John Abercrombie - Single String Improvisation

[iamthe7thwalrus]

chuck norris.

[noodlesmealey]

thats all alex lifeson does and hes great.

[eloyhbermudez]

everything that he plays sounds great

[mayvin1975]

John Basile is awesome should check more of him out!!!

[GaryNull]

how about playing with your feet?

[JonWRowe]

This seems true. I saw Steve Morse break his high e string in the middle of a song and he finished the entire thing without a hitch.

[tedybear335]

AAAAAAAMEN!!

[vividorrrr]

SURVIVAL!!!

[mwill210]

This is from a really good instructional video.

[shanonobanion]

Pat Metheny must like to solo one one string!!  Very nice.

[amrob]

whats the name of the other guitarist.. he is awsome

[notoriusjazz]

Great musician! I love John playing with Kenny Wheeler

[bula92]

VIEJO HIJO DE UNA GRAN REMIL PUTA!!!!

[JacqueShredo]

it's strange he says you can't play licks on one string

There are a ton of licks possible on one string.. very very very many actually

[hellprchr]

yeah you're right. the thing is that even this 'monster' didn't take single string practice as serious as he could have. or he thinks of licks as a visual thing, even though they could be played on one string... i don't know, i love him either way ;)

[awesomewelles90]

@JacqueShredo He probably means bebop type licks. It would be difficult to play a bebop solo on just one string for example. Arpeggios become less easy but playing on scales is more natural.

[georgemargaris]

I listened to his album "while we are young". The tracks "Rain Forest "and "Stormz" are incredible. Have listened to this album again after along time

[edgluhrs]

Abercrombie's music is very creative and subtle. Check out albums like Timeless, Gateway, Animato... I like watching him play here!

[acousticangelo]

Ant the record called "Characters" he recorded solo with multitracks : simply brillant.

[dragondix]

the other guitarist John is also real killer...

This video changed the way i play, opened me up to so much...

THE MAN = J A

[stereomorphic]

Nice one, John! It's fun to leave those patterns behind and think more like a saz, a dulcimer, or a sitar. These one string improvs of yours are smoking. The guitar student may wish to consider that Joe Satriani is also a big advocate of learning scales linearly, or on one string. The push to think melodically and outside of known patterns is a huge developmental tool.

[arsene737]

@stereomorphic - Indeed, it reminded me of bouzouki playing!

[NotYourTypicalNegro]

J.A....a legend.

[camarasaurus]

John is one of the bigs.

This way of improvising,on a single note,is a very good idea to improve the real,play melodys,and the best way to find the notes you want by ear.And to see the guitar more horizontal versus vertical. And incredible good idea for soloing,and to break the patterns,the liks,and the things we the most part of our time are thinking. The musiciam has to find the music.

[camarasaurus]

I had the huge lucky to go one seminar of jazz in Spain with john abercrombie long time ago,in San lorenzo del Escorial,Madrid. And that was amazing for me,and i never forget that. Thank you John,for your music,your way to see the improvisation,and your words.

[AmericanDiaz]

"that way nobody gets hurt", lol said like a true leader of his troops. I didn't know that John had such a delta force attitude towards music, the mans a true leader who leads by example rather than just command and control.

[CarlosMacMartin]

OK! Now I'm beginning to understand what Mick

states in his book. The Science of the Unitar!

[redplouhg]

stella by starlight・・・

[FaaarLeft]

John Ambercromie is passive-aggressive? Who knew?

[AmericanDiaz]

Hell yeah, if John gives you the "death look" you had better kiss your ass goodbye, lol. Otherwise one of the classiest human beings I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

[webberm3]

someone FINALLY mentions mick goodrich's amazing guitar methods in a video. Thank you John!

Some slick stuff on this.

[lidesnowi]

Just like having 6 pianos!

[trojanlol]

yes but tiny ones ^^ 22touches piano :p

[FaaarLeft]

not quite

[yagamei]

Great little lesson by John. You know, this is amazingly the first time I've heard someone discuss this in an instruction tape, and it's so key.

As a beginner I immersed myself so heavily in theory and shape patterns that it wasn't until almost 4 years of playing I realized I was "playing guitar by numbers" and not heart. Using single string playing as an improvisational tool is ultimately how I got out of that.

