"Trace back why you like the thing, and learn the thing that made the thing you like, and you'll be five times better every time you do that." -John Mayer
The hard part is the beginning I remember my beginning I could barely get my thumb over the neck to play the bass string but after many many years I can do it now
That's the singers syndrome. When you can sing, every other skill you have, that may or may not be better than the singing, will be overlooked. I hate that this happens to John. Most of my friends that listen to John Mayer, don't even know he can play a a guitar. All they know is that he sings on songs.
or at music actually - plays piano too. Would understand all the theory of voicing of chords. He can do all the Tony Hawk tricks. The code is strong. I'm just entering the zone of deeper awareness of the whole language and playing of guitar. It's like opening up the tap. More stuff comes out!
When reverse engineering, keep in mind: What scale? What rhythmic notes are being used? What chords/arpeggios can be used? What volume/attack dynamics What vibrato dynamics Are their modulations to other scales? Did you leave the iron plugged in? How many woodchucks does it take to change a lightbulb ...the iceberg is deep man
I really don’t understand why some guitarists seem to have an overly negative view on John Mayer. For me, this video displays not only a sincere and modest approach to ‘giving advice’ but probably more importantly is that the ‘advice’ he ultimately offers is simply spot on. Down to earth and honest is what I’m taking away from this one. Great vid 👍
As a musician I used to have kinda of an ugly attitude towards John because I used to think his songs didn't sound "sincere", ya know? Like "I guess I gotta bang out 10 songs for this album, might as well do this shit" But as I got to listen more of his stuff I actually grew a lot into him and started to see the beauty in the art behind the music I MEAN, HE'S A GREAT PLAYER No one really debates that But as someone who learned to enjoy his music, I think people hate him because they don't really know him and see him as the "pretty boy with the acoustic at the party that plays to get girls" That's my opinion, at least
He can do anything on the guitar. Now he's trying to fill in for Jerry Garcia, in the current Dead touring band (and doing it excellently!). He has so many talents (sings, writes) that it's not possible to pigeon hole him. And talking about music is a foreign language vs. PLAYING.
Being a "self-taught" guitar player for several years now if I wanted anyone to destroy/deconstruct my confidence I've gained learning this instrument, I'd have it be John Mayer.
That’s hilarious, Ionian is the major scale. He’s full of crap learning a major or minor pentatonic scale won’t give you that. He’s an insanely talented guy who hears on a whole other level and he’s trying to intellectualize the fact that he’s ripped off everyone from BB King to Jimmy Page. Trust me he doesn’t know the theory side of what he’s doing. And who cares he hears it just not buying his line.
I used to be a heavy fan of rock and metal guitar. But when John Mayer came along, my whole perspective of the guitar changed. Now, through JM, I'm discovering the works of Eric Clapton, SRV, Jeff Beck, BB King, and all those blues masters. I still play rock and metal. 😊
Essentially, learn the Jimi Hendrix rhythm/lead style of playing and you will then have a better idea for John Mayer's style of playing. I felt myself plateau years back and what really helped push me forward was having a better understanding for the various shapes of chords up and down the neck of the guitar. It taught me how to play with more colors and improved my ability to feel out a solo. Once you have a better grasp for that, practice won't feel like practice. Then, fast forward 12 months down the road and you will be further along then you would have even guessed. You have to be passionate about it. Having a good ear is just icing on the cake and will probably make things a little easier for you. I can almost guarantee that JM was humbled when he started touring with Dead & Co. The Grateful Dead catalog is no easy task... especially if you are singing and playing lead guitar. Kudos to JM for continuing to be a student of the guitar... seeing that pushes me to keep learning more.
Ill give you a head start as I've already done all that..Muddy waters/Albert King/Lee Moses /Guitarist who shot himself from the group Chicago/R&B chitlin circuit/most old blues players from the 40-50s all influenced jimi>>jimi hendrix/albert king influenced SRV>>SRV/eric clapton/bb king/jimi hendrix influenced John Mayer..obviously it goes way deeper than this but its a good head start 😎
“Trace back why you like the thing, and what makes the thing the thing, and learn the thing” ... wise words from one of the best guitarist in our time.
*plays Ionian mode earlier in the video* "Ionian mode...I don't know what that is. I know what it sounds like probably, but...I don't know." Lol. Love you, John! Great advice.
John went to Berklee. He definitely knows what Ionian is. He was just trying to make the point that you don't have to know formal theory in order to do what he's talking about in this video.
He just said that you had to learn what is the building foundation behind what you play.. and was playing in Major... of course he knows the Major scale haha.. it was a joke!
this is the first time i’ve heard john mayer speak and his voice/accent is not what i expected/imagined at ALL from someone who listens to his music.. it’s PERFECT.
