Guitar Philosophy: What is A.B.R. Playing?
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- Always. Be. Riffin'.
The idea that we fully commit - emotionally and rhythmically - to everything we play. All the time. Even if it's just scales, or strumming chords, we completely engage with the sound.
Our most important tools as musicians are not our hands, it's our hearts and minds.
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Sound Tools Used in This Vid:
Early 2000s Epiphone Firebird VII
Retrovibe www.jampedals....
Vox AC4HW1 Amp sweetwater.sjv...
Beyer M160 Mic sweetwater.sjv...
Cloudlifter sweetwater.sjv...
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Tascam Field Recorder sweetwater.sjv...
Valhalla Vintage Verb valhalladsp.com/
Thanks for watching!
“Be the magic you were made to be, we’re lucky to even be hear at all.” Hell yea
Gratitude is a big deal for me. I tend towards overthinking/anxiety so I have to often remind myself how friggin' cool my life is :-)
Such a cool thing. Profound. True. Okay you win, Eric. You're right
Gratitude is the cure all!
*here
I STRONGLY disagree.
Truth bombs here. I'll never be a shredder, but I can always play soulfully if I pace myself. :)
Soul is what it's all about. Shredding is cool, but soulful bends are life for me.
@@ShineDawg That's because soulful bends hit deep in the soul. Hence the name. Shredding is cool for the ADHD in us when we need a bit of Hollywood in our life. But everyone knows Hollywood is a shallow place. Therefore, shredding will never truly compare to a note bent correctly to align with the soul.
You know who also isn’t a “shredder” but always be soulfully riffin?
Keef Richards.
And myself, so you’re in good company my dude. If you excuse my shameless self promotion here, it’s actually a perfect example. The whole song is built around a G#m riff and the “solo” at the end isn’t so much a solo as an extended riff. It’s a Texas psychedelic rock n roll circus freak out. All instruments played by yours truly.
open.spotify.com/artist/0QiP5Vith55mi38EoEk6hH?si=O88ckunVTsGBMMT4oV9MpQ&dl_branch=1
i dont like "shredding" anyway. no soul.
@@queenhenryviii im fixing to listen to this now....
Eric, its only clickbait if the content falls short to the title. Your content never falls short, dude!
Whew!
Man I was just in a limbo where I was wondering "how could I go and play live if I cannot shred like a guitar virtuoso?" and then fear and anxiety kicked in and I felt I wasn't good enough, your video was exactly what I needed, it motivated me by working on what I already can do, polish my groove and at the same time, practice to become better and faster overtime! You have a new sub!
Yes! There's always gonna be people that can play "better" than us, but if we let go of that, and enjoy the notes that WE create, that are right in our hands, we feel a lot better!
@@EricHaugenGuitar +1
no, actually +2, this is so important, especially for us guitar players
The phrase that always strikes home with me is BE INTENTIONAL. Mean what your playing. Nothing wrong with noodling around, sometimes you discover something there, but leave it on the couch. When you perform, come to play.
Yeah!
I think about that word a lot! So much so, that if I ever made a book of guitar method it would be called "Intentional Guitar!"
Eric has really reinvented himself since playing Matt Hooper in JAWS.
Hahahaha I know!
Hasn't he aged well!
Hooopeh!
We’re gonna need a bigger Boat!
every episode, i'm waiting for him to show his scar of mary, who broke his heart.
In synthesis: Always be vibing and if you're wondering if it needs more stank, the answer is always yes.
How could people not like your videos? You have the technical ability and enthusiasm for playing that I find infectious. Keep on doing you, man!
It's a funny conundrum - the more reach you have on UA-cam, the more the A.I. recommends your videos to folks you are well outside your core demographic - so while my numbers are really good, that comes with a bit more criticism & snarky commenters - ahhhh the joys of being a sensitive person on the internet :-)
@@EricHaugenGuitar Well, don't let those folks get you down. There's a lot of us here who appreciate what you do!
'I wonder why ABR playing is'. 'oh, he told us in the first 1 second of the video'. This is not clickbait. A real clickbait video would have kept us waiting for 10 minutes before you told us that. Great content as always.
