amazing lesson john and explains exactly what legato is and how to do it efficiently....its a aspect of my playing that i never quite went into, but i need to start doing this and learning it.
John is good at picking down for ascending and up for descending. I struggle with that. My natural inclination is to downpick in both directions. Something to work on -- I'm sure up-picking descending string moves is more efficient.
Andrew, at one point I think I used to downpick in both directions too, not sure when the switch to the economy approach happened to be honest!! Maybe as an accidental product of some sweep picking or something
Great stuff. My own barrier to being able to do this technique proficiently is impatience to get the speed and fluency. Note to self. START SLOWLY and just aim to get a teeny-weeny bit quicker each day. Then check progress after a month. Fabulous playing as ever, John.
Just picked up your helix preset pack, playing them with a silver sky as well. Great value and would definitely recommend for players looking to for some playable tones right away and those looking for platforms to tinker with and personalize🤙🏾
I saw a video where Allan Holdsworth said he didn't use pull-offs because they tend to pull the note/string out of tune. I'll add that the finger that performs the pull-offs automatically moves away from the strings/fretboard, and this reduces how fast it is available to be used again for fretting a new note. It is similar to picking an upstroke before moving to pick a higher pitched string - It slows down how fast you can play. In Jazz style/technique, 3NPS often performs the first 2 notes as picked, and the 3rd note is a pull-off or hammer-on. "Hammer-ons from nowhere" can help solve some legato passages where picking doesn't sound right. 😎
My tips? Left hand tap one’s favorite melody until it becomes comfortable (fret wrap the guitar if practicing unplugged). “Legato” or tied-together is an articulation before being a collection of guitarisms. As one gets the techniques together, keeping an ear towards the desired articulation goals will take one far. As with piano “hammers,” percussive taps may seem the opposite of what is desired, but obviously, and not without some irony, it’s readily achievable. Cheers. 🤙🏻
I may be putting words in your mouth (or gestures in your fingers), but I think what you are getting at with the discussion of "momentum" in regard to pull-offs is that pull-offs are not merely *removing* the left hand finger, but actually very slightly plucking the string with a component of motion that is across the width of the fretboard. It's sort of a bit of a "pull-down" rather than merely a "pull-off." 8-) I find that I can get away with just removal to some extent on electric guitar, but less so on acoustic. Especially on nylon string guitar, I think the precision (or lack thereof) of one's hammer-on and pull-off technique really makes or breaks a line. So it might be a good practice strategy to practice a bit on a nylon string guitar! -Tom
Thats the way most folks do it. Tom Quayle has some interesting thoughts on what he calls "lazy first finger syndrome". But, at the end of the day, I don't think of "right" vs "wrong" much. The only rule that counts - if it sounds good, it is good.
With that much gain muting open strings is a must or you’re going to get a bunch of discordant noise. It takes time to learn the palm muting technique- try playing some rakes ala SRV/Mayer to practice hitting all strings and only having one make sound. Good way to get that noise out of your playing with gain since you get used to muting out strings you aren’t playing.
I think you should just have some merch that says "who's a good legato boi" and you petting a sausage dog. current merch is super super super niche. get it down to just niche.
@@BeefNEggs057 I'm a niche? Well sheesh let me just put down my quiche and send my kids off to the creche find my dog leash and go for a walk to the beach. Capeche?
real question here: do y’all practice legato cuz it’s the sound you wanna hear, or do you play legato cuz it’s too hard to pick? Picked sounds better like 99.9% of the time to me and producers I track for so I’m just wondering who is asking for all this legato.
Picked sounds better 99.9% of the time seems like a bit of a generalisation that excludes some of the most beautiful electric guitar playing there is - including Allan Holdsworth, Tim Miller, Alan Murphy, Brett Garsed, Gilad Hekselmann... And even folks that seem to pick a lot are often using some economy stuff and legato...
I think legato sounds better in many instances. Picking every note can sound very separated, which can be cool too. For example, I love Eric Johnson's picking. But I like the flow of legato for certain lines. John can definitely pick all of these lines, but I notice he only does it when he wants to communicate "shred." I think his most musical phrases are often legato. Maybe just a matter of taste and what you're going for.
Definitely about taste and sound - being able to do a bunch of different approaches was always the goal as a kid, but I think a legato approach is actually much more achievable for players who are trying to get faster than an all alternate picked approach... Interestingly, Eric Johnson's lines often incorporate notes that aren't picked, and even more recently he's adopted a straight up legato approach for some wide 3 note per string pentatonic lines like in the tune "Another One Like You"
Love how you so effortlessly throw a slice of “legato is a way of life” into this knowledge sandwich.
Yes! With the pull offs, that was exactly what I needed to see. Thanks JNC!
amazing lesson john and explains exactly what legato is and how to do it efficiently....its a aspect of my playing that i never quite went into, but i need to start doing this and learning it.
John is good at picking down for ascending and up for descending. I struggle with that. My natural inclination is to downpick in both directions. Something to work on -- I'm sure up-picking descending string moves is more efficient.
Andrew, at one point I think I used to downpick in both directions too, not sure when the switch to the economy approach happened to be honest!! Maybe as an accidental product of some sweep picking or something
@@johnnathancordy It makes sense. My brain resists! But I'll keep trying.
