I'm just grateful you put this tutorial up - this and the others are really great - really clear and not overly-slow - i.e. you teach to the level that you'd already expect someone to be at who's attempting this song, which i love, as some tutorials are just so damn slow. It's a lovely hill by the way, I'd send you a picture of it if i could, took a nice photo of it at dusk last nigt as it happens. Anyway, thanks. Stuff like this is what i love about RUclips. I'd love to see you do some Bert Jansch sometime too :-)
you probably dont care but if you are stoned like me atm then you can watch pretty much all the latest movies on InstaFlixxer. Have been streaming with my gf during the lockdown xD
Nice job. I was fortunate enough to attend RT's Frets and Refrains a few years ago and literally sat at his feet while he tried to teach us this tune. Still working on it.
Thank you immensely for this Jon, you are an excellent teacher. I never thought with my (very) modest talents I would be able to even approach this song, but I have managed to get right into it and dig deep, making a big improvement in my playing thanks to you. Best wishes and good luck! Frank
Hi Jon I tried teaching myself this from watching RT playing and couldn’t get the hang of it, even trying different drop tunings, however you have broken it down brilliantly. I’ve not mastered the whole thing yet, just working on the fiddley bits but it’s all coming together a treat Cheers buddy 🎸🤠
thanks for this excellent tutorial, you really have an easygoing way of delving into the musically genius mind of richard , and all the subtle nuances in their splendid glory, and you’ve got a very nice singing voice as well . thanks again for taking the time to produce the vids
Jon.. (2 Q's/requests at end of this )what a truly wonderful teacher you are. Very gifted indeed. This is a masterclass in guitar tutorials. Like Francis (further down comments) never even considered I could play this song (which I LOVE)..came across your tutorial and found to my amazement I could begin to seriously get into the song. A VERY BIG thankyou. Your lessons are a gift to guitar players. Being able to play this song is a real contribution to my life..to my guitar playing development and skill, and to my happiness and enjoyment of life. I'm 72 now...started playing seriously when I was 58 . Just an amateur with no exceptional talent but a real passion for music. Q1. What are those finger picks you are wearing and do you give lessons/tips in using them. Q2 I'm not great at stretching across the frets but I'm good at alternating thumb (I'm a rhythmic picker and strummer mainly...to accompany my singing) Is there another way of playing the main riff that doesn't involve stretching across 4 frets with little finger, and sounds good? Thanks again man...won't forget who taught me this when I play it.
Really interesting stripped down version Jon, easy way to learn the changes before trying to tackle the tougher patterns... your voice is smooth as silk my friend, thanks for the lesson.
I always try to teach things this way. It gets people going faster and makes it accessible to folks who don't wanna do crazy stuff. Just put out another lesson on this song today so hopefully the ceiling keeps getting higher ;-)
Thanks for the lesson. Love that song , never tried to play it. Though I wished when playing a piece that has a particular tuning that the instructor would simply slow down a bit and at first play each string so the student could grasp a good foundation and actually be able to begin the lesson without having to mess around for a spell tuning up… Or down.😬😊
It's interesting to note you refer to "Travis-picking" for this RT classic as Merle Travis only ever used thumb and 1st finger so this particular song can't be played that way!
Great lesson for a great song. Just wondering I have loads of finger picks but yours look different! Would you share what make and type they are please. They seem effective and accurate.
Alaska picks. Andrew Winton uses them too. They sit under the tip of the fingernail like an extension. They work well for certain tunes, but nothing too aggressive.
every guitar is different and the big variable is string gage but mine wasn't a bit cooperative when it came to tuning the 6th string down to C...I got it sound the open C ok but the E with the capo on 3 was out and the F when fretting at 5 wasn't even close....you may have to tinker around with the tuning quite a bit to get it right.... worth the effort though.
Thanks for this great little tutorial. I live less than a mile from Box Hill and have always meant to get around to learning this :-)
yorrick1971 That literally makes me feel so much more legitimate. I so wish I was there to shake your hand right now!
I'm just grateful you put this tutorial up - this and the others are really great - really clear and not overly-slow - i.e. you teach to the level that you'd already expect someone to be at who's attempting this song, which i love, as some tutorials are just so damn slow. It's a lovely hill by the way, I'd send you a picture of it if i could, took a nice photo of it at dusk last nigt as it happens. Anyway, thanks. Stuff like this is what i love about RUclips. I'd love to see you do some Bert Jansch sometime too :-)
you probably dont care but if you are stoned like me atm then you can watch pretty much all the latest movies on InstaFlixxer. Have been streaming with my gf during the lockdown xD
@Marcos Archie definitely, have been using Instaflixxer for since november myself :D
Nice job. I was fortunate enough to attend RT's Frets and Refrains a few years ago and literally sat at his feet while he tried to teach us this tune. Still working on it.
Thank you immensely for this Jon, you are an excellent teacher. I never thought with my (very) modest talents I would be able to even approach this song, but I have managed to get right into it and dig deep, making a big improvement in my playing thanks to you. Best wishes and good luck!
