John Martyn - The Visual Guitar Solo [live 1978]

John Martyn plays his "visual guitar solo" (Seven Black Roses) on Rockpalast, 1978
Go to 1:10 if you want to skip the banter, but that's part of the performance, isn't it?

[@MrDiddyDee]

For any guitar players out there, John is playing in an open tuning, the intervals are the same as in DADGAD tuning, but he's dropped down two full tones and his open strings are tuned down to Bb - F - Bb - Eb - F - Bb He starts with a capo on at the 2nd fret and fine tunes the strings, which, with the capo in position, the strings then sound as C-G-C-F-G-C. Whilst fine tuning John jokingly mentions 'I can see clearly now' but the riff sounds very much like Bert Jansch's arrangement of 'Black mountain side' [0:53] later made famous on Led Zeppelin's debut album.

[@leekosmin8788]

Brilliant! I sang harmonies with John in the early 80s on his Well Kept Secret album. RIP, big man.

[@26bitesize]

Saw him Newcastle city Hall on the well kept secret tour and had a smoke with him and the band

[@leekosmin8788]

@@26bitesize I resemble that remark

[@leekosmin8788]

@@26bitesize I Just Can't Go On is up on my UA-cam channel. A song of mine that John wanted to record on Well Kept Secret.

[@randolphscott3361]

The man was an amazing guitarist…I couldn’t love him more.

[@tailorbrookes4685]

John Martyn is a musical legend if not the best. Alot of people commenting on this video should understand john is a genius.

[@PoPplyMartian]

Absolute Legend...

[@connlaffan6232]

Great ! Thx for sharing!

[@R-11034]

I still have his first two albums - London Conversation and The Tumbler - both brilliant!

[@gillianhowell7562]

If only he'd looked after his wife and children better!! I fed them for him. Brilliant musician, terrible parenting.

[@plunkettkeith]

you fed his wife?

[@colinpiper6280]

John at his best. Superb. RIP. Anyone know what tuning he's using here?

[@violentmorgan]

Various - how long have you got?😆

[@colinpiper6280]

@@violentmorgan I know he used loads of alternate tunings that gave his music a very unique voice. At the beginning of this one it looks like he's using DADDAD

[@michaelhusselbee2087]

Open everything!

[@mikeregan3265]

It's random-dropped- whatever tuning with a roller capo.

[@trevorsextonmusic6329]

All of them!❤

[@joereyn3945]

Does he only use 1 finger in fingerpicking?

[@connlaffan6232]

Mostly thumb and index.

[@gregordiezemann-io6zd]

Too much alcohol😢rip.