I've been playing for 20+ yrs and the thumb position totally helped me out. thank you
John, you should have a class of your style on Truefire
Great stuff. My own barrier to being able to do this technique proficiently is impatience to get the speed and fluency. Note to self. START SLOWLY and just aim to get a teeny-weeny bit quicker each day. Then check progress after a month. Fabulous playing as ever, John.
Just picked up your helix preset pack, playing them with a silver sky as well. Great value and would definitely recommend for players looking to for some playable tones right away and those looking for platforms to tinker with and personalize🤙🏾
This is one of your best videos.
This was an amazing lesson. I was stuck at pull offs and was focused on momentum. I know what to do now, knowing that it will take time.
Love the moody intro and its roomy EricLead tone! -Tom
This was really helpful, especially the part of how to approach pull-offs, thanks!
Sorry for your stump zir
@@BeefNEggs057😂
Thanks. A lot of good tips there. Will put them to use later.
I saw a video where Allan Holdsworth said he didn't use pull-offs because they tend to pull the note/string out of tune. I'll add that the finger that performs the pull-offs automatically moves away from the strings/fretboard, and this reduces how fast it is available to be used again for fretting a new note. It is similar to picking an upstroke before moving to pick a higher pitched string - It slows down how fast you can play.
In Jazz style/technique, 3NPS often performs the first 2 notes as picked, and the 3rd note is a pull-off or hammer-on.
"Hammer-ons from nowhere" can help solve some legato passages where picking doesn't sound right. 😎
Holdsworth used 8 gauge strings though. Less of a problem for people doing legato with 10s
Great tips John! Thanks! What pick are you using?
My tips? Left hand tap one’s favorite melody until it becomes comfortable (fret wrap the guitar if practicing unplugged).
“Legato” or tied-together is an articulation before being a collection of guitarisms. As one gets the techniques together, keeping an ear towards the desired articulation goals will take one far.
As with piano “hammers,” percussive taps may seem the opposite of what is desired, but obviously, and not without some irony, it’s readily achievable.
Cheers. 🤙🏻
I may be putting words in your mouth (or gestures in your fingers), but I think what you are getting at with the discussion of "momentum" in regard to pull-offs is that pull-offs are not merely *removing* the left hand finger, but actually very slightly plucking the string with a component of motion that is across the width of the fretboard. It's sort of a bit of a "pull-down" rather than merely a "pull-off." 8-) I find that I can get away with just removal to some extent on electric guitar, but less so on acoustic. Especially on nylon string guitar, I think the precision (or lack thereof) of one's hammer-on and pull-off technique really makes or breaks a line. So it might be a good practice strategy to practice a bit on a nylon string guitar! -Tom
Wow. Excellent playing!
Thats the way most folks do it. Tom Quayle has some interesting thoughts on what he calls "lazy first finger syndrome". But, at the end of the day, I don't think of "right" vs "wrong" much. The only rule that counts - if it sounds good, it is good.
🖤
Great tips, ty. John, are you muting strings when doing pull offs?
With that much gain muting open strings is a must or you’re going to get a bunch of discordant noise. It takes time to learn the palm muting technique- try playing some rakes ala SRV/Mayer to practice hitting all strings and only having one make sound. Good way to get that noise out of your playing with gain since you get used to muting out strings you aren’t playing.
Am i first to comment on the shark in the background? I love that shark.
How important to you is sustain/OD to maintain the legato technique?
Someone taught me Allan Holdsworth legato was more about the hammer on the finger on the notes rather than the pull offs. Is it right ?
Question, are these lead lines improvised or composed? They are very nice indeed :)
Hey Chris! Always improvised!
@@johnnathancordy👑
Nice Gildans.
I need this
I disagree with the thumb position. It doesnt need to be behind the neck. Just a preference thing. And hand anatomy differences player to player.
I think you should just have some merch that says "who's a good legato boi" and you petting a sausage dog. current merch is super super super niche. get it down to just niche.
You’re a niche.
@@BeefNEggs057 I'm a niche? Well sheesh let me just put down my quiche and send my kids off to the creche find my dog leash and go for a walk to the beach. Capeche?
real question here: do y’all practice legato cuz it’s the sound you wanna hear, or do you play legato cuz it’s too hard to pick? Picked sounds better like 99.9% of the time to me and producers I track for so I’m just wondering who is asking for all this legato.
Picked sounds better 99.9% of the time seems like a bit of a generalisation that excludes some of the most beautiful electric guitar playing there is - including Allan Holdsworth, Tim Miller, Alan Murphy, Brett Garsed, Gilad Hekselmann...
And even folks that seem to pick a lot are often using some economy stuff and legato...
I think legato sounds better in many instances. Picking every note can sound very separated, which can be cool too. For example, I love Eric Johnson's picking. But I like the flow of legato for certain lines. John can definitely pick all of these lines, but I notice he only does it when he wants to communicate "shred." I think his most musical phrases are often legato. Maybe just a matter of taste and what you're going for.
Definitely about taste and sound - being able to do a bunch of different approaches was always the goal as a kid, but I think a legato approach is actually much more achievable for players who are trying to get faster than an all alternate picked approach...
Interestingly, Eric Johnson's lines often incorporate notes that aren't picked, and even more recently he's adopted a straight up legato approach for some wide 3 note per string pentatonic lines like in the tune "Another One Like You"
@@johnnathancordy Clearly Eric has been watching your channel 😂
Have you been watching too much Anron Oparin?
……is that one of those $99 Amazon guitars? Did it come with a gig bag?
Yep go get 2 to help support Kamala’s coup.