A few people have asked how to do Pete Townshend's famous windmill move, and though I'm not claiming to be brilliant at it, I do play in a Who tribute band and this is how I do it..
@Tim G The hair helps, but Pete started windmilling as a Mod, with short hair. The windmill "technique" is extremely difficult - in fact, I can play behind my back and play with my teeth much easier than properly windmill. And, it's one thing to windmill correctly (which seems to be almost a God-given ability), but to blend it into playing the song is even more incredible. This bloke has got both down very well, but there's only one Master and that's Pete the Great.
I've tried since 1979...it's bloody hard! Pete was definitely hitting strings during his famous Woodstock performance because you can actually hear it. I agree that for the most part, he did make contact...amazingly, he could blend his windmills with strumming the song!
You don't need it when your Marshall goes to 11. Just kidding, you're definitivly the only person in RUclips who can seriously explain it and do it actually. Respekt! 👍
Thanks for the video. I felt so stupid when i was standing there, guitar slung on my shoulder and was baffled by something that seems so simple. I was trying to go down, no elbow bend and at the normal picking location. Thanks and from this video, you sounded good.
No problem. I don't claim to be an expert but this is how I've worked out something that seems to work and look like what Pete does. It does take practice though to get it smooth and also to be able to go for them without missing the strings but not worrying about hurting yourself.I've cut myself several times but it doesn't happen a lot these days. Glad you enjoyed the video, I have more up of the who tribute band I'min at the moment, got one I'm editing at the minute which has some good windmill action on it.
THANK YOU MR.MODDOG! THANK YOU! I have been waiting for this lesson. Hopefully know, with your wisdom, i will stop slicing my thumb open. Thanks again. Cheers.
@MrModDog I remember asking where i could find a HIWATT and some older guy was like "ugh yeah... they dont make them anymore.." At the time, someone else told me they were so small you couldnt get it in the states. But yeah... Point is... I watch your videos and know the dedication it takes to learning/emulating one of the greatest guitar players alive. You do a great job & really admire you! Keep rockin! !~Mike
@MrModDog I went through a phase in my musical carreer when i thought i was going to be the next PT. I have a SG Classic (The first Run)... Tons of vintage fuzz pedals.. And a marshall 1959 slp. Funny to say... but as of 10-15 years ago, vintage gear was harder to come by... The digital revolution was starting to change how guitars/amps were made... and i remember walking into a guitar store and asking for an SG with p-90's and they looked at me like i was crazy.
God damn, your tone is deadly accurate on the live clips! Great video too, I'm still too chicken shit to try and windmill after nearly 30 years of playing! 😄
@@DanteDiCarloMusic yeah, figured that and the hiwatts you had access to certainly helped, but still, a lot of it is in the fingers, as they say. The last clip at the end is particularly impressive. I'm much more comfortable swinging my mic, lol!
@@gregmcdonald8962 Thanks. The clip at the end I'm just playing through a Vox amp but with a bit of work you can get the right sound through a decent amp even if it's not Hiwatt. The Hiwatts I played for a while. I was actually in a who tribute playing at the who convention and using the amps of another band called Who's Next, who I ended up joining. So for a while I was using the Hiwatts but ended up switching to a Marshall bass stack and now I'm using a Boss Katana. Always got a good sound put of them. When you think about it Pete changed guitar models a lot but it always sounded like him
Just found your video, my friends know me for my Townshend right leg kicks and windmills, but I never hit the strings with my pick, always tucked that in and let my 3 fingers strum the strings, though did screw up a couple of times and broke my thumb hitting on the neck.
@@DanteDiCarloMusic Yeah couple of times, my windmills in this cheesy video look pretty good though I screwed up my ring finger, thank god I am retired from being a wannabe rock star. around 3:40 windmill attempts. ruclips.net/video/42d73DAeJBc/видео.html
You do it very well, but I'm sure that peter Townsend don't use this technique which would be too risky. In fact, he doesn't touch the strings with his rignt hand. He makes his chord sound with his left hand, using his little ot ring finger. have a good look at the video "Pete's windmills" (it lasts only 10 seconds but it's enough to understand)). That's why you will never see him making his famous windmill with barre chords, but always with a classical A or a D played on the bottom of the guitar neck. (sorry for my english, I'm french).
He definitely makes contact with his right hand on the strings, there's lots of times his fingers have been bleeding from cutting them on the strings. Also what you describe would not make the same sound. There are no tricks, he just spins his arm and hits the strings
I'm convinced you are the only person on RUclips who can actually windmill.
Thanks dude.There must be other people though haha.
Its the hair and the accent. Thats how he does it.
@Tim G The hair helps, but Pete started windmilling as a Mod, with short hair. The windmill "technique" is extremely difficult - in fact, I can play behind my back and play with my teeth much easier than properly windmill. And, it's one thing to windmill correctly (which seems to be almost a God-given ability), but to blend it into playing the song is even more incredible. This bloke has got both down very well, but there's only one Master and that's Pete the Great.
I've tried since 1979...it's bloody hard! Pete was definitely hitting strings during his famous Woodstock performance because you can actually hear it. I agree that for the most part, he did make contact...amazingly, he could blend his windmills with strumming the song!
You don't need it when your Marshall goes to 11.
Just kidding, you're definitivly the only person in RUclips who can seriously explain it and do it actually. Respekt! 👍
Thank you!
Thanks for the video. I felt so stupid when i was standing there, guitar slung on my shoulder and was baffled by something that seems so simple. I was trying to go down, no elbow bend and at the normal picking location. Thanks and from this video, you sounded good.
