Guitar Lesson-Mark knopfler's technique by Zak

[AgurkTomatGulerod]

No matter who's playing what this really works!

[Haneye1]

lovely. thax :-)

[morrisman64]

great lessonthanks

[PINCELdeDALI]

I tried a lot .... and I was lucky ... until finally someone explains to me very well ... thanks

[ABC1123581321ABC]

Good on ya. Thanks.

[lonewolf1234512345]

hey man, the dots fell off your guitar

[ilanknafo]

I think it's a great way, well done zac!!!!!!!and thank you

[daviehardie]

Great help Zac. This sorted it out for me. Cheers.

[johny129bo]

How long did you take to play that solo?

[TheMUSEism]

Not the way he plays it and not the easier way to play it either. Play the 1st and 3rd notes with the thumb so the thumb is alternating between the B and E string and thus also keeping time. Much easier in my opinion.

[TheMUSEism]

Hi, thanks for the vid. I was playing with hammer and pull off before. The one problem i have is the the note on the b string seems to be constantly ringing out. It sounds bad to me. How are you getting the note to 'stop' once you've picked it?

Thanks, Rich.

[bedaidazak]

@TheMUSEism Thanks for the comment, just after picking it, I rest my index on the string till the next picking.

[shaman5188]

Nicely done!

[JamieGibsonGuitar]

Love it thanks a lot

[7RonaldoMUFC]

Great tutorial.

There is just one thing , Mark Knopfler uses his thumb instead of the middle finger. :)

I started to play it like you do, then I realized MK didn't do it that way, and I learned to do it the same way he do. :)

[RazorNTB]

Great work, I thought this would be way much harder to learn :D Keep it up

[Pkruuse]

You've save me with this tutorial!!

Finally i mastered this solo :D

[natonic]

Thanks Zak!! Awesome lesson. You make it look easy and attainable.

[fancasillas12]

very good

[tonykula]

thanx zak after watching your vid ive finaly mastered this song good enough to play live and have done with band about 4 times now so thanx alot buddy well happy now thanx to ur vid tut

[bedaidazak]

@tonykula Glad I helped.

All the best to you and your band

[tommikks]

thanks a lot , I could play that song except this lick , now everything is completed

[desenxuxator]

Hi: For educational porpose can you repeat? but without music only the mechanical noise of the picking?

[figaz555]

God damnit. I Just find it so hard to think in therms of finger picking. It's makes so many extra things to think about.

[skypjuh]

wah that's impressive never saw it on acoustic!

[deadlychickenxop]

I have no nails to speak of on my picking hand, and my thumb makes a really weak sound when picking the thinner strings like on this lick. kinda like I am trying a pinch harmonic .. and failing :p any tips or do you just need nails ?

[herbal1971]

@deadlychickenxop How about a thumb pick?

[AlexKeith7]

Great job! Very useful!

[Sandro140586]

Hello Zak,

your lesson is pretty nice, but let me tell you that Mark isn't playing exactly on these frats you showed.

in newer versions he's starting in the 10th frat as you said, but then he's moving up to the 11th and with his middle finger to the 13th fret. (so the pinky is then on the 15th fret)

just wanted to say that, I didn't know it before too but just saw it on some close up from his live concerts.

[bedaidazak]

@Sandro140586 Thanks for your comment, In this lesson I try to show the basic principle of his technique even if it isn't exactly how he plays but at least you get the idea about the finger picking and the pull offs that he uses. To be honest I never saw how he plays up close, rather I figured it out by listening. so you are certainly right. Thanks again

[d1stewart1]

@Sandro140586 That analysis makes no sense, frankly. You're not being complete, but what you do say here would have the second (or do you mean the third) chord of the riff being a Cmin. So unless he's changed the chords to the song--something he could arbitrarily do, but would instantly be heard as harmonically wrong and inferior to the song as it is--this cannot be a correct analysis. Zak has it exactly right, as it is played on the recordings: Dm, Bb, C, and fingered as Zak shows.

[8metal]

great job man and thanks a lot u really helped .....

[simplethunder]

Haha, funny fact:

5 months ago I started guitar playing and since Mark Knopfler has always been my great example, I couldn't resist but trying out this technique, mainly because it's so simple. After the intro of Silvertown Blues (also by MK), this part of the solo was the -first- thing I've learned myself on the guitar, with your help ofc. Thanks alot, great lesson!