Whew! I'm obsessed with not wasting people's limited time on this planet :-)
Man I wish I had someone on your same mindset and level to jam with. You play exactly what I hear and feel. I'm so glad I found your channel.
Eric, congrats on the 100K Subs, you deserve a million more! Probably my favourite guitar teaching channel on UA-cam
Thank YOU for being one of 'em!
Eric gets it, and I always dig his riffage and overall sound. This lesson is gold. I found that I could play tabs of my favorite songs in a controlled environment when no one was watching, but performing, even for friends and family, was a different animal. Holding myself to a higher standard to find a way and always play something that sounds good, even if it is simple, has elevated my playing. That and making a concentrated effort to slow down.
100k Subscribers! Congratulations!
Learning to slow down and to be patient was always a challenge.
It always is! I have to constantly remind myself to breathe and leave space!
I always try to come back to your philosophy videos to really be inspired. I honestly think they are so helpful. Please don't stop making these. Thanks!
Great lesson Erik. So true. My dad was a jazz pianist and always said “play it with feeling”. I find I play with feeling when I close my eyes, my foot taps and the enjoyment level blossoms. 🙏🏼
Charles Mingus always said you got to git hit in your soul
You got that Robin Trower sound!!! Awesome video! Incredibly Great information!! Im celebrating my 20th year playing (been playing since I was 11 I'm now 31) and I love learning as much as I can still! Your my favorite on here! Cheers!
Exactly what I was thinking! I love Trower.
@@EricHaugenGuitar yeah, Robin is another great player who really feels every note. Listen to any live version of Daydream for a great example.
Hi Eric. This lesson really helped me in a number of ways. Getting back to the basics of beautiful notes, slowing down, and feeling the groove by the way, I love your true fire lessons. They’re actually some of the best available on the platform. you are amazing. Thank you for what you do.
Eric, your channel just gets better and better. Thanks for your lessons and your stellar personality!
Thanks Ron!
For me, it's all about shooting vids on subjects I care about or think is really interesting. I'm sure I'll get back to transcriptions/arrangements at some point, but I'm really feeling these macro/big picture ideas :-)
@@EricHaugenGuitar I know I'm a little late in replying to this one here, but I just wanted to make sure and let you know how glad I am that you've been feeling driven to talk about these macro/big picture ideas lately. This stuff is where it's at, man.
There are almost countless places to turn, if one is after transcriptions, song breakdowns, and the like. But, you're dropping knowledge that transcends the "normal" guitar lesson experience that most players are exposed to while on their journey to master the instrument.
In reality, it's much bigger picture than even the whole of "learning guitar," and even "learning an instrument" all together. This is "whole life stuff," right here. "Whole life stuff," applied to mastering the guitar and discovering the musician within oneself.
Thing is, this is really how we should all be living all day every day, in *all* the things that we do. Living from the soul, with feeling -- fully present.
I've got a new goal/ideal to work towards now -- living in the pocket.
Thanks for this, Eric, and for all of the wisdom you share with us in these videos. You are, far and away, the best guitar guy showing us what's up out here on UA-cam at this point.
Looking forward to all that is to come, here on your channel, and elsewhere in this magical life we're all so lucky to be living!
And yet another kind of simple and relatable concept that seems so obvious, but yet I haven't really thought about it that way, but'll definetly do.
Thanks again Eric! Let me just say that you and your videos enrichen my guitar playing experience immensely!
Yay! You know that's what i love to hear!
Great video, really eye opening. We should always put every single drop of our soul in what we play, that's the point about music after all (expressing yourself), there are no other reasons that made me dedicate my time into learning how to play the guitar as a tool for expressing the energy
that we all independently have in us.
Yes! We can get caught up in the competitive lizard brain nonsense, but it's not about that!