Your body is a wonderland wasnt really a good way to introduce himself to the male population ages 1-Dead. His flongs and romps also dont matter to most if not ALL men. But yeah this guy has insane talent
@@marcospennachini393 and he also wrote it about his highschool girlfriend when he was like 17 or 18...and wrote neon when he was 19. It may be a "cheesy love song" but I think peopl forget that entire record was written by a teenager. "don't leave me 98 and 6 degrees of separation from you" is not exactly a standard bubblegum pop lyric, yet it's one of mayer's. Plus he pretty much shut everyone up when he played wonderland solo acoustic at his first grammy's. Look it up - solo acoustic, insane solo in the middle. He made sure people knew he played guitar pretty quickly, and he's said in interviews he knew he wouldn't be able to find mainstream success playing straight blues so he made his first record to hook people, got a little more bluesy on heavier strings to get them interested, and you saw his complete vision on continuum. by then he had introduced an entire generation to the likes of SRV etc because they did exactly as he suggests in this video - they saw what he was doing and traced back his influences.
Half of my heart wants to never touch a guitar again after seeing John play and half of my heart is the part of a man who's never truly applied himself trying to learn.
@@uchennasunday7037 check out live at the nokia theatre: neon, in your atmosphere, gravity, and vultures (and others just to name a few) he isnt a technical guy when it comes to playing, but his songwriting ability is pretty great.
Rob DeLeon lessons? From a good teacher. It’s really hard to understand online stuff. You need a person to ask questions to. If it’s affordable that’s how some of us learned.
This is the same advice I say to my engineering students actually! If you learn how to solve a problem, you should understand how that solution worked, because then you will be able to solve all the other problems. I know nothing about playing the guitar, but John Mayer is the goat, and this is amazing!!
Believe this or not, before I ever saw this video, I was fooling around with the intro and solo on Gravity, and I became curious about why one note sounded good and why the other didn't. From that, I discovered that Gravity uses the G major pentatonic scale. Then, I learned all of the shapes, I learned it for all of the other keys. Basically, I learned how to play lead guitar just from doing what John says in this video, before I even watched it!
Even if you know what he's talking about, and I do, it still blows me away! The iceberg analogy was so great. Love the "I dont know" at the end. Its got a genius quality to it to say something like that and then precede to be great.
JM has really given a lot back to the guitar community, he does Instagram live and teaches little gems all the time. As guitar players we live in a really lucky time, the guys who pioneered rock guitar never had any of their hero's going live online and teaching the sauce recipe.
All he is saying is so true. I played all the modes for years before I ever discovered what modes were. I just always focused on how everything fits together on the guitar fretboard. After a while it becomes second nature to switch things up on the fly and just freestyle.
@Agothos "the boring part of theory" is very subjective. a lot of people find complex music theory way more interesting than the fundementals he's talking about. and a lot of people find the entire concept of music theory boring as hell so I must say this is not a good point.
Noah Schuh I second that, I was always intimidated by the thought of learning music theory. Therefore, I can see how some might think it’s boring. However, I started learning basic theory at the beginning of this year and the abstract thought process that goes into it is so interesting. Every music theory concept leaves me very curious for the next lesson.
@@devinsobay I have felt the same way for the longest time, now I'm trying to learn but for some reason It's really hard for me to even understand the basics of what the hell sound is.
@@noahschuh9221 stop overcomplicating it. start small. learn scales. learn your intervals. it's simpler than it seems, try not to let it intimidate you.
Agreed...still find him to be an insufferable douche...i wish i could get one guitar lesson take it all in then just sit back and laugh at every egotistical statement that comes out of his mouth then walk away still aware hes probably fucking more chicks this week then i will my whole life
It's so cool to see how he came through all the incredible growing pains of his young stardom...all the addictions, the A-List starlets, the intoxication of fame...how he managed to negotiate all that and come out on the other side such an intelligent, grounded guy.
4:00 sums up my knowledge of music. Been playing for 15 years. Still don’t really know what I’m doing but it sounds good and those around me enjoy it. Should probably get a teacher.
Some guitarists think they have to learn the modes and then learn when to play each mode, and then they can do interesting solos. But music isn't about modes or scales - it's about melody. Meyer gets this as much as anyone. We all have our patterns that we fall back on, but the interesting stuff is the melodies that happen.
That’s what I am doing now, Sir. Thank you for affirming this. This journey has been so rewarding for a dork like me who wants to emulate you and Hendrix.
I swear John's degree the understanding of the guitar has risen to the heights of it sounding like freaking music even when he's practicing the scales.... Ugh unlucky, ten more years in guitar playing and I'm still not sure if i'll ever fathom what he has!
When I first picked up the guitar about 15 years, a friend told me that the guitar is the easiest instrument to learn, but the hardest to master. And John so proves this point, he is so stupid freaking good... its mind blowing! I'm just glad we have evidence of how good he is. And I really enjoy how smug he is when talking about learning his music... "If you just learn my song:).... say you want to learn gravity..." And then he goes into how if you learn his song you still don't know it... wow... wow... it makes me want to quit but challenges me at the same time. He is a true master.
