How Julian Lage plays freight train shouldn't be possible.
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- Опубліковано 29 бер 2024
- I'm a huge Julian Lage fan, but it's not often that I find him riding in the folk-guitar lane. I thought it would be a really great chance to try to learn a little bit how he interprets this music. I had no idea what I was in for.
I recently rediscovered the interview Julian Lage did with Acoustic Magazine in 2009. The interview is fantastic, as well as the other pieces he plays for us on his Waterloo, but at the very end of the 20 minute interview is this utterly amazing version of Elizabeth Cotten's, Freight Train. Here's my best go at explaining a little of what he's doing, including some tab to help you learn it as well!
Full transcription is available on my Patreon!
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Julian Lage’s ability to subtly manipulate time is just incredible. The way he weaves this into deft harmonic and melodic transitions is even more astounding!
Isn’t it amazing. That’s really the beauty of his playing, the notes could be anything as far as I’m concerned. Thanks for stopping by!
These are the type of lessons I would encourage folk to learn as you start to pick out patterns that set you up for life imo
He is such a beast. This video you found is a true gem. Good on you transcribing it! Thanks for sharing
Such a beast. And yeah man, as far as I'm aware they never clipped that performance and it's only at the end of the interview. He did record it for an album too, but this version puts that one the rest I think.
i really appreciate your passion for music, kyle .. . you bring out a real joy for music that's quite contagious .. . thanks!
I appreciate you too! Making these vids is the most the biggest creative outlet I have right now and it's awesome to know folks get something out of them.
I see that Ab chord as a chord borrowed from C minor. You could also think of it as that classic move where you go from playing the IV chord (the F in this instance) to the ivm in a song. In this case it would be like an Fmin9 first inversion for the first chord. In love that movement so much it’s so beautiful
I dig it!
What a beautiful person Julian Lage is. He does a great mix of blues, jazz, country and bluegrass
Dude for real. He seems as great of a dude as he is a musician.
Absolutely loved this, definitely coming back for more! I loved your breakdowns, but even more your "I can't do that!" moments. Lovely video.
Ha! Thanks man, yeah I mean I'll be the first to admit that I am no contender for Lage. Thanks for watching!
Julian Lage is a music machine. Just unbelievable.
Totally! Such an inspiration.
I saw Bill Frisell do this tune....he did it because the show was across the street from a historical marker for Elizabeth Cotten
Fantastic. I bet it was unreal.
Brad Mehldau has several recordings of Bob Dylan’s Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright. Like Julian Lage’s playing on Freight Train, Mehldau takes some liberties with the source material but never strays too far from it.
I am a huge fan of his music! I have yet to hear those covers though. I’m not sure how they slipped by me, I’ll check them out!
man, you are so cool! thanks for the video and having fun!
Hah! Thanks for watching!
Lage is astonishing. Youre pretty damn good yourself brother! Nicely presented.
Thanks bud!! Appreciate you checking out the vid, hope it was helpful!
@@kostringworks astonishing, yes! "helpful?" No amount of help gonna get me to your level much less lage's!
Wow. The theory is over my head, but I really appreciated the tabs to get my feet wet. Thank you.
Absolutely dude!!
This is the first of your videos that I’ve watched (Im a big JL fan so presumably that’s why you popped up on my feed). Absolutely loved this video and loved how you break down and show us what he’s doing. I’m now subscribed and looking forward to more of your insights.
Ah thanks dude! Really fun one to make. I've got a Bill Frisell one in the hopper now!
If you haven’t heard it yet, Lenny Breau’s rendition is similarly mind-blowing!
I have!! I wanna try and learn that one too!
Great video. Thank you for sharing your joys and insights into Julian’s performance. Really fun and inspiring.
For sure! Thanks Chris!!
julian's a modern master. his new album is his best album so far imo
It’s amazing that this clip of freight train is almost 10 years ago. The dude has “had it” for so long!!
