a 30 minute instrumental adventure that flows as one giant song split into 7 tracks.
It's actually not as hard as it might seem at first glance. If you wanna get started on this kind of technique you should first check out one of Tommy Emmanuel's videos on how to get started on fingerstyle guitar th-cam.com/video/u0ocjT3gObE/w-d-xo.html
After a while stuff like this gets really easy
My guitar watches this when I’m out of the house. 😂😂😂
😂😂😂
"I wish someone knew how to play me like that"
Hahahaha brilliant
This is just cool as it gets. Glad I am going to give it a go by watching this one video over and over. Just learning a few parts can be liberating! WOW!
Astounding player. Adapted to guitar so well, an unlikely task.
Took some very interesting and melodic liberties but remained utterly within the spirit of 12St. R. Reckon a lot was improvised and the next splendid version wouldn't be exactly the same although just as enjoyable. Thank you. You made a sax player very happy (2nd love is guitar!)
have a live tape of performance in 74 in guildford john was very brilliant and funny.....toured a few dates with him in germany with a band ...rolled up to do gig at club and it had burnt down the night before....john was still funny....where are you now....nice bloke love you to hear tape of 74
Man, 1st time seeing this guy, amazing!
John James ...I remember an old track of yours from MANY years back called Nola and that was a great influence on me and my friends back then in early Liverpool...Great to see you finally!
Fellow scouser here. Is right lad
Your sculptures are really great 👍
I really enjoyed this. I consider myself an intermediate player and this is much more advanced than what I am currently capable of playing.
awesome... John James is a great guitarist and very funny with it... he played Cardiff Uni in the early 70's and I remember him playing a Levin goliath and taking all the bridge pins out, playing something and then putting them all back in again! made a big impression as you can see... his mastery of ragtime style is demonstrated by the way he is just SO relaxed, whilst dominating that fretboard and his right hand is doing everything almost unwittingly except we know it isn't unwitting at all. thanks for posting
That is some very fine picking. Thanks for sharing it.
Aww man this technique is great! I'm already learning it and I'm very excited to be using it in my music. And to adapt to this kinda style! Thank you!!!
speed it up to 1.25, magical
ThaSupaboi I sped it up at just the right time, just after they stopped talking and he started playing without interruptions. It was magical, thank you!
It sounds like shit lmao
He's playing a Martin M-36. It's probably from the late '70s or early '80s. It's 16" wide, but it has the depth of a 000. The model (and the fancier M-38) was developed because people were converting old Martin arch tops into flat tops, and Martin saw a market for them. They are sometimes known as 0000's.
what a brilliant wonderful man . Thanks for the post and tip 😎
he is a Guitar Hero, love his style
Lovely piece, I really can’t explain how hard it is playing fingerstyle let alone with a thumb pick!
so this where they got the spongebob music from
They have a killer Polynesian style jazz guitar combo
nope
Not really
Watch "Roy Clark - 12th Street Rag"
Yep its a super upbeat beat jazz tune and I think they just did it on a Ukulele but im not sure
I like John James, great picker. Not seen him for years though. Chris Wilson.
John James my new favourite guitarist
That was great! Thank you for posting.
Amazing guitar player!!
upon explanation the light of laughter shone upon me. true mastery of the craft
John James changed my life
Brilliant picking Amazing picking.
brilliant! makes me smile.
I remember seeing himi on the telly in about 1974, complete with hair.
I'm American so when I first read this I thought you meant you saw him playing a tele, as in a telecaster! I thought oh cool, I'll have to search for John James playing telecaster in 1974...then I read it again and realized that's not what you meant! Lol
Funny how this stuff died out with not many learning it, and then people like Tommy Emanuel come along playing this style, and think it's new :') definitely something I'm gunna learn :D
Awesome skills.
Love this video! Thanks for posting.
You could cut any three of his fingers off and he'd be at least five times better than me still. WOW! I so wish I could do this.
Cool video!
Stunning!
AMAZING!!
Absolute legend
Very nice
@stevieclel I don't think it's a 000-45, maybe a 000-35, 000-28 or 000-18. The 42's and 45's all have abalone inlay on the top if I'm not mistaken, and I can't see this guitar that closely, but it doesn't look like it has any inlay on the top. As far as the year, I would guess by the finish that it's 60's-70's, but once again, I'm not sure about that at all.