You'll never get anywhere in life with that attitude anyway! Try not to compare yourself to anyone ever, there will always be someone better than you to make you feel inadequate. The only person you ever need to compare yourself to is yourself. Be better than you were yesterday, work to be better at bring you. Make better decisions, cut out the bad decisions, reflect often and look to develop yourself. ☮️
@@PhilBot4OOO comparison is fair game if you know how to handle it. Be better than you were before, sure. But there's no harm in striving to be as good or better than someone else. It's a great motivator and gives tangibility to your goals.
That’s okay if you don’t!!! You aren’t John Mayer. You are you. Be you 😊 I’ve had to accept that this past year. And watched my playing sky rocket. I wanted to be him so bad but once I realized I’m not him. I’m playing so much better and happier
@J. Milton Jeffreys so we should give everyone participation trophies and leave it at that, huh? I said its okay so long as you can handle it. If pure achievement is the foundation of your self worth, then its dangerous. I wouldn't give this advice to a child and even some adults. What I'm saying is that its okay to base your goals based on the people who are better than you. So long as you stay objective about your abilities. There are two reasons I ever got good at anything in my life. Bad motivations like trying to prove my parents and other people wrong; very spiteful. Good motivators like seeing John Mayer, Kobe Bryant, other musicians and athletes I respect and admire. Watching them in their craft and truly seeing my own shortcomings in my abilities so that I could achieve the same things. I know both sides of the story very well. At this point when I see someone better than me and I don't get intimidated. Its an opportunity to learn and get better at my own craft by learning them. That is very healthy. I constantly surround myself with people who are smarter and better. I hate being around complacent people and people that can't see better than themselves. I see it in friends, I see it in immediate family. It sucks. As for kids, the only advice I would give is if you think its fun, keep doing it. Once people start taking things seriously, that's when you start drawing the line and saying sometimes you can't have fun. It all depends on just how serious that individual is willing to be.
It's funny cause Ionian is just a major scale, which he just demonstrated in spades! Great advice! Functional theory is way more important, couldn't agree more.
@Tim Kealey I'm pretty sure it had to do with Fender wanting him to only play Fender gear. Even as far as sticking Fender badges on his non-Fender amps. Top 10 Anime Betrayal: *Fender against John Mayer*
I heard this guy... 15 years ago? Doing a live solo because someone told me to check him out. And he just did the same pentatonic minor shape in different places with no regard for melodic consistency and I was really underwhelmed. So I was hesitant to click on this video but as it turns out he hasn't been wasting his opportunities and that's what growth is about. kudos
CADGE makes me get master of the fretboard. As John says, you know the different positions of G major chord, so you can start your improvisation at any places!
Like all the best famous guitarists he gives great advice without telling you any of the secrets ;-) ... (They are ... learn the pentatonic scale in the 5 positions.... learn the major scale across the neck .... see that chords come from scales... just use the scales over the matching chords.. there might be a bit more, but thats basically it...)
I struggle to believe John Mayer doesn’t know what the Ionian mode is, like really struggle. Was he perhaps being ironic, or is it a music theory inside joke maybe
@@betrion7 that's great, he's lying if he says he doesn't know what the ionian mode is- a year of berklee is more than enough to get through music theory 101.
@@user-ju4bv9wh5o this would be like going to class and forgetting 2 + 2, tho. learning the ionian mode is literally the first thing covered in an introduction to music theory- not to mention, if he doesn't know what it is, why does he call it by name and not the major scale, lol?
this is literally the best guitar advice I've stumbled on in my 18 years of playing.
Citysin Angels fax
@@jake_runs_the_world yep
Same
CAGED system has seemed to be the "building block" for alot of this stuff! If you haven't, give it a look
Citysin Angels I couldn’t agree more.
“I’m not a good advice guy” then really good advice
literally just gives some of the best advice I've ever heard lol...
“Look, I suck at guitar”
humble
For real great advice. Bouts' to apply it
Great Advice!!!
“C... C... C... see?”
Si.
Quincy Bleu 😂😂😂😂😂
@@풍뎅이-h5b 닉네임 무엇 Lol
Sea?
Entendí esa referencia 😉
so many layers
"Trace back why you like the thing, and learn the thing that made the thing you like, and you'll be five times better every time you do that."
-John Mayer
5 times better?
@@PetraKann if you do it 5 times then maybe
Im not a big advice guy
That’s sound advice for most things in life; not just the guitar.
@@Sanmiguel801 yeah i dont like anything in school
John Mayer: “you have an understanding of Gravity”
Physicists: “HOW?!?”
LOL
JM: Listen to my Song. 😀
I’m a physics student... I came to the comment section looking for this😂
Physicists hate him!
Gotta ask Sigma.
1:45
C... C... C... See?
Yeah, and then: "I don't know Ionian".
Ole Behnam-Esmailian he does. It’s just “cool” not to sound like a complete nerd. Never go full nerd.
appreciate for the speech machine learning
@@olebehnam-esmailian5765 "I don't know major"
@@azhaz578 hehe I know ;) it just made the whole joke more ironic for me
1:08 I understood "gravity" very well when I threw the guitar out the 2nd floor window trying to learn to play .