I love the way you go through the song analyze and show the tab. Subscribed immediately. As far as Lage is concerned he has almost unlimited range.
Ah, that's fantastic. Hope you keep finding things of value here! And thanks for the encouragement, it's a lotta extra work getting the tabs in the vid, but I feel like it's gotta be helpful.
wow i would have neverfound that rendition if it wasnt for you. thanks so much dude!
insta sub for ur awesome personality
Ah thanks bud!!
Oh man, too many great riffs here. Just got my fingers soaring now. I love a few jazz chords thrown into a blues song too.
Dude same.
wow i never would have heard julian's version if not for this video. awesome work
Thanks dude! Yeah it’s sick.
Great lesson! I had been hoping someone would one day try and break down that hidden gem. Glad that I’ve discovered your channel.
Right?! It is such a gem. Glad you discovered the channel too, hope you find more stuff that helps you out some!
ur analysis: "wow thats great"
Exactly.
1:54 it’s a minor iv in first inversion. Progression goes F to Fm
This is a great episode!
Dude thanks!! Was a really fun one to make.
I woke up, grabbed coffee, this popped up, jaw hit floor and I hit subscribe!
That is what I'm talking about!!
Exactly the same here, except with tea. Patreon as soon as I finish typing this comment.
When the Artist & the Instrument become one singular vessel of creativity. The Players IQ.
Someday it happen for us mortals too, right?
i love julian and i am loving your commentary! thank you
Appreciate it Willy!! So lucky the world has musicians like Lage to learn from!
First Chord is an Abmaj13.
Def earned my sub nice work on this!
Thanks dude! I’m still working through this transcription 😂. So much great stuff in here.
Hi Kyle, thanks for this brilliant work. Where can I find your tab? Searched Patreon without sucess. Thanks again.
that first chord is the "stay a while and listen" chord
Exactly
Great stuff!
Thanks dude!
Great video!
Appreciate it!
That first “out” chord is Fminadd9 played in first inversion
That’s the ticket. Thanks!
Lovely vid - music is joy thx
Thanks dude! Yeah man, what would we do without it?
hey man, subbed! like your easy going style! gl with your channel
Niiice!! Thanks dude! Hope to see ya around the comments!
Excellent. Cheers Kyle
I’d say that’s beyond most people’s ability 😩
😂 it’s beyond mine too!
This Kyle is playing good too 😉 Congrats man
Thanks bud!!
Really good vid. He gets it!
Thanks Nathaniel!
He is so good. Love his rendition. Have you heard “northern shuffle” from his new album?
So good. I actually don’t know his new album as much, but I’ll put that track on now!
I would love to see a duet with Lage and Adam Ben Ezra...🤯
Hadn’t heard of Ezra so I just checked him out, pheeeeew. Yeah that be amazing .
I can do a one finger C chord on my ukulele. This might take a while to learn.
loved this. your guitar sounds great btw- handmade?
Good eye! Yes I made it about 10 year ago after a Gibson 00.
Ok, Julian is a wonderful talent (just had the privilege of seeing him in Antwerp, Belgium-really good!), but, Kyle, are you picking all of this up on the fly and playing it or did you break it down before?
I wish I was that quick! Nah spent a like a week transcribing the whole thing in my off-hours.
Julian Lage is an alien. It's just not possible to play like he does. Similar to Blake Mills. No matter how hard you practice, you won't be able to do what he does.
1:32 Easiest interpretation would be Abmaj7Add6 or Abmaj7/6. Since the previous bar was a plain F, this is probably a first inversion of Fm add2 (or add9 => F Ab C G) thus Fmadd9/Ab
5:08 You could call it a G9b13, I'd call it a G9#5 (in the Galt family)
7:53 That Bb69b5 or C7/Bb (3rd inversion of C7) I think is functionally a tritone sub of E, but sounds/feels like a suspension. (gorgeous)
There it is!
you are a bad ass. i love your playing
Appreciate you!!