[1balmung]

definitely my favorite part of the solo

[kyuteh]

you're a great teacher, thanks!

[fortu005]

Thank you very much ,its a great mini-lesson...

[Cordeiro757]

Thanks for the explanation. You do your best, to teach us a little of Mark technique, but there are some stupid people, that will never understand that. Keep going and wish you the best.

[bedaidazak]

@Cordeiro757 thanks man, peace.

[skitzonacid]

good one champ 8)

[jonathanalvarez58]

pagxure oi kai mag biko tA

[apologice1]

Thank's !!!

[FingySquasherXD]

First of all, great tutorial vid, man! I finally managed to play that part thanks to you sharing this technique.

But I noticed something. When Mark plays that part, you don´t really hear the A, A# and C notes (B string: 10th 11th and 13th fret). Maybe he mutes them or smth, what do u think? ^^

[marcisgreatAA]

@FingySquasherXD

maybe he just makes a little misteak

[sportynicke]

can you please do a tutorial of local hero slow version

[freedomart06]

I tryied this riff since long long time ago but it wasn't good! But with this video it's easier !!!!!!

thanks a lot !

from france

[marcisgreatAA]

i get stuck when changing chord on the lowest part of the solo.

[mrvlhs]

Haha great stuff m8!!! Thanks a lot! Is this really the way Mark plays it? Doesn't he use a plectrum? With a plectrum it's like a million times harder lol

[bedaidazak]

@mrvlhs cheers bro, it is not exactly how mark plays, but he doesn't use a plectrum neither. he uses his thumb

[mrvlhs]

;) ok I searched for his vids and didn't understand quite well, it looked like hybrid picking

Well thanks a lot for the tutorial cheers :)

[hideare]

Then how does mark exactly play it ?

[bedaidazak]

instead of using the third finger (of the right hand), he uses his thumb

[cabbitsd]

Mark Knopler, at least to my knowledge and recollection, invented playing electric guitar with a finger picking style. At the very least, he's very famous for such a playing style.

[juffurey]

@cabbitsd sorry to burst your bubble, but blues players have been playing like that since the 40s, tho not all

[cabbitsd]

@juffurey Oh maybe... I've never heard of anyone in particular from that era known specifically for a finger picking style on an electric guitar but I'm not overly well versed in the blues genre.  LOVE the style, tho.

[DZFenn]

Cool

[marcisgreatAA]

and im having problems on how to keep the ring finger away.

[marcisgreatAA]

i was practising very hard, but i played back and forth on the 2 strings, but i see you dont press with the pinky but you pick with it.

thanks

[YUGIHO07]

Ooo, really thanks man, i think without your help i never couldn't play this amazin' solo,BELIEVE ME, never ,

thanks!! cheers!

[TheYowasup]

thanks

[steve1979a]

your nails are rank !

[tolga1975]

Great tutorial,

Thanks.

[TrIsBaB]

bellaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa­ thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[arnauddu80]

Merci BEAUCOUP !!!! tu m'est d'une une grande aide mec !! (i'm french)

[theincredibleiannune]

Yeah thanks

[swaroopmc]

Thanks so much :)

[666shingo]

Thanks ;)

[FAB130279]

thanks for u help

[ppss2004503]

Tome no cu. Difficult!

[niconte88]

ma va a cagare

[gambaletto]

knopfler quellq parte la suona alternado pollice per la 2 corda e indice assieme al pollice per la 1 corda...e non come fai tu suonando separatamente pollice indice e medio...

[mariuslegionari]

beh lui sta insegnando uno dei metodi per poter eseguire l'assolo, poi ad ognuno riesce come può..e tra l'altro se proprio vuoi dirgli qualcosa scrivigli in inglese visto che il tuo commento è utile a nessuno se scritto in italiano =)

[gambaletto]

1) esistono i traduttori

2) sei il suo avvocato?

3) cosa ti metti a insegnare aglialtri se non sai neanche le basi della tecnica di knopfl..

[mariuslegionari]

@gambaletto ...fai ridere

[gugge92]

"It's an very easy technique, it just needs practice, over and over and over". hahaha What defines a hard technique?

