Imagine being called a "master guitar player" by Eric Clapton? I'd carry the link to this RUclips video and give it to people all day, every day. Anyway. Yet another masterful interview by Santa Claus.
Eric Clapton is talking about John Mayer's technical guitar playing abilities. Anyone who's ever played guitar would consider that to be about the biggest compliment they could receive, and from a legend at that. I'll take Clapton's opinion over some fat guys on RUclips any day of the week.
Fat guys can't play guitar? lol. I mean, I get your point about people on the internet, but I don't think weight determines one's ability or knowledge. I'm pretty fit and not overweight, but that probably was an unnecessary part of your trying to make a point. Friedman builds some of the best amps in the world and he's a heavy guy. BB King, Michael Romeo, Jerry Garcia, Elvis, Yngwie, Ed king and even Dime weren't exactly skinny guys. I mean the list goes on. Check out Johnny Hiland. And at one time, they would've been considered the "fat guy on the internet" if the the technology had existed then and prior to them making it in the music world. Some of the greatest guitarists to ever exist have and will die someday, unknowns.
@@Justafeller ok who is a better guitarist a example Yngwie could play anything clapton can play. But can clapton play Yngwie's music the answer .....''NO''..... ,someone is stuck in the pentatonic scale and will never learn anything more. I am not here to teach anyone anything but if you want to argue who is best at playing the pentatonic scale go ahead. ok just for the fat comment i will add this video of a fat guitarist that is one of the most advanced guitarists in the world that plays with a pick. ENJOY ruclips.net/video/2yfQN8-tVlQ/видео.html
+Ryan Beck It's not his talent that turns some of us off. It's his pseudo-intellectual way of pointing out the obvious. He strikes some of us as pretentious.
umm... he's probably a fan and hence responding to him as a player. There's countless idiots out there proclaiming he's overrated on guitar... probably for sentiments similar to yours which have nothing to do with the fact.
I used to see John Mayer as a pop artist and always hesitated listening to his music and certainly made fun when guitar world listed him as a great guitarist. But I grew out of the metal phase and started listening to music in every form and genre and John Mayer was a shocker to me. He's such a brilliant songwriter and a very very very good guitar player. There was a time when I used to think that anybody that does not shred 100 notes per minute isn't a great guitarist..lol
+Jon Samuel And when you start to learn John Mayer songs you realize what amazing nuance there is in his playing. He's a monster guitarist/song writer alright.
+Jon Samuel Same here. Whenever I would hear about John Mayer, I would always write him off as another pop-star. After I dropped my Metal, Jazz Fusion Elitist attitude and, like you, started listening to things outside of my preferred genres, I learned that there was so much more to John than I originally thought. His riffs and melodies are so beautiful and brilliant that I feel ashamed for bashing him without even giving him a chance. It's guys like John Mayer that teach me to never judge until I listen to their music.
John Mayer is a great guitarist. Even Clapton and B.B. acknowledged the man's great talent. Say what you want about the guy, but he has amazing songwriting skills and has done it all - pop, blues, soul, Americana, country - a total breath of fresh air in mainstream music today.
Clapton is a guitar god, especially in blues and rock. Mayer is the most versatile guitarist I've heard. He one of the few players that can pay Hendrix songs in the same unique style of Jimi Hendix. Mayer can can also play Grateful Dead songs in Garcia's unique style. Their styles are exceptionally unique and as opposite as it gets. Mayer also plays multiple musical genre's - country, blues, jazz, folk, funk, and rock (which is combination of several) - not just adequately but accurately and with a lot if emotion. .
How is that humbling? You need to look up what humbling means. What Clapton said about Mayer is exalting or honoring. Getting kicked in the nuts is humbling.
So many people jump to criticise Mayer, classing his ability as inferior to that of other famous guitarists, before taking a moment to analyse what actually makes a great guitar player. For me, there are two components that are integral, and cannot be taught. You either have them, or you don't. Touch and feel. Touch is something that - in my mind at least - you can decipher from a guitarist playing just two or three notes. It's as given and determined as the shape of their little finger. Some people just have that natural ability to make any guitar note sound beautiful - on its own, unaided. John has that - in spades. Feel, in my mind, is working on the instrument to the point where the player has gotten its elasticity as natural as the voice of a great singer. There's no feeling stunted - the player understands rhythm and dynamics (the latter is so criminally overlooked) to the point that they can build and unbuild a phrase in a way that is effortlessly musical. I've always thought these two things are ingrained, and not taught or learned. Someone like John could think out that same guitar solo - probably even think it better than he can play it. When you analyse an experience in life where another human being communicated something to you that triggered a strong emotion, there was probably more to it than just the words he/she used. Pauses, delivery, dynamics, flow - coupled with the meaning of the words; the same is true of music. All these things are what the best musicians spend their time trying to emulate. Then you have technique - that's just the mechanical ability to know your instrument well enough to communicate the ideas in your head cleanly, without necessarily being overly sloppy etc. Technique comes with practice. Touch and feel are innate. Comparing John Mayer to certain other successful (unnamed) blues guitarists out there is to be impressed by technique and show, more than to be impressed by how elegantly an emotion is delivered to from heart to heart. John can do this without thinking. That's why it only took him an hour to cut those tracks, and that's why Eric has praised him so highly. It's an innate communication of notes through his guitar, into your ears and hearts - there is so little thought involved at this point, it becomes effortless. I don't even know where I'm going with this any more! Moral of the story - thank you, Eric. You hit the nail on the head in your appraisal of Mayer, and I know that anyone who's hearing and feeling the same thing listening to his music, can vouch for that, too.
"It's an innate communication of notes through his guitar, into your ears and hearts - there is so little thought involved at this point, it becomes effortless." That is the point when good guitarists become great guitarists. Clapton said of himself that when he is playing he can nearly lose consciousness. Another well known said he could see himself playing.
Finally someone who understands music (and guitar specifically) at a quality level. Give yourself some credit too for having the ability to discern good music (and guitar playing) from shitty ones!
Very kind torduc22 - guitar's my thing, and I love it so much when I hear someone like JM playing with soul, I always feel the need to show others just how great a player he is (along with many other greats). Nice to meet you! :)
What ever your taste may be (musically) you have to appreciate things for what they are.. Agree with Adam here in that it's not just being technically great, it's so much more and that those who capture it make it easy for us to know it's them playing even if its 2-3 notes. It doesn't matter to me what type of music it is (blues, classic rock, country, metal etc…) it's all about what the player brings that makes it uniquely theirs or shapes the sound of the band just so. We have all seen/been to shows where the band continues on w/a new guy and even though the new guy plays note for note to your favorites.. it isn't the same. That's where the emotional gets tied in, where no matter how hard the new guy tries you can't replace the innate thats linked to their experiences. … "it's my failure to sound like my heroes that makes me sound like myself" -John Mayer quote
I saw John play live over a decade ago and he brought out some double headed 12 string beast and slayed it. I was so impressed and I’d tell people he was a phenomenal guitarist and they’d look at me sideways.
You gotta give credit where credit is due. That's the smart and mature way to be. John Mayer is a very talented and gifted musician. Some people may not like his style, but that is simply a matter of personal taste. John can write excellent pop songs that have mass appeal, sing well, and he plays guitar with authority and an excellent knowledge of the instrument. Those BB King style riffs he was playing were spot on, and he got a ringing endorsement from one of the most celebrated and legendary guitarists ever. If you don't like John Mayer, I can understand and respect that. But the dude is very talented. Anyone truly honest with themselves can acknowledge that. Peace.
Clapton doesn't hand out compliments like that too often. I saw all the initial love-in fawning over Mayer on the covers of People and Vanity Fair and MALE or whatever lol as I walked through the drugstores and airports and just tuned him out I guess. After really seriously listening to his blues and rock guitar playing (especially his recent playing with Dead & Company), I am blown away. Maybe the best electric guitarist so far this century or certainly in the running for such distinction. His self-admitted need for some ego-checking and gratitude has clearly affected him for the better as well.
John Mayer has been spoken about by many famous guitarists as a person who transcribed Interviews for a Guitar magazine, he is loved by his fellow guitar friends!~ He's a pure genius! Love his passion
John is the most complete musician of this generation. Phenomenal Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter. There are only a few people in the world that can boast that.
@@joaopolainas love Myles but imo hes not on Johns level lyrically and as a guitarist. Hes a better singer though I think. Mad respect for the guy though. No insult intended. Jmo.
I would beg to differ. Even though he has been known to have a big ego, he said that every one of his Grammy’s should have went to other people in “John Mayer | Life in Music | Oxford University” and that he isn’t satisfied with his playing in “Where The Light is”
He constantly talks about how his playing is just stealing from other artists, rarely acknowledging his own talent. His ego likely comes from deep rooted self consciousness which tells me Clapton is likely right.
