Awesome solo by John Lennon! Don't forget to hit that like button if you enjoyed this video! Huge thanks as always to all PATRONS, your TABS for this video are available here: bit.ly/2UegKq7
It's 5:45am and I'm scratchin' around, half awake.. drop in here to have a squiz.. You have a new video up.. and by the time I'm done with watching it, I'm on the end of my bed, half in the dark, trying out some ideas you've inspired... ... Every freakin' time, man.... You're a gem... Fanx! a heap.. as always... :)
JWL could play a few banjo chords his mum taught him. On stage he would play “air guitar” with the instrument strapped to his body as a recording filled in the rhythm part. In the studio George Martin filled in as rhythm guitarist. Hopefully the numbskull that posted this garbage vid will get a clue.
Session guitarists who jammed with John after the Beatles have said he was an amazing guitarist with fantastic feel. In other words he was a real guitar player.
@@vernpascal1531 i’ve thought of that many times over the years and come to the same conclusion both pairs were great but very different, but great. The stones were much simpler as a Jeff Beck said it was always three chords. True, Lennon, McCartney and Harrison were much more sophisticated but I just can’t bring myself to say that one is better than the other. On the surface it really looks that way but when you listen to them they’re equally great as far as I’m concerned. Having said that, there’s about a 20 to 1 ratio to listening to the Beatles over the stones.
In an interview after the making of Double Fantasy, Earl Slick said that John Lennon was the best guitarist he had ever played with. He said that it had nothing to do with riffs, licks, or anything like that. He simply played the instrument exceptionally well. And that playing live with him was the only way to understand his assessment. The interleafed guitar parts of John Lennon, Earl Slick, and Hugh McCracken on "I'm Losing You" on that album are musical, economical, delightfully intertwined, intelligently conceived and a delight to listen to. Earl Slick has been around the block enough with many musicians on many albums to make what he says stick. Lennon is highly underrated for his ability as a musician and a composer, and for always employing the instrument in the service of the song (as all the Beatles did). With all due respects to Guitar Pilgrim, go back and listen carefully to the manner in which Lennon transitions from one chord to the next. In the parts you played, Lennon's parts are smooth, seamless, perfectly, and musically executed in a way that emphasizes what 8 hour gigs in Hamburg 6 days a week playing all manner of music besides rock brings to a person's fluidity on an instrument.
not that he wasn’t a great guitarist, Harrison was just better. Lennon is getting all the fame he deserves for the last 5 decades for his amazing singing and songwriting. he was so good at that, that people even sometimes are just forgetting that he was an astonishing guitar player as well
Lennon's work on the Get Back song just proves that Lennon could create some gems when inspired. The combination of rhythm and lead guitar licks is damn good work.
And RHYTHM as well!!! John was the greatest rhythm guitarist in part because of his sense of timing, and he also composed songs with alternate and changing time signatures like “Good Morning”, “Happiness is a Warm Gun”, “All You Need is Love” an countless others
@dollarthief9665, what you have said is true. Melody is the hardest thing of all to compose. It is the test. Very few can compose quality melody. John Lennon effortlessly composed quality melody over and over ... He was supremely gifted.
Ridiculous question for anyone who has watched any Beatles videos. John was an accomplished player whether rhythm or lead. Thanks for raising awareness of John’s skills!
Everything the Beatles did was about the song at hand. Despite ego, personal conflict or any other issues the song and how each part contributed to it was always the focus and it shows on everything they did. I think that was a large part of the magic they put down on vinyl. After 65 years on earth I still believe them to be the greatest rock band ever.
Totally agree. Three musical geniuses and a drummer who knew how to adjust his type of percussion for each song, and George Martin, who blended their talents. They fit their time perfectly, and I think the decade was actually influenced by them.
As Ringo said, with all the bullshit flying around the studio, he could count in 1,2,3,4 and the band was playing once again The Beatles was the band’s main focus until it was time out.
Lennon came up with the Beatles best guitar riffs ... like Day Tripper, I Feel Fine, Revolution (lead solo work too), Hey Bulldog, I Want You/She's So Heavy (lead solo work too), etc. And -- he always had cool guitar stuff like ... Sun King, Norweigan Wood, Girl, Dear Prudence, Across The Universe (intro), I'll Be Back, etc. John also does the solo work in .. Long Tall Sally, You Can't Do That, Honey Pie, Ballad of J & Y, Get Back, Nowhere Man (doubled with George), and a few other songs too as well, including possibly the And Your Bird Can Sing duet with George (George was ambivalent). A BIG part of The Beatles sound ... was Lennon's guitar.
Very often John's energy is what made Paul songs work. Best example I can think of is "All My Loving." It was his down and up strumming that propelled that song and made it something of a rocker.
Yes! John said as such in the Playboy interview, 1980. Talking about 'She's So Heavy' he said, "Yeah that's my lick. There's lots of guitar parts that were written by me and played by me in Beatle records. They just never were...[the interviewer then annoyingly cuts him off]. Note, this was not in the heavily-edited printed version of the interview but can be heard in the audio version available on youtube last I looked.
