Leo Kottke - Airproofing

[circleofthrees]

Ever heard of the "butterfly effect"? Yeah, ol' Leo here is responsible for most of the latter part of the 20th Century...including the invention of the internet and the cure for AIDS...

[demingff]

Who cares where strings are?! I defy any of you to show me that kind of talent. It just won't happen. I paused and looked and all the strings are there but he makes it impossible. Still, who cares, enjoy the awesomeness he has bestowed on us.

[ottawadrummer]

the riff at 1:36 is godly

[roamerreed]

yeah, uhuh you know what it is... it's an expensive ass taylor12 string played by a guitar assassin

[telescope5061]

To all of you folks wondering if Mr. Kottke is playing without the 1st and 2nd set of strings, go to "Hear the Wind Howl" from the same concert, then play at :54 seconds in. See the reflection off the unwound strings. c'mon people! THINK!

[baldlawnmower]

I don't own any Leo Kottke CDs but I love all of these youtube videos I find. What's a good one to start with? Preferably one with just him and his guitar, I don't know if they come any other way or not.

[cvagaIowa]

@baldlawnmower

Leo Live - GREAT CD

[loicome]

Don't even wanna know what he would do on a 6 string. I just stumbled on to this by accident, never heard of him before but I am amazed.

[Zona57Bob]

If any of you have 'reservations' about Leo's guitars, his tunings OR the strings on his guitars, order the video cassette, 'Home and Away' by Leo Kottke. I think Amazon.com still has some. I have one - and I have no questions at all. And I've been listening to, and seen in concert several times in Texas and Arizona, live, 'Mr.' Kottke. He is the real deal.

[ElliotJohnNovak]

Minnesota go. They don't make them like they used to (or he's just an alien like everyone here says)

[gulikersj]

One person was sitting upside down when clicking the thumb-button.

[reawaken33]

All 12 strings are there. It's clear at 1:25. In terms of what he's hitting, I'll only say that muting is key, not only in general, but in this specific piece.

[driftinso]

How does he trigger the bass he uses in a few places?

[ryan9600]

Not even one note out of place. Not from this planet thats for sure.

[lilundgren1]

Phenomenal !!!

[member805639]

Absolutely colossal

[FoodOrFail]

No fail here... All food =)

[bdazzled08]

I can see the strings. And hear them. Check at ~3:53. Love the man. Only seen him live twice. Definitely among my top 5 performers though. Great player, and great storyteller and entertainer. Thanks for posting this one!

[greyreynyn]

whos the douche who voted down?

[pbomb552002]

A tremendous artist.

[XLIVwhodat]

2:18-2:21

[sunaJH]

Wow Kottke (our venerable guitar God) was in the moment on this day, hope to  catch his concert soon again before his ingrams explode:)

sunaj

[marquellybelly]

man crazy, a guy who plays in c# and plays it o so well

[MSTFreak]

most of the time, people ask for the tuning and get an answer. You guys ask how many strings there are and don't even listen for an answer.

[MSTFreak]

Playing the guitar for a long time, of course all the strings are there!

[thelight43tdubb]

50,000 views and 0 dislikes? I love his playing but I can't stand for this.... so when you all start making your "I wanna find the one asshole who disliked this and murder him and his entire family" comments, you'll at least know who he is :)

[foxyfaefife]

@thelight43tdubb You dick, you had to ruin it! Kottke videos are very unique in their lack of dislikes. :P

[jjleonard1]

From 2:10 to 2:25 or so is just insane. The first time I ever saw Leo was on the "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert" show when I was in the 8th grade. That would make it 1976. Absolutley hooked me on guitar. I bought every Leo K record for years. I have a stack of them in my garage. This has refreshed my admiration for this American Treasure.

[methxs2008]

I saw Leo Kotke in Sydney in about 1976 and I never thought I would see another guitarist as skilled as him, but now I've seen John Butler. Have a look at his instrumental on Youtube called Ocean.

[ClosetLooner750]

leo has been playing a 12 string guitar for around 40 years. he strings his guitar conventionally and just has incredible hand control. And if you cannot hear him playing the b and e strings, maybe you should take up playing bass guitar.

[billsurf101]

the 1st and 2nd strings are there, but i do believe he has a lighter gauge for them compared to the other strings.

[10speeder]

No mystery. You can see the light reflecting off the plain strings at 3:55.

[twirlyboggs]

whoa

[SkipShawn]

check 2:53

[gregorheinrich]

could it be that only strings 6,5, and 3 are double, and 4, 2 and 1 are singe, played in open tuning?

[guitarslim56]

@gregorheinrich, No.

[westarmagh1]

Somewhere around 2:45 of the video there is a close-up of him on the higher strings. Stropes has transcripts of Airproofing and they have the guitar strung with all 12.

[dm10901234]

The only thing I didn't like was the "mildly impressed golf-clap" at the end.

Was this a deaf crowd?

I want some hoots dammit!

[billandersonful]

No kidding!! Unappreciative clowns. I would have gotten kicked out 'cuz I'd have been on top of my chair screaming, "Leo, you FUCKIN' RULE!!!!!!"

