How to Play "Old Man" by Neil Young

[floridaskater07]

Wow, spot on! Totally amazing from beginning to end!

[delusi0nalOne]

this is seriously the best tutorial ive ever seen, i sat and stared at tabs for hours and figured it out in minutes with this video.. thank you soo much for your help you are a great teacher.

[exodor1]

This should be titled "The Official Old Man cover", because this video is all that!!! Thank you, and that's a beautiful Martin HD28!

[Klaytrix]

lift up your middle finger....yeaaaah...lolz

[tamklndf]

realy nice. kan you teach how to play ount on the weekend ?

[EasyWebsUK]

Ok, this is a brilliant instructional video - this is how I've learnt this song after a lot of struggling trying to see what Neil is playing in the brilliant Massey Hall video recorded for the BBC! A lot of Neil's playing however, just as you hinted at, is all about getting the rhythm and intonation right and not about technical skill - I think that's an extremely important fact about his music. Once you have this sorted, you can then focus on the fingering - just as you explain.

[timmyboy1970]

Your foot is disturbing. 

[charlieisamonster]

Thanks, that's helped a lot.

Nice job.

[tresgringoslocos]

A lot of guys doing this tutorial but u are nailing it! Thanks good stuff

[CrackedHalo]

"Lift up your middle finger...Yeahhh~!..." lol

[TheHeatestInTheSun]

I don't really get the first part. You play G-B-G and then D, this pattern twice, and then B-G-B-D?

[EricDMyers]

@TheHeatestInTheSun The D and G string drone is bouncing off the 1st and 2nd string like so  D 1-2-1,1-2-1,2-1-2,then D chord - I think that's what your getting at?

[TheHeatestInTheSun]

@EricDMyers Actually what I mean is not the D chord, but the D string, so the fourth string. Do you play 4-1-2-1, 4-1-2-1 and then 4-2-1-2?

[DownUnderGeordie]

Very talented guy...thanks a lot very useful to me

[fullcirclea]

Big help. Thanks

[myeverlastingdreams]

Awesome bro thanks a lot :)

[noserider207]

You sir are my idol!! You have this tune nailed.

[SeniorSmurf1]

I'm having difficulty ending up with the same rhythm you have for the intro... i feel like it would have been help full if you went through it more in depth and slower. you seemed to just briefly explain it then start jamming.

[Thiscrapsannoying]

I thought you were Kyle Gass...

[drakur31]

great lesson btw, when you do the intro do you hit the d string after every note you play including the hammer on the g string, also you seem to be playing the high b and e strings together in the melody bit, thanks

[EricDMyers]

@drakur31 I hit the D string on the 1 beat of the intro during a couple measures - that's about it there.

[brizboy12]

This is awesome!



[dalescher]

Really good job! Your lesson helps me a lot. What guitar's string gauge do you use?

[EricDMyers]

@dalescher On that guitar I use Martin Bluegrass SP 13s.

[n0rdl3]

Good Job - That leg has to go !!! Got me up and running with the song. Very concise !! Great Lesson . Cheers

[atthespine]

I'm in a Neil Young tribute band called the My My Hey Heys and had to try to learn the intricacies of this acoustic piece on short notice. Thanks a ton!!!

[ceejaydoyle]

"I'm sorry to be a little sloppy, lord knows Neil is." Legend!

[Tranthum]

Great playing and singing. Sounded tight

[kaneandhamish]

Terrific lesson. Way best on the web for this great song. Thanks man!

[sparkyinbath]

thanks man good stuff

[retropolice]

Thanks for posting this lesson. You have saved me a lot of time & money. I have been trying to nail down the Neil Young style of hammer ons , walk ups & walk downs. This was very helpful

[lizardojmp]

is your name Eric?? or are u really Niel Young in disguise on a mission to keep real music alive..

great lesson

[2junkyarddog]

Brilliant....



[dwinkle99]

Way to get dressed up for the camera!

[garmanx23]

he sounds like Ernie from Sesame Street at 2:40 lol... best lesson I've heard for this song

[42Redbear]

A great lesson! Many thanks!

[Jono2905]

Great video and great playing, thanks for posting. And hey, if you are comfortable playing in shorts and bare feet, who cares?

[ElNick9]

so much more helpful that the online tabs

[rastumpf88]

Best video I've ever seen for this song.

[tjarema]

great video - Thanks

What kind of guitar is that? It sounds great

[EricDMyers]

@tjarema That is a one year old Martin HD 28. I put fossilized walrus ivory bridge pins in it and Waverly tuners.

Thanks for watching!

Eric

[milksquirt]

You helped me out so much dude! i can shred this tune now :)!

[yidakipaul]

Really great lesson! Despite this in principle being simple I've struggled with the rythm in the opening section - You got it across really well - Thanks

[sparkdoghi]

Great lesson! Please do more. I got a lot out of it. You're awesome. Of course, I don't need to tell you that.

[STLredbirds1]

you played that awesome man

[Sol6294]

so wait a second, this song is played in drop D?

[ihop54]

Be a while before I"ll be embellishing to that extent, but a pleasure watching your left hand moves and the emotion in the right. Nice job, "I'll be back"

[dragonmajic]

You are incredible! thanks

[Philadelphia90]

ahahhah your foot is funny :D I move it too,when I play...great cover anyway

[bluegrasssingingman]

Nice Martin

[bigobelly]

thanks!! great job!!

[mwillh]

Great! those hammer-ons and pull-offs really talk.. Thanks

[sunandsalt]

Great. Too advanced for me, but some day..........