I heard a session guitarist who played on some of Lennon's solo work say Lennon was a real guitarist and if you were standing in the same room it was awesome.
Great breakdown of Get Back! So many different styles in one song! This is what makes the Beatles music great. John's guitar playing should never be in question. Him and Hetfield are the best rhythm guitar players ever.
Lennon is responsible for the sale of millions of guitars. His creative gift is extrodinary but accessible to us mere mortals. Thank you Guitar Pilgrim.
Yes the way he strum the guitar in a fastest way up and down then being slow strumming up in the refrain part.only a good guitar player can appreciate his part in that song.you dont have to play hard on guitar to be called a good or a great even god of guitar unless you know how to play it depends on the melody of the songs.
I think the amazing thing about the Beatles is not that they had three guys who could each be a front man of a great band in their own right, as amazing as that is. The amazing thing is that for ten years on any song two of them would be happy to sit back and play a role for the other guy(s) to shine.
John was blessed with rhythm, not only in his strumming and unorthodox time signatures, but also in his vocals; just listen to him singing the verses in All You Need Is Love, such amazing word gymnastics.
I've always though of John as the Canvas for George to lay his lead on. John could switch from the Chuck berry barre chord rhythm to the triplets of all my loving with ease. For me John was the engine room that gave the Beatles that drive right from the Cavern and Hamburg days. I enjoy watching the TV footage from 1962 when they are playing some other guy in the Cavern .In that footage John is is going from zero to full tilt in the blink of an eye from the first strum.
What drummer JIm Keltner said many years ago. Lennon's rhythm guitar was the engine that drove the band. And for anyone that can play the triplets Lennon laid down on "All My Loving" right the the end of the song, your endurance is superhuman. Up to tempo, that part is daunting.
@FenderTele, great comment. John was the 'engine room' of The Beatles. He was such a powerful charismatic spirit .. his energy carried The Beatles much like a wave carries surfboard riders. His rhythm guitar playing was in truth a wave of energy that not only carried the other three but also an entire generation to a place they otherwise never would have known.
I mean, I think people's approach to discussing how "good" guitarists are is always so reductive - what comes out of the person is what matters not how *hard* it was for them to play it. John wasn't setting out on a musical career to be a guitar god, he wanted to be a songwriter. A guitarist like John - or Kurt Cobain as another example - there are so many nuances to a person's guitar playing and as long as it's got its own personality I enjoy it. John may not have sat in his room practicing arpeggios for hundreds of hours but that doesn't really matter does it? It takes a lot of time to replicate someone else's playing, because there are so many *small* things they do out of habit. I can pick out John's playing immediately when I hear it, and I've never heard someone play in a way that "sounds like John Lennon" because he had a way of making it his own. There are people out there who have practiced thousands and thousands of hours but have no identity when they create music, it's what you *do* with your own technique and abilities that matters. Some people can create great art with minimal recourses, it's a huge advantage in my opinion because you can have someone like Joe Satriani who is heralded as a shred guitar god - and yet I haven't personally ever felt he wrote any good "songs". He's got great solos, it's not my personal favorite style of music but he's definitely very technical and is great at crafting solos - but he's not a great songwriter and we all know that. But then, try to replicate his solo - he has a very unique way of playing and you may get the notes right and maybe get the general idea of the techniques he's using but it's never going to sound identical because he plays in a specific way. John did too, once you play as long in a devoted manner as they did you develop a personality and regardless of how technical their playing is it is extremely difficult to actually "sound" like the person in question. I think that is important to factor in, people act as though imitating the guitar parts of someone like John is easy but it really isn't. There are guitarists out there who are both great lead players while being great songwriters at the same time, but you don't have to do both to be a great artist. Personally I think being able to write a good song is more important than being the best player, but I do think practice helps. Technique practice I see as a way to have shortcuts to expression - you have to be a creative person to write a good song, and practice just helps you get through the creative process faster, though it doesn't *make you creative* in itself so I think it's important to always keep that in mind. Practicing technique doesn't teach you how to be creative. I really can't emphasize enough that what matters most is what you *do* with what you have that matters, cuz I have known so many people who could shred really fast but couldn't compose if their lives depended on it, and that includes solo compositions or improv - and if their goal isn't to be songwriters that's alright (though I think if one is going to be a lead player, they should probably still practice composition because you still need to write a *good* solo, it's not like just playing fast is enough).To write a great song you don't need to be able to play at 1000bpm or something, you just need to know the basics of the instrument and have to practice writing. John Lennon was a songwriter, he wasn't out there trying to be the best lead player so for people to judge him on his lead playing is just laughable and I think it shows a bit of elitism on their part. Who cares how fast he could play when he wasn't even trying to play fast? He wasn't in the competition they're judging him on. He didn't want to be the most crazy guitar player, he wanted to write songs - and he was great at what he did and I love his guitar playing.
Always engaging videos, I have listened to Get Back countless time’s but you have allowed me to hear different parts and aspects of the song that I have never noticed. Great stuff
Daft question! John’s formative years as a musician were spent learning the banjo so he came to the guitar relatively late. His time in Germany made him into an excellent rhythm guitarist. His playing on ‘All My Loving’ is outstanding. BTW I’m not actually a fan of John’s work but one must give credit where it’s due. Yes, he most certainly could play the guitar!