Notes = MAGIK
Thanks Eric - you've nailed a crucial principle here that's so often overlooked- always try to play it like it matters. I'll be the first to hold my hands up and plead guilty to playing through something (particularly when following a You-Tube how-to) and saying to myself "Got that" - when I really haven't!. Playing along when there's no pressure and actually "performing" (even in a band rehearsal) are totally different, so injecting that extra element of aiming to "make it count - every time" is great advice. I've taken it on board since watching this video and -sadly!- it's exposed just how much I've relied on things sorting themselves out further down the line. The added bonus (for me at least) in trying to make what I play "count" is that it's instantly upped the time I spend practising! All the best, Rowan
Eric, I’m sure you are aware of what I’m about to say but,
The things you teach in the video are difficult to articulate and I think you did an amazing job
Of articulating what is so often overlooked by students and even some pros.
To be present and. In the pocket with every note.
You provided excellent explanations of how to get there.
It’s really the missing element that makes music great. Rhythm is that thing.
Guitar is a percussion instrument with notes. We can’t forget that . We have to remember that our right hand is a lot like a maraca or shaker and we need to lock that in with a drummer or a drummers groove we have in our head.
Thank you ! Kudos. You not only explained how to get there. You played examples that were absolutely solid and musical!
Congrats on 100k, richly deserved!
Thank YOU for being one of 'em!
Slow is Smooth and smooth is fast. My Dad was a pro bass player and taught me to learn everything clean and slow. Playing clean is more important than playing fast. When you play clean time and space expand a bit and it gets easier and easier to go faster. It’s not rushing, it’s just quicker.
yeah! I've observed it's very hard for some students to slow a passage down - the ear hears it one way, and it can't process how to evenly space the notes out.
My Dad taught me "less haste is more speed"
@@EricHaugenGuitar So true. This is where the metronome works for me.
We NEED Always. Be. Riffin' t-shirts.
That axe is the collision of a '57 Caddy and a Viking ship.
I just worked on one of those for a friend, (the firebird V with banjo tuners). Once it was set up right it we actually a rad guitar. The case was the size of said Cadillac and it's a HUGE guitar lol.
It nice how the low E string is stretched the longest.
Perfectly stated
If I'm not mistaken, the original Firebirds were designed by a car designer - hence the "fins!"
@@EricHaugenGuitar if we could just get Keith to do a short history of the Firebird!
Sweet baby Jesus! Every lesson is better and better. The angles you consider are beyond spot on. You fit in plenty of tasty licks and techniques but beyond that you provide a roadmap of what to focus on and how. You are a true guitar GOD! My life is better for these vids. I’m a liker, sub-ER and I look for your content everyday! Please never stop🎉
Hi Eric, Ive pretty much just come across your channel, thanks for not just the technical stuff but the stuff on a more emotional or abstract level. It took me ages to realise I was not gonna play like Jimmy Page, my fingers were not gonna travel at that speed. I just enjoy what I can do and improve on that watching videos like yours. Sometimes a small thing like using an inversion makes for a great day where I pat myself on the back. Thanks!
This kind of vid is gold, Eric. I'm an anxious, tense kind of person and I really struggle to relax while I play - and hence play my best. So you sort of 'giving me permission' to play slower and simpler to get the feel right is a really good reminder.
You wanna talk anxiety? I am the EXPERT!
I've walked with high-functioning anxiety my whole life and have many thoughts on managing it:
1) A good therapist is GOLD
2) You can never stop it, but you can acknowledge it and move on
3) Think of it as a friend, a neurotic internal companion that's always running calculations
4) Frame it in a positive way - anxiety is the byproduct of a mind that has the extra processing power to create it. It means we're smart!
@@EricHaugenGuitar hahaha. So true. In fact, I recently confirmed a suspicion finding that research shows that anxiety-sufferers are less likely to experience accidents.
@@EricHaugenGuitar
Damn I knew there was a deep reason I subbed to this channel other than soulful riffage and Jangle.
They used me like a guinea pig down at the anxiety institute in one of our hospitals.
My regular GP is a natural 1), a talented amateur (his words) - so I just book checkups and we talk for 10-15min. I haven't found anyone better, at least nobody I can afford.