Did you? 🤣
Bahahahaha
The hard part is the beginning I remember my beginning I could barely get my thumb over the neck to play the bass string but after many many years I can do it now
*wise choiiiiiice...*
omg I audibly laughed
I sometimes think people forget how knowledgeable he is at the guitar.
That's the singers syndrome. When you can sing, every other skill you have, that may or may not be better than the singing, will be overlooked. I hate that this happens to John. Most of my friends that listen to John Mayer, don't even know he can play a a guitar. All they know is that he sings on songs.
or at music actually - plays piano too. Would understand all the theory of voicing of chords. He can do all the Tony Hawk tricks. The code is strong. I'm just entering the zone of deeper awareness of the whole language and playing of guitar. It's like opening up the tap. More stuff comes out!
our how really good he is as a musician: theory, feel and voice.
He is. He's so educational on the guitar, its pissing me off sometimes haha
I sometimes think he forgets how knowledgeable he is at the guitar...
when he’s writing music and putting out the stuff he does.
This advice is applicable to life in general
Si!
Outstanding advice!
That’s why I take lottery ticket, because all the money comes from there anyway😎😂😂😂 trace the roots, practice the gains
Yes, identifying fundamentals. Fundamental rules and connections. School.
exactly
When reverse engineering, keep in mind:
What scale?
What rhythmic notes are being used?
What chords/arpeggios can be used?
What volume/attack dynamics
What vibrato dynamics
Are their modulations to other scales?
Did you leave the iron plugged in?
How many woodchucks does it take to change a lightbulb
...the iceberg is deep man
Iceberg lol
AHHAHAH
thanks man
What the fuck does any of this mean
@@thesystem4025 it’s mean you need to learn more about the guitar than just playing the song
I really don’t understand why some guitarists seem to have an overly negative view on John Mayer. For me, this video displays not only a sincere and modest approach to ‘giving advice’ but probably more importantly is that the ‘advice’ he ultimately offers is simply spot on. Down to earth and honest is what I’m taking away from this one. Great vid 👍
is it tho?to me he's a great guitarist and have his own distinctive sound....he's more like morello,could shred but choose not to
As a musician I used to have kinda of an ugly attitude towards John because I used to think his songs didn't sound "sincere", ya know? Like "I guess I gotta bang out 10 songs for this album, might as well do this shit"
But as I got to listen more of his stuff I actually grew a lot into him and started to see the beauty in the art behind the music
I MEAN, HE'S A GREAT PLAYER
No one really debates that
But as someone who learned to enjoy his music, I think people hate him because they don't really know him and see him as the "pretty boy with the acoustic at the party that plays to get girls"
That's my opinion, at least
He can do anything on the guitar. Now he's trying to fill in for Jerry Garcia, in the current Dead touring band (and doing it excellently!). He has so many talents (sings, writes) that it's not possible to pigeon hole him. And talking about music is a foreign language vs. PLAYING.
Because, he’s a pretentious douche in most interviews and some of his songs are really rape-y
He’s also really good at guitar.
@@stevebean1234 He seems like he's matured as a person, was always a great player.
"rip me off". Here is a man that understands each generation builds on the last, and that we are all ultimately standing on the shoulders of Hendrix.
and Hendrix standing on the shoulders of muddy waters
And everyone else on the shoulders of Robert Johnson
@@JaggedRecordsVa And Robert Johnson on the shoulders of the devil himself
@@ianbugayong8620 the devil himself on the shoulders of Tenacious D
Ian Bugayong so does that make us all Blues lovers the devil? 😮
in the first 2 mins of this video john mayer destroyed my understanding and confidence in my guitar playing.
Bruce Bruce felt the same way😭
me too
Classic Mayer!
Being a "self-taught" guitar player for several years now if I wanted anyone to destroy/deconstruct my confidence I've gained learning this instrument, I'd have it be John Mayer.
That’s hilarious, Ionian is the major scale. He’s full of crap learning a major or minor pentatonic scale won’t give you that. He’s an insanely talented guy who hears on a whole other level and he’s trying to intellectualize the fact that he’s ripped off everyone from BB King to Jimmy Page. Trust me he doesn’t know the theory side of what he’s doing. And who cares he hears it just not buying his line.
“I’m not a big advice guy”
Proceeds to give the absolute best advice any of us guitar guys have ever heard in our lives
Yeah but it was small advice :-)
Fr i was expecting like a "try to play with feel" kind of advice and he killed
This guy is so comfortable with his talent he is happy for anyone to know how he does it . Legend
In other words, learn triads.
In other words, learn MUSIC.
I learned that from Tomo fujita😂😂😂
Shut the fuck up with the triads
Music is Win yes Tyler Gwon lad
nobody:
tyler: LEARN TRIADS DUDE
No man has a better understanding of Gs and G strings than John Mayer
@Optic Flow lmaoo
That’s actually the best advice I have ever heard. Newfound respect for John Mayer.
Not only is this the greatest advice you could ever accept into your playing, it is the fundamental reason why most of us fail as musicians!