[trwylekat]

john is actually my favorite player. since the early days with peter erskine. its funny because this is how i played (and still do at points) when i first picked up the guitar. one string, sliding and jumping away. it seemed easier that way to me.

[trojanlol]

I first try to improvise on one string, and then on 4 or 5 notes (a good exercise I think). I think this exercise, and learning scales on every single strings, make you go back to something more basic, and more "natural" in a way. Really a good thing. you can learn your scales on one string by playing, per exemple for Cmajor, on one string : c, e, d, f, e, g, f, a, g, b, a, c and go back to the upper part of the string.

[funkbeastbasslover]

ive actually seen a player with one string on his guitar with no frets and a super extendable tremolo bar. id didnt event hin it was a guitar at first but it was a parker body. this is so much better tho being constricted to string length and position.

[jongreek]

The Unitar! Wow, this is very cool and very sightful. I saw Abercrombie at LA's Lighthouse in the 70s, and at one point he pulled out an electric mandolin. Just great stuff. I like the one-string tactic from time to time myself.

[mrgone78]

the unmistakable abercrombie touch

[tkhs6]

これはなんと言ってるんですか？

[fluffhead059]

tkhs6: to answer your question, yes, it is.

try to talk about the music next time

[ElWischi]

The accompanist is great, who is he?

[jevoshawke13]

Just a rounded, beady tone. Completely unlike anyone else in sound and style.

[timmonsisbest]

I totally disagree. I thought it was actually a little harsh for jazz tone and very bright. just my opinion...peace.

[Gtrhd]

He'll be playing at Birdland in New York City in September 2008 with his working band. He's playing better than ever, a real original voice.

[Uazikoff5]

this guy is totally alien

[soykeee]

Guide tones are the 3rd and 7th of the given chord.

[mrfish60035]

gives it kinda a theriman vibe

[ZWestfall]

no  .

[maxweinbergisgod]

...no

[taildragger51]

mrfish60035; This concept has a base in Indian sitar/ mohan vina music. This Eastern sound is also present in gypsy jazz guitar. The first people i saw use this idea was John McLaughlin way back in 1965 and a brilliant Anglo Indian jazz guitarist called Amancio D'Silva. Gabor Szabo used the idea too and got it from Django Reinhardt.

[jazzman3071]

I have played with John and he is a hip and laid back cat and so "real" and very humble.

[taildragger51]

jazzman3071; That must've been a helluva experience. John Abercrombie is 'timeless' (like his debut album) He also seems to have a wonderful sense of humour.

[paulrichardschuster]

What a great lesson!

[uzzz]

"one finger lick" coo~!! hahahah

Great musicion !

[ronpurser]

Does anyone know where he is now? When I was in college he used to hang out at my house as my roomate's sister was his girlfriend.

[cardboardflap]

He's in upstate New York. He teaches lessons through SUNY Purchase I believe--I take lessons with him at his house. He's still touring with different bands and its somewhat difficult to find exactly where and when he is playing. He's writing is absolutely stellar as of late I must say.

[ronpurser]

Hey, thanks. I didn't know him that well...but I do remember him hanging out at our house when I lived in Rohnert Park, CA.

[ichisatori]

i've met him twice, once in Manny's and once in Nags Head, NC.

he's my favorite guitarist. john, i know it's _______ but you and pat must do a record.

[mharlen03]

does any one have anything else from this dvd?

[hatebadmusic]

Met him. Nice man.  Great player.

[Chromatype]

This is real teaching by example. Excellent and provocative relevance.

[prsguitarsr4me]

GREAT video. i took a couple of lessons with john a few years ago and they were monumental in learning. i have to call him for some more!

[luczoe]

wouaaouuuuuu!!!!!!!!

[sullyb23511]

To paraphrase Larry Coryel, Abercrombie is cliche free.

[shvru]

wow thats fantastic !

[liveintheglory]

Abercrombie could make music out of playing a paper bag. Awesome.

[StereoEarth]

@liveintheglory - Reminds me of a Paul Glasse song called the "Paper Bag Rag." There's no snare drum on the track, just a paper bag. I can't find it on Youtube, but it's on his "The Road Home" from 1993.

[scottbos68]

ive always considered him an innovator

listening to the live trio recording with erskine and johnson literally changed my life