I've probably watched EVERY guitar teacher/player on UA-cam and my man right here honest to god has the most insightful/meaningful advice I've heard.
Thanks so much Michael! I'm glad my sincerity comes across - I don't make these vids to make money, I do it because I really believe what I say!
This is a really great tip! Imagine a drum beat, play groovy! You don't always have to practice with a metronome, just keep focused and if you speed up or slow down a bit in different parts, that's what gives the song groove. It's that old school feel.
Kind of a weird one indeed………and one of your best Eric! Man, this video speaks VOLUMES to me, thank you! I have never been a shredder (can’t do it, and have zero interest) and dislike the “contact sport” competitiveness I see so often among fast players (each to their own of course, but not for me), but I have always riffed and grooved all day, and it’s great to see such an accomplished player as yourself expound this philosophy so well! 😎😎😎👍
Yeah! For the kind of music you and l like, shredding is absolutely not necessary! Groove and feel is EVERYTHING!
Even shredders need to be able to play slow. Ultimately not every passage of music should be a barrage of notes crammed into one bar
Thanks to the algorithm, and thanks to Eric for killin it
100,000 subs?!? Couldn’t have happened to a nicer dude!
Congrats Eric!
Thank YOU for being one of 'em!
Great advice and viewpoints Eric.
Massive congratulations on the 100k subscribers. Fully deserved. Best teacher on UA-cam
Thank YOU for being one of 'em!
As someone who grew up playing drums, then switched to rhythm guitar, and now 15 years later has decided to learn how to solo, write riffs, etc, this is exactly what I needed. Subscribed and looking forward to more!
Yeah! I happily played drums and rhythm guitar for 10 years before I had to switch to lead guitar because of the band I was in - totally affected the way I think of things!
Ha the foot! My guitar teacher often goes freaky about it, he makes me play bossa nova patterns and rhythms, and he asks me to use my left foot to tap sometimes the half note, sometimes the quarter note. And after that, he adds syncopation. Such a brain bender, the pocket isn't easy
I can't tap left foot even in slow 4/4
That Firebird is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life.
It's just an Epiphone! Early 2000s Firebird VII - you can find 'em used for $600-$1000
A lot to unpack with your guitar. Love the tone you got.
Eric, I stumbled across this video whilst aimlessly whafting around on UA-cam......oh my goodness me! You absolute legend!! I am hooked.....absolutely not, in any way, shape or form 'hook-bait'. Yours is real, proper content. BSS man! (Brilliant. Smashing. Super!) Thank you.
Thanks Ian! I am obsessed with not wasting people's time!
I'm sure you've seen Bukovac's channel. I love the way he moves around in his seat and gets into it while he's playing. At first it can feel kind of silly to do that by yourself, but it really does help to get in a groove and to make sure there's feeling behind every note. And if you watch his session videos, he's always tapping that foot. There's a lot to be learned from that man.
I've always found it more difficult to play really slowly than quickly. I got a Digitech SDRUM pedal and turn the tempo all the way down. Could do the same with a click or metronome. It's good for the soul!
Have a great weekend, Eric and anybody else who might read this.
Oh yeah Bukovac's ACES!
Kudos on not putting ads on your videos! 🤙
“Don’t just throw away your notes” - words to live by.
That's like a baseballism which has been rolling around my brain forever, "That ball is the whole game and you people throw it around like it was nothing!" Neither I nor the internet know where it's from. A little help?
@@richsackett3423 - could it be a philosopher comic, like a Bill Hicks or a George Carlin??
Funnily enough, Yngwie Malmsteen of all people said something similar: Always play with the same dedication as if you were performing in front of an audience.
Very good advice whether you want to be Malmsteen or just the most musical version of yourself.
Such good advice. I had a really good musician tell me record myself. When I did it I realized I would start out playing great, then start losing focus and get sloppy. It really made me buckle down
eric haugen is my spirit animal. "always be riffin" is my mantra.
thank you sifu
Miyagi nods back in approval :-)
man, your tone is amazing
100,000 subs! Friday the 13th. What a combo.