I used to be a heavy fan of rock and metal guitar. But when John Mayer came along, my whole perspective of the guitar changed. Now, through JM, I'm discovering the works of Eric Clapton, SRV, Jeff Beck, BB King, and all those blues masters. I still play rock and metal. 😊
Eclectic is Good :-)
Clapton sucks by comparison. Massively overrated.
UGH BECK ❤❤
One of the most talented artists in our generation
Really...says a lot about our generation.
NN S be a better musician than him then, show us why it’s so bad for him to be one of the best
@@HearMeLearn .... maybe I am.... you would never know . sorry.
Una polla como una olla.
JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA...
...No.
This is how I learned and it's everything I teach. 👏
You taught me!
nice prs
@Sky Star You can see my instruction at GuitarMusicTheory.com
Essentially, learn the Jimi Hendrix rhythm/lead style of playing and you will then have a better idea for John Mayer's style of playing. I felt myself plateau years back and what really helped push me forward was having a better understanding for the various shapes of chords up and down the neck of the guitar. It taught me how to play with more colors and improved my ability to feel out a solo. Once you have a better grasp for that, practice won't feel like practice. Then, fast forward 12 months down the road and you will be further along then you would have even guessed. You have to be passionate about it. Having a good ear is just icing on the cake and will probably make things a little easier for you.
I can almost guarantee that JM was humbled when he started touring with Dead & Co. The Grateful Dead catalog is no easy task... especially if you are singing and playing lead guitar. Kudos to JM for continuing to be a student of the guitar... seeing that pushes me to keep learning more.
Yeah he is definitely doing Jimi style chords and lead combined hes just making it his own.
@@tjthegreat7 HAHA! I actually thought about that after posting this. Needing to take a deeper dive into the "why" behind his style of playing.
Ill give you a head start as I've already done all that..Muddy waters/Albert King/Lee Moses /Guitarist who shot himself from the group Chicago/R&B chitlin circuit/most old blues players from the 40-50s all influenced jimi>>jimi hendrix/albert king influenced SRV>>SRV/eric clapton/bb king/jimi hendrix influenced John Mayer..obviously it goes way deeper than this but its a good head start 😎
Jimi Hendrix doesnt play guitar.. he gives orgasm to it.. Bluesy, psychedelic orgasm
By chords up and down the neck do you mean triads? They’ve helped me
Always good to see Guitar Center showcasing up and coming guitarists. Wishing this guy nothing but the best!
“Trace back why you like the thing, and what makes the thing the thing, and learn the thing” ... wise words from one of the best guitarist in our time.
I'm just impressed by how true and honest his take on the relative understanding is.
*plays Ionian mode earlier in the video*
"Ionian mode...I don't know what that is. I know what it sounds like probably, but...I don't know." Lol. Love you, John! Great advice.
It's literally just a major scale.
He damn know what it is, he just doesn't want to sound like "yo i know this and that". Probably thought it was boring.
John went to Berklee. He definitely knows what Ionian is. He was just trying to make the point that you don't have to know formal theory in order to do what he's talking about in this video.
He just said that you had to learn what is the building foundation behind what you play.. and was playing in Major... of course he knows the Major scale haha.. it was a joke!
It's literally THE major scale haha
damn this is solid advice
Yosuto
*crickets chirping*
the guitar meme lord himself
John mayer is painfully talented
it's kind of good advice for anything you are doing in life, doing anything blindly is kind of scary and limiting, Peace !
When someone starts with “I’m not a big advice guy” , you sit down, open your ears and listen carefully
Chances are it is just as likely to be someone who knows nothing.
@@O0Salmon0O those who know nothing are rarely self aware of the fact that's the point!
this is the first time i’ve heard john mayer speak and his voice/accent is not what i expected/imagined at ALL from someone who listens to his music.. it’s PERFECT.
About 20yrs ago John Mayer was the reason I decided I needed to understand the guitar and ultimately music. Now I teach my kids.
"I'm not a big advice guy".... Sends straight to promise land 😂😂
Possibly the single most under appreciated guitarist/musicians of the modern day. I’m a huge fan.
Your body is a wonderland wasnt really a good way to introduce himself to the male population ages 1-Dead. His flongs and romps also dont matter to most if not ALL men. But yeah this guy has insane talent
@@saints3824yeah but that song sells a lot. And music is also a job. That song is even better than a lot of things we listen nowadays 😔
@@marcospennachini393 and he also wrote it about his highschool girlfriend when he was like 17 or 18...and wrote neon when he was 19. It may be a "cheesy love song" but I think peopl forget that entire record was written by a teenager. "don't leave me 98 and 6 degrees of separation from you" is not exactly a standard bubblegum pop lyric, yet it's one of mayer's.
Plus he pretty much shut everyone up when he played wonderland solo acoustic at his first grammy's. Look it up - solo acoustic, insane solo in the middle. He made sure people knew he played guitar pretty quickly, and he's said in interviews he knew he wouldn't be able to find mainstream success playing straight blues so he made his first record to hook people, got a little more bluesy on heavier strings to get them interested, and you saw his complete vision on continuum. by then he had introduced an entire generation to the likes of SRV etc because they did exactly as he suggests in this video - they saw what he was doing and traced back his influences.