No problem. I don't claim to be an expert but this is how I've worked out something that seems to work and look like what Pete does. It does take practice though to get it smooth and also to be able to go for them without missing the strings but not worrying about hurting yourself.I've cut myself several times but it doesn't happen a lot these days. Glad you enjoyed the video, I have more up of the who tribute band I'min at the moment, got one I'm editing at the minute which has some good windmill action on it.
Trying to learn this myself.
Excellent video sir.
And AND!!!
I bet I wouldn't be the first person to say how much you look like a young Ronnie Wood??
THANK YOU MR.MODDOG! THANK YOU!
I have been waiting for this lesson.
Hopefully know, with your wisdom, i will stop slicing my thumb open.
Thanks again. Cheers.
Thanks for the video I've been practicing my windmill skills but my friend's basement where we practice has really low ceilings so I can't do it 😢😢
ah yeah low ceilings are bad for it!
@MrModDog I remember asking where i could find a HIWATT and some older guy was like "ugh yeah... they dont make them anymore.." At the time, someone else told me they were so small you couldnt get it in the states. But yeah... Point is... I watch your videos and know the dedication it takes to learning/emulating one of the greatest guitar players alive. You do a great job & really admire you! Keep rockin! !~Mike
Good job explaining one of the guitar showmanship mysteries that have been out there forever!
@MrModDog I went through a phase in my musical carreer when i thought i was going to be the next PT. I have a SG Classic (The first Run)... Tons of vintage fuzz pedals.. And a marshall 1959 slp. Funny to say... but as of 10-15 years ago, vintage gear was harder to come by... The digital revolution was starting to change how guitars/amps were made... and i remember walking into a guitar store and asking for an SG with p-90's and they looked at me like i was crazy.
When I try this, my strumming hand goes far into the fingerboard, or I am too scared to strum and miss the strings.
God damn, your tone is deadly accurate on the live clips! Great video too, I'm still too chicken shit to try and windmill after nearly 30 years of playing! 😄
Thanks! Probably because I'm using similar guitars to Pete
@@DanteDiCarloMusic yeah, figured that and the hiwatts you had access to certainly helped, but still, a lot of it is in the fingers, as they say. The last clip at the end is particularly impressive. I'm much more comfortable swinging my mic, lol!
@@gregmcdonald8962 Thanks. The clip at the end I'm just playing through a Vox amp but with a bit of work you can get the right sound through a decent amp even if it's not Hiwatt. The Hiwatts I played for a while. I was actually in a who tribute playing at the who convention and using the amps of another band called Who's Next, who I ended up joining. So for a while I was using the Hiwatts but ended up switching to a Marshall bass stack and now I'm using a Boss Katana. Always got a good sound put of them. When you think about it Pete changed guitar models a lot but it always sounded like him
Your hair is amazingly brilliant!. n
Thank you! I wish it was still this brilliant but I'm pushing 40 now and its not quite as thick haha
@@DanteDiCarloMusic Well, I am older than that - but I am still going for it. Well done. n
Just found your video, my friends know me for my Townshend right leg kicks and windmills, but I never hit the strings with my pick, always tucked that in and let my 3 fingers strum the strings, though did screw up a couple of times and broke my thumb hitting on the neck.
Ahhh that sounds painful!
@@DanteDiCarloMusic Yeah couple of times, my windmills in this cheesy video look pretty good though I screwed up my ring finger, thank god I am retired from being a wannabe rock star. around 3:40 windmill attempts. ruclips.net/video/42d73DAeJBc/видео.html
I salute you not only for windmilling but having Hiwatt stacks. Can't play in a Who band (or windmill) without them
The irony is these amps belonged to another who tribute band who I joined and we don't have the hiwatts anymore haha. We may do soon though
Dante DiCarlo Check out Hi-Tone- they work with one of Reeve's children to make exact replicas of '60s Hiwatts, including the CP103.
Thanks will do :)
what is your favorite PT era? Mine is 67-69... When he played sg specials and hiwatts... And he wore the white painter suit....
This is perhaps one of the few guitar tricks where the advantage goes to the dwarves …
You sound like Pete Townsend when you speak.
He really doesn't
Not really.
Not at all
It's got to look like you don't care, if you hurt yourself. You are pretty good at it.
Nice
Thank you!
@MrModDog thanks ill look some up, I fucked up my thumb doin this btw, thought you should know lmao
@MrModDog It's alright. Thanks again.
At the end, is that a SG special, with P-90s? If so, do they "hum" a lot when you're distorted?
great lesson! do you guys have vids up of you performing who songs?
Don't wreck your shoulder
You have to be willing to hurt yourself a few times
Are you on Apple Music?
what is your band?!
You do it very well, but I'm sure that peter Townsend don't use this technique which would be too risky. In fact, he doesn't touch the strings with his rignt hand. He makes his chord sound with his left hand, using his little ot ring finger. have a good look at the video "Pete's windmills" (it lasts only 10 seconds but it's enough to understand)). That's why you will never see him making his famous windmill with barre chords, but always with a classical A or a D played on the bottom of the guitar neck. (sorry for my english, I'm french).
He definitely makes contact with his right hand on the strings, there's lots of times his fingers have been bleeding from cutting them on the strings. Also what you describe would not make the same sound. There are no tricks, he just spins his arm and hits the strings
Trying to learn this myself.
Excellent video sir.
And AND!!!
I bet I wouldn't be the first person to say how much you look like a young Ronnie Wood??
thank you, hope this helps and yeah the Ronnie Wood thing comes up a lot haha