I've always gravitated towards John's playing. He was technically sloppy and he knew it, but it made him unique, interesting and emotional. The one thing I have always admired is his tone. He always had the best tone for the song he was playing.
MAN I NEVER REALIZED HE PLAYED JUST LIKE TWO GUITAR'S,ITWAS TWO GUITAR'S BUT IT WAS NOT,EXCELLENT AND VERY INFORMATIVE VIDEO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Walter B,Memphis, STAY WELL AND SAFE 👍😊
Thom, you can’t resist. Those guitar chops maybe John Lennon, but in your hands there is a touch of Jimi Hendrix and SRV! Thank you for drilling down on Get Back, We all came back to it after the Peter Jackson film, great to hear this music again. You always hear so much more in the songs than I do, Fabulous to revisit. Always something new. Today is another great day!
John Lennon was a powerful spirit. His energy was the central energy of The Beatles. His energy carried the other three, as a wave carries surfboard riders. His rhythm guitar playing was not just rhythm guitar playing, it was a powerful spiritual energy.
The most interesting thing with Lennon's playing is his unusual timing: She's A Woman, All You Need Is Love, Happiness Is a Warm Gun, Don't Let Me Down (middle part), Instant Karma, Meat City (from Mind Games), etc.
Thank you, Sir. 1st time I see a video of yours. You look absolutely nuts and amazingly talented, just like Lennon seemed to be, only happier. Great, beautiful job.
George Harrison had been out of the band for some time when he came back and they recorded ‘get back’ - I think that’s the reason why John Lennon claimed the soloist spot
First of all congratulations Tom for reaching 200k sub, the second you reached it I left you a comment on the last video but i think it's cool to tell you again, you deserve it And if by chance you plan for an Q&A it would be amazing, I suggest leaving a comment in the community part and we'll drop our questions, I'll be more than happy to know more about you sensei 🙇♂️☺
Excellent vid as always, but John was a much better Rhythm guitarist than lead and his ability to sing and play at the same time was awesome. All these skills honed during the Hamburg years playing the clubs.
Now go and try and play that song on top of the roof in the middle of winter...its a bit harder with frozen fingers...Lennon also did the solo on - You Can't Do that - you should try that one out.
Yeah, he could play, sometimes a little sloppy but his rhythm was very solid. He played a lot of open chord stuff but he knew his triads, barre chords and augmented chords without even looking at the fretboard.
The Guitar Pilgrim is a genius on guitar, to listen to him is still a highlight in this "crazy times". I have been with my wife to Graceland (before all the terrible things happend) we both liked Elvis, as we liked The Ventures, The Shadows and so on, and so on. It was the best times of both our lives!!! Now I'm 76 and on my own (my wife died 2007) but the best medicine (when I'm sad) is both the music of the years we spent together and your wonderful demonstration of the guitar artists of this time. Thank you very much and God bless you and your talent of playing the guitar in this amazing way. Stay healthy!!
God I love your videos. You play so articulate and with such subtle nuances. I love how you teach it also. Maybe it’s not tour style but how about a Slash lesson?
I hate the level of dismiss some people give to Lennon regarding instrument playing. Ironically the first sound that you can hear in the very first Beatles hit to make it on the radio, was John’s harmonica in Love Me Do. John was a very competent guitar player, with creative strumming ideas, he made some legendary guitar riffs and specially he was extremely explorative on his approach to harmony. His chord progressions were insane, also he loved breaking time signatures, and switching tempos. People often remind that Paul allegedly taught Lennon to play guitar. Paul taught John to do full guitar chords because John only knew at that moment a few 4 finger banjo chords that his auntie taught him. Paul taught him to transpose and some other chord he knew. And they were like 17 and 15 years old back then. Because of that story, people act as if Lennon was a complete ignorant about guitar his whole life. John, Paul and George explored together. There’s a nice story Paul tells about them taking a bus across Liverpool to meet a guy because he was gonna teach them B7 chord.
It was his mother who taught him music. His aunt sold his guitar to get rid of it. But if you are playing guitar in a band where there's a bass player etc, you only need to play 3 or 4 strings. In fact, if you play all 6 strings, it can sound muddy.
So much crédit can be given to John Lennon, greatest singer, greatest songwriter, it’s hard not to miss a few things. Hé was the greatest rhythm guitar player, but they all’were.
dude i love your teaching skills, also nice camera shots very clear, your personality and all... great channel. keep it up! you gonna be up there with paul davids, marty and papa
Just a couple of things: A) Your videos are always educational, entertaining, and fun. B) Thank you for demonstrating just how good a guitarist John Lennon was. Unfortunately, John low-rated his abilities as a guitarist and a lot of people have bought into him being some kind of hack on the instrument. Like all The Beatles, he was a fantastic musician. C) Although you didn't sing in this video, don't ever again put down your voice. I'd kill to sing as well as you. D) Even an old rusty, dusty guitar player like me learns a lot from these vids. Keep up your good work.
