Guitar Lesson - The Beatles "Blackbird"

[SupersticiousPotatoe]

Best right hand lesson x3

[grimreaper957]

Is that a ukulele?

[kcslk]

Sir, I do not mean to alarm you but the top of your head is missing. This is causing me great distress...

[shaunfleury]

ok he sounds exactly like the assistant greenskeeper from caddyshack!!!!!!!

[boneypart]

kids, come on, we dont "squeeze", we pluck.

he's talking about intervals when he's saying 2nd, 4th, etc, and if you dont know any music theory, these terms are over your head.

if you cant figure this out by ear, you need to do a lot more playing before you attempt this. cheers

[twilightstardust5]

I dont know what you mean by second and fifth, etc. I'm trying to figure it out. Is it with just one note, or is squeezing two strings at a time? does second mean second string, or fret? Thanks.

[InfinitesimalSpeck]

@twilightstardust5 Second and fifth strings, at the same time :)

[joshuasledbetter]

nice, great job! I just did a beatles cover, tell me what you think of this?

[proverbialcheese]

Nice and slooww leson. Just what I nead to ease myself into finger picking. Much thanks.

[StarLightStarBrighte]

excellent sir!!!!! you're very helpful ill be playing your style over and over. Thank you.

[TheBeatlesRoooock]

thanks man. U rule!

[rus0707]

Many thanks for helping me get to grips with the song. You have a lovely lazy way of playing but timing always bang on.

Cheers Russ

[harrystad]

Cool brother. I love it. I look forward to your next lesson. Maybe 'I Will' by the same band/man.

[A7xNoOnesHome]

Is that a first act guitar?

[jaLcompton17]

anyone got a tab site for how he is playing it?

[juddy1108]

goldhat. i got to know you doinfeelin groovy and brought my dad who is 71 to watch it . then my sister man. your that good . now months later i bump in to you again man .your one of the best ....

[BlinkCureBoy]

i like this guitar, lol

[bistekconpapas]

That's a baby Taylor guitar is it not?

Those autographs. I recognize the Paul Simon signature. Let me know sensei if I'm right.

[goldhat3]

Close, but you have much to learn weed hopper. This is the yang of the yinyang of small guitars, also written about in the ancient texts as the 'Little Martin'. The scrawls of the ancients are in an unknown dialect and remain a mystery.

[nonet]

its little matin guitar lx1

[LifeIsGood472]

who's autographs are those on the guitar?

[MIERDAMIERDA12]

maestro

[BOOMxxBOOM92]

who signed the guitar?

[queenforever]

That's true,but he's really good at playing,Great video! ^,^

[queenforever]

The guitar looks so small.

[billiebigalo]

You play it first class mate thanks for the instruction

[68red99devil08]

cheers dude i new the basics but i just needed to see it slowed down to understand, thanks so much

[XoXSpencieeXoX]

i have the same guitar bro :)

[joosjoos]

this guys awesome

[dfish58]

What can I say - I failed my homework. Could you give some pointer on the beginning/ending riff by your boy, Sketch? Sounds great!

[goldhat3]

You can now see how sketch plays it himself. Please search for peacejoytown blackbird.

[DarthCheney420]

That's kind of a small guitar for you, isn't it?

[111weedman111]

those arent the exact fingerings but it is how i used to play it too till i bought the beatles complete recordings book. its a little different on the fingerings i think.

[trees9876]

Hi Goldhat. Thanks for your hi-res comments. >

>

Check out the version of this song by hayhay83

>

>

[goldhat3]

Good eye, mate! She's my new youtube fav.

[Knockturnall1]

i didn't know that the dad from The Family Guy knew how to play the Guitar... well he plays great...

[jaesungyoun]

Oooooooooooh my goodness.

You just made me laugh out loud in my workplace. HaHaHa. Maybe someday the vid of Stewie playing a guitar will be uploaded. Anyways, thanks for the great vid. 5 stars.

[majkill]

haha peter griffin!

