How to Play Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit : Overview of Kurt Cobain & Nirvana

[TheTinychainsaw]

:)

[tmantonym]

This guy obviously hasn't listened to their Bleach album. Alot of the songs on that are pretty hard to play on guitar.

[Erikiperik]

about kurt`s guitar ability, I`d like to qoute kurt: "I can`t play like segovia. The flip side of that is that Segovia could probably never have played like me..." He had his own style. but as a rythm punk guitar. controlling feedback/noise (listen to paper cuts, beeswax and other more experimental tracks). and coming up with unique guitar lines and solos, he was great. on top of that, Love buzz's fast licks requires much skill to pull off as clean and tight as he does.

[neilus]

its all about having a story to tell, its more important than the words...who changed music? dylan, lennon, cobain...none of whom were technically great but they had a story to tell...yngwie malmsteem is a technically great guitarist...does HE have a story? no, thats why in 5000 years from now, people will still remember kurt KC RIP x

[pribonkers]

JUST PLAY THE DAMN SONG!!!

[TestMeatDollSteak]

I love Nirvana, I learned to play guitar by learning their songs on an acoustic guitar...but I have to agree with this instructor's comments, and some of the other comments on here that Kurt Cobain was not an "amazing" guitarist. Even by Cobain's own admission he had a lazy and sloppy approach, often played out of tune and out of time...and, let's face it, if it wasn't a power chord, Cobain rarely bothered with it. But he still wrote cool riffs and great, often beautiful melodies. He rocked.

[SuperDsffdsf]

i think kurt he is a great player and ill tell you why. its true...he is not a shredder or a crazy solos man but think about lithium or smells like teen spirit no one could eve think about that he play with a lot of fill and thats what important the think that he invent im sure no one else in this world can invent he got hes style so he is not jimi hendrix or krick hammett but he got style he brought something tht no one ever think about and inspired a lot of players

[christos121212]

fuck you....

[Dzoete]

Well nobody is a god whatsoever but Jimi influenced so many other guitar players all over the world,that alone makes him one of the best guitarists ever.Being the best is not just being technically perfect but it's the feeling people get when you play the guitar.BB King can't even play chords and he can't sing and play guitar at the same time but he's in every top 10 as well,I saw him twice and he just blew my socks off,that makes him one of the greatest as well for me :-)

[MrKyel17]

I love how everyone here agrees that Kurt Cobain wasn't a guitar god but the songs he wrote and the music as a whole was what was amazing...while nobody will agree with the same exact point on Jimi Hendrix.

[Dzoete]

@MrKyel17 Maybe because Jimi was a guitar God???

[MrKyel17]

@Dzoete No he wasn't. His music was good, but his actual guitar skills weren't that amazing. He was called the Master of Distortion for a reason...he played noise; yeah that sounds insulting but I can't find any other way to explain it. Yes Jimi was a very good guitarist, especially for the time, but he wasn't a guitar "god".

[thedudefromthehood]

@MrKyel17 lmfao, if u think Jimi's guitar skills were not amazing I advise you to play some of his songs.

[MrKyel17]

@thedudefromthehood I love how you completely missed the point of my comment.

[thedudefromthehood]

@MrKyel17 I did not. You made a statement on how Jimi was not a guitar god. I am telling you, go learn any Jimi's song and then talk about his skills.

[MrKyel17]

@thedudefromthehood You did. I am saying he is not a guitar god because it's true. I DID NOT say that he wasn't a very good guitarist. BUT, compare him to real guitar gods like Eric Johnson, Buckethead, Jeff Beck, or Carlos Santana, then he's not that amazing. And, no, maybe I can't learn a Jimi song, but I never said that I was better than him or that he sucked, I simply said he isn't as good as he is given credit for.

[thedudefromthehood]

@MrKyel17 I personally think the Jimi is a great guitarist. Yes you cannot compare him to these you mentioned. But now you are trying to twist the statement you made all around. In your first comment you compared Jimi to Kurt, which is stupid because Kurt had no guitar skills at all, he was just a normal guitar player. Jimi on the other hand was great comparing him to Kurt. Now you are saying that I missed your point. I advise you to look at your comments.

[MrKyel17]

@thedudefromthehood I never said Jimi wasn't a great guitarist. He's a very good guitarist.