[bedaidazak]

:-)

[androide675]

@gugge92 Hahah "very easy"

[gravyman38]

Thanks, this is a great help to me. I previously thought you had to stop the second string from blending with the first, but now I know the double notes are alright.

[ehpotsirhc999]

Big thanks from France

[mercu3]

really nice, it helped me a lot!!

[Videomakershaker]

ty man

[seremsellej]

Very instructive video - many thanks

[Stringprodigy]

Props for doing this on a nylon string!

[kobiwan342]

How are you keeping the note on the B string from ringing out?

[ukandoittowithkandoo]

Why go faster than needed lesson ok. An classical ??????????? sound good use some slides on a classical????

[bedaidazak]

you can go faster if you want, because I am showing the solo of the song, but mainly the "technique" which you can use on different stuff of yours. I used classical to save electricity cost from using an amp lol,,,

[RockAndRollDamned]

thanks man!

[ytmachx]

Very well explained. You are a good teacher!

[oshheen]

great video zak

[albertanglo]

Very instructive and revealing of a riff that I did not know how to perform. Also, what a nice person revealed too.

[bedaidazak]

thank you. My pleasure

[BlondeElfeHorst]

Its awesome! .. Does you fingers hurt like mine? :S

[bobbeanbags]

Thanks great job

[fennidjameleddin]

i did it

thank u

[sejobl]

"I can even go faster than this"...Love that ! Thanks !

[benmols]

Very Usefull, thankyou :)

[xXxJediKnightxXx]

very usefull thanks a lot!!

[ERNESTOARAKAKY]

i will do it now bro!

[Mcmigue100]

mil gracias amigo , facil seguir tu clase

[AHS3X7]

Awesome. ThanQ 4 the demo. 5***** :)

[smokiebilly08]

thank u thank u ever so much!!!!!

[AmazingGuitarGuy608]

lol you should sit further away from the camera! Great lesson though

[johno2222002]

excellent thanks very much,mucho gracias

[abdennou]

best part , YES!!!!!!

[medmaf]

Bravo!!!!

[morbidyeti]

Wait, is it supposed to be fingerpicked or hybrid?

[trhnpc]

his guitar is tuned half step down

[4everknopfler]

i just cant play that riff with 3 fingers, its a bit weird also cuz i use my index and middle finger instead of thumb and index, i gotta get out of that habbit

[rickiej88]

i never thought i could nail that one! in fact.. i quite easy!!! just takes a lot of practice.. thanks a lot mate! really helped me

[enriquemiami]

AWESOME! Thanks. I got a new trick in my top hat.

[JOHNNYG99X]

D = 10th fret

[smity1969]

VERY GOOD

[cabbitsd]

I never thought I could ever play that part of the solo. Now I'm doing the lead for the whole song. I owe thanks, props, and respect to you! You're the greatest! Thank you!

[porno4menow]

It's a matter of knowing... what ya doing!

[SerGY9]

Excellent!! thank so much dude!!! =)

[djocsion]

your a very good teacher man you should make some proper vids and sell on ebay respect

[GorgeousLama]

thanks a lot mate...

[jamesshocker]

I agree, you're a wonderful teacher....

[mark2million]

Thanks man. You're a good teacher. You're wasted on this place.

[chqtarzan]

zak you r cute~!

[trackeur77]

yeap but mark knopfler play the last part of sultans with only 2 fingers on the right hand. And so do I. It looks like better. but nice try, keep on working and learning

[timsarmchair]

Its not how you play it that matters, as long as you get the right notes.

[seppiboy016]

well but then it´s not the right technique ..

[5785355]

gracias majo eres un crack

[Sammerhammer]

wrong. : ) haha no offense.

[timsarmchair]

How is it wrong? If you're on about technique of playing it, that doesn't matter. What matters is getting the right notes.

[123jozef]

THANKS!!! man...

[fcabo]

thaaaaaaaaaanx man!! i learned it!! thanx thanx thanx!

[MARK01986]

muy facil man...thanks....

[kukumiacka]

grazie zak.sei grande

[DogSwede1]

I won't call it Knopfler's technique, but sure it's nice. =)

[stripeysoul]

to be honest i thought this post was going to be shite. However, I thought the guy was brilliant and it was excellent for anyone learning. GOOD WORK MY MAN.

