It feels like SW doesn't know much about chords, I heard him saying it some times... I can picture him just taking his guitar, trying random things, and recording whatever sounded good to him. Awesome taste and hearing ability, you just gotta love it. Great analysis btw!
Thanks so much for your lesson but more importantly your thought process and understanding and appreciation of ptree and Steven's immense talent in narrative song writing and very original sound. First class line up from all musicians from the early ptree to sw solo work. We are a cover band in Northern California and it has been very difficult finding musicians who knew of and were of the vibe ...we finally have a five piece and playing many of the songs you presented today. If there are any local musicians looking to hear us, play etc look us up, 60 Ton Angel. Cheers!
Cool episode Dave, I was lucky enough to be pretty close to Steve and the guys during the In Absentia- The Incident albums (in fact even have a thank you in the album credits for TI) TI all great guys and a really cool time period in my life working with them ! This brought back a lot of memories !!!
porcupine tree is one of my favourite bands, so watching was one of the most fulfilling and educational things i've seen in a while. can't wait for your video on steven wilson!
Very informative and the insight is so key to perhaps a general audience that need to be introduced to a new vernacular of prog intricate chord structures and narratives that Wilson offers. Waiting is played by Wilson and John Wesley live with a capo on the 2nd. Fret. Thank you!
I am going through the Chordplay series in reverse order and today got to PT - my new favorite band I didn't know existed. Thanks for introducing me to them and so much else.
This is my new favorite channel. Your Chordplay series is amazing. We have very similar likes in music. I saw a Portnoy interview several years ago and was asked what were some of his favorite new bands and he mentioned Porcupine Tree. I had never heard of them so I went to RUclips and the first song I listened to was Deadwing. Instant fan. Everyone I talk to has never heard of them. A couple of suggestions for Chordplay: Days of the New, Jerry Cantrell. I also love Devin Townsend but refuse to go to open C tuning.
Thank you and I totally love Porcupine Tree. Steven Wilson is a friggin' god. : ) I like the Days of the New idea and Cantrell too. Peace and take care!
A few remarks: Regarding Waiting: this song is played with a capo on the 2nd which makes this suddenly a very easy thing to play (and it has to be because the chords you leave out from the "chorus" are otherwise not playable) Regarding Deadwing, FOABP, Arriving somewhere: these are all played on Drop-D guitars. For Deadwing, the low D string is played in those chords and mirrors the high-D string, basically a powerchord. For FOABP, the drop-D is not needed for just the riffs you demonstrated (but you cannot play the other parts without it). For arriving somewhere, you need it to accent that bass drop. Regarding Arriving: the chords on which the picking pattern is based are: x1x330 and (0)x0230 (that low D is accented when the bass drops in octave there)
Oh man, I was really hoping you'd do "where we would be". That song has such a cool chord progression. Also that section at 11:04 is actually in 5/4, not 6/4.
(Commenting on a 4 year old video, yeah!) I saw at least two interviews with Steven Wilson in which he admits he doesn't know much music theory and he definitely doesn't know the chord names on a guitar (he also admits he's just not good at playing guitar). He just plays around with shapes that sound good then the other members of the band just had to guess the key and play accordingly. And if you take a look at the chords it proves to be true - for some people is "oh, he switched from a C#min11 to a CmajSomething", but Steven's like "idk, I just move those two fingers one fret down and sounded cool so there you go"...