I know perfectly well what I said in my comments. I never COMPARED Jimi's skills to Kurt's, I just said that while people here are agreeing with the statement that Kurt was not a guitar god but a top-of-the-line musician, people won't say the same true statement in regards to Jimi Hendrix. I'm not twisting the statement, it remains the same: Jimi is not a guitar god or the greatest guitarist.

[CasketImplosion]

Kurt also liked Celtic Frost \m/

[markfoster19]

Where the fuck do you show me how to play the song?

[TOKIOHOTEL1000000]

it takes me longer to read the title than to watch the video...

[mshk1989]

@TOKIOHOTEL1000000 hahaha

[stevehungary]

@Hateeternal2009 thanks. Why so much hate on me?

[stevehungary]

@Hateeternal2009 You are stupid. Kurt used simple riffs, didnt had very good guitar playing technic, but his riffs were catchy as hell, and that's what's important in music, and thats why he is one of my favourite musicians. Sometimes the simple is better. For example do you know Dragonforce? :) Now thats comlex, but i really dont like their music.

P.S.: Smells Like Teen Spirit is just 4 Power Chord, but awesome together. Isn't it amazing? :)

Cheers

[Juanda011]

bla bla bla

[stahw]

Wild Thing

[orlyhousesoccer]

@Hateeternal2009 Dude "Smells like teen spirit" is not that hard of a song to master if you play guitar...plus Kurt got the idea for the song from a teen girl deodorant, hence being called "SMELLS like teen spirit"

[pancakeownage]

Didn't learn Kurt Cobain to play guitar by hisself?

[SethHesio]

Very silly tattoos. But nice guitar.

[skate26boarder]

@SethHesio yeah wtf is up with that square on his arm

[SethHesio]

@skate26boarder They might be cover ups for "L" and "R"

[skate26boarder]

@SethHesio i was thinking the same actually

[RITK311]

Like Brad Knowell from Sublime ... can't wait to see the comments on this response, take it easy on me youtube fam ...

[mRkNeWzOne]

TruE

[nvmelden]

LONG LIVE KURT COBAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[thejakeludwig]

Exactly that is the same point that i try to make when I play the guitar

[petercrissisamazing]

dude kdc grohl is a good guitar player and y even say little wayne hes not even apart of any rock instraments fuck u and him

[strikerssrx]

I am sure Kurt Cobain is better than this guy flapping about how he know what a true guitarist is, he is listed top 100 best guitarist ever according to a guitar magazine like 10 years ago. I dont understand what he trying to convey, he is just jelous of his success

[779guy]

@strikerssrx

Rolling stones is retarded, the guys who made the list probably didn't even know how to play guitar, I like Kurt, but he was not a guitar god, if you want a true guitarist go look up Eric Clapton.

[XxXupraXx]

Thats no fucking how to play -.-

He's just talking about it!

[lukea398]

if cobain is a "bad guitar player" then how come he is the number 12 greatest guitar player of all time and rhandy rhondes and van halen where in the 70s?

and ever though kurt's riffs are quite simple, the rhythm can be complex.

[DirtyLittlePsycho]

@lukea398 it's all a matter of opinion.. urs.. mine.. the guy in the video.. the ppl that ranked him 12th as u said.. we all have r own opinion.. Kurt Cobain was indeed an awesome songwriter and guitarist.. He put them both 2gether in a way 2 express true feeling and emotion.. like he said.. so that rite there may make him the 12th best guitarist.. cuz he had a lot of emotion in his playing.. i think he's still a very misunderstood legend.. R.I.P. KDC

[dainbramage777]

@lukea398 I think we both know that nirvana rhytms were never complex. they are all 4/4 steady rhytms with no tempochanges whatsoever, and often only using simple sets of 4 powerchords. Cobains genious was his expression through this simplicity. He even said himself that he, and i paraphrase: "couldn't play like Sergovia, but then again I guess Sergovia wouldn't be able to play like me".

ps Kurt Cobains music is my main musical inspiration ever

[ultimage7]

You forgot to mention Metallica as an influence :P

[narutofan4l]

@ultimage7 lol i was gonna say the same thing xD

[fsfsfsfsfsfsg]

I agree black flag pixies and ad all of those where some of cobains influences but you missed one of the most important coolesta nd not so popular the Butthole Surfers, Kurts first concer was of those guys and after that concer he bought a shirt that was triple his size, of them proudly wored on school xD(I know some imbecils dress that way commonly now because they think they look "cool")

[kdc19941]

Kurt Cobain may be a bad guitar player but theres other crappy guitar players like dave grohl, billy joe, lil wayne haha. Oh and btw i know im going to get ripped for this but jimi hendrix is the most over rated guitar player EVER. thts final.