I’ve always gotten the sense that Eric really couldn’t care less who you are by name but what you can do. You know when he praises an artist that he means it. Always respected him for that.
Well I can't speak for all of you but I don't hold a candle to either John or Eric.. I think they are both phenomenal. Glad to see a great like Clapton recognize.
Eric Clapton got me into blues like Kirk Hammett got me into Metal. I don't hold a candle to either Kirk or Eric but I still appreciate them. John Mayer is good, but he's at the point of his career where he doesn't try anymore. I don't listen to his new music, I just watch his shows now since he still plays guitar live and still sounds really good.
Man are you ever wrong about john mayer not trying anymore... in the last 5 years hes worked so hard to learn jerry garcias style. And jerry is a legend in his own right. A guitar legend who many many have tried to immitate since, and it is difficult but john mayer pulls it off
I sure hope John realizes what a compliment this is? Slowhand knows good blues guitar playing. I am glad they have a mutual respect and do work together now and then. Peace and Merry Christmas to everyone.
twas a bigger compliment than what Eddie Van Halen got from Clapton. Eddie was possibly a bigger Clapton fan. Poor dear. Clapton gave praise to so many young exceptional guitar players, all played the Blues.
As shocking as this may sound, people are allowed to appreciate music...and even have their favorite musicians and bands, and you are not required to agree with their subjective opinions. ...it doesn't have to have anything to do with musicianship. If only musicians bought music, went to concerts, there would be no music industry because there wouldn't be enough money in it.
@@le_th_ Taste and quality aren't the same thing. Mayer is quality guitarist, but his style might not be to the liking of some people, and shouldn't give them the "right" to hate on him or discredit him in any way.
@@AbdelhamidZekri91 Yes, of course, they aren't the same thing. Mayer is an accomplished guitarist, and I actually am one of the people who very much like his style of playing. However, he is an almost insufferable human being whose personality is, at time, nauseating. So, as a human being, I dislike his behavior and public comments. Finding out he's such a prick has really made it incredibly difficult to listen to his music. I can still remember walking through Central Park one autumn night back in 2013. I recognized it was Mayer on stage right away (several artists were playing), and as he was closing his show he was saying to the audience, "thank you for giving me another chance" and "I know I've said and done some really dumb things" and all I could think as he was saying these mea culpas is how very empty and meaningless the apology sounded. Sure, he said the words, probably because a publicist told him he had to clean up his act and his reputation, but I honestly don't think he had any idea what the words he was saying meant. I can understand why some people hate on him so much, not so much his musicianship, but for just being an insufferably shallow and (seemingly) hollow person. This is a YT clip for the last song of that performance where the person recording even edited his apology out, BUT you can hear him begin to thank the audience and tell him how great it is to be there and, although Mayer continued to play for another 10 minutes or so as he was offering his apology, t the person posting the video cut all the nauseating, empty BS out before they posted this. ruclips.net/video/rWqrxXeYG88/видео.html I once heard David Lee Roth say that if you take a guitar out of Eddie Van Halen's hands you have a fairly unlikable person. I'm toning down what Ross said slightly (and he wasn't bitter or malicious in his tone at all as he said it, more matter of fact). I think a similar statement could be made about John Mayer, as well. Mayer is lacking the social skills that many narcissists lack, and that is what makes some of them so distasteful and difficult to tolerate when they're not playing.
@@le_th_ Can you elaborate on that "insufferable human being whose personality is , at time, nauseating"? What are you basing this on? Are you going off a few comments that were taken out of context by tabloids? Are you repeating stuff you have heard on forums without verifying or knowing the whole story? I don't ask to be difficult. I ask because this kind of thing is so common. As the audience, we sometimes forget that famous actors, musicians, and other similar celebrities are held to wildly unrealistic standards and one comment (often taken entirely out of context for the sake of click-bait articles) can loom over their reputation like a shadow for years. I am aware of the controversy surrounding Mayer's "behavior" and when I actually looked into it (and not just the hyperbole on forums/social media and click-bait articles by online tabloids), I didn't really see anything that warranted such a strong response. He has said some stupid stuff but when taken in context, none of it was so bad that it paints him as a bad person. Likewise. I get the impression that his "bad behavior" is often based more on tabloid relationship drama than reality. I guess what I am saying here is that it is important to keep perspective. We are all human and sometimes we say the wrong thing. Most of us have the benefit of not being a celebrity and as such, we can get away with saying the wrong thing without some person on the internet judging our entire personality and being on that one stupid thing we said. Mayer (like any other celebrity) is human and just like you and me, he doesn't always say or do the most correct, most perfect thing. In my digging, I couldn't really find any situation where he did something truly bad enough to warrant your strong opinion but I did see a lot of people making assumptions based on misinformation and hyperbole. Maybe that is something you should think about.
Mayer is one of the best guitarists of his generation and you don’t get a compliment like that from eric clapton unless you have really impressed him. high praise indeed
Mayer is the most complete artist of this generation. He truly excels in every aspect of the profession. In truth he should be held in as high esteem as all the greats that have come before him.
@@_Jake.From.Statefarm_ The premise is “complete artist”, not mechanical guitar ability. Dave was the drummer for the band that started a new era.. one of the biggest bands the world has ever seen. Then went on to become the frontman/guitarist/singer/songwriter for the biggest band of the next era. As far as artists go, Dave has done a LOT, writing hit after hit is something you can’t teach. I know exceptional players who can’t write. You can’t teach creativity. Love John, love the way he plays, love his live music, his voice isn’t great but he uses it well and is unique to him.
@@samblack5313 I'm well aware of his accomplishments. I'm a drummer, that plays multiple instruments. I'm from San Diego, I've ton tons of work in la.. as a drummer Dave was avg. His best ability is singer songwriter. Don Henley alone outranks him.
@@_Jake.From.Statefarm_ Well, we all have opinions. Nothing wrong with that. I’m a muso myself. While I’ve always had huge respect for mechanical prowess and practice an unhealthy amount in pursuit of it, the ability to write is what makes you an artist. Mechanical ability and theory knowledge merely allows you to express your creativity to its full extent. No amount of theory or practice will gift you with creativity. I guess, for me, Dave has one of the most impressive bodies of work in the industry, (I say this as I sit here listening to CAFO by AAL 😂), is known for phenomenal live shows, and it all came from a garage.. One of my old band members describes him as a ‘hit machine’.
Ive been a fan of John for about 2 years now, but i just went to my first concert if his in Houston. Hes really amazing in how hes able to rip a solo on every song, well said by Eric Clapton. Hes a master.
The one thing I like about Johnny Boy is when I listen to his CD's his playing fits the songs... It is not all about flash. The colors he uses are very nice and sometimes done so well one doesn't even realize all of the guitar work in a track... I will also say he is a very good lyricist. That said, I have no plans on following him on twitter...
Icon... Eric Clapton. ..and he gives praise...2 many in the buisness.. Ive watched an interview...and Eric ..when asked by interviewer, .how does it feel 2 be best guitarist. .ASK PRINCE.. and that people... should know...just how underated. ..prince is.... I didn't know myself.... just how amazing prince played .. David Gilmour. ..is an icon of all time too...he also...spoke highly..of prince's. .guitar playing....love to see the best of the all times Give praise..2 fellow musicians...
There it is John. You know you’ve made your stamp when the legend himself is calling you a master! There’s not much more to accomplish at this point except to just keep doing what you do!
I just saw John play in Sacramento a few days ago, was left with a completely new appreciation for his music! I have always loved his music, but watching him live really gives you much more of an insight into the music legend this guy really is! So unbelievably talented!
Been playing for years, clapton is a genius and he is just great. I personally don't like John Mayer's music but he can really play the guitar. I put him in the box with yngwie, dimebag, buckethead, lynch, vai and many other guitarists that I do not like their music, still they can fucking play and you can't deny that.
Both are really gifted guitarists Clapton is in a league by himself and very few and John is really good at what he does and its awesome that Clapton recognizes this.
He wasn’t on my radar whatsoever for years. I was first drawn in by the song age of worry. That whole born and raised album was great, but I still didn’t know how good he was just as a pure guitarist until I saw his cover of voodoo child. It absolutely blew my mind. Since then I’ve been scouring the internet for more of his solos because for gods sake he still insists on being a “singer songwriter” instead of just playing guitar like a god. I honestly think he’s one of the greatest if not the greatest of all time
One would think that and an endorsement of this type from a legendary guitar player like Eric Clapton would silence a few of the John Mayer critics, most of who know absolutely "NOTHING" about music composure & composition and what complex guitar arrangements Mayer is capable of playing. As a writer/ composer I can assure anyone that for Mayer to go in and play three J.J. Cale songs for recording in an hour, as Clapton remarks he's a Master, he really doesn't know how good he is.....neither do his detractors....Peace!