[5arman]

Few years ago when I started to play Sultans, I was playing that solo part incorrectly, but then I had a close look at MK's fingers and now I play it just like him... I will have to say, that the sound is correct, but the right-hand-technique is not completely same as MK's. He uses only his thumb and index finger, not middle one...

He picks with his thumb both strings..(I have a video if you care to see it).

btw, my brother plays that part just like you do!!

Cheerio

[MagnusBruce]

This is indeed a useful video. I've been trying to get my technique right for that part of the solo for about 3 years now (seriously) this should really help.

Thanks alot!

[Vegasbabee]

Cat Stevens- where ya been?!

[pegacube]

thanks!! Zak

[ironcrush]

Great lesson man! very helpful.. Hoping some more of you :)

[BowMenace]

Have you seen the size on that guys finger nails! (Right hand)

I understand why... use them for picks! Haha!

Nice video this will help alot

[MatiCWKS]

easy ... thanks

[jose785255]

magnifico man te felicito

[marangidd]

very good

[arkee71]

very good and simple instruction

[mb339a]

thank you so much!!!

[marciomuzzi]

Nice!

This music is an art that must be learned by parties.

A very good lesson. Thank you!

[MAJED1KSA]

Thanks

[localhero635]

Thanks!

[adrianogazzo]

Zak, you rule!! Tks a lot..

Bear Hug from Brazil.

[robertYTB]

Thanks Zak, a good lesson

[valland55]

hey that fret board is wider than mine! I didn't know they made classical guitars that have the cut away? Anyway,thnx zak, good lesson.

[siggi5153]

Great presentation1

[Kaioken90]

wow big nails xD

[adamantane1985]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!!!

[dljone9]

good presentation, clear and plainly stated - thanks!!

[bollox93]

It's the 10th fret. Can't you count?

[bollox93]

It's the 10th fret.

[bollox93]

Er............... that's the 10th fret.

[tzoche]

Maybe on your guitar not on his

[bollox93]

What do you know about it? You obviously don't play guitar.

[tzoche]

He has an classical guitar, obviosly you have an accoustic . From what I know the classical guitar has 18 freats and the accoustic has 20 .

[martinsdiego]

great lesson,how long did you practice to do this ? very nice!

[guitarnoob14]

it took me about a week to do it this fast :)

[graemeandlisa]

cheers zak great teacher

[punkthesave23]

that was very helpfull

[dennes75]

how long did you practice to do this ?

[D0nRidah]

cut your figernails lol you re gonna break the chords

[pdonofrio99]

You're kidding right? All great classical guitarists grow their fingernails out to help them pluck the strings more affectively.

Learn something.

[samuelsan93]

Mark Knopfler doesn't use his fingernails.

He uses the meaty part of his fingers to strike the strings.

Not tryin to be a know-it-all and I'm sure with bedaidazak it helps but I don't think it's fair to correct someone when you don't know yourself.

[SnoopPog]

wtf are you talking about, i take it you don't know anything about guitar. What the hell are you talking about chords? those are strings, know what your talking about before telling someone else what to do. Great lesson btw, really helpful

[shakemysnakefool]

cheers Zack...for highlighting to beginers that great solos are not out of the reach of their capabilities.... just practice those hammer and hammer-off techniques.

nicely taught

[pukarla]

Hey Zak!

i like how does it sound with this guitar!

i play with an electroacustic one!

thanks for this amazing lesson!

[Wozzley6996]

nice vid thnx

[pukarla]

wow! amazing can you teach me how to the sultans swing solo?

[802471497]

Hey Zak, that's awesome technique and you make it look so easy !! I was just wondering what make and model of guitar that is. I will be checking out your postings from now on, many thanks and keep it coming. Tim

[pOLroma]

muy bueno Zak ! gracias por enseñarnos la tecnica de Marck espero que sigas con mas tecnicas para los amantes de la guitarra Gracias denuevo. saludos desde PERU

[localhero635]

Thanks a lot.Your lesson is great.

[jjlevene]

thank you so much this is fantastic!

[osterianumeromille]

gooood!

[Mouss86]

Hey, nice video and great playing, but I think you should also put your right thumb back on the B string right after playing it, so that the sound stops.

Sounds a bit weird otherwise in my opinion.

[bedaidazak]

thats correct my friend, but playing it with an electric makes a big difference. thank you

[bedaidazak]

everyone is unique my friend