[fsfsfsfsfsfsg]

ok your an imbecil not becaus eof jimmy hendrix he was a genious and also left handed your an imbecil becaus eyou only want to fuck up and kurt was ñot more better tha hendrix , maybe not playing the guitar... but writing lyrics and composing simple music...

[kdc19941]

@fsfsfsfsfsfsg wow i guess your one of those fags tht likes to get in youtube fights your so inmature. Im jst writing my opinion doesnt mean i want you to respond.

[fsfsfsfsfsfsg]

jajaja yeah its seems , your right it has no case you have your opinion I have mine, but well I was actually just telling you my view...

[MrJonguillen]

i was really hopon this douche would shut the fuck up and teach

[massdoll]

-_- shut up and play -_-

[sasha2007kaz]

Yes, why does not he play???

[metallica4life101]

@sasha2007kaz why does not you good grammar?

[johnjohnjohn222]

Kurt Cobain was not an 'awesome' guitarist. He was just a great songwriter and performer, anyone who thinks different needs to see it from a broader musicians perspective.

[Ne0wD]

So true :)

[itsakadoozy95]

actually....he was a terrible guitarist

[FASSY524]

@johnjohnjohn222 His guitar playing wasn't bad though. It was good enough to make the songs sound great. He's better than some people I know. 

[surferboy14lp]

@johnjohnjohn222 no he said he wasn't an amazing guitar palyer

he was an awesome guitar player but it is true, kurt cobain wasn't a master of the instrument but he was bloody good at song writing and self exspression

[dunavidrava]

@johnjohnjohn222 good said

[OlympiaMusicTV]

@johnjohnjohn222 Yeah, totally right. Technically Nirvana was crap, but on this crap they were making something awesome that sounds good.

[14KFB14]

hendrix think b4 u speak mptherfukaaaaaaahhh

[roejogan8]

You're the fucking ass you little bitch. No quiff, he's saying Kurt was a good songwriter and then following with the cliched assumptions that he wasn't a good guitar player. This guy sucks at guitar. And you suck at everything. NOW GET ON YOUR LITTLE BIKE AND FUCK THE HELL OFF DOWN THE SIDEWALK YOU LITTLE PANSY

[FORDDEVILRACER]

Kurt was an amazing songwriter but all his song are so EASY to play!! So he was not an amazing gutarist.

[roejogan8]

so difficulty is the only measure by which a guitarist should be evaluated? upload a video of yourself playing the guitar solo for the song school if it's that easy. watch a video of nirvana live at reading performing smells like teen spirit. compare his strumming and rhythmic abilities to this guy. kurt is a great rhythm guitarist. really listen. there's more to music than playing perfectly executed leads to your favorite scale. this guy is shit compared to kurt. zero exitement in his playing.

[roejogan8]

he takes for granted the simplicity and restraint in the riff and puts no passion or feeling into it. how you play something is equally important to what u play. humans respond to a great musical passage played with passion on a very primal and gut level. why do you think this song and nirvana have remained so popular? people connect not only to the music, but to the intensity, feeling and emotion in which it's performed. .

[FORDDEVILRACER]

Mate its called a HOOK every song that is popular has it in it. Passion are you serious there was nothing but rage & stupidity behind kurts music. Why on earth would someone jump backwards onto a drum kit??? Its gonna hurt!!!!! the only thing i got out of his music is he was a tortured soul.

[roejogan8]

son, this song goes beyond popularity. it defined a whole era. the hooks in the song are a part of the reason why it's so good. but like i said, the believability in the performance is what puts it over the top. passion? fuck yes I'm serious. kurt put so much soul into everything he did. he was a true artist. rage was a part of nirvana's music. but stupidity? haha! read kurt's lyrics and interviews. he was far from stupid. the people that knew him and many fans consider him a genius.

[roejogan8]

He jumped into the drum set cause he felt like it. (Kurt was known to be spontaneous at times) he was also into early punk rock which often had a sense of unpredictibilty and danger. he idolized iggy pop who abused the fuck outta his body on stage. another reason could be that kurt wanted to be a stuntman when he was younger. he was a huge fan of evil knievel.