Q buenos videos buena calidad mi brother!!! Espero q algun dia hasgas el tema de yes star chip truperss de rock progresivo. Saludos desde coatepec veracruz mexico✌✌
John had a style that matches up well with Keith Richards. Ron Wood and many more Brits. More Traditional Rock n Roll feel. On the other hand, Led Zepllin was very non-traditional. I've had many discussions with fellow musicians where Jimi would have fit in after Led Zepllin, Derrick & the Dominoes AND especially after Jeff Becks Blow by Blow.
Excellent demonstration!! Don´t forget he´s also singing in the choruses!! And I believe the tempo it´s a little bit faster. Great job from Lennon. Thanks, love your channel!
Why in every video that analyzes lennon only focuses on songs at "get back" ? This video has been done before why not analyze his other lead stuff that in my opinion holds more weight to show how great he is as a lead player songs like -(shes so heavy) -You can't do that -im happy juat to dance with you - all my loving Those songs also shows his great guitar ability
As always, great job! Hey, I,ve been following you for some time and I haven't found any video dedicated to Chuck Berry. Have you done any? If you havent, please let us enjoy one as soon as you can. I,d love to see your take on the father of rock and roll, could be a great treat.Thanks and best wishes.
Love to see you check out some Heavy Rock! Have you ever watched Jimmy Page at the Madison Square Garden concert? Unbelievable playing! Be great for you to have a look!
![The Dirty Mac - Yer Blues (Official Video) [4K]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/JeFwaWFTGYU/mqdefault.jpg)
Awesome solo by John Lennon! Don't forget to hit that like button if you enjoyed this video! Huge thanks as always to all PATRONS, your TABS for this video are available here: bit.ly/2UegKq7
It's 5:45am and I'm scratchin' around, half awake.. drop in here to have a squiz.. You have a new video up.. and by the time I'm done with watching it, I'm on the end of my bed, half in the dark, trying out some ideas you've inspired... ... Every freakin' time, man.... You're a gem... Fanx! a heap.. as always... :)
I hit the “like” button before the playing started, knowing you would do him justice 😃👍
JWL could play a few banjo chords his mum taught him. On stage he would play “air guitar” with the instrument strapped to his body as a recording filled in the rhythm part. In the studio George Martin filled in as rhythm guitarist. Hopefully the numbskull that posted this garbage vid will get a clue.
Session guitarists who jammed with John after the Beatles have said he was an amazing guitarist with fantastic feel. In other words he was a real guitar player.
It is mind boggling.Mick and Keith are incredible,but not close to Paul and John as overall Musicians, lead and back up singers, songwriters.
John Lennon said it himself, I may not be a technical guitar player but I can make it F-in Howl playing rhythm
@@davidallen346this is news
@@vernpascal1531 i’ve thought of that many times over the years and come to the same conclusion both pairs were great but very different, but great. The stones were much simpler as a Jeff Beck said it was always three chords. True, Lennon, McCartney and Harrison were much more sophisticated but I just can’t bring myself to say that one is better than the other. On the surface it really looks that way but when you listen to them they’re equally great as far as I’m concerned. Having said that, there’s about a 20 to 1 ratio to listening to the Beatles over the stones.
In an interview after the making of Double Fantasy, Earl Slick said that John Lennon was the best guitarist he had ever played with. He said that it had nothing to do with riffs, licks, or anything like that. He simply played the instrument exceptionally well. And that playing live with him was the only way to understand his assessment.
The interleafed guitar parts of John Lennon, Earl Slick, and Hugh McCracken on "I'm Losing You" on that album are musical, economical, delightfully intertwined, intelligently conceived and a delight to listen to.
Earl Slick has been around the block enough with many musicians on many albums to make what he says stick. Lennon is highly underrated for his ability as a musician and a composer, and for always employing the instrument in the service of the song (as all the Beatles did).
With all due respects to Guitar Pilgrim, go back and listen carefully to the manner in which Lennon transitions from one chord to the next. In the parts you played, Lennon's parts are smooth, seamless, perfectly, and musically executed in a way that emphasizes what 8 hour gigs in Hamburg 6 days a week playing all manner of music besides rock brings to a person's fluidity on an instrument.
I think people don't give John enough credit as a guitarist, but he sure could play! Awesome work indeed my man!
RC32 yeah man
@Pie Fish Ahh yeah, I mean all rockstars in the 60s and 70s who died young all kind of suffered the same fate in some shape or form for the most part.
not that he wasn’t a great guitarist, Harrison was just better. Lennon is getting all the fame he deserves for the last 5 decades for his amazing singing and songwriting. he was so good at that, that people even sometimes are just forgetting that he was an astonishing guitar player as well
Agree. I've been saying it, for years. Great vid.
Agree. His guitar work on this has always made me really get into it and listen.
Watching John play that in the Get Back film totally blew me away. Thanks for posting.
John's guitar work is a bit underrated, even by him. He said he was embarrassed of his guitar playing
He also didn’t like his singing and sometimes I’m like wow best singing voice ever
@@lilTwigLP He's regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time.
