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

Playing guitar late at night yet again!!...I re-edited a recent prototype version of this (thanks for feedback to fellow JM afflictees & peers by the way). My humble attempt at a tutorial on an aspect of playing 'Martynesque' guitar that I think is 'vital' for much of John Martyn's music: John Martyn's unique right hand technique (as from his classic period & beyond). To talk about this I also introduce the basic 'skeleton' of Jelly Roll Baker (aka Easy Blues), as Jelly Roll Baker is a prime example of that in my view. This is only a *very basic* introduction to his right hand technique, and likewise for Jelly Roll Baker/Easy Blues.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Acoustic guitar
• John Martyn
• Martynesque guitar
• Jelly Roll Baker
• Solid Air
• Fingerstyle
• Fingerpicking
• Folk
• Blues
• Jazz
• Easy Blues
• Tutorial
• Guitar Tutorial
• Guitar Class
• Late Night Guitar
• intro

[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

[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

[Paligap7]

Excellent lesson! Thanks. Please do post something on John's Echoplex rhythm technique if you get a chance.

[mvo5720]

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

[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

[ianmcgeachy]

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