You knocked this out of the park, Ray. I've watched the DF videos and realized he used an alternate tuning. But I had tried open G, not open D. Your lesson is spot on, and you do a great job of explaining and demonstrating the various chords and riffs. Some of Fogelberg's lesser known songs like "Stars" and "Be On Your Way" deserve more acclaim. Your rendition of "The Reach" is a nice tribute to "the leader of the band." He died too young, but he left us a lasting gift we never can repay.
Ray! ... Thank's so much for posting this! I've been playing this for a good 25 years in open G tuning but never thought it sounded quite right. Your video is spot on and so much simpler to play! I will be glued to my monitor until I get that intro perfected! Great song - one of Fogelberg's best - and a great video! Thanks!
@3houses3 I know that feeling of playing a song and it not sounding or feeling "quite right". Discovering the open tuning on this song brought it to life for me and I absolutely love playing it. My hope is you get the same inspiration and joy as I did learning it and performing it. Enjoy!
Ray- simply a great lesson!! I never thought to play this song in Open D tuning. You've opened the door to one of my all time favorite songs. Now I've got some work to do to learn this beauty. Thanks you so much for your lesson!! God bless you too!
Well I've been working on that intro and all the hammer-ons and pull-offs for the past 2 days and I'm really happy to say: I got it! Never had so much fun and felt so pleased to nailed a piece quite like this before so it really is a big thanks from me Ray!
Thank you so much for this tutorial Ray. It's perfect and I'm getting right to work on it. I've been playing this in standard tuning in E for a while but your original version is so much more subtle and full of the right over-tones. What a great contribution to Dan's legacy you are making here,
@neverfoundthetime Thanks for the comments. I tried playing it in the standard tuning as well but the song just sounded "flat". After learning the alt tuning version, the song came alive and is one of my favorites to perform. I get a great audience reaction from the DF fans too.
@artbre45- yes, Dan's music is magical at times. He's like a painter that paints with lyrics and music. This song puts a lot of oceanic pictures in my head, with the crashing waves and the roaring seas. You could probably play it in standard tuning, but it just doesn't capture the magic. You might find some chords online if you google "dan fogelberg, the reach, chords and lyrics" and you'll find something. God bless you too, my friend and keep playing!
Hi Ray, thanks for the lesson of this wonderful song, I'v been a Dan F's fan since my youthin Dominican Republic; still i lisen his music and all the time bring me a lot of images from your country through this beatiful lyrics, that i never see it in person,his music is magical to me. Thanks for this extraordinary guitar lesson, but i wonder? if there is another way to play it in the standard tunnig? !!Muchas Gracias!! Thanks, from Dominican Republic again,God Bless you indeed. Amigo.
Which album is "Nature of the game" on? I just went thru my ipod and didn't see that song on any of the albums I've got. It's possible it's on one of his later albums I missed. Let me know.
@raykokopath it's on 'LOVE IN TIME", has an instrumental beginning & vocal/song following. it's obviously some sort of open tuning.i've tried to see if i can find it on a video to try to figure out but cant find it.actually could probably get it just by listening but that's not my strong suit. i'd really appreciate your research.
@tfelus i'm actually attending the 2nd annual Dan Fogelberg Memorial celebration in Peoria, Il. 8/12 & 13. hope to see some of th players from all over the country play "nature of the game". if i get it, i'll try to share.
@raykokopath it's actually on his last album. there's some pretty sad stuff on it. if you're a fan, you should check it out. as i posted, it's on "love in time" the eighth cut. let me know what you think.
nothing new, just thanks for helping me play a song i've wanted to play ACCURATELY for years;didn't realize the "if i laugh" connection. do you happen to know the tuning to "nature of the game"? i'd really like to add that one to my reportoire.
like others before me, I will say a heartfelt thanks for teaching a song I love to play but have done so poorly for years. The alt tuning would have been way beyond my ability to figure out and you've made it all so easy to understand. I have a new project to work on......