Somehow it makes sense :-)
Title alone makes me smile! 😁 Riff building, not over playing (stepping on the vocals, or other instruments), staying in the pocket, accenting the groove with syncopation translates to interesting movement inside a tune.
Being able leap in and out of the basic structure sounds Pro. DON’T WASTE YOUR NOTES - great advice!
It’s great when a boxer can throw back to back combinations, but the boxers who can land the right punch, at the right time win the fight.
The boxer analogy is perfect! You can dodge, block, and know when to strike!
Great advice. These are things I only realized after recording myself. Sometimes when you think you're groovin, you're definitely definitely not.
When I think I'm groovin', I always slow down a little more - it always makes things hit harder :-)
Had no idea what this was gonna be about but this is so cool man. Feel like this made me better instantly. Thank you brother.
Pretty much a philosophy that I didn't know I needed to hear. Thank you for sharing this nugget of wisdom. I get frustrated learning a new part and I can't play what's in my head at the speed I feel pressured to play it at. I usually end up wasting a lot of notes in the pursuit.
Yeah! Slowing down, and breathing is the key!
Dude....I love how you are "doing" (I feel like there's a better word) your channel. I really hope you find success brother.
Thanks man - I have! I never envisioned becoming a UA-cam guitar mentor but I love it!
This is one of your best to date your really a brilliant teacher eric 👏🏽
Thanks Jesse!
I think my sassy sincerity comes across here - I genuinely want all my brothers and sisters to get more from life through musical expression :-)
I love that saying that's awesome thank you.. I pledge allegiance to the Riff.. Riff in Peace.. you just open my ears
I pledge allegiance to riff! Perfect!
@@EricHaugenGuitar something you said made me think of that thank you for your videos very inspiring hopefully I can play like you someday I have that same exact guitar 2004 Epiphone Firebird 7
I like the way your videos are paced and your teaching style. It's refreshing and you don't have to ask me to smash that like button.
Mike Campbell! Agree totally. Underrated imho. I've long time thkught him a perfect example of how to be a lead guitarist in a band. Might not always realise he's there but if he wasn't you would know it big time.
Yeah! And Mike is such a huge part of the songwriting and arrangement process!
I love it! I used to live by ABF when the cameras came out. Always be flexing! Now I will always be riffing!
You definitely know when you are in the groove and anyone listening will know also because it will pick you all up and sweep you away
Congrats on hitting 100k subscribers! Well deserved! UA-cam should give you a commemorative mousepad for that kind of thing.
One word for this vid. Genius.
I learned this lesson when I started living in apartments with thin walls. Every time I played I knew my neighbors could hear me so I figured if Im gonna force my playing upon them I might as well make it sound as good as I can. So I started playing as if anything I was playing I was performing for an audience (because I was) and it made me a better player
Yes!!! Taking a breath gives me time to reflect on more chords I can put into a piece.
Excellent advice. Been working on exactly this concept this past month. Slower tempo. Fewer notes. Visualize the drummer hitting the hi-hat on 2&4. Every note has a "job" so let it finish before hitting the next note. Use vibrato to make that note stre-e-e-e-tch out.
Mike Campbell 4eva!
Such great stuff, and well articulated. The part about slowing down resonated with me - even when playing something really fast and difficult, simply THINKING about it being “slower” (if that makes sense) allows you to get a better feel of the rhythm and makes a huge difference. Also, yeah, it’s such a waste of energy to play without intention and feel. I’ve done so much of that, and it’s not how you get better! 😉
I work in a library but rarely pick up a self-help book. I get my daily affirmations from Eric Haugen. Re-watching old videos, saying hello to his houseplants....
Yeah I can't get comfortable with a lot of the self-help language - it's too floaty for me. However, I LOVED Mark Manson's "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck."
This is good stuff Eric. It reminds me of the book Zen Guitar a bit.
Nice with this kind of “philosophy”. There are plenty guitar technique videos around. Appreciate this stuff. Thanks 🙏🏻
This one video just earned you my subscription from one Eric to another🤘🏼, I dig the approach,general positive attitude towards life and just a breath of fresh air to guitar channels.
