Late Night Guitar - John Martyn's Right Hand -An Introduction

[mvo5720]

Incredible dedication you show here again Ian, and I see you've taken a masters in video production. Well done you. Mike.

[mvo5720]

Nice one Ian, I wish I had your commitment, very impressive. I've always wanted to learn "May You Never" but not enough apparently, cause I can't focus enough on it. Having heard this more, I might just have another go, time yet. Cheers Ian... Mike

[ianmcgeachy]

@mvo5720 Hello Mike..Im in sunny UK (Yorks) at minute!!..for Christmas. Theres tab for that MYNever...but I reckon best approach is to understand this backslap thingy first..then work any tab around this style, having listened to the tune a million times first (& who hasnt ?)...Merry Christmas Mike, good health to you and all the family. One day we'll play MYNever together eh?-Ian

[mvo5720]

@ianmcgeachy Hi Ian, nice to hear they let you back into the country, even if it is York's. You and your family have a good Christmas as well. Maybe we could play it on skype, but there'd probably be too much time lag, never mind old lag's. All the best mate, gan canny, as we say up here in the far north. Cheers.. MIke

[timbricheno]

Hi ian any chance of you poping a clip up of your good self demonstrating the right hand for either dealer or big muff ( without and perhaps then with the delay)

It's always driven me crazy I know he us playing half time against the repeats but the basic right hand pattern has always transfixed but also foxed me.

[ianmcgeachy]

@timbricheno sorry for delay...been travelling and much more. Well- the echoplex picking is almost an entire study by itself. I could talk about that for a full week of late nights! (thats just the bits Ive gleamed myself)...at some point I will put summat out..but cant just yet. So stay tuned -unless you hit the 'trick' before!...I'll just say-for now- (imo) you MUST set the delay time & the echo repeats both correctly..& then the right hand picking can mesh TO those settings. -Ian

[timbricheno]

Hi thanks ian this is great do you only use thumb index and middle finger for this? Can't decide if jm used ring finger in his playing much or not?

[ianmcgeachy]

@timbricheno JM did infact use more than just his thumb & index finger-but mostly-90%- just those I think. Ive seen him use ring finger too- but only rarely so. I use i, m &ring fingers & thumb.But- His bslap used most his fingers often subtly- close look at videos shows he also 'targets' -as I show -using either middle or (mostly) index, when he does that...its almost a 'partial' backslap really. Take a look at him playing solid air on video-a good study I think of his style.-Ian

[belgravian]

Excellent stuff, really appreciate you taking the time to put this out there.

[ianmcgeachy]

@belgravian You're welcome. Just doing my bit of sharing my limited knowledge to fellow JM guitar nuttas utube fashion.-Ian

[electricragtime]

This is bloody interesting stuff mate.......I have never done a backslap like that.....(but there again I'm a bass player innit) ...its one of the best tutorials I've watched ....I like it muchly......kev

[ianmcgeachy]

@electricragtime I was in two minds about doing this sorta stuff...but it was an experiment of sorts..plus Malcolm (malcolmpaine- great JM picker) hes done a few JM tutorials on his earlier pieces that are really good..I did this in spirit of utube sharing ..really wanted to keep it in a 'group' but I notice youtube dont do them anymore!..Aye, I watched the mans hands as much as anyone alive I reckon...and in slo mo...but I had his backslap down okay I think a few years (mid 80s).

[da1698]

Priceless Ian. Very much appreciated. Merci.

[ianmcgeachy]

@da1698 You are welcome squire...just in spirit of sharing- Likewise Malcom (malcompaine) utuber & JM picker -he has some very good tutorials on specific JM pieces. -Ian

[jamesfdonaldson]

Ian,

Gonna get some time in soon to learn this....just havin' a brew and lookin' in here again. Really broken down well ( 'scuse the phrase ).

Jim

[GuitarPlayerGeo]

That downward index finger stroke with the back of the nail is killing me! :) Gotta be the most unaurhodox style ever, but sounds bloody brilliant and really percussive.