[NateCow00]

the Vaselines

[roejogan8]

Playing chime like parts behind the nut as in You Know Your Right. He used compound bends in some of his solos and had a great vibrato. He was a fucking great player AND songwriter. You're just looking in the wrong places. There's other ways to be talented besides technical mastery and 8 hour a day practice sessions.

[omgitzruffles]

hes just focusing on his song writeing which was what he was most famed for other than the guitar skills hes not saying that he sucks at guitar just that he knew how to connect with ppl you ass

[roejogan8]

He had a great touch. Part playing/restraint/taste/musica­lity. He had an amazing strumming and picking technique as well. Watch him live, watch his strumming hand, and you'll see what the fuck i'm talking about. Also, he played his guitar to match the emotions and feelings he was trying to convey with each of his songs. He had great fucking rhythm. He even knew a few tricks- controlled feedback, volume swells, digging his pick in the strings like the thing at the end of the bridge in Drain You.

[roejogan8]

Kurt had a million influences. The Wipers were a huge one. Read their lyrics. They're similar to Kurt's. Matuzy, if you think what this guy said is deep, well then I feel bad for you. Vahhalenpwns, take a fucking hike. Jimi Hendrix is easily the greatest guitarist of all time. He's better than everyone so shut it cunt. And this guy is wrong. Kurt did know alot about guitar playing and he always wanted to evolve. He understood chord progressions, rhythms, originality, sound and gear, dynamics...

[solidkurt]

not an amazing guitar player????smells like teen spirit intro is just 4 chords, there are so many artist in this word and a lot of really good guitar players, still they could not make a really unique intro as smells like teen spirit. playing guitar is not how fast your fingers are,its more on what kind of sound you can produced.

[litlemadguitarist]

He forgot one of Kurt Cobains biggest influences; Metallica

[45020973]

yep...

[IstOne1989]

well then, talkin' about guitarists, Ritchie Blackmore is not only a virtuoso, but he also knows how to express himself with an instrument. that's why i looked at and listened to him always with true respect. (as far as deep purple and rainbow-days are concerned.. this fairie-music something he makes nowadays is a bit too much for me, i admit)

[kllanghe]

he;s sooo gayy

[Gitarp]

this video is very stupid u should remove it cause it doesnt show u how to play the guitar neither the effects or notes. SUCK

[TimmyD045]

wow, don't bother looking for the video that says intro pattern or arrangement pattern or anything

[Atarismania]

music is art...art is not a tecnic!!!nobody can teach art!!!nobody should

[ChristBurner]

thats why he was bad ass..........fuck a virtuoso....."play from your fuckin heart"-bill hicks

[naruto2058]

I know that he was right about Kurt not being a guitar god, but Rolling Stone said he was the 11th greatest guitarist of all time. So think what you want just throwing it out there.

[hillbillygenius72]

the rolling stones list was utter garbage.

[vanhalenpwns]

yeah that list was bull shit, evh and randy rhoad were in the 60's and 70's and jimi hendrix was number 1. he is not better than them. rolling stone just threw that together in 10 minutes.

[biffen92]

I think the people who made the magazine that day was high, Kurt wasnt that good on guitar.

[kommeht00]

what are that thinks he said??

[WeirdCandycain]

Don't forget another influence of Kurt! SONIC YOUTH! =)

[NathanTalbot]

I love this guy.

[itsallgood239]

Very true.

Its not about shredding like DragonForce. Its about how you make the guitar sound.

[jorgetheleader]

true. like he says, he made song original guitar riffs, and knew how to use his guitr but wasnt ni jimmy paige. fuck dragonforce

[Kevin17761984]

I need to remember to tell my students things like this more often.

[asir1234567]

finally someone who understands that it doesnt matter about how good u are in the guitar but how u can express ur music out of it

but u still have to be good on guitar but not that like the metal bands that want the hard as guitar solos

[itsallgood239]

i wanna say thanks.

you made this song fun and easy to learn.

[robdamiano76]

very well said !!!

[Matuzy]

...that last part about Kurt and his skill level was deep...

[golddigger0325]

yeah..

[dasouthernboi5]

dude you rock

[xXTheSockRockerXx]

It really isn't evan...666. Sorry, 666 in the name of such an obvious little dumbshit teen still cracks me up. By the way, ignore my screen name, it's meant only to infiltrate crowds of scene kids just so I can laugh at names like yours.

[bigguns185]

its not always about how good of a guitarist you are