[combatace10]

thanks buddy

[morthysucksballs]

good job man

[bluzemuze]

Fantastic lesson. Thanks.

[thestarsareprojector]

great lesson.

[sennennoki]

Great lesson!!I love your vids!!^^

keep up the great work!!

[DJB99]

If you go to the 'How to play Blackbird!' video, posted on YouTube by audreyx, you'll see a man not too dissimilar to Jim Morrison who'll show you how. He sticks his 3rd finger in for the pinch, whereas I pinch with thumb and index (3rd finger is more 'correct')

Look at the Paul McCartney video of him sound checking Blackbird in 1975 (on YouTube), you'll see he mainly uses his thumb and index finger.

[jdrichard01]

Correct

[DJB99]

When you've learnt the other way, it's a bit of a bitch starting again, and I first did it by ear and used the back of my 3rd finger for the strum but after watching the video on YouTube of Paul McCartney playing it (1975), I've started re-learning it again with the index finger. I've been at it in total 3-4 hours over the last week and I've just about got it. I'll post a video response when I've cracked it.

[DJB99]

When Paul gets up to the 10th & 12th fret pattern, he pinches 5th & 2nd string (Thumb and index finger), then strums 3rd and 2nd string with the back of his index finger nail, then picks 2nd string with index, then 5th string with thumb, then 2nd string index, then strum 3rd and 2nd with back of index finger nail.

[DJB99]

I've spent the last two weeks learning this song.

If you look at the tabs around, goldhat3 is playing it spot-on. This is the 'First' way I learned it.

Unfortunately, when I'd got it all sussed out, I dug the original recording out, and I could hear strumming!!! - D'Oh!

[richfuckguy]

thats the easy way to play it. the other way takes a way quicker right hand but same chords.

[TheSKeB]

Wow, I wish I had played it near 40 years ago, then I would've been able to see them in concert. Its a shame some things cant stay the same. If anyone knows about buiding time machines let me know!!

[Zupanssi]

I do know how!!!

[TheSKeB]

Haha, tell me I must know!

[pookiecatblue]

Great lesson! I like how you say repeatedly what you're doing with the right hand. Helps a lot! Thanks.

[TheFrenchiesRock]

sounds good

[lapajarera]

The guitar is too small or the guitar player is too big...

[Lnknprk93]

asshole

[THLska]

oh yes because thats what music is ALL about! Idiot.

[lapajarera]

YOU'RE A POET!!!!

[gmackem]

Just picked up the guitar (for the umpteenth time), but this time I'm still playing 2-3 months later. Your lesson has given me something nice to play when I'm stuck. I've tried most of the Blackbird lessons here, your's is very helpful!

[goldhat3]

Glad you like it. Hard to believe that the first time I tried to learn this song will 40 years ago next year.

[BeatleUniversity]

I have been trying to get Blackbird right for years! FINALLY A GOOD TUTORIAL! THANK YOU!

Whose autographs are on that guitar?

Check out my video.

[goldhat3]

All songwriters I know. Your vid is not bad, I like the hat.

[Lionblade12]

Hey man great vid your helpin me so much. Do you think y ou can point me to some tabs very sim to your vid?

[MelbaToast454]

beautiful ! seem like such a humble teacher, i don't like those teachers who show off. thanks :)

[bassguy157]

What a wonderful lesson. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Ken2234]

lessons suck, you really need to just learn it on you own, but good playing none the less, I enjoy your vidz 5/5 :)

[holmmedh]

you are fom U.S.A right?

[pixiepqueen]

that was cool! thanks for sharing.

[gamblorwhat]

I second hitme

[softchewy]

is that a Little Martin or are you a giant?

[goldhat3]

Makes a pretty cool illusion. Love that LM.

[hitme09]

can i request you do that again but say where do put your fingers because i couldnt catch where your fingers where, i only saw your nuckles.

[jmack619]

you make it look too easy  thanx

[Mneal1167]

that guitair... it cant be signed by the beatles... can it?