Great tutorial vid.

[ianmcgeachy]

@GuitarPlayerGeo It was awhile before I realised this..but in working some stuff out it became apparent to me- now quite awhile ago (like about 30 yrs). Then when videos became available of him, it confirmed this..there's simply no other way to get some notes Often *really* subtle, and not always the index finger..but 10 to 1 John used his index finger for this. Needed occasionally, by the way-just on somethings. Use a 'gentle' bslap action with the other fingers-almost 'absent', but 'there'.

[ianmcgeachy]

You don't work at home some days then? (like me when I can..JM or something on in the background ..plodding away makes it palatable almost ). Dont speak the mantra too loud in front of people though :-)

Very nIce to hear from you again Julie...-Ian

[buniluvr]

Hi Ian,

I get chills listening to him. It's great to see YOU! This backslap is quite tricky. And one - two - and three and four. This will be my new mantra! Too bad I have to go to work. I need to stay home with you and feel the vibe. Thank you for this awesome tutorial!

cheers,

julie

[LiteGauge]

Really like your approach to this tutorial, Ian - very relaxed and informative break-down of John's style.

[ianmcgeachy]

@LiteGauge Thanks John. Mainly an experiment really. Certainly given me even more respect for Malcolms tutorials !!

[ianmcgeachy]

@TheMarkbenno Yeh...thats obviously the way to go to get a real 'One World' eh?...offer a double degree in Physics (thus respect for natural laws and the rules that the planet *actually* obeys rather than what certain people *think* it should), and Martynesque guitar lessons....and so a path to enlightenment as a sentient being. :-) -Ian

[johnmartyntribute]

Well done, Ian!

[ianmcgeachy]

@johnmartyntribute Cheers Martin, and thanks for the feedback on the 'prototype' version also, its as important to have a fans perspective as also a players perspective on this kind of stuff, general presentation and whatever.

[jamesfdonaldson]

Mronin' here Ian, sorry I couldn't find the link...the other day. Hey, this is great informative stuff. A young guy got on to me re: my MYN and I referred him to you. I hope he gets back now to see what you're doin. Yer puttin' some time and work in there, and I'm not a 'JM Freak' as ye know. ..hey, and I don't mind learnin' summat either.....excellent .

Jim 

[ianmcgeachy]

@jamesfdonaldson Hello there JIm. Well, after some feedback, I decided to edit out a lot of (ahem) verbal 'guff' as nice as my dulcit tones can be..amend a bit..and then got fed up enough to put this final version out. One or two cajoled me into this tutorial thing. Id like to keep it 'internal' in some way, but they removed 'Youtube groups' a while ago, & I dont want to pester utube friends by messaging all time. So its up..for good or bad. Id have loved something like this 36 years ago myself!

[jamesfdonaldson]

@ianmcgeachy Ian, every success to the project , I just hope you can give the time , 'cause they'll be comin' at ya....don't knacker yersel up doin' it.....ditto on havin' the like years ago , I messed up quite a few Lightfoot & Croce vinyls , kept droppin' the needle on where I thought the riff was.... heyhey. You're a rare breed , sharing the knowledge...my admiration.

look after yersel'  Jim.

[ianmcgeachy]

@jamesfdonaldson No chance of that JIm, I was sortof asked & I dont like not making good on my word. If I do any more they'll be spread over a while thats for sure. But its the same with everything I do..sometimes I just have to get stuff out of my head. Otherwise it keeps going round in a 'loop'. Well, sharing is a big reason why I myself do this utube thing really. By teaching we can learn.&.by learning we can teach..like the old Greek philosophers (and sometimes I feel as old as one lately)!!

[ianmcgeachy]

Just off to bed Karl..grab a coupla hours kip' anyway..saw your comment after uploading...thanks again for your feedback on the prototype version. Think the 'synch' is a bit better on this mostly...plus I tried to take away alot of what may be considered verbal 'guff' !!-Ian

[karlake2]

Great stuff! -karl