Afraid to Dance - Don Ross cover

[thejakeyboi]

Well played, thanks for the tutorial also! :-)

[kennybosefus]

how the hell does this have less than 20k views? its unreal how garbage gets 10million views, and talent gets 20k.. i hate the meek.

[taproot7]

This guy plays it damn near as well as Don. Impressive in my opinion.

[salhawk]

NOBODY can play it like DON himself .... nice job tho....

[saffronboots]

@salhawk Nor should they IMO. I'm glad you liked it tho. I'll be rerecording this one in HD soon I think.

[Dson213]

VERY NICE JOB sounds so much like Don Ross loosen up your doing a great job loved it.

[klockworkx]

Nice job dude.. very impressive...

[saffronboots]

@klockworkx Thanks. I think this one's due for a "re-imagining" on the newer video gear.

[montrealhabs3131]

haha great ending to top a perfect cover

[saffronboots]

I was so nervous recording this vid. I'm a little better now.

[rogiermusic]

lmao ''Akoestische gitaar muziek'' even in my language!!

[saffronboots]

Of course. I've got to score points wherever I can. Ha ha!

[chrispottie1]

great job, i've been playing this tune for about 4 years now....i play it almost the exact same way....could never get the tapping down perfect though haha

[saffronboots]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I used to play military drums so the tapping part came fairly quickly.

[ozguitarist1]

great job mate!

[saffronboots]

Thanks.

[kyoni2008]

Wow, Just wow, youre awesome, and cute too^^, i was just jaw dropped staring at this video, really great playing. Now if youll excuse me, i need to go to the music store and buy a guitar, its your fault im so inspired now. hehe <3

[saffronboots]

Cute? Goodness. I guess there's benefits to a bad camera...

[jograd08]

wow u really nailed this. great job thats a tough one..i'd lyk to learn this too, where can i find the tab u transcribed posted in the internet?

[saffronboots]

Not sure really. There was a Russian tab site that had it.

[jograd08]

thnx, but do you happen to know what the russian tab site is? or may be its name

[Muzikman127]

I woould love you to reupload this with the all the uber-gear you now seem to own :D

An excellent cover, and A high quality perfected version wouldn't go amiss :p

[saffronboots]

Yes, I believe an update is in order...

[Muzikman127]

I look forward to it!

[tpritchas14]

Finally somebody that embodies the rhythmic qualities and groove that Ross plays. Well done brother.

[saffronboots]

Thanks. I'll never be quite as funky as Don... nor as tall.

[rastatouf2225]

great cover dude love your style in this one

[saffronboots]

Thanks. I cringe when I listen to it now. Too rushed. Video jitters...

[Muzikman127]

Trademark of a good musician- never satisfied.

[ABisopht]

the camera is slow because its dark. if it wer lighter then it wud be faster and clearer

[virgult]

I have to say that... the guitar you use here has an AWESOME sound. Of course i can't judge precisely watching just a video, but it sounds mellow, midrangy, clear and precise, almost like a classical guitar. The neck seems nice and easy to play as well. If you actually built this instrument... good job, definitely. :D

[stuwart182]

very very nice..

[Undertowww]

Awesome man, just awesome. I would love to tackle that some day, we saw Don play with his wife last week and he played this, it was awesome.

[JensKolonD]

Nice playing!

Need a little feel though ;D. I mean, you need the groove.

Get groovin'!

[ShaneThompson94]

better than Mr Ross himself, good job sir!!!! :)

[Fusionartist202]

unless your day job is recording and playing guitar

[hitandjog]

I've been looking for a good tab for this song...can't find one. Can you give me a hand?

[sprts8811]

where's the 4th fret artificial harmonic?!?!?! Im just playing man, that was an AWESOME cover. Very clean.

[mickeypopa]

Excellent cover man! I like the slow pace rhythm.I listen to it every time I'm on YouTube! At least once a day,and more :)

Thanks for this ;)

[Tman4000]

Very nice. Really good tutorial you have for it too. How long did it take you to make that guitar?

[abhinav333]

Damn, that was fabulous

[BluesBrother93]

Nailed the triplets.

Thanks Saff.

[slennie]

well, you built that guitar very very nice i think, it sounds better than all of my guitars!

[saffronboots]

It's certainly my favourite in my collection.

[MrFinklestein]

If you don't mind me asking how long have you been playing?

[saffronboots]

~30 years. I should be better...

[MrFinklestein]

Nah, it was one of the better covers on youtube.

[artistfood]

Great Job! What kinda guitar/model is that?

[saffronboots]

Thanks. The guitar is a custom steel-string that I built 3 years ago: Cedar soundboard with Walnut back and sides.

[6ixstringed]

haha loved what you did on the end by the way... was it that heavy on you? lol

[saffronboots]

This was one of my first YT videos. I found the process very stressful - I was relieved to get through it.

[6ixstringed]

Great cover and a beautiful guitar! I wish I could build a guitar like that.

[saffronboots]

You can.

[DcTurner]

Nice work bud :D

Good tone.

[saffronboots]

Thank you. I might re-do this since I've got much better capture gear now. Improve that tone...

[davidjoeg]

best cover of afraid to dance, by far. right on!

[saffronboots]

I'm glad you enjoyed it David!

[JDIBe]

Wow!...Just wow!

I don't what is better the playing or the tone on that guitar. It sounds better than the ones Ross uses on his clips here. (but I see you built that, too.) Cedar is a wonderful thing...