Ray, thanks for the response and encouragement! You'll be happy to know that as a result of your tutorial on open tuning, I discovered I can now play another song "Los Angeles" by Peter Bradley Adams (he does both piano and acoustic guitar version) that has since eluded me. So thanks a million for that one too! BTW, "If I Laugh" is my all time favorite CS song...any way to get you to post another tutorial??? Stay well my friend.
@axstevens I hope to have a performance of "If I Laugh" up in the next week or two. The lesson will have to come a little later, but I do want to do it. It's one of those songs that I tried and tried since I was a teen to learn, but it never worked. So now that I've found it's really pretty simple with the alt tuning, I hope others can discover that joy as well. Thanks for writing back.
Ray, thanks so much for posting this. I've been trying to learn this song for 20 years! This is the first time I've ventured into open tuning and you made it completely painless. Very much appreciated!
@axstevens Hey, that really blesses me to know of your "growth" on guitar. You'll soon find a lot of those songs that alluded us in our earlier days did so because of the alternate tuning. One song that fits that description for me has been "If I Laugh" by Cat Stevens. When I found he did it in the same alt tuning as "The Reach", I learned it pretty quick and it's now one of my favs to perform. Keep breathing the music, my friend, and thanks for your encouraging comments.
@csx4 Wow, You're right! And I consider myself a real "purist" when learning other artists songs. I missed it by learning the song from a live performance here on Youtube. As a matter of fact, I just watched two separate "live" performances by Dan and he did them both in "F", not "F#". But you are correct my friend- the studio version is in "F#", and being the purist I am, I will start playing it in F#. Good listening to you!
@raykokopath -i saw those videos also. thats an old trick alot of performers will do is to drop down a 1/2 step to help the vocal out. some even go as far as tuning the guitar a 1/2 step down. i hate changing my tunings back and forth, its a pain. now i actually have a couple cheap acoustics i keep in alternate tunings, one in the D and one in G, as well as a standard tuning. well, again nice job, you helped me learn the intro, so thanks.
I do not have the tabs to "Crow". Great song, tho. I was introduced to DF music with the Captured Angel Album back in 1976 and it all went uphill from there. I started performing "These Days" a few months back and got a good reception with my "open mic" crowd. I love to perform "Leader of the Band", "Part of the Plan", "There's a Place in the World..., " So many good songs...
Ray, this is OUTSTANDING! Thank you. I've always marveled at Dan's solo version because the intro sounds like two guitars. It frustrated me for a long time because I didn't realize he was in a different tuning until I saw him play it on YouTube. (But I still never picked it out.) In an interview once he described the intro as "a little riff groove" but that didn't help. No one played like Fogelberg. His solo guitar work in concert was just delicious. Still can't believe he's gone.
@LlanoEscatado I always wanted to play the song but it sounded so dull in standard tuning so I was never inspired to learn it. Then I saw the video you spoke of and wow, that made all the difference. It's one of my favorite songs to perform. Thanks for the comment!
@raykokopath Yeah, most songs sound dull when played "normally." I always wanted to play them the way the artist plays them. I mean, if you're going to go to the trouble then learn the awesome version. It really sets one's guitar playing apart. Dan said in another interview that he was at a Joni Mitchell concert once and realized she was using different tunings and said, "Wow! That's it! Different tunings." Huge difference. He uses great chords and his finger picking is the best there is.
You knocked this out of the park, Ray. I've watched the DF videos and realized he used an alternate tuning. But I had tried open G, not open D. Your lesson is spot on, and you do a great job of explaining and demonstrating the various chords and riffs. Some of Fogelberg's lesser known songs like "Stars" and "Be On Your Way" deserve more acclaim. Your rendition of "The Reach" is a nice tribute to "the leader of the band." He died too young, but he left us a lasting gift we never can repay.
trh6887 1 month ago
@trh6887 Thank you so much for your kind comments. I'm so jazzed to see others get excited about playing "The Reach", it's such a great song!
raykokopath 1 month ago
Ray! ... Thank's so much for posting this! I've been playing this for a good 25 years in open G tuning but never thought it sounded quite right. Your video is spot on and so much simpler to play! I will be glued to my monitor until I get that intro perfected! Great song - one of Fogelberg's best - and a great video! Thanks!