Its not his technical abilities that people have a problem with. On the contrary he is a really good guitarist. But dont use your own failed music career as an excuse to push Mayers songwriting to some guitargod status. I cant remember even one of his songs. They are mindnumbing softpop pieces that shines like a polished turd in a sea of musical garbage. Have you ever met a session guitarist for real? Someone who can sightread almost anything or even better yet hardly knows any theory yet they just play everything they hear by ear in an instant? Because i have seen it and Mayer wouldnt last a second if he got out of his comfort zone. Id like to see Mayer go from Blackbird to Zappa to Pagannini and then finish off with some megadeth.
@@Barbro247 Why would he? What's more. What worthwhile point would that really prove? Guitar playing (and music by extension) isn't a competitive sport. It isn't this thing that you do so that you can be "better" than the other person. There are obviously going to be musicians that jump into the technique/knowledge side of things in a much more focused manner (Steve Vai or Zappa for example) but I think it goes without saying that Vai doesn't sit around writing comments about how some other guitarist isn't as good as him just because they play acoustic folk, blues, or some other less technically demanding genre. He is a adult and is capable of seeing music as a product of art and feeling rather than as some stupid competitive sport where your favorite artist has to be better than someone else's. It says something that whenever you see famous guitarists hang out together, they are often quite good natured about it and don't just sit there and childishly accuse those around them of not being as good. Maybe you should take some lessons from that...
You sons need to check out John Mayer's work on the John Mayer Trio album called Try. Dude kills it on multiple tracks. Check out his solo on Wait til Tomorrow.
People based his skills on his old catchy pop songs. His CDs are far more complex than what is being released out on the radio. And seeing and hearing him live is really something else. He’s definitely one of the greatest guitarists of this current time. It’s too bad people only know him for his old pop songs. He’s really grown as an artist.
It's funny 'cause songs like clarity, you're body is a wonderland or no such thing are really complex, something that you don't find in pop songs. Even if he writes a song with only 4 common chords there's always some trick
If the man himself said it, I believe it. Clapton got to be one best blocks out there. There was a time that he was constantly buying guitars as gifts for his other star buddies
To the people saying that this doesn't mean anything, or that Eric Clapton himself is bad compared to the other "great guitarists", how the fuck does that mean that Eric can't recognise pure talent. The man is considered to be up there with best, and even if you don't somehow find him a good guitarists compared to your own biased opinions, he can still see when someone is good at the guitar.
Sune Pedersen arrogance does stem from insecurity so maybe theres some truth to that. I never thought of john as arrogant though, just a bit of a douche lol
It seems to me that people try to find him acting like a douche. I think he's funny and is being ironic a lot of the time. He has his moments yes, when he is acknowledging that he is a good guitar player, but wouldn't you to?? When the world and people like Eric Clapton and B.B is saying things like this about, wouldn't you grow some confidence yourself? Despite him sometimes ackowledging his skills, he is still a humble man, trying to adapt his words so he won't offend (but still entertain and please) the millions and millions of people that is watching his every move.
Shouting out from 2022, John is also 'The Man' and the 'The King' all of which is equally shared with Eric, of course! Twin masters and twin Kings forever ❣❣🌟🌟👑👑👑
Hugo Nongbri It took me a few hours to learn how to play it at 1/4 speed. I’ve spent the last month practicing it religiously and can still only play it at half speed if I want it perfectly clean with no errors. Realistically, I probably won’t get it down clean at full speed for another month or two. It normally never takes me more than a few days to learn a song! John Mayer is fuckin nuts writing songs like neon and being able to sing over them live without any errors 😭
@@Flipmusic5 I am not Michael Wayne but if you want to learn NEON try learning Belief and Why Georgia first. They will help you grasp neon better. If you already know these two songs (Belief is pretty easy, same for why Georgia but that pinky part is somewhat intermediary) then grab your guitar and start learning neon.
If John Mayer was transported and lived in the 70s-80s during the height of blues, he would be at the top with Eric himself, and other legends like SRV, or B.B King. Even nowadays, if he'd sticked to just strictly playing blues, he would be regarded as one the best. It's just that John plays a lot of pop in his music. So people undermine him as just some other pop artist that can play the guitar. Though it's definitely not a negative, certainly not for John himself. If he's just made blues since the start of his career, he would've been a nobody. Maybe if he wrote a blues hit, which is very unlikely, he would've just been a really good guitarist, that just tours around the states for a bit. Not selling out shows over the globe, and playing with the legends. But, all in all, John is undoubtedly one of the best guitarists to ever live. Take it from Eric fucking Clapton.
Martin Anthonio16 that’s why Continuum is By Far his best album and One of my favorite albums ever (across all genres) Cuz even tho yes it’s still overall Pop it’s still the Most Bluesy Soul Album that he has. Like I can listen to The Guitar on Gravity and Slow dancing in a burning room all day.
Absolutely the top of the top, the cream delah Cream! The greatest whole hearted compliment that I have heard in all my Days! Mr. Mayer, you are most deserving of this monumental validation from one of the greatest amongst the Greats! We all stand on shoulders of Giants...
Well for the record, I would love to be able to play like either John or Eric, and I’m fully aware of how much I do suck at guitar. But I’m enjoying learning more and more, been playing but a few years. I started playing in my mid 40s, better late than never.
I couldn’t wait to see the comment section after I watched this. 😆 I knew exactly what I was gonna find. It gets a little harder to say a guy sucks when an undeniable guitar god proclaims him a master. It just makes all the JM haters sound even more petty.😆 Oh I so love this😆🎸🎸🎸
I believe that. Grew up with Clapton, Page, Beck, Hendrix, etc. Mayer is a freak of nature. He was 26 or so when Continuum came out. He shut my mouth with that one. Crushingly good. Such interesting times. Mayer, Paisley, Gill, Urban - this is a golden age no doubt.
Been a big fan of Mayer as a guitar player for years... he has that great balance of musicality/technicality... He usually plays his guitar to add/compliment the song rather than making the guitar playing overpowering and the song secondary... it's a fine line that not many guitar players get quite right IMO.. it must be hard when your a virtuoso player to not overplay on a song
I care if you like him or not. Also, I like 3 or 4 of his songs, the rest I could do without. You can appreciate how amazing someone is buy still not love it. I think the same about the Doors and Led Zep
Mr. Lee That was one of the finest descriptions of the essence of great playing I have ever seen. It would be particularly useful for all those naive players who spend a fortune trying to copy their idol's rig down to the last pedal thinking that they will then sound just like their personal guitar god -- good luck with that. Mayer is a fine player and a wonderful songwriter. The haters on this site are as hilarious as are their comparisons sublimely foolish. Malmsteen, Satriani, come on. These are great niche players of the how many notes can I jam into a single bar school. They will never be remembered for song writing prowess. Mayer is such an eclectic talent, it hurts his reputation with the single genre fanatics. How dare he write hooky pop tunes, and play Hendrix , wah, wah, get over it. I will now return to my studio and continue trying to learn how to play Neon and sing it at the same time -- that is really hard, and I am a pretty decent player.
Do not be deluded to rope Malmsteen and Satriani into the same category, Malmsteen produces nothing but the same drivel over and over. Spend some time listening to Satriani's extensive discography. There is a little bit of everything among the numerous albums he's released. He has many memorable melodies, he just plays at a much higher, musically complex level than some of John Mayer's "commerical": releases. Not to take away from Mayer's talents, but there's two sides to him: a commercial side and a musical side. It's unfortunate that John Mayer keeps them separated, unlike great musicians such as Satriani and Steve Vai, amongst many others. Even still, his playing simply isn't on the same level as these other guys, but they are more experienced and talented.
You may be right; but I remain unconvinced. (I am not an expert on S.'s full discography.) What I have seen still makes me twitchy. He seems to me to be one of those " look at me, look how quick my fingers are" guys and that has never moved me musically. You might want to consider a couple of other things. You can often judge the quality of a musician by the calibre of the people who play with him. From Pino Paladino to Steve Jordon, to Clapton, to Herbie Hancock, to B.B. King, to Brad Paisley, to Derek Trucks -- Mayer routinely plays with people of this quality and these guys don't have to play with putzes. (Did you see Herbie look up and smile during Mayer's tasty solo backing Ed Sheeran at the Grammies. ) I don't think guys like Satriani and Vai really play that well with others. If I was one of their backing musicians, I would feel like I was just marking time waiting for them to solo again. As much as I love Hendrix, and Stevie- Rae, subtle collaborations with fellow musicians were not what they were about. This is fine, a matter of taste, not an argument that can be won or lost -- I just like collaborative back-and-forth more as I get older, hence my increasing desire to play jazz. Another thing that is quite rare in the guitar world is musical virtuosity on both electric and acoustic instruments. Mayer is an amazing acoustic guitar player and as a musician who has played acoustic for more than thirty years, I can tell you without hesitation he is really, really good. The only analogue I can think of is Lenny Breau, a musician so crazy good on both instruments that I don't think he was human. Of course, shredder-lovers don't give a damn about acoustic instruments, never have, never will. Finally, there is song writing. I am not even going to make the distinction between pop and serious, in this regard. It is so friggin' difficult to write a good song of any sort that you can even get your family to sit still and listen too, much less millions of strangers that, too me, this skill is the pinnacle of musicianship not technical prowess. Listen to the way the lyrics and music blend in a song such as "The Great Indoors" on Mayer's Grammy-winning Room for Squares album. I would happily sell my soul for the abilitiy to write a song that good. Mayer seems to be able to write jazz-inflected tunes, pop tunes that won't leave your head and country songs, and play Hendrix when he feels like it -- now that just isn't fair. I should be a hater just out of envy. I will listen to some more Satriani, you should try a little more Mayer. Fun discussing this in a civilized way, there is so much comment drivel on RUclips.