I think he liked his guitar playing. But it is underrated by others
Walexe I don’t think so, unfortunately. He’s underrated as a singer, but he is regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time.
Joao Gabriel He’s.
That nonchalant tuning of the lower e was pretty bad ass I must say mister pilgrim, kudos
What's nonchalant
@@osamabinladen824 (of a person or manner) feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.
Lennon's work on the Get Back song just proves that Lennon could create some gems when inspired. The combination of rhythm and lead guitar licks is damn good work.
John's greatest gift was melody. You can hear this all through his guitar work.
This comment needs to be pinned. So true.
And RHYTHM as well!!! John was the greatest rhythm guitarist in part because of his sense of timing, and he also composed songs with alternate and changing time signatures like “Good Morning”, “Happiness is a Warm Gun”, “All You Need is Love” an countless others
@dollarthief9665, what you have said is true. Melody is the hardest thing of all to compose. It is the test. Very few can compose quality melody. John Lennon effortlessly composed quality melody over and over ... He was supremely gifted.
Ridiculous question for anyone who has watched any Beatles videos. John was an accomplished player whether rhythm or lead. Thanks for raising awareness of John’s skills!
Everything the Beatles did was about the song at hand. Despite ego, personal conflict or any other issues the song and how each part contributed to it was always the focus and it shows on everything they did. I think that was a large part of the magic they put down on vinyl. After 65 years on earth I still believe them to be the greatest rock band ever.
Very very well said.
Totally agree. Three musical geniuses and a drummer who knew how to adjust his type of percussion for each song, and George Martin, who blended their talents. They fit their time perfectly, and I think the decade was actually influenced by them.
As Ringo said, with all the bullshit flying around the studio, he could count in 1,2,3,4 and the band was playing once again
The Beatles was the band’s main focus until it was time out.
Lennon came up with the Beatles best guitar riffs ... like Day Tripper, I Feel Fine, Revolution (lead solo work too), Hey Bulldog, I Want You/She's So Heavy (lead solo work too), etc. And -- he always had cool guitar stuff like ... Sun King, Norweigan Wood, Girl, Dear Prudence, Across The Universe (intro), I'll Be Back, etc. John also does the solo work in .. Long Tall Sally, You Can't Do That, Honey Pie, Ballad of J & Y, Get Back, Nowhere Man (doubled with George), and a few other songs too as well, including possibly the And Your Bird Can Sing duet with George (George was ambivalent). A BIG part of The Beatles sound ... was Lennon's guitar.
Not to mention, "Don't Bother Me" - Lennon actually plays lead guitar on that! (Not the guitar solo though).
Very often John's energy is what made Paul songs work. Best example I can think of is "All My Loving." It was his down and up strumming that propelled that song and made it something of a rocker.
you’ve been doing your homework. Bravo.🎼
@@Kermit_T_Frog keep those triplets coming. It is a beautiful rhythm bit played by the best of rhythm players
Yes! John said as such in the Playboy interview, 1980. Talking about 'She's So Heavy' he said, "Yeah that's my lick. There's lots of guitar parts that were written by me and played by me in Beatle records. They just never were...[the interviewer then annoyingly cuts him off].
Note, this was not in the heavily-edited printed version of the interview but can be heard in the audio version available on youtube last I looked.
John's ryhthm guitar chops were amazing. In some ways his playing is the soul of many Beatles songs.
The soul .. the central energy force ...
Lmao I'm drunk but I'm having fun with the boys listening to my fav guitar youtuber play my fav artist
Can I have vodka please
I heard a session guitarist who played on some of Lennon's solo work say Lennon was a real guitarist and if you were standing in the same room it was awesome.
Earl Slick said that John was one of the best guitarplayers he had worked with
Double Fantasy demos that he made are great. He was an extremely good rhythm player
Lennon said "I know how to make it howl"
Great breakdown of Get Back! So many different styles in one song! This is what makes the Beatles music great. John's guitar playing should never be in question. Him and Hetfield are the best rhythm guitar players ever.
Lennon is responsible for the sale of millions of guitars. His creative gift is extrodinary but accessible to us mere mortals. Thank you Guitar Pilgrim.
Anytime I see someone say John Lennon was an average guitar player, I tell them to take a look at his playing on "All My Loving"
He's above average and below great
@@heavensdoor844 he’s the most influential rhythm guitar player in rock
Yes the way he strum the guitar in a fastest way up and down then being slow strumming up in the refrain part.only a good guitar player can appreciate his part in that song.you dont have to play hard on guitar to be called a good or a great even god of guitar unless you know how to play it depends on the melody of the songs.
absolutely, wonderful rhythm guitar playing . I
John was brilliant at rhythm
I think the amazing thing about the Beatles is not that they had three guys who could each be a front man of a great band in their own right, as amazing as that is. The amazing thing is that for ten years on any song two of them would be happy to sit back and play a role for the other guy(s) to shine.
John was blessed with rhythm, not only in his strumming and unorthodox time signatures, but also in his vocals; just listen to him singing the verses in All You Need Is Love, such amazing word gymnastics.