[SwexMusic]

Whats the A minor? or A Minor 7th??? I've ben playing for 4 years, never took lessons but decided to get of tab and learn notes and chords

[EricDMyers]

@SwexMusic I'm playing an Am7 but saying Am, for some reason, in my explanation.

[ScubaToronto]

Nice job!

[jdean0769]

Great lesson ....THANKS!

[SatanicGrandpa]

You remind me so much of my tac officer at military school. Great video by the way. Let me know if your name is captain danz lol

[EricDMyers]

@SatanicGrandpa No. Sgt Myers here.

[SatanicGrandpa]

You remind me so much of one of my military school tac officers named captain danz. I will have you know I learned this off your video in like an hour. Thank you very much.

[O0Salmon0O]

Great lesson!

You captured and explained how to duplicate the characteristic Neil Young strum / rhythm.

Thank you!

[CSchaef02]

nice job Eric, what did you use as a mic for your guitar?

[EricDMyers]

@CSchaef02 AKG 414

[sbove]

awesome...thanks so much!

[sfugarino]

This is the best Old Man lesson posted. Many thanks. Most other lessons don't get the embellishments right.

[lloyd12581]

great job man..thanks

[cdp6593]

The best I have ever heard other than Neil!!!!

[geltvaha]

Off the record. Thanks for that lesson. Wil

[STTUDDMISTER1]

i cant follow the pattern in the strumming...

[DKE27]

Thank you Eric

[doodman73]

yes reading the tabs is harder than it looks and young uses a weird teqnuiqe up and down those chords but you nailed it pretty good...thanks

[jesusfreakster101]

Well it took me more than 50 times of viewing this to get it down, but it was well worth it. I killed two proverbial birds by learning this, as I have been interested in Travis/hybrid picking techniques. Your lessons are spot on Mr. Myers. God Bless you.

Now please tell me that chick sprawled out on the ground in that black & white is loaded and NOT dead......

:o

Your the best Sir!!

[fretkillrfan]

Quite simply, superb! Thanks, Eric.

[barclaybunch]

It will take me a while to get the 'hammer ons' etc, but at least I can now play a version that sounds something like the original. This is a really well structured tutorial, thanks for sharing.

[MrCliffsboy]

superb very well explained thanks.

[kawai99100]

The foot has got to go!

[EricDMyers]

@kawai99100 I'm kind of attached to it =)

[EKAITO1]

exelente.. i am mexican... its music is a very pretty. my english isn`t very good!

[Vince3k]

great instructions it really helped me to learn this song much appreciated

[ShaneRMBowl]

i thought you were neil young for a moment at the begining

[janey0901]

thanks :)

[beastlyone2]

fantastic guitarist!!

[fenderbuzz]

Ditto to all the compliments...the best instructor I've seen on YT. Thank you for taking the time to post...much appreciated!

Please keep it up...Just love that acoustic folk!

All Neil...Laughing Old Lady, a couple of old Jackson Browne tunes, Mark Knopfler...I know you've got 'em in there...look forward to seeing more of your lessons!

Thanks again!!

[queponymp]

I love your instruction, just great. what are you mic-ing with. Could you detail that just a bit? The sound is so good.

[EricDMyers]

@queponymp On this video I used an AKG 414 running into Apple Logic.

[martinaxman]

@EricDMyers Holy crap! Outstanding sound, but on my budget I'll never see an AKG! I found one one sale for a grand. yikes! Thanks very much for this video tutorial. Excellent job!

[katewednesday]

you are the man.

thank you for this.

[scottay69]

Martin HD-28V?

[EricDMyers]

@scottay69 HD-28. I put on different tuners and bridge pins. Hate the ones it came with.

[penutsonfire]

bang on. :) thanks so much

[larsosborne117]

rock

chalk

chickenhawk!!

[larsosborne117]

MIZZOU RAH!!! love the tee

[jiimypage]

Dido, picked it up in no time! You explained it very well Thanks!!!!!

[freddragoon]

Thannk you so much for sharing. You really do have the best teaching technique. No bull, not too technical in your explinations and totally clear on what you're doing. Thanks again

[fatmansleeping]

Thank you.

[VirginWithAProblem]

This is the best tutorial that I've come across for this song. Thanks a million, Eric, this was a HUGE help.

[Kamikaze3557]

Very Helpful, maybe I can learn to play in correctly now.......Super playing and singing...Thanks a bunch...Mike

[dan8i8]

AHHH! your weird foot. Good job.

[mrbostrangles]

I can't believe this is free! That was awesome.

[bojanks15]

great vid but rock chalk jayhawks!

[MrJbkool48]

great tutorial, thanx

[micfly334]

hey you are so cool... simply first-class like you this make... best interpretation for old man and hey hey my my... really and please even more of yourself... thank you mic

[ulua4me2004]

Nice ! Great job !

[MrSchuee]

i must say man i have been trying to play this song and it doesnt sound right, so i look for lessons on youtube and none of them work, i check your profile and man perfect version sounds exactly like neil's thanks man really appreciate your talent and effort to post these vids man

[canadianstudmuffin]

I agree with Garret2142. :)

[Garrett2142]

you are the Neil Young master!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MarkSpaceMarkSpace]

Thanks so much Eric!! You nailed this one as always. We appreciate it out here. You are one helluva teacher, player, singer and ARTIST!!

[catblack10]

Cool lesson mate - I'll definately be practising this one

[loveguitars]

5 Stars