Chris Dick Satriani is an incredible composer and a genius songwriter. He is exceptionally proficient at guitar and while you have mentioned that he does play very complex and sophisticated material, you have to take into consideration that Satriani isn't trying to be a showboat on stage, he can play with just about anybody. Of many of the great shredders out there, Satriani is by far the most down to earth and humble of the crop. Michael Angelo Batio is also highly enthusiastic with a remarkable sense of humor. Now to differentiate Michael Angelo Batio and Joe Satriani, Batio is more of a shredder. The man knows his scales and has mastered the technique in economy, alternate, legato, sweep, and hybrid picking. Satriani knows how to take the simplest melodies, in other words Satch writes a song with a story that unfolds behind the melody and other components of the song structure. Obviously, it is with mere disrespect for me to tell you to listen to Satriani when apparently he doesn't move your soul the way he does for me, but I'll tell you, check out Starry Night, What a Breaks a Heart, Baroque, Midnight, Thinking of You, Made of Tears, and then reply to me what your overall impression is. You might think differently, I wasn't that big on Satch when I first heard him but over time I really became inspired and drawn into his music. According to his own words: "Some of us are going to play faster than others. Hitting the right notes and getting your technique right is so much more important than speed." Take it with a grain of salt.
I plan to go through Mayer's whole discography in the future, that much is for certain. I wouldn't call Satriani a showboat at all. When I saw him live he was nothing like a showboat, just playing his songs with 100% accuracy and timing. He seriously didn't make a single mistake the whole show and we all know how difficult those songs are. He also played very well with another lead guitarist that was touring with him, there was nothing "stingy" about him at all. Have you heard of G3? It's a show ran by Vai and Satriani, where they invite virtuoso guitarists to come and play with them. There are some videos on RUclips that might pique your interest. Satriani does have some acoustic songs for what it's worth. I agree that Mayer does a great job of blending pop music and the complex, that is a quality that's rare these days. However, I kindly disagree that writing something 'popular' automatically equates to 'good'. Some people don't make the distinction that these are mutually exclusive things. Passion & Warfare by Steve Vai is hands down one of the greatest albums of all time, in my humble opinion of course. I strongly consider that a very 'listenable' album, which cannot be said the same for some of the 'shredder' guys (which I really think Vai does not belong to). There's mindless shredding and then there's mindful fast playing, the difference is more musically complex than the general populace cares to know. I'm thankful that we live in an age where we have musicians like Steve Vai and John Mayer. The diversity of music is one of the greatest gifts to mankind, only topped by one's ability to appreciate such diversity.
Very good response and I will check out G3. I really don't know Vai's and Satriani's music well enough to act as a critic. My only point of debate here is that popular is not synonymous with either good or bad. There seems to be a coterie of critics on these music sites who equate popularity with "bad." which is silly. I love Ed Sheeran's music; don't think I'll stop listening to it just because he starts to sell millions of units. Bu you are so right about diversity in music. We are fortunate to live in the web world where even the most niche-oriented music is there for all to hear if they can just find it.
I bet John Mayer watches this every night before bed
Nanika lol
I would.
x2
I do it
Lmao wouldn't be surprised
Imagine being called a "master guitar player" by Eric Clapton? I'd carry the link to this RUclips video and give it to people all day, every day. Anyway. Yet another masterful interview by Santa Claus.
+James Ash
i would put the link on a business card or something
Santa Claus hahahaha
James Ash LOL
hahahahahhahahahahhaahhaaha
This may be my favorite youtube comment
Eric Clapton is talking about John Mayer's technical guitar playing abilities. Anyone who's ever played guitar would consider that to be about the biggest compliment they could receive, and from a legend at that. I'll take Clapton's opinion over some fat guys on RUclips any day of the week.
@Jerry Thomas nahhh
Wow you done said (Fat People on the internet)what I never had the stones to. That is whats were dealing with.
Fat guys can't play guitar? lol. I mean, I get your point about people on the internet, but I don't think weight determines one's ability or knowledge. I'm pretty fit and not overweight, but that probably was an unnecessary part of your trying to make a point. Friedman builds some of the best amps in the world and he's a heavy guy. BB King, Michael Romeo, Jerry Garcia, Elvis, Yngwie, Ed king and even Dime weren't exactly skinny guys. I mean the list goes on. Check out Johnny Hiland. And at one time, they would've been considered the "fat guy on the internet" if the the technology had existed then and prior to them making it in the music world. Some of the greatest guitarists to ever exist have and will die someday, unknowns.
@@Justafeller ok who is a better guitarist a example Yngwie could play anything clapton can play. But can clapton play Yngwie's music the answer .....''NO''..... ,someone is stuck in the pentatonic scale and will never learn anything more. I am not here to teach anyone anything but if you want to argue who is best at playing the pentatonic scale go ahead.
ok just for the fat comment i will add this video of a fat guitarist
that is one of the most advanced guitarists in the world that plays with a pick. ENJOY ruclips.net/video/2yfQN8-tVlQ/видео.html
take advice from this fat guy ruclips.net/video/2yfQN8-tVlQ/видео.html
There you go John Mayer haters. One of the blues legends said it himself.
+Ryan Beck It's not his talent that turns some of us off. It's his pseudo-intellectual way of pointing out the obvious. He strikes some of us as pretentious.
+JGPorcello he just has an ego problem but when he talks, you can actually get a lot of things
umm... he's probably a fan and hence responding to him as a player. There's countless idiots out there proclaiming he's overrated on guitar... probably for sentiments similar to yours which have nothing to do with the fact.
No one can argue John Mayer is a bad guitarist - he can play quite well.
hater is such a stupid and immature word to use
John mayer was so good at his craft that Santa Claus himself came down to interview Eric Clapton about it.
Take this W and the upvote
🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂😂
I laughed out loud after reading that 🤣🤣🤣
How nice of the uploader to provide absolutely zero fucking context. Who is the interviewer? Just a small point, I guess. Unimportant.
I used to see John Mayer as a pop artist and always hesitated listening to his music and certainly made fun when guitar world listed him as a great guitarist. But I grew out of the metal phase and started listening to music in every form and genre and John Mayer was a shocker to me. He's such a brilliant songwriter and a very very very good guitar player. There was a time when I used to think that anybody that does not shred 100 notes per minute isn't a great guitarist..lol
+Jon Samuel I think you and I are the same person. I had the exact same thing to me!
+Jon Samuel And when you start to learn John Mayer songs you realize what amazing nuance there is in his playing. He's a monster guitarist/song writer alright.
+Maafa 1619 Wow, so mature, much classy, wow :)))
+Jon Samuel Same here. Whenever I would hear about John Mayer, I would always write him off as another pop-star. After I dropped my Metal, Jazz Fusion Elitist attitude and, like you, started listening to things outside of my preferred genres, I learned that there was so much more to John than I originally thought. His riffs and melodies are so beautiful and brilliant that I feel ashamed for bashing him without even giving him a chance. It's guys like John Mayer that teach me to never judge until I listen to their music.
+Jon Samuel John Mayer is not a master. He's overrated.
"[John Mayer is] extremely gifted. His facility is phenomenal. He is a master. I don't think he even knows how good he is." - Eric Clapton.
Stephanie L Perfectly said
Oh trust me. John knows how good he is lol
@@clayallen4354 Indeed, any guitarist who hasn't got poo in his ears knows how good John Mayer is.
He doesnt..Hes a naturalist....; )Love watching him.....He could play guitar with his ties; )
Wow Stephanie. You're gorgeous. Can I take you out sometime?
Mayer is unbelievable. One of the best I’ve ever heard live.
John Mayer is a great guitarist. Even Clapton and B.B. acknowledged the man's great talent. Say what you want about the guy, but he has amazing songwriting skills and has done it all - pop, blues, soul, Americana, country - a total breath of fresh air in mainstream music today.