3houses3 3 months ago
@3houses3 I know that feeling of playing a song and it not sounding or feeling "quite right". Discovering the open tuning on this song brought it to life for me and I absolutely love playing it. My hope is you get the same inspiration and joy as I did learning it and performing it. Enjoy!
raykokopath 3 months ago
Ray- simply a great lesson!! I never thought to play this song in Open D tuning. You've opened the door to one of my all time favorite songs. Now I've got some work to do to learn this beauty. Thanks you so much for your lesson!! God bless you too!
rpgrigsby 4 months ago
@rpgrigsby I hope you enjoy learning it and performing it as much as I did (and do!).
raykokopath 4 months ago
Well I've been working on that intro and all the hammer-ons and pull-offs for the past 2 days and I'm really happy to say: I got it! Never had so much fun and felt so pleased to nailed a piece quite like this before so it really is a big thanks from me Ray!
neverfoundthetime 4 months ago in playlist neverfoundthetime's favourites
@neverfoundthetime Awesome! That's blesses me! Enjoy it my friend and keep speading great songs out there!
raykokopath 4 months ago
Thank you so much for this tutorial Ray. It's perfect and I'm getting right to work on it. I've been playing this in standard tuning in E for a while but your original version is so much more subtle and full of the right over-tones. What a great contribution to Dan's legacy you are making here,
neverfoundthetime 4 months ago
@neverfoundthetime Thanks for the comments. I tried playing it in the standard tuning as well but the song just sounded "flat". After learning the alt tuning version, the song came alive and is one of my favorites to perform. I get a great audience reaction from the DF fans too.
raykokopath 4 months ago
Great tutorial - thanks so much, I can't wait to try it!!
jimhsix2 4 months ago
@artbre45- yes, Dan's music is magical at times. He's like a painter that paints with lyrics and music. This song puts a lot of oceanic pictures in my head, with the crashing waves and the roaring seas. You could probably play it in standard tuning, but it just doesn't capture the magic. You might find some chords online if you google "dan fogelberg, the reach, chords and lyrics" and you'll find something. God bless you too, my friend and keep playing!
raykokopath 5 months ago
Hi Ray, thanks for the lesson of this wonderful song, I'v been a Dan F's fan since my youthin Dominican Republic; still i lisen his music and all the time bring me a lot of images from your country through this beatiful lyrics, that i never see it in person,his music is magical to me. Thanks for this extraordinary guitar lesson, but i wonder? if there is another way to play it in the standard tunnig? !!Muchas Gracias!! Thanks, from Dominican Republic again,God Bless you indeed. Amigo.
artbre45 5 months ago
Which album is "Nature of the game" on? I just went thru my ipod and didn't see that song on any of the albums I've got. It's possible it's on one of his later albums I missed. Let me know.
raykokopath 10 months ago
@raykokopath it's on 'LOVE IN TIME", has an instrumental beginning & vocal/song following. it's obviously some sort of open tuning.i've tried to see if i can find it on a video to try to figure out but cant find it.actually could probably get it just by listening but that's not my strong suit. i'd really appreciate your research.
thanks
tfelus 10 months ago
@tfelus i'm actually attending the 2nd annual Dan Fogelberg Memorial celebration in Peoria, Il. 8/12 & 13. hope to see some of th players from all over the country play "nature of the game". if i get it, i'll try to share.
tfelus 7 months ago
@raykokopath it's actually on his last album. there's some pretty sad stuff on it. if you're a fan, you should check it out. as i posted, it's on "love in time" the eighth cut. let me know what you think.
tfelus 10 months ago
nothing new, just thanks for helping me play a song i've wanted to play ACCURATELY for years;didn't realize the "if i laugh" connection. do you happen to know the tuning to "nature of the game"? i'd really like to add that one to my reportoire.
thanks
tfelus 10 months ago
very wellexplained ! you make it very easy ....thanks !