Not under rated/appreciated at all! He's been top of the game for over 10 years
Half of my heart wants to never touch a guitar again after seeing John play and half of my heart is the part of a man who's never truly applied himself trying to learn.
John: plays minor pentatonic
Me: wow okay okay
**Picks up my Guitar**
**Plays minor pentatonic**
Me: Oh.
Adam Beaumont
But truly I say, this is one of the funniest Comments I’ve ever read. I could just see the comic strip.
I just imagined this with John and Chandler Bing
😂😂😂😂😂
Kieran Scanlon could do it better mate
I have no clue how I found this tbf
My god, John Mayer is such a fantastic teacher!! I keep getting impressed every time I hear advice from him
I've played guitar & skated for 15 years & never even thought
about comparing my scales to the way I'd film a line. Damn John..
same here, put a smile on my face
hes got a peralta guitar you can see in his Instagram live lessons, theyre on youtube
Oh snap...same here! I feel like skating now...from a guitar video! Yeeeew John!
John outlined the best approach. Figure out why the thing works!
Even his G pentatonic sounds awesome. What a legend 😄
John Mayer is the Tony stark of music.
Why doesn't he have a Masterclass yet?
WARD hasn’t sold his soul yet.
WARD cause he's not a total sellout
Because he gives free advice on his ig lives every week
This guy is overrated as a guitar player IMO. I don’t see what others see. He is basic
@@uchennasunday7037 check out live at the nokia theatre: neon, in your atmosphere, gravity, and vultures (and others just to name a few) he isnt a technical guy when it comes to playing, but his songwriting ability is pretty great.
Best musical advise ever, simple yet broad explanation.
Not only do I not understand Gravity, I don’t understand the guitar, scales or even Why I keep buying more guitars. Thanks John :(
Wow i Know and understand all these things! And I can’t even afford a decent guitar
You guys should definitely hang out
Rob DeLeon lessons? From a good teacher. It’s really hard to understand online stuff. You need a person to ask questions to. If it’s affordable that’s how some of us learned.
Rick Feith underrated comment 😂😂
It's been 7 months Rob, are you a god yet?
This is the same advice I say to my engineering students actually! If you learn how to solve a problem, you should understand how that solution worked, because then you will be able to solve all the other problems. I know nothing about playing the guitar, but John Mayer is the goat, and this is amazing!!
What the is he on about "I'm not good with advice" This is one of the best advices I got on playing guitar! He is indeed one of the GOATs!
This really applies to so much more than just the guitar. This applies to most things in life.
Long live curiosity!
John doesn't know that the Ionian Mode is a major scale but he's still better than I'll be at guitar in a 1000 lifetimes. GREAT!
I think he was being sarcastic
he knows the major scale.. for whatever reason John likes to lie about his theory knowledge even though he was formally educated in it.
i’m sure he is joking. He went to berklee there’s no way he doesn’t know that
Believe this or not, before I ever saw this video, I was fooling around with the intro and solo on Gravity, and I became curious about why one note sounded good and why the other didn't. From that, I discovered that Gravity uses the G major pentatonic scale. Then, I learned all of the shapes, I learned it for all of the other keys. Basically, I learned how to play lead guitar just from doing what John says in this video, before I even watched it!
Dude same especially when you add triad shapes
@@andrewcruz7595 mix up the minor and major pentatonic like how stevie does it and you'll get to ur promised land in no time
Similar shit happened to me, only it was Slow Dancing in A Burning Room, not Gravity.
Even if you know what he's talking about, and I do, it still blows me away! The iceberg analogy was so great. Love the "I dont know" at the end. Its got a genius quality to it to say something like that and then precede to be great.
What an excellent teacher. Teaching principles not randoms.
JM has really given a lot back to the guitar community, he does Instagram live and teaches little gems all the time. As guitar players we live in a really lucky time, the guys who pioneered rock guitar never had any of their hero's going live online and teaching the sauce recipe.
Just imagine, Hendrix or SRV goes on Instragram live, so here is the tip to little wing... Rip me off...
Agreed - altho I grew up with this gem ua-cam.com/video/p4vxOoSS5RY/v-deo.html
All he is saying is so true. I played all the modes for years before I ever discovered what modes were.
I just always focused on how everything fits together on the guitar fretboard. After a while it becomes second nature to switch things up on the fly and just freestyle.
Well that's good news!
The kid from Connecticut is now a bonafide virtuoso. Aim for the stars guys!!!
The first 1 min of this is the absolute best advice for learning guitar I’ve ever heard.
This is actually amazing advice. I hope people realise how great that nugget was
"This is better than theory."
Shows theoretical concepts.
@Agothos "the boring part of theory" is very subjective. a lot of people find complex music theory way more interesting than the fundementals he's talking about. and a lot of people find the entire concept of music theory boring as hell so I must say this is not a good point.
Noah Schuh I second that, I was always intimidated by the thought of learning music theory. Therefore, I can see how some might think it’s boring. However, I started learning basic theory at the beginning of this year and the abstract thought process that goes into it is so interesting. Every music theory concept leaves me very curious for the next lesson.