Thank you
Thanks Eric!
Yeah - mindfulness/gratitude is everything!
This is a great lesson, Eric! There are certain songs that push us to taste every note, but with some conscious effort, any song can be enjoyed that way.
Great message Eric.
I tell my students to noodle mindfully.
Yeah! You know it!
Sometimes you can see a student playing and they're not listening/feeling what they're doing. It's a very hard thing to get someone to do - to engage emotionally with the music they make!
This is the first video of yours I watched and _boom_ I’m hooked. Subscribed!
Yay! Welcome!
Algorithm must’ve been working. Glad your video popped on my feed. Nice tone and sweet Firebird. I just got one and love it.
I love this, Eric! Making every note count. And making every note you don't play count, too. "Tonight, Eric Haugen slow jams the Firebird." Oh, one thing I like to do is get out a drum machine app, put in a slow pattern, and play over that- first I play right in the pocket, then, I try playing behind and ahead of the beat. Same notes, same drums, totally different feel. Treat you guitar like your lover, slow jam is the best jam. Heh...
Oh, and Pete Townshend is a perfect example of this kind of playing; he's basically the timekeeper for The Who, and he always be riffin', even with his economical lead playing.
This is such a great lesson Eric
What really helped me, is the bass drum- Snare philosophy
Thanks 🙏🏻
G’day Doc!
There’s a reason why we sub to your channel mate!
You keep it real!
👍🇦🇺
Always! Sassy sincerity is what I deal in :-)
@@EricHaugenGuitar
Stay Sassy Doc!
👍🇦🇺
I love Koss for that kind of playing. He got the most about seriously minimal playing with really simple tone---a Les Paul into a dialed in Marshall or Orange. Mike Campbell is another great example.
Thank you Eric "Mr. Schneebly" Haugen for another classic Rock School lesson!
Write on the chalk board 50 times "Always Be Riffin'"
I love your channel and your approach to playing and teaching. Thank you for putting this out into the world!
Thanks man! I really believe guitar practice doesn't have to be stressful - it can be chill, even meditative!
Holy wood! this one of the most beatiful piece i've ever seen..
It's just an Epiphone! Early 2000s Firebird VII - you can find 'em used for $600-$1000
@@EricHaugenGuitar well, i'm from brazil, it's hard to find one around here.. and the price is way too high, almost 7 full montly salaries.. thank you for the response and for sharing videos! I'll keep an eye open and a ear sharp (:
great lesson man and that guitar is gorg
It's just an Epiphone! Early 2000s Firebird VII - you can find 'em used for $600-$1000
love this channel, man!
Agreed
But equally valid
Claypool suggested playing bass unplugged while watching tv got him to a different level. It can be beneficial to throw away lots and lots of notes in the name of learning
Good stuff as always
This is the most beautiful firebird I seen
It's an Epiphone!
I did a review here: ua-cam.com/video/2NEr9NZDrd8/v-deo.html
Such sage advice. In case this still doesn't sink in, slow the video down to 75%.
What an inspiring guy you are sir
Thanks Gareth!
Wow this was just what I needed thank you !
This is the good stuff. All of that. Brilliant.
Cool bro. I am ready to make a "Keep calm and always riff" T-shirt.
These food for thought video I like a lot , concepts and ideas
I love playing in 5ths stacked like that! Very Billy Gibbons style. Nice tone too man!
Maaaaan talk about a guy who is always riffin'! That whole band is so DEEEEEP in the pocket!
Yes, the casual scale player, the jaded practice, that 'I know it all' attitude: this is poison. Make music, engage your creative imagination = hell yes!
I have that sweet sweet retrovibe as well. Great stuff Eric, always looking forward to Friday.
Eric, I really like your style, you always nail it! Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
Really lovely lesson
Firebird and also a Uni Vibe, very good taste in gutiars & effects
Thanks Eric, only discovered you recently and I really enjoy the way you are doing this. Looking forward to exploring your work
Thanks again Eric.