Saw the title and thought, of course he can. He might not be a “virtuoso” on the guitar it self, he is a GREAT player, and a “ virtuoso” songwriter.
I've always though of John as the Canvas for George to lay his lead on. John could switch from the Chuck berry barre chord rhythm to the triplets of all my loving with ease. For me John was the engine room that gave the Beatles that drive right from the Cavern and Hamburg days. I enjoy watching the TV footage from 1962 when they are playing some other guy in the Cavern .In that footage John is is going from zero to full tilt in the blink of an eye from the first strum.
What drummer JIm Keltner said many years ago. Lennon's rhythm guitar was the engine that drove the band. And for anyone that can play the triplets Lennon laid down on "All My Loving" right the the end of the song, your endurance is superhuman. Up to tempo, that part is daunting.
@FenderTele, great comment. John was the 'engine room' of The Beatles. He was such a powerful charismatic spirit .. his energy carried The Beatles much like a wave carries surfboard riders. His rhythm guitar playing was in truth a wave of energy that not only carried the other three but also an entire generation to a place they otherwise never would have known.
This is one of my band’s favorite songs to play. It’s got a great groove and towards the end it really starts to rock!
John lennon was a great guitarist underrated and he was a great musician played keys also ❤
wish I could play Blues licks like this...huge Lennon fan
I mean, I think people's approach to discussing how "good" guitarists are is always so reductive - what comes out of the person is what matters not how *hard* it was for them to play it. John wasn't setting out on a musical career to be a guitar god, he wanted to be a songwriter. A guitarist like John - or Kurt Cobain as another example - there are so many nuances to a person's guitar playing and as long as it's got its own personality I enjoy it. John may not have sat in his room practicing arpeggios for hundreds of hours but that doesn't really matter does it? It takes a lot of time to replicate someone else's playing, because there are so many *small* things they do out of habit. I can pick out John's playing immediately when I hear it, and I've never heard someone play in a way that "sounds like John Lennon" because he had a way of making it his own.
There are people out there who have practiced thousands and thousands of hours but have no identity when they create music, it's what you *do* with your own technique and abilities that matters. Some people can create great art with minimal recourses, it's a huge advantage in my opinion because you can have someone like Joe Satriani who is heralded as a shred guitar god - and yet I haven't personally ever felt he wrote any good "songs". He's got great solos, it's not my personal favorite style of music but he's definitely very technical and is great at crafting solos - but he's not a great songwriter and we all know that. But then, try to replicate his solo - he has a very unique way of playing and you may get the notes right and maybe get the general idea of the techniques he's using but it's never going to sound identical because he plays in a specific way. John did too, once you play as long in a devoted manner as they did you develop a personality and regardless of how technical their playing is it is extremely difficult to actually "sound" like the person in question. I think that is important to factor in, people act as though imitating the guitar parts of someone like John is easy but it really isn't.
There are guitarists out there who are both great lead players while being great songwriters at the same time, but you don't have to do both to be a great artist. Personally I think being able to write a good song is more important than being the best player, but I do think practice helps. Technique practice I see as a way to have shortcuts to expression - you have to be a creative person to write a good song, and practice just helps you get through the creative process faster, though it doesn't *make you creative* in itself so I think it's important to always keep that in mind. Practicing technique doesn't teach you how to be creative.
I really can't emphasize enough that what matters most is what you *do* with what you have that matters, cuz I have known so many people who could shred really fast but couldn't compose if their lives depended on it, and that includes solo compositions or improv - and if their goal isn't to be songwriters that's alright (though I think if one is going to be a lead player, they should probably still practice composition because you still need to write a *good* solo, it's not like just playing fast is enough).To write a great song you don't need to be able to play at 1000bpm or something, you just need to know the basics of the instrument and have to practice writing. John Lennon was a songwriter, he wasn't out there trying to be the best lead player so for people to judge him on his lead playing is just laughable and I think it shows a bit of elitism on their part. Who cares how fast he could play when he wasn't even trying to play fast? He wasn't in the competition they're judging him on. He didn't want to be the most crazy guitar player, he wanted to write songs - and he was great at what he did and I love his guitar playing.
John was a fantastic guitarist and he came up with most of the best guitar parts.
Yep John’s guitar riffs changed the game from Day Tripper to I want you She’s so Heavy
"Don't hate what you don't understand. J. Lennon".....I don't hate your playing, I LOVE IT !!!
You should do a Q and A
Always engaging videos, I have listened to Get Back countless time’s but you have allowed me to hear different parts and aspects of the song that I have never noticed. Great stuff
You can't write those songs without being a good guitarist
This one was written by Paul tho
@@ralphcordon5688 not the guitar bits which kinda make the song. That and the solo were written by John for “Get Back”
click bait
He rewrote Get Back for Paul.
Lennon was an amazing rhythm guitar player. His abstractness was equaled by few
I agree.
I made a bet with myself. I would frown and listen to this whole video and not move.
I lost.
Daft question! John’s formative years as a musician were spent learning the banjo so he came to the guitar relatively late. His time in Germany made him into an excellent rhythm guitarist. His playing on ‘All My Loving’ is outstanding. BTW I’m not actually a fan of John’s work but one must give credit where it’s due. Yes, he most certainly could play the guitar!