Clapton and B.B. King? Come on What do they know about Blues?
And he is good friends with Dave Chappelle! :)
Johan Er LMAO! Love that barber shop scene with Questlove!!
@@Bluesman78 here is some brilliant dude brings up something from over a decade ago...
Michael Saindon you're dumb as shit
Eric Clapton says he is a master.. now that is humbling.
Clapton is a guitar god, especially in blues and rock. Mayer is the most versatile guitarist I've heard. He one of the few players that can pay Hendrix songs in the same unique style of Jimi Hendix. Mayer can can also play Grateful Dead songs in Garcia's unique style. Their styles are exceptionally unique and as opposite as it gets. Mayer also plays multiple musical genre's - country, blues, jazz, folk, funk, and rock (which is combination of several) - not just adequately but accurately and with a lot if emotion. .
Ronald Raygun either trolling or ignorant
Courson John is incredibly underrated guitarist
How is that humbling? You need to look up what humbling means. What Clapton said about Mayer is exalting or honoring. Getting kicked in the nuts is humbling.
@@guitarplayer2846 Guthrie Govan...
So many people jump to criticise Mayer, classing his ability as inferior to that of other famous guitarists, before taking a moment to analyse what actually makes a great guitar player. For me, there are two components that are integral, and cannot be taught. You either have them, or you don't. Touch and feel. Touch is something that - in my mind at least - you can decipher from a guitarist playing just two or three notes. It's as given and determined as the shape of their little finger. Some people just have that natural ability to make any guitar note sound beautiful - on its own, unaided. John has that - in spades. Feel, in my mind, is working on the instrument to the point where the player has gotten its elasticity as natural as the voice of a great singer. There's no feeling stunted - the player understands rhythm and dynamics (the latter is so criminally overlooked) to the point that they can build and unbuild a phrase in a way that is effortlessly musical. I've always thought these two things are ingrained, and not taught or learned. Someone like John could think out that same guitar solo - probably even think it better than he can play it. When you analyse an experience in life where another human being communicated something to you that triggered a strong emotion, there was probably more to it than just the words he/she used. Pauses, delivery, dynamics, flow - coupled with the meaning of the words; the same is true of music. All these things are what the best musicians spend their time trying to emulate. Then you have technique - that's just the mechanical ability to know your instrument well enough to communicate the ideas in your head cleanly, without necessarily being overly sloppy etc. Technique comes with practice. Touch and feel are innate. Comparing John Mayer to certain other successful (unnamed) blues guitarists out there is to be impressed by technique and show, more than to be impressed by how elegantly an emotion is delivered to from heart to heart. John can do this without thinking. That's why it only took him an hour to cut those tracks, and that's why Eric has praised him so highly. It's an innate communication of notes through his guitar, into your ears and hearts - there is so little thought involved at this point, it becomes effortless. I don't even know where I'm going with this any more! Moral of the story - thank you, Eric. You hit the nail on the head in your appraisal of Mayer, and I know that anyone who's hearing and feeling the same thing listening to his music, can vouch for that, too.
"It's an innate communication of notes through his guitar, into your ears and hearts - there is so little thought involved at this point, it becomes effortless."
That is the point when good guitarists become great guitarists. Clapton said of himself that when he is playing he can nearly lose consciousness. Another well known said he could see himself playing.
Exactly! It's the trait of a great musician, in general. Glad I'm not the only one who thinks this!
Finally someone who understands music (and guitar specifically) at a quality level. Give yourself some credit too for having the ability to discern good music (and guitar playing) from shitty ones!
Very kind torduc22 - guitar's my thing, and I love it so much when I hear someone like JM playing with soul, I always feel the need to show others just how great a player he is (along with many other greats). Nice to meet you! :)
What ever your taste may be (musically) you have to appreciate things for what they are.. Agree with Adam here in that it's not just being technically great, it's so much more and that those who capture it make it easy for us to know it's them playing even if its 2-3 notes. It doesn't matter to me what type of music it is (blues, classic rock, country, metal etc…) it's all about what the player brings that makes it uniquely theirs or shapes the sound of the band just so. We have all seen/been to shows where the band continues on w/a new guy and even though the new guy plays note for note to your favorites.. it isn't the same. That's where the emotional gets tied in, where no matter how hard the new guy tries you can't replace the innate thats linked to their experiences. … "it's my failure to sound like my heroes that makes me sound like myself" -John Mayer quote
I saw John play live over a decade ago and he brought out some double headed 12 string beast and slayed it. I was so impressed and I’d tell people he was a phenomenal guitarist and they’d look at me sideways.
Now I can say Eric Clapton agrees. 😁
The double necked Gibson.
You gotta give credit where credit is due. That's the smart and mature way to be. John Mayer is a very talented and gifted musician. Some people may not like his style, but that is simply a matter of personal taste. John can write excellent pop songs that have mass appeal, sing well, and he plays guitar with authority and an excellent knowledge of the instrument. Those BB King style riffs he was playing were spot on, and he got a ringing endorsement from one of the most celebrated and legendary guitarists ever. If you don't like John Mayer, I can understand and respect that. But the dude is very talented. Anyone truly honest with themselves can acknowledge that. Peace.
Clapton doesn't hand out compliments like that too often. I saw all the initial love-in fawning over Mayer on the covers of People and Vanity Fair and MALE or whatever lol as I walked through the drugstores and airports and just tuned him out I guess. After really seriously listening to his blues and rock guitar playing (especially his recent playing with Dead & Company), I am blown away. Maybe the best electric guitarist so far this century or certainly in the running for such distinction. His self-admitted need for some ego-checking and gratitude has clearly affected him for the better as well.
In
The Dead made him grow up I think. He's so good with them and filling Jerry's shoes is no small feat.
You ever heard Eric Gales?
Clapton is a humble man in all his fame. Many are not.
@@redgrapeskins No he is humble in his own person. He learned that from quitting drugs.
“I don’t think he even knows how great he is” what an amazing thing to hear from an artist like CLAPTON. Wow.
John Mayer has been spoken about by many famous guitarists as a person who transcribed Interviews for a Guitar magazine, he is loved by his fellow guitar friends!~ He's a pure genius! Love his passion
If clapton says you are a master on a guitar, that is the moment where you can say to your mom: "I have made it mom!"
The way he picked up all the Dead tunes and his ability to channel Jerry but still himself at the same time is amazing really
John is the most complete musician of this generation. Phenomenal Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter. There are only a few people in the world that can boast that.
But he's very much underrated guitarist, what a pity!
You should check Myles Kennedy! On a whole other level
you just too lazy mate, there are lots of multi-instrumentalist song writers that don't write generic modern pop songs
@@RK-lq2ud you're obviously to lazy to properly listen to John to realise that generic modern pop songs isn't all that he can do.
@@joaopolainas love Myles but imo hes not on Johns level lyrically and as a guitarist. Hes a better singer though I think. Mad respect for the guy though. No insult intended. Jmo.
"I don't think he even knows how good he is." Trust me he knows.
I would beg to differ. Even though he has been known to have a big ego, he said that every one of his Grammy’s should have went to other people in “John Mayer | Life in Music | Oxford University” and that he isn’t satisfied with his playing in “Where The Light is”
2v_5r where did he say he wasn’t satisfied with where the light is ?
Of course I should trust you about that.
You’re certainly one of John close friends who is commenting on RUclips.
Makes sense 🥴
Trust you? Over the opinion of Eric Clapton? Shut up Kyle.
He constantly talks about how his playing is just stealing from other artists, rarely acknowledging his own talent. His ego likely comes from deep rooted self consciousness which tells me Clapton is likely right.
John Mayer is truly phenomenal. Can’t say I sit down and listen to his work regularly, but you’ve got to recognise how talented he is.
This is like Michael Jordan calling Kobe a master
Exactly!!
Nah Clapton isn’t MJ. BB King is MJ. Clapton is Pippen.
Its like Tiger Woods calling Michael Jordan a master golfer.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm....NO!
@@greenwoodmills7593 Hendrix is MJ. Clapton is Steve Kerr.
That Leon Russell performance is my my all time favorite John moment. So tasteful and emotional and just damn good!
Its like Continuum launched Mayer to a new level. His ability is phenomenal
I’m vindicated in my statement 20 years ago that JM is a supreme guitarist. Thanks Slowhand.
I love Eric when he sits on a chair and plays acoustic. He outstanding...
Eric Clapton would be such a nice guy to talk to.
Just go watch his live performance of "A'int No Sunshine" with the Trio. John Mayer is brilliant!
Yes ! "I don't need no doctor" as well, they're one of the best live performances out there, he truly expresses himself effortlessly.
I’ve always gotten the sense that Eric really couldn’t care less who you are by name but what you can do. You know when he praises an artist that he means it. Always respected him for that.