@@devinsobay I have felt the same way for the longest time, now I'm trying to learn but for some reason It's really hard for me to even understand the basics of what the hell sound is.
it's BARELY theory. Lol
@@noahschuh9221 stop overcomplicating it. start small. learn scales. learn your intervals. it's simpler than it seems, try not to let it intimidate you.
I see John Mayer. I click
And I Like.
I see pussy. I lick
Me too! What a great player!! Living legend really!!!
Then you describe seeing and clicking. You post comment.
We simple AF
The most talented and underrated guitarist of this generation. 🎸
Shaheen defining musician of our generation? For sure. Definitely not underrated.
Agreed...still find him to be an insufferable douche...i wish i could get one guitar lesson take it all in then just sit back and laugh at every egotistical statement that comes out of his mouth then walk away still aware hes probably fucking more chicks this week then i will my whole life
It's so cool to see how he came through all the incredible growing pains of his young stardom...all the addictions, the A-List starlets, the intoxication of fame...how he managed to negotiate all that and come out on the other side such an intelligent, grounded guy.
It is astonishing how you give this instrument to maestros and the music comes alive and takes over completely. Wow, John Mayer!!!
He matured a lot, I mean, he grew as a person. Love You John!
I think the Surgery, The Dead, and the Hoffman righted that ship.
Watching John Mayer play those chords like knife through a butter is amazing
4:00 sums up my knowledge of music. Been playing for 15 years. Still don’t really know what I’m doing but it sounds good and those around me enjoy it.
Should probably get a teacher.
This is probably the best advice I've received since I began playing guitar 15 years ago. Thanks John.
Thank you, John.
Dude just casually writes a song at 2:10
Paul Tiplea I really hope that’s the riff on the next song he releases
Lool you're right
That's his magic 😁
@Tony Luo thats him just messing around with scales
IT's essentially Something like Olivia, classic I IV V in the key of G :)
2:49 He even made the same face as BB King. What he is saying makes a lot of sense in all aspects of life I think. Great advise.
Some guitarists think they have to learn the modes and then learn when to play each mode, and then they can do interesting solos. But music isn't about modes or scales - it's about melody. Meyer gets this as much as anyone. We all have our patterns that we fall back on, but the interesting stuff is the melodies that happen.
One of the most useful videos I have heard from an artist in quite some time
That’s what I am doing now, Sir. Thank you for affirming this. This journey has been so rewarding for a dork like me who wants to emulate you and Hendrix.
*Plays with the grateful dead*
“Ionian mode...I don’t know what that is.”
underrated comment :D
I think that ia scale defferent scale
AdinRock Gaming Ionian is the major scale. John knows the Ionian mode he was just messing with us. He probably knows a lot more than he gives off
@@nigel5634 ahh now i know waaaa
@@nigel5634 dude studied at Berklee .
This demo guy has a future!
I swear John's degree the understanding of the guitar has risen to the heights of it sounding like freaking music even when he's practicing the scales....
Ugh unlucky, ten more years in guitar playing and I'm still not sure if i'll ever fathom what he has!
When I first picked up the guitar about 15 years, a friend told me that the guitar is the easiest instrument to learn, but the hardest to master. And John so proves this point, he is so stupid freaking good... its mind blowing! I'm just glad we have evidence of how good he is.
And I really enjoy how smug he is when talking about learning his music... "If you just learn my song:).... say you want to learn gravity..." And then he goes into how if you learn his song you still don't know it... wow... wow... it makes me want to quit but challenges me at the same time.
He is a true master.
You'll never get anywhere in life with that attitude anyway! Try not to compare yourself to anyone ever, there will always be someone better than you to make you feel inadequate. The only person you ever need to compare yourself to is yourself. Be better than you were yesterday, work to be better at bring you. Make better decisions, cut out the bad decisions, reflect often and look to develop yourself. ☮️
@@PhilBot4OOO comparison is fair game if you know how to handle it. Be better than you were before, sure. But there's no harm in striving to be as good or better than someone else. It's a great motivator and gives tangibility to your goals.
That’s okay if you don’t!!! You aren’t John Mayer. You are you. Be you 😊 I’ve had to accept that this past year. And watched my playing sky rocket. I wanted to be him so bad but once I realized I’m not him. I’m playing so much better and happier
@J. Milton Jeffreys so we should give everyone participation trophies and leave it at that, huh?
I said its okay so long as you can handle it. If pure achievement is the foundation of your self worth, then its dangerous. I wouldn't give this advice to a child and even some adults.
What I'm saying is that its okay to base your goals based on the people who are better than you. So long as you stay objective about your abilities.
There are two reasons I ever got good at anything in my life. Bad motivations like trying to prove my parents and other people wrong; very spiteful. Good motivators like seeing John Mayer, Kobe Bryant, other musicians and athletes I respect and admire. Watching them in their craft and truly seeing my own shortcomings in my abilities so that I could achieve the same things.