Frank
I also live up the road from Boxhill, I will say hello for you!
ditto
Hi Jon
I tried teaching myself this from watching RT playing and couldn’t get the hang of it, even trying different drop tunings, however you have broken it down brilliantly. I’ve not mastered the whole thing yet, just working on the fiddley bits but it’s all coming together a treat
Cheers buddy 🎸🤠
Wow - terrific lesson. I’ve tried to play this for years. I finally have a shot.
thanks for this excellent tutorial, you really have an easygoing way of delving into the musically genius mind of richard , and all the subtle nuances in their splendid glory, and you’ve got a very nice singing voice as well . thanks again for taking the time to produce the vids
Jon.. (2 Q's/requests at end of this )what a truly wonderful teacher you are. Very gifted indeed. This is a masterclass in guitar tutorials. Like Francis (further down comments) never even considered I could play this song (which I LOVE)..came across your tutorial and found to my amazement I could begin to seriously get into the song. A VERY BIG thankyou. Your lessons are a gift to guitar players. Being able to play this song is a real contribution to my life..to my guitar playing development and skill, and to my happiness and enjoyment of life. I'm 72 now...started playing seriously when I was 58 . Just an amateur with no exceptional talent but a real passion for music. Q1. What are those finger picks you are wearing and do you give lessons/tips in using them. Q2 I'm not great at stretching across the frets but I'm good at alternating thumb (I'm a rhythmic picker and strummer mainly...to accompany my singing) Is there another way of playing the main riff that doesn't involve stretching across 4 frets with little finger, and sounds good? Thanks again man...won't forget who taught me this when I play it.
Michael thank's for all you do it wonderful.
Your lessons are just amazing. Thanks for these. The treetop flyer series also amazing.
this is incredible , inspired me to pick up my guitar
Yes! This is outstanding!
Great lesson. Simple, clear, and concise.
You’re a genius. Good work
Oh man .. this was perfect ... thank you so much !
A quality tutorial - thanks 😊
Ok that guitar and that tuning are gorgeous
Really interesting stripped down version Jon, easy way to learn the changes before trying to tackle the tougher patterns... your voice is smooth as silk my friend, thanks for the lesson.
I always try to teach things this way. It gets people going faster and makes it accessible to folks who don't wanna do crazy stuff. Just put out another lesson on this song today so hopefully the ceiling keeps getting higher ;-)
Thanks for the lesson. Love that song , never tried to play it.
Though I wished when playing a piece that has a particular tuning that the instructor would simply slow down a bit and at first play each string so the student could grasp a good foundation and actually be able to begin the lesson without having to mess around for a spell tuning up…
Or down.😬😊
And thank you for by far the best tutorial on youtube of this epic tune/tale. Where can I hear you singing it in its entirety? You sound amazing!
Thanks for posting. Great lesson!
Richard Thompson first wrote this song about a 1976 Austin Allegro but had to change it because of a British Leyland lawsuit.
GREAT JOB!
This is brilliant! Thank you so much!
awesome, thanks for putting this up. Love this song.
Thank you so much for this.
no problem. i love this song, so i'm happy to spread it.
It's interesting to note you refer to "Travis-picking" for this RT classic as Merle Travis only ever used thumb and 1st finger so this particular song can't be played that way!
Thanks!!
And down to Box hill, they did b-flat. This is extremely useful and clear-- the way you do this -- but it is also funny.
That cracked me up too.
awesome vid thanks so much
I got rid of my guitars before ytube existed. Too old to try again.
never too old!
Just found it. Awesome.
great, thanks for the lesson!
very cool... great start for this tune. thanks!
now, if you could give us a few tips on using those Alaska finger picks..... :)
haha, beatcha to it.
ruclips.net/video/igkKvU88hZM/видео.html
Excellent tutorials. Could you tell me what finger picks you’re using? Im trying to find some that work for me - to transition from
bare fingers.
Where can I get those fingerpicks you use?
Thanks that’s great, works for me. Would love for someone to work out the Dick Gaughan version though :)
Great lesson for a great song. Just wondering I have loads of finger picks but yours look different! Would you share what make and type they are please. They seem effective and accurate.
Alaska picks. Andrew Winton uses them too. They sit under the tip of the fingernail like an extension. They work well for certain tunes, but nothing too aggressive.
Do people actually know the names of the notes once the go to "open tuning"?
Hey man nice version can you tell me what types of finger picks are you using??
Alasakpiks
for the whole 9 yards, I explain it in this video
ruclips.net/video/igkKvU88hZM/видео.html
What are those finger picks please?
every guitar is different and the big variable is string gage but mine wasn't a bit cooperative when it came to tuning the 6th string down to C...I got it sound the open C ok but the E with the capo on 3 was out and the F when fretting at 5 wasn't even close....you may have to tinker around with the tuning quite a bit to get it right.... worth the effort though.
"OK, I'm going to start out utterly confusing." - bang, I'm gone.