Well I can't speak for all of you but I don't hold a candle to either John or Eric.. I think they are both phenomenal. Glad to see a great like Clapton recognize.
Eric Clapton got me into blues like Kirk Hammett got me into Metal.
I don't hold a candle to either Kirk or Eric but I still appreciate them.
John Mayer is good, but he's at the point of his career where he doesn't try anymore. I don't listen to his new music, I just watch his shows now since he still plays guitar live and still sounds really good.
Man are you ever wrong about john mayer not trying anymore... in the last 5 years hes worked so hard to learn jerry garcias style. And jerry is a legend in his own right. A guitar legend who many many have tried to immitate since, and it is difficult but john mayer pulls it off
I sure hope John realizes what a compliment this is? Slowhand knows good blues guitar playing. I am glad they have a mutual respect and do work together now and then. Peace and Merry Christmas to everyone.
twas a bigger compliment than what Eddie Van Halen got from Clapton. Eddie was possibly a bigger Clapton fan. Poor dear. Clapton gave praise to so many young exceptional guitar players, all played the Blues.
I love how the people commenting hate on Clapton and Mayer are people who are way better musicians than both of them... Oh wait.
As shocking as this may sound, people are allowed to appreciate music...and even have their favorite musicians and bands, and you are not required to agree with their subjective opinions.
...it doesn't have to have anything to do with musicianship.
If only musicians bought music, went to concerts, there would be no music industry because there wouldn't be enough money in it.
@@le_th_ Taste and quality aren't the same thing. Mayer is quality guitarist, but his style might not be to the liking of some people, and shouldn't give them the "right" to hate on him or discredit him in any way.
@@AbdelhamidZekri91 Yes, of course, they aren't the same thing. Mayer is an accomplished guitarist, and I actually am one of the people who very much like his style of playing. However, he is an almost insufferable human being whose personality is, at time, nauseating. So, as a human being, I dislike his behavior and public comments. Finding out he's such a prick has really made it incredibly difficult to listen to his music.
I can still remember walking through Central Park one autumn night back in 2013. I recognized it was Mayer on stage right away (several artists were playing), and as he was closing his show he was saying to the audience, "thank you for giving me another chance" and "I know I've said and done some really dumb things" and all I could think as he was saying these mea culpas is how very empty and meaningless the apology sounded. Sure, he said the words, probably because a publicist told him he had to clean up his act and his reputation, but I honestly don't think he had any idea what the words he was saying meant.
I can understand why some people hate on him so much, not so much his musicianship, but for just being an insufferably shallow and (seemingly) hollow person.
This is a YT clip for the last song of that performance where the person recording even edited his apology out, BUT you can hear him begin to thank the audience and tell him how great it is to be there and, although Mayer continued to play for another 10 minutes or so as he was offering his apology, t the person posting the video cut all the nauseating, empty BS out before they posted this. ruclips.net/video/rWqrxXeYG88/видео.html
I once heard David Lee Roth say that if you take a guitar out of Eddie Van Halen's hands you have a fairly unlikable person. I'm toning down what Ross said slightly (and he wasn't bitter or malicious in his tone at all as he said it, more matter of fact). I think a similar statement could be made about John Mayer, as well. Mayer is lacking the social skills that many narcissists lack, and that is what makes some of them so distasteful and difficult to tolerate when they're not playing.
@@le_th_ Can you elaborate on that "insufferable human being whose personality is , at time, nauseating"? What are you basing this on? Are you going off a few comments that were taken out of context by tabloids? Are you repeating stuff you have heard on forums without verifying or knowing the whole story?
I don't ask to be difficult. I ask because this kind of thing is so common. As the audience, we sometimes forget that famous actors, musicians, and other similar celebrities are held to wildly unrealistic standards and one comment (often taken entirely out of context for the sake of click-bait articles) can loom over their reputation like a shadow for years. I am aware of the controversy surrounding Mayer's "behavior" and when I actually looked into it (and not just the hyperbole on forums/social media and click-bait articles by online tabloids), I didn't really see anything that warranted such a strong response. He has said some stupid stuff but when taken in context, none of it was so bad that it paints him as a bad person. Likewise. I get the impression that his "bad behavior" is often based more on tabloid relationship drama than reality.
I guess what I am saying here is that it is important to keep perspective. We are all human and sometimes we say the wrong thing. Most of us have the benefit of not being a celebrity and as such, we can get away with saying the wrong thing without some person on the internet judging our entire personality and being on that one stupid thing we said. Mayer (like any other celebrity) is human and just like you and me, he doesn't always say or do the most correct, most perfect thing. In my digging, I couldn't really find any situation where he did something truly bad enough to warrant your strong opinion but I did see a lot of people making assumptions based on misinformation and hyperbole. Maybe that is something you should think about.
Mayer is one of the best guitarists of his generation and you don’t get a compliment like that from eric clapton unless you have really impressed him. high praise indeed
mayer is a great guitarist an if mr clapton says it im not argueing
Eric Clapton is such a nice guy
Mayer is the most complete artist of this generation. He truly excels in every aspect of the profession. In truth he should be held in as high esteem as all the greats that have come before him.
Grohl
@@samblack5313 Grohl is sick but he is nowhere near the guitar player as John.
@@_Jake.From.Statefarm_
The premise is “complete artist”, not mechanical guitar ability.
Dave was the drummer for the band that started a new era.. one of the biggest bands the world has ever seen. Then went on to become the frontman/guitarist/singer/songwriter for the biggest band of the next era.
As far as artists go, Dave has done a LOT, writing hit after hit is something you can’t teach. I know exceptional players who can’t write. You can’t teach creativity.
Love John, love the way he plays, love his live music, his voice isn’t great but he uses it well and is unique to him.
@@samblack5313 I'm well aware of his accomplishments. I'm a drummer, that plays multiple instruments. I'm from San Diego, I've ton tons of work in la.. as a drummer Dave was avg. His best ability is singer songwriter. Don Henley alone outranks him.
@@_Jake.From.Statefarm_
Well, we all have opinions. Nothing wrong with that. I’m a muso myself. While I’ve always had huge respect for mechanical prowess and practice an unhealthy amount in pursuit of it, the ability to write is what makes you an artist.
Mechanical ability and theory knowledge merely allows you to express your creativity to its full extent. No amount of theory or practice will gift you with creativity.
I guess, for me, Dave has one of the most impressive bodies of work in the industry, (I say this as I sit here listening to CAFO by AAL 😂), is known for phenomenal live shows, and it all came from a garage..
One of my old band members describes him as a ‘hit machine’.
Eric's a gentleman- always ready to step aside for others to play. Not an ego show- total class.
Ive been a fan of John for about 2 years now, but i just went to my first concert if his in Houston. Hes really amazing in how hes able to rip a solo on every song, well said by Eric Clapton. Hes a master.
The one thing I like about Johnny Boy is when I listen to his CD's his playing fits the songs... It is not all about flash. The colors he uses are very nice and sometimes done so well one doesn't even realize all of the guitar work in a track... I will also say he is a very good lyricist. That said, I have no plans on following him on twitter...
I love me some John Mayer ❤️. Saw him live fall of 2019 in Phoenix... absolutely legendary!
you just know that if Eric Clapton says you are a master guitarist then you are one of the best all time
Imagine being called a master by a master. Hell of a thought
Icon... Eric Clapton. ..and he gives praise...2 many in the buisness.. Ive watched an interview...and Eric ..when asked by interviewer, .how does it feel 2 be best guitarist. .ASK PRINCE..
and that people... should know...just how underated. ..prince is.... I didn't know myself.... just how amazing prince played .. David Gilmour. ..is an icon of all time too...he also...spoke highly..of prince's. .guitar playing....love to see the best of the all times
Give praise..2 fellow musicians...
I watched a solo he did the other day and mentioned it to a friend that John Mayer is extremely underrated in our time
I always really liked the mentor ship that clapton has offered to John mayer
There it is John. You know you’ve made your stamp when the legend himself is calling you a master! There’s not much more to accomplish at this point except to just keep doing what you do!
I just saw John play in Sacramento a few days ago, was left with a completely new appreciation for his music! I have always loved his music, but watching him live really gives you much more of an insight into the music legend this guy really is! So unbelievably talented!
Been playing for years, clapton is a genius and he is just great. I personally don't like John Mayer's music but he can really play the guitar. I put him in the box with yngwie, dimebag, buckethead, lynch, vai and many other guitarists that I do not like their music, still they can fucking play and you can't deny that.
Who's John Mayor? Is he ready to be a star?
ruclips.net/video/SS0NHlWgi5w/видео.html Here He is keeping up with the real Kings Live. Master ? You be the Judge.............