You don't get to the status of the Beatles for nothing. All of them were immensely talented - that's what made them unique.
I've always gravitated towards John's playing. He was technically sloppy and he knew it, but it made him unique, interesting and emotional. The one thing I have always admired is his tone. He always had the best tone for the song he was playing.
I love his lead playing as much as George’s, so dirty and raw. Especially on Let It Be and Abbey Road.
Great video, there is so much more to talk about regarding his playing.
1:08 sublte flex
John was brilliant at ryththm
John and George have the most recognisable tones
MAN I NEVER REALIZED HE PLAYED JUST LIKE TWO GUITAR'S,ITWAS TWO GUITAR'S BUT IT WAS NOT,EXCELLENT AND VERY INFORMATIVE VIDEO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Walter B,Memphis, STAY WELL AND SAFE 👍😊
Amazing, get back is top 4 beatles songs for me mainly because of the guitar
John’s guitar riffs changed the game from Day Tripper to I want you She’s so Heavy
Do not forget "Yer Blues", an absolutely underrated song.
Yes! And the live version with The Dirty Mac is fire
That was the version, I was referring to.
Your content is always A+++ Thanks Pilgrim!
Thom, you can’t resist. Those guitar chops maybe John Lennon, but in your hands there is a touch of Jimi Hendrix and SRV! Thank you for drilling down on Get Back, We all came back to it after the Peter Jackson film, great to hear this music again. You always hear so much more in the songs than I do, Fabulous to revisit. Always something new. Today is another great day!
John Lennon was a powerful spirit. His energy was the central energy of The Beatles. His energy carried the other three, as a wave carries surfboard riders. His rhythm guitar playing was not just rhythm guitar playing, it was a powerful spiritual energy.
Truth
The most interesting thing with Lennon's playing is his unusual timing: She's A Woman, All You Need Is Love, Happiness Is a Warm Gun, Don't Let Me Down (middle part), Instant Karma, Meat City (from Mind Games), etc.
Thank you man, that s cool stuff, i love the fab four, take care. Serge from France.
Thank you, Sir. 1st time I see a video of yours. You look absolutely nuts and amazingly talented, just like Lennon seemed to be, only happier. Great, beautiful job.
George Harrison had been out of the band for some time when he came back and they recorded ‘get back’ - I think that’s the reason why John Lennon claimed the soloist spot
Could be, he was upset and left the band for a short while during the Get back sessions
That was always my thought on it, as well. I saw an interview with Lennon who said he could play the guitar parts, but George could do it better.
Would love to see your take on Strawberry Fields Forever. One of my most favorite John Lennon songs. Thanks
First of all congratulations Tom for reaching 200k sub, the second you reached it I left you a comment on the last video but i think it's cool to tell you again, you deserve it
And if by chance you plan for an Q&A it would be amazing, I suggest leaving a comment in the community part and we'll drop our questions, I'll be more than happy to know more about you sensei 🙇♂️☺
The very question itself is rhetorical
Excellent vid as always, but John was a much better Rhythm guitarist than lead and his ability to sing and play at the same time was awesome. All these skills honed during the Hamburg years playing the clubs.
Now go and try and play that song on top of the roof in the middle of winter...its a bit harder with frozen fingers...Lennon also did the solo on - You Can't Do that - you should try that one out.
THAT is what stunned me! you are so right about that
Man I just love watching you play. You do the guitar justice !!
John lenon was the one of the greatest top rhythm guitarist
I just come here to see you play. You guitar skills are mad!
Yeah, he could play, sometimes a little sloppy but his rhythm was very solid. He played a lot of open chord stuff but he knew his triads, barre chords and augmented chords without even looking at the fretboard.
The more I see these videos the more I'm convinced that The Beatles are the goat 👍
clapton was a big fan of Lennon’s guitar playing
The Guitar Pilgrim is a genius on guitar, to listen to him is still a highlight in this "crazy times". I have been with my wife to Graceland (before all the terrible things happend) we both liked Elvis, as we liked The Ventures, The Shadows and so on, and so on. It was the best times of both our lives!!! Now I'm 76 and on my own (my wife died 2007) but the best medicine (when I'm sad) is both the music of the years we spent together and your wonderful demonstration of the guitar artists of this time. Thank you very much and God bless you and your talent of playing the guitar in this amazing way. Stay healthy!!
God I love your videos. You play so articulate and with such subtle nuances. I love how you teach it also. Maybe it’s not tour style but how about a Slash lesson?
there is one in the makes, actually
@@GuitarPilgrim that's sick, Slash is great and his bends are just 😍
I hate the level of dismiss some people give to Lennon regarding instrument playing. Ironically the first sound that you can hear in the very first Beatles hit to make it on the radio, was John’s harmonica in Love Me Do. John was a very competent guitar player, with creative strumming ideas, he made some legendary guitar riffs and specially he was extremely explorative on his approach to harmony. His chord progressions were insane, also he loved breaking time signatures, and switching tempos. People often remind that Paul allegedly taught Lennon to play guitar. Paul taught John to do full guitar chords because John only knew at that moment a few 4 finger banjo chords that his auntie taught him. Paul taught him to transpose and some other chord he knew. And they were like 17 and 15 years old back then. Because of that story, people act as if Lennon was a complete ignorant about guitar his whole life. John, Paul and George explored together. There’s a nice story Paul tells about them taking a bus across Liverpool to meet a guy because he was gonna teach them B7 chord.