I know both sides of the story very well. At this point when I see someone better than me and I don't get intimidated. Its an opportunity to learn and get better at my own craft by learning them. That is very healthy. I constantly surround myself with people who are smarter and better. I hate being around complacent people and people that can't see better than themselves. I see it in friends, I see it in immediate family. It sucks.
As for kids, the only advice I would give is if you think its fun, keep doing it. Once people start taking things seriously, that's when you start drawing the line and saying sometimes you can't have fun. It all depends on just how serious that individual is willing to be.
Not good at giving advice you say? That's the best music advice I've ever gotten!
That’s some great advice! John is beyond cool with the time he spends sharing great information with Guitar players like myself 👊
It's funny cause Ionian is just a major scale, which he just demonstrated in spades! Great advice! Functional theory is way more important, couldn't agree more.
He explains things so well like he's got nothing to prove.... well I guess he doesn't need to. What a legend!
Top 10 Anime betrayal: *John mayer move from Fender to PRS*
@Tim Kealey I'm pretty sure it had to do with Fender wanting him to only play Fender gear. Even as far as sticking Fender badges on his non-Fender amps.
Top 10 Anime Betrayal: *Fender against John Mayer*
And I always thought he had the perfect guitar🤔 ...but I will say prs makes some beautiful looking guitars.
PRS is better so
The amp still is fender
Better ending than season 8 got
After words he said and licks he played, I loved this guy!
I heard this guy... 15 years ago? Doing a live solo because someone told me to check him out. And he just did the same pentatonic minor shape in different places with no regard for melodic consistency and I was really underwhelmed.
So I was hesitant to click on this video but as it turns out he hasn't been wasting his opportunities and that's what growth is about. kudos
"I'm not a good advice guy." That's how you start a good advice. It's official.
I'm not a good commentator, but I like your comment
Rip me off in more fundimental ways
Lol
Hendrix and Clapton might be part of that base
He meant suck me off
*fundamental hahaha.
Hendrix really ripped John off. Jimmy had a lot of nerve doing Mayer before Mayer was born.
Randy Kintzley bruh “jimmy”?
IT'S THE FANCY NAME FOR MAJOR SCALES, JOHN. WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THIS!!
Some of the best advices I've heard to date about learning guitar. Simple and straight to the point.
Probably the best advice I've ever heard to improve my playing. You are so much better at giving advice then you think John. Thank you so much.
CADGE makes me get master of the fretboard. As John says, you know the different positions of G major chord, so you can start your improvisation at any places!
Like all the best famous guitarists he gives great advice without telling you any of the secrets ;-) ... (They are ... learn the pentatonic scale in the 5 positions.... learn the major scale across the neck .... see that chords come from scales... just use the scales over the matching chords.. there might be a bit more, but thats basically it...)
Super advice, im a beginner so tried it out with a and c chords and improvised around them with the pentatonic scale, fun. Thank you.
Thank you sir!
There is no secret. The pros practice with a purpose and practice a lot. That is what he is telling us.
Nice
I have concluded that I cannot play guitar as good as this guy
This is the best edvice i have ever gotten not just for guitar but on everything
Thanks John,thanks PRS,thanks Guitar Center,
*Goes to Berkelee*
"Ionian mode, I don't know what that is "
Ha! Yeah sure John Mayer
Rahi Shah idk modes might be something they gloss over. At my school it would be day 2
LOL I even learned modes in high school. Pretty sure anyone who was ever admitted into Berklee knows modes.
He plays with Dead and Company. I don't think it's possible to play Jerry Garcia without knowing what modes are.
I’m thirteen and I know Ionian mode, and all the others as well, he must know
I struggle to believe John Mayer doesn’t know what the Ionian mode is, like really struggle. Was he perhaps being ironic, or is it a music theory inside joke maybe
i love how he says he doesn't know ionian mode even though he went to berklee.
He went for maybe a year before bailing out.
@@betrion7 that's great, he's lying if he says he doesn't know what the ionian mode is- a year of berklee is more than enough to get through music theory 101.
you forget, trust me. but you can easily look it up.@@Calymos
yeah, you can go to school for something and then easily forget it if you're not using it. this statement is kinda whackkk
@@user-ju4bv9wh5o this would be like going to class and forgetting 2 + 2, tho. learning the ionian mode is literally the first thing covered in an introduction to music theory- not to mention, if he doesn't know what it is, why does he call it by name and not the major scale, lol?
Bold of him to assume that I want to play “Gravity”.
But I mean he’s not wrong.
It's bold not doing it.
Would you say it’s Bold as Love?
Best advice I've heard on learning the guitar to date! Thank you Mr. Mayer!
He just put words to what I've recently discovered in my journey of learning guitar!
who else come again and again here just to watch him play guitar??? i wonder if he were a real person to me how amazing it would have been...
He’s so good at guitar that he doesn’t even know how good he is haha what an absolute talent
That is a guru talking facts and how to know what you’re actually playing
This video is incredible. I started playing guitar 6 months ago and have become the biggest fan of John
This guy is so real, soulful and intelligent. What else is there?