@@JWILSON1971 heyy. i know who he is. check out the video for 'New Light' and revisit this comment again :)
@@JWILSON1971 heyy. i know who he is. check out the video for 'New Light' and revisit this comment again :)
@@yashvardhangaur3107 i'm the boy in your other phone
@@yashvardhangaur3107 pushing 40 in the friendzone
To be addressed by Eric Clapton who’ a master in his own right to be a master guitar player is truly phenomenal
Both are really gifted guitarists Clapton is in a league by himself and very few and John is really good at what he does and its awesome that Clapton recognizes this.
Went back to listen to the Magnolia cover with a focus on the guitar fills. Yeah I didn’t realize how jaw dropping those fills were
He wasn’t on my radar whatsoever for years. I was first drawn in by the song age of worry. That whole born and raised album was great, but I still didn’t know how good he was just as a pure guitarist until I saw his cover of voodoo child. It absolutely blew my mind. Since then I’ve been scouring the internet for more of his solos because for gods sake he still insists on being a “singer songwriter” instead of just playing guitar like a god. I honestly think he’s one of the greatest if not the greatest of all time
Watch SRV's version of Voodoo Child and you'll see who's the greatest of all time.
One would think that and an endorsement of this type from a legendary guitar player like Eric Clapton would silence a few of the John Mayer critics, most of who know absolutely "NOTHING" about music composure & composition and what complex guitar arrangements Mayer is capable of playing. As a writer/ composer I can assure anyone that for Mayer to go in and play three J.J. Cale songs for recording in an hour, as Clapton remarks he's a Master, he really doesn't know how good he is.....neither do his detractors....Peace!
I guess he didn't rehearse? Sthfu dude
@@GeriDoc8 I hope you have gotten your depression under control in the last year.
Its not his technical abilities that people have a problem with. On the contrary he is a really good guitarist. But dont use your own failed music career as an excuse to push Mayers songwriting to some guitargod status. I cant remember even one of his songs. They are mindnumbing softpop pieces that shines like a polished turd in a sea of musical garbage. Have you ever met a session guitarist for real? Someone who can sightread almost anything or even better yet hardly knows any theory yet they just play everything they hear by ear in an instant? Because i have seen it and Mayer wouldnt last a second if he got out of his comfort zone. Id like to see Mayer go from Blackbird to Zappa to Pagannini and then finish off with some megadeth.
@@Jonathan-Pilkington And what g berry said is valid. JJ Cale is probably something Mayer played all the time while in university at that.
@@Barbro247 Why would he? What's more. What worthwhile point would that really prove? Guitar playing (and music by extension) isn't a competitive sport. It isn't this thing that you do so that you can be "better" than the other person. There are obviously going to be musicians that jump into the technique/knowledge side of things in a much more focused manner (Steve Vai or Zappa for example) but I think it goes without saying that Vai doesn't sit around writing comments about how some other guitarist isn't as good as him just because they play acoustic folk, blues, or some other less technically demanding genre. He is a adult and is capable of seeing music as a product of art and feeling rather than as some stupid competitive sport where your favorite artist has to be better than someone else's.
It says something that whenever you see famous guitarists hang out together, they are often quite good natured about it and don't just sit there and childishly accuse those around them of not being as good. Maybe you should take some lessons from that...
Saw John play at Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Fest in Chicago. He went to toe to toe with some of the best.
You sons need to check out John Mayer's work on the John Mayer Trio album called Try. Dude kills it on multiple tracks. Check out his solo on Wait til Tomorrow.
People based his skills on his old catchy pop songs. His CDs are far more complex than what is being released out on the radio. And seeing and hearing him live is really something else. He’s definitely one of the greatest guitarists of this current time. It’s too bad people only know him for his old pop songs. He’s really grown as an artist.
It's funny 'cause songs like clarity, you're body is a wonderland or no such thing are really complex, something that you don't find in pop songs. Even if he writes a song with only 4 common chords there's always some trick
If the man himself said it, I believe it.
Clapton got to be one best blocks out there.
There was a time that he was constantly buying guitars as gifts for his other star buddies
What a compliment., im honored as a fellow Fairfield Connecticut native ♥️♥️♥️
John is one of the best I've ever seen!! And yes that is a complement coming from the real master!!!
That is the end of discussion as to how good mayer is . 👍🏻
To the people saying that this doesn't mean anything, or that Eric Clapton himself is bad compared to the other "great guitarists", how the fuck does that mean that Eric can't recognise pure talent. The man is considered to be up there with best, and even if you don't somehow find him a good guitarists compared to your own biased opinions, he can still see when someone is good at the guitar.
Eric Clapton rocks ! Love him ! 👍🎸❤️ I assume that John Mayer was totally ecstatic when he heard the compliment.
John's version of Magnolia is better than his own songs, fantastic rendition. I could listen to it all day.❤
Mayer is a world class guitarist. He killed it on Texas Flood at the R&R HOF, and he sounds great with Dead and Company.
"He doesnt even know how good he is" AHAHAHAHA yeah right
Sune Pedersen the only thing that throws me off about Mayer is the fact that he knows it
if you watch him play with bb king it's clear he doesn't. The whole performance he spends trying to impress BB
You think so? He comes off quite arrogant. Besides, most people with a big ego always want to prove their value
Sune Pedersen arrogance does stem from insecurity so maybe theres some truth to that. I never thought of john as arrogant though, just a bit of a douche lol
It seems to me that people try to find him acting like a douche. I think he's funny and is being ironic a lot of the time. He has his moments yes, when he is acknowledging that he is a good guitar player, but wouldn't you to?? When the world and people like Eric Clapton and B.B is saying things like this about, wouldn't you grow some confidence yourself? Despite him sometimes ackowledging his skills, he is still a humble man, trying to adapt his words so he won't offend (but still entertain and please) the millions and millions of people that is watching his every move.
I agree. JM's playing is iconic and recognizable right away. Love it.
Shouting out from 2022, John is also 'The Man' and the 'The King' all of which is equally shared with Eric, of course! Twin masters and twin Kings forever ❣❣🌟🌟👑👑👑
for anyone questioning JM's guitar skills ...try learning NEON without bliwung ur head off 😂😂😆😂
Hugo Nongbri It took me a few hours to learn how to play it at 1/4 speed. I’ve spent the last month practicing it religiously and can still only play it at half speed if I want it perfectly clean with no errors. Realistically, I probably won’t get it down clean at full speed for another month or two. It normally never takes me more than a few days to learn a song! John Mayer is fuckin nuts writing songs like neon and being able to sing over them live without any errors 😭
Michael Wayne x
Hugo Nongbri H
@@michaelwayne8685 Dude, did you ever get it down? I'm afraid of even trying that one
@@Flipmusic5 I am not Michael Wayne but if you want to learn NEON try learning Belief and Why Georgia first. They will help you grasp neon better. If you already know these two songs (Belief is pretty easy, same for why Georgia but that pinky part is somewhat intermediary) then grab your guitar and start learning neon.
Trust me John Mayer knows exactly how good he is
I do. So proud. Our homey hometown sweetheart
A legend compliments another up and coming one.
If John Mayer was transported and lived in the 70s-80s during the height of blues, he would be at the top with Eric himself, and other legends like SRV, or B.B King. Even nowadays, if he'd sticked to just strictly playing blues, he would be regarded as one the best.
It's just that John plays a lot of pop in his music. So people undermine him as just some other pop artist that can play the guitar. Though it's definitely not a negative, certainly not for John himself. If he's just made blues since the start of his career, he would've been a nobody. Maybe if he wrote a blues hit, which is very unlikely, he would've just been a really good guitarist, that just tours around the states for a bit. Not selling out shows over the globe, and playing with the legends.
But, all in all, John is undoubtedly one of the best guitarists to ever live. Take it from Eric fucking Clapton.
Martin Anthonio16 that’s why Continuum is By Far his best album and One of my favorite albums ever (across all genres) Cuz even tho yes it’s still overall Pop it’s still the Most Bluesy Soul Album that he has. Like I can listen to The Guitar on Gravity and Slow dancing in a burning room all day.
He will still be a legend... you really have to listen and watch him such a natural
When clapton says you’re a master you’re a god amongst men.
Amazing
*Let's be real, John Mayer knows the link of this video by heart and he chants it every day*
I am so glad Mayer gets the gold seal from a Legend ... And that my instinct was bang on
“I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard, and floor it. Floor it. That's technical talk.” SRV
This isn’t about SRV; this is about Eric Clapton saying Mayer is a Master Guitarist.
Absolutely the top of the top, the cream delah Cream! The greatest whole hearted compliment that I have heard in all my Days! Mr. Mayer, you are most deserving of this monumental validation from one of the greatest amongst the Greats! We all stand on shoulders of Giants...
Well for the record, I would love to be able to play like either John or Eric, and I’m fully aware of how much I do suck at guitar. But I’m enjoying learning more and more, been playing but a few years. I started playing in my mid 40s, better late than never.