RCROSSH 1 year ago
like others before me, I will say a heartfelt thanks for teaching a song I love to play but have done so poorly for years. The alt tuning would have been way beyond my ability to figure out and you've made it all so easy to understand. I have a new project to work on......
raftindave 1 year ago
@raftindave Thanks for your comments and keep me posted on how the "project" is going.
raykokopath 1 year ago
Ray, thanks for the response and encouragement! You'll be happy to know that as a result of your tutorial on open tuning, I discovered I can now play another song "Los Angeles" by Peter Bradley Adams (he does both piano and acoustic guitar version) that has since eluded me. So thanks a million for that one too! BTW, "If I Laugh" is my all time favorite CS song...any way to get you to post another tutorial??? Stay well my friend.
axstevens 1 year ago
@axstevens I hope to have a performance of "If I Laugh" up in the next week or two. The lesson will have to come a little later, but I do want to do it. It's one of those songs that I tried and tried since I was a teen to learn, but it never worked. So now that I've found it's really pretty simple with the alt tuning, I hope others can discover that joy as well. Thanks for writing back.
raykokopath 1 year ago
Ray, thanks so much for posting this. I've been trying to learn this song for 20 years! This is the first time I've ventured into open tuning and you made it completely painless. Very much appreciated!
axstevens 1 year ago
@axstevens Hey, that really blesses me to know of your "growth" on guitar. You'll soon find a lot of those songs that alluded us in our earlier days did so because of the alternate tuning. One song that fits that description for me has been "If I Laugh" by Cat Stevens. When I found he did it in the same alt tuning as "The Reach", I learned it pretty quick and it's now one of my favs to perform. Keep breathing the music, my friend, and thanks for your encouraging comments.
raykokopath 1 year ago
nice job, the recorded version is up one more fret with the capo, F#
csx4 1 year ago
@csx4 Wow, You're right! And I consider myself a real "purist" when learning other artists songs. I missed it by learning the song from a live performance here on Youtube. As a matter of fact, I just watched two separate "live" performances by Dan and he did them both in "F", not "F#". But you are correct my friend- the studio version is in "F#", and being the purist I am, I will start playing it in F#. Good listening to you!
raykokopath 1 year ago
@raykokopath -i saw those videos also. thats an old trick alot of performers will do is to drop down a 1/2 step to help the vocal out. some even go as far as tuning the guitar a 1/2 step down. i hate changing my tunings back and forth, its a pain. now i actually have a couple cheap acoustics i keep in alternate tunings, one in the D and one in G, as well as a standard tuning. well, again nice job, you helped me learn the intro, so thanks.
csx4 1 year ago
I do not have the tabs to "Crow". Great song, tho. I was introduced to DF music with the Captured Angel Album back in 1976 and it all went uphill from there. I started performing "These Days" a few months back and got a good reception with my "open mic" crowd. I love to perform "Leader of the Band", "Part of the Plan", "There's a Place in the World..., " So many good songs...
raykokopath 1 year ago
Ray, You don't happen to have the tabs for "Crow" do you? Any others?
LlanoEscatado 1 year ago
Ray, this is OUTSTANDING! Thank you. I've always marveled at Dan's solo version because the intro sounds like two guitars. It frustrated me for a long time because I didn't realize he was in a different tuning until I saw him play it on YouTube. (But I still never picked it out.) In an interview once he described the intro as "a little riff groove" but that didn't help. No one played like Fogelberg. His solo guitar work in concert was just delicious. Still can't believe he's gone.
LlanoEscatado 1 year ago
@LlanoEscatado I always wanted to play the song but it sounded so dull in standard tuning so I was never inspired to learn it. Then I saw the video you spoke of and wow, that made all the difference. It's one of my favorite songs to perform. Thanks for the comment!
raykokopath 1 year ago
@raykokopath Yeah, most songs sound dull when played "normally." I always wanted to play them the way the artist plays them. I mean, if you're going to go to the trouble then learn the awesome version. It really sets one's guitar playing apart. Dan said in another interview that he was at a Joni Mitchell concert once and realized she was using different tunings and said, "Wow! That's it! Different tunings." Huge difference. He uses great chords and his finger picking is the best there is.
LlanoEscatado 1 year ago
RAY AWESOME!!!! THANK YOU !!!!!!!
BrokenArrow1967 1 year ago