It's a Martin M36. John has played one off and on for years. Another of his main guitars was a Fylde years ago, but I haven't seen that on TH-cam.
Awesome, Im actually supporting this guy next month! safe to say I wont be doing any ragtime...
To all the people who think they're good at guitar, they don't know ragtime, I think this is the most difficult shit to play
It's probably hard, but right now I'm playing flamenco. Flamenco makes everything else seem easy (to me anyways). But I'm sure ragtime isn't easy at all. Which makes it fun to learn. :) Challenge breeds excellence.
Ragtime isn’t hard bro
What are some famous (and preferably not too difficult) ragtime songs for guitar? I haven't really dabbled in this style yet, but it seems really fun.
I would say its the hardest, but its definitely tough to get the hang of. But once you get the timing down im your muscle memory its like riding a bike
I think gypsy jazz is harder
Delightful! :)
Superb guitar playing, I will never be that good in a million years. 😂😂🐱🐱💓🎸.
Looking me most of the best players, his fantastic technique and clever arrangements make it look easy. But it isn't :-)
Yes please! thanks!
that was amazing
What a genius.
"He played it on a trombone ... only once though ... he had to get a plumber in after that"
anyone have the tabs for this? i want it so badly :((
If you're still interested there's a good transcription on musescore
Wow!
Respect :'v ❤️
sounds like spongebob
+Angel Flores spongebob got it from here
cause it is
ThaSupaboi it’s a scot Joplin song he invented jazz in the really early 1900s
Wow, and I can see why its best in drop D, a very different way to play, but I like it😅😅😅
What tuning is his guitar in
It's in standard tuning. I've posted a tutorial on how to play this tune - check out my other videos if you're interested!
After this i decided to stop to play my guitar ..i think i have more future with a tambourine
The use of the pick really takes away the greatness off the guitar. The pick has its use but my God fingerstyle takes it to another level
hes using a thumbpick btw
This is one of the best guitar videos i ever seen. If you think you good at guitar playing two string metal shit, try this.
Thought this guy is from the Simpsons
4:20 is fucking insane
it's very hard to get an indipendence of the thumb from the other fingers
No it's not. How the help do you use your cellphone???
Watch out Richard Smith, there's an old sheriff in town.
Kind of sounds like the music played in ice age when they walk through the frozen hall of all the extinct creatures
shit is fire
I'm mad as hell!!
"And then all you gotta do is"
Yes makes you want to lock your guitar away!.
dan castallanetas distant brother
Ragtime was actually pretty good music
He looks and sound like Michael rosen
I Think it is a Martin m36
It is
My name is John James too lmao
Wow, regular old classical finger picking being called "genius" or "hard to do"
Don’t be jealous idiot
Spongebob brought me here... well it did not, but it could have
Bro had ego
dis velly ni
+Bianca Davino no you velly ni
+Bianca Davino shut it!!
+Bianca Davino no u shut it!!
He very talented but I don't care for the voicing he plays in his chords. Nice video. Thanks 👍
Why do brits have fruit up everything, get the Roy Clark version from lightning fingers, or at least the spike jones.
Kaizer J I'm not sure what you just wrote makes any sense. Is English your first language?
Simon Reeves those are the really great versions of 12th street rag that exist. the British fingerpicking stile seams to lack merle Travis as a major influences, so when we hear you guys play it sounds bad to us, especially when it comes to our famous old songs. Fingerpicking got pretty evolved in the USA in the 1940's. Do you want to speak another language or something?
Mr. K. nobody would want to play like Merle Travis would they, if we copied him we wouldn't have people like eric Clapton, Keith Richards , and you wouldn't have had Elvis, the only decent guitarists you ever had were black blues men ,in fact I think ragtime was a black invention wasn't it.correct me if I'm wrong.
Perhaps you haven't realised that music isn't a competition. Roy Clark is a great guitar player. His version is single string played with a band and does not include any of the bass part, etc. So it probably isn't a fair comparison. Chet has a good version.Finally, to be abundantly clear, what you later call 'fingerpicking' derived from a wide variety of sources, including European and English classical traditions and US acoustic blues long before the 1940s.
haha go play banjo
SO fraekin' good