I couldn’t wait to see the comment section after I watched this. 😆 I knew exactly what I was gonna find. It gets a little harder to say a guy sucks when an undeniable guitar god proclaims him a master. It just makes all the JM haters sound even more petty.😆 Oh I so love this😆🎸🎸🎸
he is dead on... john mayer is one of the best.. i could listen to him all day.. and here it is .. from eric clapton..
Mayer carries the legacy of hendrix, srv, and many more legends, and I beg for him to continue to hone his skills.
eric clapton what a gentleman, and talking highly of john, so awesome
John Mayer is wildly talented at the guitar. I just want to see him one time…shred metal. I know he can do it.
He’s the best of our time
I believe that. Grew up with Clapton, Page, Beck, Hendrix, etc. Mayer is a freak of nature. He was 26 or so when Continuum came out. He shut my mouth with that one. Crushingly good. Such interesting times. Mayer, Paisley, Gill, Urban - this is a golden age no doubt.
My boy John, taught me every thing I know about my strat ! Thanks
Been a big fan of Mayer as a guitar player for years... he has that great balance of musicality/technicality... He usually plays his guitar to add/compliment the song rather than making the guitar playing overpowering and the song secondary... it's a fine line that not many guitar players get quite right IMO.. it must be hard when your a virtuoso player to not overplay on a song
John Mayer has five 1TB HDDs and one SSD all backing up copies of this video
John Mayer is a phenomenal guitar player, end of story
Mayer do it real good.Perfect small swells,and then at the right moment he wail.Respect.
Eric clapton is very Humble ,and modest !!!!
Waaaaaaw ,that's amazing!!!
John Mayer is an incredible guitarist, I just don’t like his music.
Same could be said for Dave Matthews. Fantastic musician and I don’t like DMB
Who Cares If You Like Him Or Dont They Both Have Talent
I care if you like him or not. Also, I like 3 or 4 of his songs, the rest I could do without. You can appreciate how amazing someone is buy still not love it. I think the same about the Doors and Led Zep
Mr. Lee That was one of the finest descriptions of the essence of great playing I have ever seen. It would be particularly useful for all those naive players who spend a fortune trying to copy their idol's rig down to the last pedal thinking that they will then sound just like their personal guitar god -- good luck with that. Mayer is a fine player and a wonderful songwriter. The haters on this site are as hilarious as are their comparisons sublimely foolish. Malmsteen, Satriani, come on. These are great niche players of the how many notes can I jam into a single bar school. They will never be remembered for song writing prowess. Mayer is such an eclectic talent, it hurts his reputation with the single genre fanatics. How dare he write hooky pop tunes, and play Hendrix , wah, wah, get over it. I will now return to my studio and continue trying to learn how to play Neon and sing it at the same time -- that is really hard, and I am a pretty decent player.
Do not be deluded to rope Malmsteen and Satriani into the same category, Malmsteen produces nothing but the same drivel over and over. Spend some time listening to Satriani's extensive discography. There is a little bit of everything among the numerous albums he's released. He has many memorable melodies, he just plays at a much higher, musically complex level than some of John Mayer's "commerical": releases. Not to take away from Mayer's talents, but there's two sides to him: a commercial side and a musical side. It's unfortunate that John Mayer keeps them separated, unlike great musicians such as Satriani and Steve Vai, amongst many others. Even still, his playing simply isn't on the same level as these other guys, but they are more experienced and talented.
You may be right; but I remain unconvinced. (I am not an expert on S.'s full discography.) What I have seen still makes me twitchy. He seems to me to be one of those " look at me, look how quick my fingers are" guys and that has never moved me musically.
You might want to consider a couple of other things. You can often judge the quality of a musician by the calibre of the people who play with him. From Pino Paladino to Steve Jordon, to Clapton, to Herbie Hancock, to B.B. King, to Brad Paisley, to Derek Trucks -- Mayer routinely plays with people of this quality and these guys don't have to play with putzes. (Did you see Herbie look up and smile during Mayer's tasty solo backing Ed Sheeran at the Grammies. )
I don't think guys like Satriani and Vai really play that well with others. If I was one of their backing musicians, I would feel like I was just marking time waiting for them to solo again. As much as I love Hendrix, and Stevie- Rae, subtle collaborations with fellow musicians were not what they were about. This is fine, a matter of taste, not an argument that can be won or lost -- I just like collaborative back-and-forth more as I get older, hence my increasing desire to play jazz.
Another thing that is quite rare in the guitar world is musical virtuosity on both electric and acoustic instruments. Mayer is an amazing acoustic guitar player and as a musician who has played acoustic for more than thirty years, I can tell you without hesitation he is really, really good. The only analogue I can think of is Lenny Breau, a musician so crazy good on both instruments that I don't think he was human. Of course, shredder-lovers don't give a damn about acoustic instruments, never have, never will.
Finally, there is song writing. I am not even going to make the distinction between pop and serious, in this regard. It is so friggin' difficult to write a good song of any sort that you can even get your family to sit still and listen too, much less millions of strangers that, too me, this skill is the pinnacle of musicianship not technical prowess. Listen to the way the lyrics and music blend in a song such as "The Great Indoors" on Mayer's Grammy-winning Room for Squares album. I would happily sell my soul for the abilitiy to write a song that good. Mayer seems to be able to write jazz-inflected tunes, pop tunes that won't leave your head and country songs, and play Hendrix when he feels like it -- now that just isn't fair. I should be a hater just out of envy.
I will listen to some more Satriani, you should try a little more Mayer. Fun discussing this in a civilized way, there is so much comment drivel on RUclips.
Chris Dick Satriani is an incredible composer and a genius songwriter. He is exceptionally proficient at guitar and while you have mentioned that he does play very complex and sophisticated material, you have to take into consideration that Satriani isn't trying to be a showboat on stage, he can play with just about anybody. Of many of the great shredders out there, Satriani is by far the most down to earth and humble of the crop. Michael Angelo Batio is also highly enthusiastic with a remarkable sense of humor. Now to differentiate Michael Angelo Batio and Joe Satriani, Batio is more of a shredder. The man knows his scales and has mastered the technique in economy, alternate, legato, sweep, and hybrid picking. Satriani knows how to take the simplest melodies, in other words Satch writes a song with a story that unfolds behind the melody and other components of the song structure.
Obviously, it is with mere disrespect for me to tell you to listen to Satriani when apparently he doesn't move your soul the way he does for me, but I'll tell you, check out Starry Night, What a Breaks a Heart, Baroque, Midnight, Thinking of You, Made of Tears, and then reply to me what your overall impression is. You might think differently, I wasn't that big on Satch when I first heard him but over time I really became inspired and drawn into his music. According to his own words: "Some of us are going to play faster than others. Hitting the right notes and getting your technique right is so much more important than speed." Take it with a grain of salt.
I plan to go through Mayer's whole discography in the future, that much is for certain. I wouldn't call Satriani a showboat at all. When I saw him live he was nothing like a showboat, just playing his songs with 100% accuracy and timing. He seriously didn't make a single mistake the whole show and we all know how difficult those songs are. He also played very well with another lead guitarist that was touring with him, there was nothing "stingy" about him at all. Have you heard of G3? It's a show ran by Vai and Satriani, where they invite virtuoso guitarists to come and play with them. There are some videos on RUclips that might pique your interest.
Satriani does have some acoustic songs for what it's worth.
I agree that Mayer does a great job of blending pop music and the complex, that is a quality that's rare these days. However, I kindly disagree that writing something 'popular' automatically equates to 'good'. Some people don't make the distinction that these are mutually exclusive things. Passion & Warfare by Steve Vai is hands down one of the greatest albums of all time, in my humble opinion of course. I strongly consider that a very 'listenable' album, which cannot be said the same for some of the 'shredder' guys (which I really think Vai does not belong to). There's mindless shredding and then there's mindful fast playing, the difference is more musically complex than the general populace cares to know.
I'm thankful that we live in an age where we have musicians like Steve Vai and John Mayer. The diversity of music is one of the greatest gifts to mankind, only topped by one's ability to appreciate such diversity.
Very good response and I will check out G3. I really don't know Vai's and Satriani's music well enough to act as a critic. My only point of debate here is that popular is not synonymous with either good or bad. There seems to be a coterie of critics on these music sites who equate popularity with "bad." which is silly. I love Ed Sheeran's music; don't think I'll stop listening to it just because he starts to sell millions of units.
Bu you are so right about diversity in music. We are fortunate to live in the web world where even the most niche-oriented music is there for all to hear if they can just find it.
Eric exercising humility and humbleness
Thank God for music!
Masters recognize masters :)
Internet be like: Who is the Eric guy and why does he like John Mayer?
Aseno Terhüja that's the joke.
Never doubted it for a second. What a compliment though from EC
1:09 santa claus demonstrating how to smoke a cigarette