[goldhat3]

It could be, but unfortunatley it isn't. It is signed by Muriel Anderson though, and that is pretty cool.

[Mobbsyomfglolz]

good job goldhat :) just out of interest, who do the signatures on your guitar belong to?

[Alanm1963]

This was great... have always wanted to learn this piece... now it looks reachable.. cheers for that..

[DillonBlazina]

second and fifth, second and fifth, second and fifth...

[Spagman63]

This is good but you didn't tell them what frets to finger when you "squeeze" the strings.If anyone wants to see my lessons search for Spagman63.

[JeffersonK]

Top Lesson - Stumbled on this video by chance but as everyone else says 'Squeeze G 5 2 G!" the guitars just been put down...now i must pick it back up to continue to learn! Thanks.

[bigk101]

Im still tryin to leanr how to paly this, my fingers arent quick enough. But what do you mean by squeeze G 5 2 G?

[Spagman63]

squeeze G 5 2 G means "pinch" the strings which are being fretted then play the G-3rd string,A-5th string and B-second string and then the 3rd-G string.

[boludo1982]

Touche. I'll be humming Squeeze G-5-2-G for the next week. Thanks!

[thedogthat]

Brilliant! Squeeze G 5 2 G!

I can play it at last!

Thanks.

[fuzzyball321]

HOLY CRAP! i no how to play this song...im only 13 nd i have THE EXACT same guitar as yu nd mine is also autographed!! mine is auto graphed by ronnie hawkins:D this video help me ALOT nd it helped me clean up the song:) thanx

[goldhat3]

Yep, this kind of guitar is perfect for getting autographs. You better post your version of blackbird soon.

[fuzzyball321]

i wud post it but i dont have a camera:P my parents wont buy me one:( im just gunna have to beg themm but if i get a camera nd post it on here,, ill tell yu :D

[kjkramer7]

Thank you so much - this is GREAT!!!!

[Slidead]

Great Technique. thanks for sharing

[stvaile]

Man this was great thanks - please show me how to play John Lennon working class hero ;-)

[Steven205]

ah you helped me get the squeeze,g,5,2,g part so well. I couldn't get that part now you've helped me tremendously. Finally got it. Thank You Very Much

[GuitarsRock]

great video... who signed your guitar?

[goldhat3]

Thanks. That's my favorite Little Martin that I bring to guitar camp at Swannanoa. Signed so far by Muriel Anderson, Al Petteway, Eric Garrison, and Brooks Williams.

[Garagetuner1]

Where is swannanoa? Is it in North Carolina, close to Asheville? If that's the one, I went to school there (Warren Wilson College). Is there possibly another Swannanoa elsewhere? No way!

[goldhat3]

Yep, the Swannanoa Gathering is held at Warren Wilson every summer. Check out their web site. It's a blast.

[Garagetuner1]

Dang, this is too weird! I knew that's the only famous Swannano...where there is. I've got to check out more info about this gathering. It sounds like fun. Are you an alumni from WWC? I graduated from there in '89. If I ever make it there before my 20 years reunion(in two years), I hope to meet you in a person. You're my hero. Go WWC hooters!

[goldhat3]

Nope, I'm just one of the old geek guitar players that shows up every summer. I didn't know you were the hooters. One of my favorite hangouts.

[Garagetuner1]

Hello, Yep, I'm a hooter. I used to play soccer for the WWC team. what is this event that you attend every summer? Is it a master fine art program or something? Can you tell me when it's taking place? I may just have an excuse to take my wife and kids to go and visit my old stomping ground.

[Llarion]

Emphasis on "geek"... :) Watched you get some of those sigs.. Can't wait for Guitar Week!!! What classes are you taking this year?

[goldhat3]

Adventuresome Guitar was my idea for a class I discussed with Brooks last year, so I am signed up for that, Chet chops, and a couple songwriting.

[Llarion]

I'm in Baughman's right hand class, reading tab, the chord changes one, and writing melodies...