I like your to-the-point run down approach just naming the chords. I like also that you give Steve credit where credit is due. I get so tired of people saying his song sounds like Opeth, Tool, or especially Pink Floyd. Gilmour and Waters were mostly just CM. DM, GM players and were nowhere near the imagination of Wilson's chord progressions. And yes good tip, I play most all the basic chords with my pinky where ever possible because of the flexibility including the beginning Dsus2, D6sus2 chords at the beginning of Arriving since it is easy just to slide up with the same chord shape. I heard Steve say in an interview, he doesn't compose chords based on theory, he just likes to move interesting shapes around. Something to keep in mind when learning Wilson's songs. So has anyone done "how to play" his most common chord progression that is in almost all of his drop D songs on Stupid Dream, In Absentia, and Arriving: some form or combination of DM/Dsus2, CMadd9, GM/B, and that "je ne se quoi" chord A#M6add9 or A#M6/9. That is a most unmistakable Wilson trademark chord. If not I will. I also love Steve's disharmonic chords like the ones you point out are so cool in the Fear of Blank Planet interlude. Similarly he has some nice disharmonic chords in Time Flies interlude.
Hi, David ! You’re such a great teacher and a great guitarrist as well, but I have to disagree when, in the very begining of the lesson, you name those chords as C#m11 and (the next one), as C13. For me it’s clearly F#m7/11 and F7+/11+, with no root on both chords. I don’t know the original song, but probably the bass is playing the root - if not - the bass is playing the 5th. Thank you very much, I’m your follower and I really like your channel very, very much.
Porcupine Tree are one of the best rock bands of the century. From the composition, lyrics, to production, it's all just phenomenal.
It feels like SW doesn't know much about chords, I heard him saying it some times... I can picture him just taking his guitar, trying random things, and recording whatever sounded good to him. Awesome taste and hearing ability, you just gotta love it. Great analysis btw!
The interlude part in Fear of a Blank Planet is in 5/4 actually. Other than that, it's a majestic lesson! Thank you very much, I love this series!
2 am work exhaustion just disappeared when you played the first chord. Thanks, subscribed.
All SW is off the charts!! His work in Blackfield was tragically under the radar!!
Heck yeah!
I love all of that stuff!
His solo albums and other material is really great!
If you weren't already my guitar hero, the fact that you cover George Lynch -> Porcupine Tree cements it. Unreal.
Thanks so much for your lesson but more importantly your thought process and understanding and appreciation of ptree and Steven's immense talent in narrative song writing and very original sound. First class line up from all musicians from the early ptree to sw solo work. We are a cover band in Northern California and it has been very difficult finding musicians who knew of and were of the vibe ...we finally have a five piece and playing many of the songs you presented today. If there are any local musicians looking to hear us, play etc look us up, 60 Ton Angel. Cheers!
Everything you're posting is right in my wheelhouse. Great stuff! So much to learn!
Thank you BIG time and that's what this is really all about!
: ) Rock on and thank you again!
Best guitar channel on RUclips!!!!!
yeah there are some great ones like Ben Eller and Leon Todd but David might be the best and most informative of them all
Nice laptop wallpaper, maybe my favorite PT album too.
Cool episode Dave, I was lucky enough to be pretty close to Steve and the guys during the In Absentia- The Incident albums (in fact even have a thank you in the album credits for TI) TI all great guys and a really cool time period in my life working with them ! This brought back a lot of memories !!!
I noticed in a Porcupine Tree live video that Waiting Part 1 is played with capo on ii. Chords are (I think) 022030 then 022020 then 332000
porcupine tree is one of my favourite bands, so watching was one of the most fulfilling and educational things i've seen in a while. can't wait for your video on steven wilson!
Very informative and the insight is so key to perhaps a general audience that need to be introduced to a new vernacular of prog intricate chord structures and narratives that Wilson offers. Waiting is played by Wilson and John Wesley live with a capo on the 2nd. Fret. Thank you!
I am going through the Chordplay series in reverse order and today got to PT - my new favorite band I didn't know existed. Thanks for introducing me to them and so much else.
YOU ARE THE MAN!!!!!! Thanks so much for all of your posts!! It doesn't get better than PT.
Thank you!!!
I LOVE Porcupine Tree and just about anything that Steven Wilson does.
: )
Thanks again!
Thank you for this!