[saffronboots]

Thanks. Funny thing about the guitar: it was the first one Don picked up to play when he was at my place. He said, "I love cedar!"

[RustyCyler]

of course the intro is awsome, but I just love that little run thats played at 1:18 to 1:20.

I'm awarding you the "Rusty Cyler best Afraid to Dance cover" award !!

[saffronboots]

That's my favourite part too! The ascending and decending notes. I always think of Sesame Street. I don't know why.

[RustyCyler]

LOL thats so funny. I hear it now... "can ya tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street"

[kaimitz]

wow very good friend, it´s good

[saffronboots]

Thank you friend.

[RustyCyler]

brilliantly played !

[saffronboots]

Cheers.

[Lukipela1988]

Nylon or not? You're awesome!

[saffronboots]

Thanks.

[Johnnyfortune82]

Excellent! You're using Nylon Strings, right?

[saffronboots]

Nope. They're steel strings - John Pearse Phosphor-Bronze. The "softer" sound is probably due to the cedar top.

[Johnnyfortune82]

Would you say that it sounds well with nylon cause i've no western guitars, or can't you create this slapping kind of thing with nylon strings?

[saffronboots]

It's much harder on nylon strings I think because of the height of the action. It's doable though.

[123bogger123]

man this is song requires serious tallent and man you nailed it thats awesome

[saffronboots]

I'm glad you enjoyed the cover.

[tenacious645]

its ashame the camera work couldnt keep up cuz that was a bad ass cover sound original nice

[saffronboots]

I'll be re-recording it on the iMac/Zoom H4 combo shortly.

[beauceron]

That was extremely well done!

[saffronboots]

Thanks. I'll be posting a clearer video in the future.

[yumpin]

nice job. did near justice to his song. nice guitar by the way, im building one myself out of koa(back/sides) and sitka spruce top. i have one question though. How do you find the perfect scale length for each string without testing it?

[saffronboots]

I assume you're talking about the saddle compensation. As a general rule, you can't go too wrong with a linear slope from back edge to front edge between E(6)-G(4), Back edge for B(2), front edge for e(1). Are you making your own bridge?

[yumpin]

yes ill be making my own bridge. i'm trying to only buy hardware, and build all the other components myself

[Brendanthepimpshit]

Amazing job man!

[saffronboots]

Thanks Brendan. Geez, have you watched ALL my videos?!? You're very tolerant.

[dkmccreight]

Great stuff Warren! I definitely need to work on my technique when it comes to this percussive stuff. I think I will give this one a shot. Hopefully your tutorial will help me through it. Thanks for posting.

[Chez5]

Ah ah ah ah....You're really helping me trough the night man...nice!!! Clap Clap Clap!!!

[guitarmusic1]

Great job Warren ... lots of groove ... I'm currently learning this tune based on your tab.

[nagaman1]

good work, that is a superb cover!!!

[lettenj]

must've been a great feeling building a guitar like that. How long did it take you to construct?

[BrSoccerChic89]

Awesome job! Proves you know the guitar very well..

[bitesale]

good show...

[dwood1968]

good job warren best cover of this tune that i have seen very clean not as good as don though lol but very close kudos to u

[saffronboots]

Guitar playing is not a competitive sport.

[slapauface]

i keep tellin these guys they want the Sports channel oh well in the meantime You rock man keep it up!!

[Poopfemur]

Nice one man how long you been playing awhile I would imagine since you tabbed it in 95

[saffronboots]

~30 years (there was a hiatus 86-89).

[Poopfemur]

i've got 4 under my belt now a long way to go

[d22587]

That is the best cover I have heard, all the rest of the people who try to play that song are a bunch of kids who always fuck it up, but not you, you played it perfectly!

[saffronboots]

I appreciate the compliment - thanks. But, I can empathize with those who are learning it.

[toonstegen]

The ending is funny!

[toonstegen]

Another good performance! Do you nknow Lucy Watusi from Don ross?

[saffronboots]

Yep. I know that and most of the stuff that's in the Answer Book. I'm surprised nobody has posted the First Ride...

[rastico]

do you know the slap harmonics pattern for elevation music, as you did with afraid to dance? thanks

[saffronboots]

Hi rastico, sorry, I haven't learned that song.

[wappadudu]

dead on m8!!! superb playin'

[wiredhot1965]

Nice Job Warren!!

[putinpiejoe13]

sounds just the same

[Nogert]

Thats great such a good guitar tune

[2oobwatcher]

I can't even play guitar but I can sure suffer guitar envy! ☺ excellent

[Esbenmad]

Cool! Good work!

[slennie]

SUPERB!

[sweatysocksprod]

Wow dude.. that was an absolutely stellar job.. you clearly did WAY better than me. You know the song very well, whereas i barely played it like the original, and it STILL didn't sound too great.

PS.. do you have the tabs for it? toss me a message if you do.. i'd love to learn the real version for a change :P.

Keep jammin

David.

[Yameki]

awesome!! =D

[ColinCashin]

Rock on Warren! Kickass job. I find this one of the more difficult Don songs to play, especially the intro and outro and you really nailed it.

[saffronboots]

Do you think I should post a tutorial on the drumming pattern?

[ColinCashin]

For sure! I think its a great idea, it would help me and countless others, including the many people on YouTube who do this song but exclude the intro or kind of make up their own.

[k14ce2002]

I am sure it would be greatly appreciated if you did...I cant seem to find an accurate transcription of that part on the internet

[nissen158]

YES! :D