1:44 it’s almost a “Mu” chord per steely dan. F sus2 with the root and the second voiced close together and the 3rd in the bass. Except this is the b3 in the bass here… so I guess Mu minor? If you revoice it, it’s kinda an Abmaj13 .
If you played the open A in the bass instead t would be a classic Steely Dan mu chord.
Nice. A little bit later he plays it in a new position as more of a stock maj7 shape too.
Im pretty sure this song is called railroad bill
It’s freight train but man railroad bill is another killer folk song and pretty similar to!
Genius
In a word!
Your guitar is beautiful
Thanks!! It’s a copy of an old Gibson 00!
Big David Rawlings vibes
The tastiest vibes around.
Subscribed , fine 👍
Heck yeah! Thanks!! Hope to see ya around the comments.
Stormy Kromer.
I was wondering why suddenly my cover of that song is getting so many views, you're probably th reason :D
Heck ya!! I love that.
I like the video,but please give more credit to Libba Cotten, she is an American treasure
Fair! I do have several videos on her and her tunes too, but thanks for letting me know! The original edit did have a little section on her, but the vid was getting so long as it was. Appreciate your suggestion though!
People like Julian Lage make it feel illegal to say that you can play guitar...
It does change the whole perception of what the hell where all try to do here doesn’t it.
Yeah. And he motivates me to work a little harder too. What I hate is 5 year olds that can put me to shame.
Anyone else hear some Gypsy Jazz in there?
First song I ever learned to finger pick. But was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay simpler than this funky jazz bluez train.
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Thumbnail looks like Joe Goldberg from You.
It's an Fm with the third in the bass.
she played a right-handed guitar left handed like albert king?
Yup!!
You should also listen to Lenny Breau's version of Freight Train.
Duuuude I just did recently. It’s pretty out there, and I realllly like it.
Minor 4th - an f minor.
Nice! That’s a good way of looking at it!
Really difficult to focus on what you're saying with the music you're talking about playing at the same time. Can't focus on both at the same time!
I mighta got a little too excited. Sorry!
Fmadd9/Ab
This sounds like it’s for someone who doesn’t know much about out guitar. Julian is surely great but I think he’ll admit the things you’re pointing out have been done many times.
Lage is simply one of the most skilled and technically proficient guitarist of his generation. However, he is yet to come up with original music and style that defines him and sets him apart. Several of his contemporaries without Lage’s virtuosity, such as Halvorson, Okazaki and Hekselman, are truly innovative and genre defining. Lage remains the perfect session guitarist.
...who?
you're a very perceptive player....most folk cats know little, if anything, about 'Fats.'
Thanks Freddy! Yeah I'm all about Fats and that whole piano world. In my next life I'm gonna try to be a piano player.
Just as some viewer feedback; playing the clips while talking the way you do at the volume levels both are at minimizes the value of both the music/guitar playing you’re trying to show, and you’re own commentary. I’d think turning the clips down, your mic up, or waiting would all be viable options. Great video otherwise :)
Word! Thanks for looking out!
I liked it. I can hear 2 things at once. And follow both. Great video.
Like a director’s commentary on those…oh what are they called…laser discs. It works. It’s been vetted.
I respectfully disagree. Can hear both fine, and you Get more done without getting boring.
And in trying to be to clever has totally lost the real soul of the original ..
It's cool and all, but cramming a bunch of sophisticated stuff into a song that is beautiful in its simplicity isn't exactly a good thing. Honestly he's kind of killing the whole vibe of it. He's distracting from the story of the song and making it all about the guitar playing.
Innovation can be a hard pill to swallow for sure!
@@kostringworks Innovation suggests improvement, and for me that's not what we have here. But of course just my opinion.
Innovation suggests reimagination, which may or may not be to everyones taste. The original is beautiful in its simplicity as this is in its complexity.