This is my new favorite channel. Your Chordplay series is amazing. We have very similar likes in music. I saw a Portnoy interview several years ago and was asked what were some of his favorite new bands and he mentioned Porcupine Tree. I had never heard of them so I went to RUclips and the first song I listened to was Deadwing. Instant fan. Everyone I talk to has never heard of them. A couple of suggestions for Chordplay: Days of the New, Jerry Cantrell. I also love Devin Townsend but refuse to go to open C tuning.
Thank you and I totally love Porcupine Tree.
Steven Wilson is a friggin' god.
: )
I like the Days of the New idea and Cantrell too.
Peace and take care!
Very nice Thanks !
A few remarks:
Regarding Waiting: this song is played with a capo on the 2nd which makes this suddenly a very easy thing to play (and it has to be because the chords you leave out from the "chorus" are otherwise not playable)
Regarding Deadwing, FOABP, Arriving somewhere: these are all played on Drop-D guitars. For Deadwing, the low D string is played in those chords and mirrors the high-D string, basically a powerchord. For FOABP, the drop-D is not needed for just the riffs you demonstrated (but you cannot play the other parts without it). For arriving somewhere, you need it to accent that bass drop.
Regarding Arriving: the chords on which the picking pattern is based are: x1x330 and (0)x0230 (that low D is accented when the bass drops in octave there)
Needs more views!
great lesson on a great band. Hope you will proceed with a lesson on Steven Wilson
Brilliant video!
Go on and make that Steven Wilson episode, please :-)
Great Lesson!!
Oh hell yes.
Great lesson!
We need more early porcupine tree please
Ill pay you
Oh man, I was really hoping you'd do "where we would be". That song has such a cool chord progression. Also that section at 11:04 is actually in 5/4, not 6/4.
u make it look easy
Hi im a patreon member but i cant find any por upine tree lesson tabs. Do you have any? Am i just not looking in the right place?
(Commenting on a 4 year old video, yeah!)
I saw at least two interviews with Steven Wilson in which he admits he doesn't know much music theory and he definitely doesn't know the chord names on a guitar (he also admits he's just not good at playing guitar). He just plays around with shapes that sound good then the other members of the band just had to guess the key and play accordingly. And if you take a look at the chords it proves to be true - for some people is "oh, he switched from a C#min11 to a CmajSomething", but Steven's like "idk, I just move those two fingers one fret down and sounded cool so there you go"...
I like your to-the-point run down approach just naming the chords. I like also that you give Steve credit where credit is due. I get so tired of people saying his song sounds like Opeth, Tool, or especially Pink Floyd. Gilmour and Waters were mostly just CM. DM, GM players and were nowhere near the imagination of Wilson's chord progressions.
And yes good tip, I play most all the basic chords with my pinky where ever possible because of the flexibility including the beginning Dsus2, D6sus2 chords at the beginning of Arriving since it is easy just to slide up with the same chord shape.
I heard Steve say in an interview, he doesn't compose chords based on theory, he just likes to move interesting shapes around. Something to keep in mind when learning Wilson's songs.
So has anyone done "how to play" his most common chord progression that is in almost all of his drop D songs on Stupid Dream, In Absentia, and Arriving: some form or combination of DM/Dsus2, CMadd9, GM/B, and that "je ne se quoi" chord A#M6add9 or A#M6/9. That is a most unmistakable Wilson
trademark chord. If not I will.
I also love Steve's disharmonic chords like the ones you point out are so cool in the Fear of Blank Planet interlude. Similarly he has some nice disharmonic chords in Time Flies interlude.
Hi, David ! You’re such a great teacher and a great guitarrist as well, but I have to disagree when, in the very begining of the lesson, you name those chords as C#m11 and (the next one), as C13. For me it’s clearly F#m7/11 and F7+/11+, with no root on both chords. I don’t know the original song, but probably the bass is playing the root - if not - the bass is playing the 5th. Thank you very much, I’m your follower and I really like your channel very, very much.
we like the same music!
Tuning?