[blacksabbathgnr098]

@dm10901234 hoot! hoot!

[usframe]

the tunings and string pairings are exactly what players would discuss, and exactly what Leo would expect to discuss with other players.

[james06241974]

The guy could play a fuckin' tennis racket, and STILL blow any one of us out of ze H2O

[MelleB90]

best comment I've read on youtube in a long time.

[darblipner]

go see him in concert and you will not be talking about if the unwounds are on there or not... ignorant topic.

[blsnewreligion]

Amen

[parkt6792]

'tis not ignorant, because it is interesting and maybe actually useful information for the guitar player who uses them internets for searching and finding Leo Kottke on here, and wondering; is there any way I could make sounds like, somewheres, in the realm, like the ones I just heard?

[crankthetoto]

nope

[frets4life17]

thats insane

and for the record i did see the unwound strings

and i saw him fretting them so im sure he was playing them

[hjones1]

Damn amazing fingers!

[deadhead12008]

:) It's a mystery... is it bad video or innovation? Kottke is genius either way. Anybody else have an opinion about the stringing of his guitar here?

[landingpit]

At 3:53 the unwound sets of high strings are reflected by the stage lights.

[Mouldytone]

I found the strings! If you`ve got a reasonable internet connection take the clip to full screen and check the clip at 1:23 (you can see the unwound strings) and at 2:00 (check the unwound strings nut to tuners).

[TheGwill64]

@Mouldytone He has all strings on it, you have to look at the clip around 2:45 when they do the close up. You can easily see the strings at that spot.

[aemk612]

It's actually strung with the high octave string then the standard octave through the last four courses then the same (unison strings) together for the second and first courses (b and e strings effectively, but in his case G# and C#)... and the tuning down is not for his loss of hearing, it's because he likes a wound octave string on the second course because of his hard attack and needed a heavier gauge for open tunings. It's an open C# which is just 1 1/2 steps from standard.

[jsipflatpickd28]

tendinitis actually, not a heart attack.

[Donatelloj40]

jsipflatpicd28, hard attack as in aggressive playing style. not coronary.He did have very serious tendinitis in his hands in the 80's.Had to modify his technique.Now as good as ever.

[aemk612]

@jsipflatpickd28 "Hard Attack", Not heart attack... seriously... what would heavier guaged strings do for a heart attack? It's one thing to criticize, but another to do it arbitrarily and wrongly... congrats on both!!

[dayodan1]

@deadhead12008 Hey, Guys! To finally clear this up (if you haven't found it, already) view the vid titled "Leo Kottke, Air Proofing two," from the Home And Away DVD, and you can see both excellent examples of his right hand technique as well as a complete set of strings. It does appear that he might have broken one of the middle octave strings in this one. Danny

[ivewrongedher]

@deadhead12008 If you have good eyes you can see them, i paused at 1:24 cause i thought i saw them, and you can see the 2 faint double lines.

[allnewion]

@deadhead12008 You can see him fret the higher strings numerous times in the video.

[OspreyD40]

@deadhead12008 At 2:47-2:50 you can see him holding down the uppermost strings with left hand pinkie.

[deadhead5003]

am I blind... or is he only using 4 pairs of strings?

[Mouldytone]

You`re blind. : ) I think the visual problem may be that the video lets you see the "wound" strings but makes it difficult/impossible to see the "plain" stings. The "wound" stings (from top, 6th, 5th, 4th and 3rd strings are thicker and easier to see than the "unwound" strings 3rd, 2nd and 1st strings which are basically just thin wire and therefore difficult to pickup over a less than perfect display.

[deadhead12008]

...... thanks for the response - I'm still not convinced - listen to what he's playing. I'm a huge fan and did not mean anything derogatory by my comment. :) I play 12 string and, once, in a recording session, I put tape on the lower strings to allow me to play my part with a more aggressive attack and not worry about unintended strikes. I watched this video again and not only do not see the high strings, I don't hear them or see him strike them. If I'm right, it's just innovative playing.

[Mouldytone]

To be honest I`m "assuming" more than "knowing for sure" that all the strings are there but I like your observation and thoughts. After all Leo could play one piece of wire on a broomstick and make it sound great so anything`s possible. Hell, now I can`t see the damned strings! Thanks again for taking the time to comment.

[JeezoozeChrysler]

i think those strings you are talking about are black strings,they exist ;)

[redbird103]

@Mouldytone i can hear the higher strings @ 2:26, i think, but i sure cant see them! oh well, who knows?

[ShimmyDigg]

@deadhead5003 why would LEO KOTTKE have a 12 string guitar and only habve it strung with 4 strings? plus you can totally here every other string.

[DeadHackerCorpse]

@deadhead5003

You can see all the strings at 2:47, when there is a close up of the sound-hole...

[greenthumbguy1]

12 string genius! No cowboy chords here folks. I thought I knew how to play 12 strings til I saw Leo. He re-defined the technique.

[JesuitFarmer]

please somebody tell me where I can buy or download this song!?......please.....