His mother Julia taught him banjo and shared a love of music. Nonetheless, well said.
It was his mother who taught him music. His aunt sold his guitar to get rid of it.
But if you are playing guitar in a band where there's a bass player etc, you only need to play 3 or 4 strings. In fact, if you play all 6 strings, it can sound muddy.
So much crédit can be given to John Lennon, greatest singer, greatest songwriter, it’s hard not to miss a few things. Hé was the greatest rhythm guitar player, but they all’were.
Yes, he was very good, and created some of the best rock songs in history. So was paul, george and ringo
Hi guitar pilgrim I was wondering if you could do a tutorial for Lenny by Stevie Ray Vaughan. Love your stuff it’s a really big help.
Great suggestion!
Would love to see that!
@@GuitarPilgrim Would love to see this myself!
@@kevinking2468 I SECOND THAT AS WELL,WALTER B.MEMPHIS
I would suggest he play *ALL* SRV songs, he do have the SRV blood
Silly question --he was a master composer --loved new ideas --esp guitar licks !
Hee man super goeie video weer, thanks!! Kijk er steeds naar uit en leer er veel van.
dude i love your teaching skills, also nice camera shots very clear, your personality and all... great channel. keep it up! you gonna be up there with paul davids, marty and papa
The Beatles had a really good live sound, always matching the record, there were only two guitarists so John obviously contributed to it.
Great video! And congrats for the 200k subs
Thanks Davi!
The guy has what in our country we'd call (roughly translated) a "likable-face". Love the friendly tones and easy instructions!
Legendary guitarist
You're GREAT... VERY GREAT !
Best guitar channel on the entire web. Always a pleasure watching your videos. Well done!
Just listen to the treffic Rhythm Guitar of All my loving. I wish I could play the triples in the same Speed.
John lennon was great on guitar..you know the song called JULLIA .. that's great chords..
Never much of a Beatles fan but now I Like! Thanks,good video. I pushed the like tab and Subscribed!!
Badass!
Just a couple of things:
A) Your videos are always educational, entertaining, and fun.
B) Thank you for demonstrating just how good a guitarist John Lennon was. Unfortunately, John low-rated his abilities as a guitarist and a lot of people have bought into him being some kind of hack on the instrument. Like all The Beatles, he was a fantastic musician.
C) Although you didn't sing in this video, don't ever again put down your voice. I'd kill to sing as well as you.
D) Even an old rusty, dusty guitar player like me learns a lot from these vids. Keep up your good work.
Q buenos videos buena calidad mi brother!!!
Espero q algun dia hasgas el tema de yes star chip truperss de rock progresivo. Saludos desde coatepec veracruz mexico✌✌
Great Lennon.
John had a style that matches up well with Keith Richards. Ron Wood and many more Brits. More Traditional Rock n Roll feel. On the other hand, Led Zepllin was very non-traditional. I've had many discussions with fellow musicians where Jimi would have fit in after Led Zepllin, Derrick & the Dominoes AND especially after Jeff Becks Blow by Blow.
Brilliant post, always enjoy listening & seeing you play guitar 👊👊👊🙌
You’re amazing man. The way you play and the way you explain.
Lennon was a genius.
Excellent demonstration!!
Don´t forget he´s also singing in the choruses!! And I believe the tempo it´s a little bit faster. Great job from Lennon. Thanks, love your channel!
Why in every video that analyzes lennon only focuses on songs at "get back" ? This video has been done before why not analyze his other lead stuff that in my opinion holds more weight to show how great he is as a lead player songs like
-(shes so heavy)
-You can't do that
-im happy juat to dance with you
- all my loving
Those songs also shows his great guitar ability
Also Long Tall Sally and Nowhere Man which he co- played the solo along with George Harrison.
Make it
As always, great job! Hey, I,ve been following you for some time and I haven't found any video dedicated to Chuck Berry. Have you done any? If you havent, please let us enjoy one as soon as you can. I,d love to see your take on the father of rock and roll, could be a great treat.Thanks and best wishes.
good suggestion Fernando!
You’re right, it sounds easy to play but it’s hard to play continuously with a clean sound .
You are amazing, you play all those songs like a breeze, do you have any courses up for sale? I would really pay em, to learn lead guitar from you
How about Paul's bass on Dear Prudence?
Purely awesome!!! Your taste in music is superb!
Love to see you check out some Heavy Rock! Have you ever watched Jimmy Page at the Madison Square Garden concert? Unbelievable playing! Be great for you to have a look!
IM A GUITAR PLAYER. OFTEN PROFESSIONAL. and yes John was an excellent player. Just not flashy He was a Beatle ffs and the chief Beatle at that.