[Mouldytone]

Hello. I just added a couple of Leo Site links to the "info" section to the right of the video. The second link has a list of albums that this song is included on.

[guitarslim56]

iTunes.

[jakem11]

No one has this talent....

[speedburnervideo]

Hes LEGENDARY wow, nice clip, I used to listen to him LOTS, I will again ;)

[DarkFulanito]

his thumb is possessed by the devil!

[lmcguire]

I love this Guy!

[metalmattm]

Hes cheating some how, this is not possib...Oh wait he's leo Kottke!

[Orsino89]

There was a time when I attended an HVAC class and had an instructor that could have easily won an LK lookalike. He taunted me before.

[nomiclas]

i can't play guitar but i can play the stereo and the beauty i was kool enough to buy every LK lp i could and have been foutunate to see him live in some great venues.nuf said

[bkk10230]

LEO KOTTKE

This is no incidental music, this no elevator music This is "vacum cleaner pipe music" at its best.

The ending at 4:30 is is subliiime!

I'll play it for my 18 year old daughter.

YOUTUBE yo're da best!

John K Lindgren

AM/PM Sucks!

Bangkok time 09:57

Did I forget AM/PM? Duh!

[ChickenBarracuda111]

AMAZING!!! I love his music

[AxeWraith]

Man, that's just SICK playing!

[majinkani]

i almost jumped out of my seat when he came in with the bass notes at 2:37. definitely one of my favorite kottke tunes.

[XxCoD4xChICkxX]

amazing...

[AxeWraith]

Um, yeah! What a quirky dude he is.  Fell off some spaceship and landed here.

[31041955]

primordial!

[timjmoran]

PHEW!!This tune really crystallizes everything about Leo that makes hin so unique-

the way he keeps that alternating bass line going whilst he picks that melodic figure- the nearly Avant-Garde middle section where he is doing all that wild 1/2-step stuff.. just the incredible intensity of the whole piece.. geez! MINDblowing! Hard to imagine ANYone else out there coming up with something like this.

[xxxslayerxxx666]

you'd be surprised though, the whole alternating thumb on top of the melody sounds hard(it is at first) but it's actually the most comfortable style for me to play in...it's almost like i'm playing to a metronome.....if you wanna hear good alternating bass stuff listen to wabash cannonball by doyle dykes

[Cr1msonSkull]

Same, actually. However, in my case it might just be because I'm self taught and some of the first songs I learned were easier LK tunes (A Trout Toward Noon, First To Go). It's very comfortable and natural when you practice it, and I basically can't play differently now haha

[DictionRedaction]

There's only one of the pair of D strings (see 1:25). Is that how he always strings it?

[mungoesmad]

THE MASTER!

[erinbeth05]

one of my favs live

[kmfdmgodlike]

def does not get the respect he deserves ....... an acoustic god ....i wonder if he has played elec before (im sure he has but has anyone heard it?) awesome post thanks

[erinbeth05]

some a little on some older stuff, but very little, its funny though cuz the little he did play isnt that good, like me i am a awsome acoustic player and when i pick up an electric i kinda suck

[parkt6792]

just becauaze you suck doesn't mean anyone else has to

[Kronok]

but its a true point because acoustic and electric guitar have a completely different feeling to them and have a very different sound, so when you have played acoustic guitar only for some time you will have to get used to the electric guitar first

[erinbeth05]

my father in law, who has played acoustic for 30 years told me, "dont sell the taylor for an electric, it is a whole dif animal" then my friends say, u would rock on electric

[imdanhoover]

check out "chewing pine"a little electric stuff there..

[newanatolia]

If Robert Johnson sold his soul, LK must have sold the soul of every person he ever met. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaa is right. :)

[Stewg87]

how does he write this stuff not to mention playing it!

[Recursive2718]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaa

...

aaaaaAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa

(aaa)

!

[windowman25]

What tunning is he in?!! love ya leo!!

[Joekaf2724]

Standard

[buellerplyr]

windowman25, it's simple-regular tuning. The sleight of hand happens simply by playing a 12-string. The real trick is with the Hammer (left hand) it's like switching between a flat pick and finger style. Of course, it helps if your dexterity can keep up with the torrent of notes!!!!!!

[waynesway]

Good God!  What a monster. His original recording was on a 6-string, but it must have gotten too boring--hence this is with the 12.

[hailtube]

we're not worthy.

[susita33]

How about the rasgueado at 03.35!

[SlightReturn]

WHAT!! WHAT!! That took me by surprise! The man truly is a machine.

The perfection of his technique is almost depressing to me. If I weren't such a tenacious neophyte, perhaps I'd have given up the guitar completely after watching that section, if I even made it that far. Geez.

[dummyguava]

I know what you mean - I saw him in the early 80s in Sydney when I was but a teen - it was so gobsmakingly astounding I actually got depressed and almost gave up guitar. I didn't though and now I'm rediscovering him (and saw him again, almost 30 years later) and watching it all on youtube - still inspiring. Still pining for a 12 string.

[Joekaf2724]

Awesome