Advice for Beginner/Intermediate Guitar Players

[@stevec325]

All these years later and I still come back to you, man. I can do what I do, because of you. I went from nothing to playing out. Thanks for giving back. You have talent that many of us can only dream about. But, what you share helps us get the most out of what talent we have. All the best to you!

[@HeadbangersLocal]

“ Practice like you’re Malcolm and you will end up becoming Angus”. That’s AWESOME advice. Great vid 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@ryanprzybocki8155]

Always liked the Stones' Ya Ya's as a guitar album as there's pretty much everything you can think of that you'd want to learn on electric. Keith's rhythm playing, Chuck Berry style leads, open tunings, Mick T's slide parts, and MT's more extravagant soloing/fills. Just learning all of Keith's parts us great practice in both rhythm and lead playing.

[@gfd165]

I am a Dad of three and 50 years old. Wish my house was quiet enough to sit and figure out songs. I play from memory because my ear is gone thanks to my kids music. Lol. Thank you for making these videos. You really help during those 15 minutes a day I get to pick up a guitar.

[@edusiedhi3230]

Happy to know that somebody in a similar situation . Father of one but hand full and I am 53, but I picked the guitar like 10 years ago . 20 min on a lucky weekday. And I live in an apartment!!!! Kkkk😁😁😁

[@jaylakoma3987]

I’m in the same boat as you! Lol

[@Bigbuddyandblue]

Noise cancelling headphones out of Roland Micro Cube or other small battery powered practice amp. One that has an AUX input so you can jam along to stuff on your phone or KZbin or whatever. Keeps me from killing my family. You can set the balance to your bad ear like I do. Gives you enough bliss to forget you're married with children.

[@Nickpaflas]

If you wanna learn / practice blues, the first Fabulous Thunderbirds record (sometimes called Girls Go Wild) is great. Good variety, lots of "room" to hear what you're playing. I spent a lot of my room playing along to Live At Leeds. And play along to Chuck Berry for hours and hours. The man invented rock n roll guitar. I remember the days before everyone had a tuner. At the beginning of practice, we'd just say to the bass player "play your E" and go from there- if the bass player was tuned to 440, so be it. If not, who cares? And learn to tune your guitar to itself. Either with the 5th fret method or harmonics. Honestly at this point if I'm playing by myself I'll just do what JJ does- play a couple chords and listen for something sour. And to everyone who's saying JJ has a great ear, you're right. But everyone can develop their ear. You might not get as good as him, but you'll get a hell of a lot better. But if you just look up tabs, it will be tough. A lot of it just happens over time, but here's an excercise to try. Pick a song that's not super complicated, and try to pick out the melody line. JJ mentions CCR- pick one of theirs and try to play the vocal line. It sounds stupid, but if you can hum it, you can play it. You get the first note (often the root), and the next one is either higher or lower. Just hum that note (like actually hum it out loud) and keep going up or down until you hear it, then work on note #2. You will be amazed how these patterns repeat over and over. Once you're pretty good at that, you can do the same thing with leads. Sure it's slower than just looking up a tab, but it's really helpful. You'll be surprised how quickly you improve at it.

[@jackjackattack9137]

Your a great teacher, thanks for sharing

[@CCB6939]

Hey James, when I first started to learn guitar I was trying to tackle Aerosmith and Zeppelin. My buddy who taught me how to play gave me a cassette of High Voltage and said start with this.. as always thanks for the music James

[@andyledger2307]

Aim for Malcolm - best advice ever. I wish I’d had these videos back when I was a spotty teenager with my first guitar 45 years ago.

[@robertmandour5702]

These videos are the best. I love your style of playing, but sharing what developed your style of playing and how others can dabble are even better. Thanks again JJ.

[@TypicalGirls]

"If you aim for Malcolm, you're probably gonna end up Angus."

[@JoannCarolus]

Best quote ever. 😅

[@angusseletto1511]

TypicalGirls I am Angus,but not the famous one,and not nearly as good on the Guitar,that's why I'm here 👍

[@brandonk8317]

That’s how I started too. I would add the Beatles for Sale album for some good strummin tunes.

[@jaydenwhitlen1489]

First album I ever learnt entirely was A Hard Days Night

[@davepett6531]

I heard your last video where you have decided not to do these anymore . Please don’t stop because of a handful of fools . You’re outstanding and we truly appreciate and enjoy what you do sir

[@TheUlesifah701]

You gotta be kidding me …..😢

[@kravitz1999]

I hope your wrong about this!

[@charlie-obrien]

I learned 'All the Young Dudes' watching your video. This is a good one too. Love that 'Genny Cream Ale' tee-shirt. Classic! Lol

[@JimDiBattista]

Hey bro, I just wanted to come on here and say thank you for the service that you and your wife provide for the world of musical journeymen and women. I really appreciate all the hard work that you put into these two channels and I especially appreciate the fact that you do it for free and don't ask anyone for anything more than to subscribe. There are other guys I'm sure you know all about, who charge people to show them songs, songs that they had no hand in writing yet they demand $ if you want to see the "whole song" what bullshit.I prefer to do it the way that I do it and the way that you have always done it here on KZbin. so once again, thank you from one artist to another who loves the sharing of music and here's to the money NOT being as important all the time.

[@jamesjames9275]

Well, technically, I’ve never asked anyone to subscribe. :). But seriously, thank you.

[@TheUlesifah701]

I love your collection of shirts and jerseys just as much as everything else! You have great taste !! Im 40 so I grew up listening to what my parents did … the album cover for Some Girls is one of the earliest memories of music I have…the faces scared and confused me but the music grabbed me … this has been so cool just listening to you play, your stories, and knowledge on everything not to mention the fact you humbly make these MEGA guitar player channels sound like a joke. Walk soft and shred a big axe!! Much love and respect to you from northern North Dakota !!

[@alann5003]

You have an incredible ear. I couldn't survive without my tuner.

[@jonathanbdaniel]

Alan N I thought the same thing. I can tell if I’m out of tune but it takes me forever without a tuner

[@Skinny_Karlos]

Use your ear first and then check with your tuner. It won't come overnight but it will come and it's an invaluable asset to have. Also, ust listening to a song and having a fair idea of where the next chord is likely to be (also knowing scale tone chords and the ubiquitous song chord standard choices) is enormously helpful in a band setting. Just try it, if you wan't. :-)

[@itsjustmeMike527]

I'm getting back into the art of tuning. How did we ever get along without a Snark? After using one for years it's really difficult to get along without it. I remember going to friends homes years ago, all of us taking out guitars and everyone magically being tuned together. How did we ever do it? All we had were pitch pipes, recordings, or maybe a piano.

[@Dreyno]

I love the way SGs sound so snappy when they’re not plugged in. The strings really ring on them. I was totally Les Paul guy but got a hankering for an SG and now I love it to bits. Fret access, weight, pickup selector switch placement, front facing jack for couch playing and all the sounds of a Les Paul.

[@patrickgrady8866]

Playing songs all the way through is great advice. I am notorious for learning the intros and then a few measures, but then I bail. A buddy and myself thought of starting a band called "The Intros" as a result of my bad habits. Hahaha!! Thanks for the common sense and very practical advice.

[@sim0n17]

yes agreed, CCR is great for this - 3 and 4 chord wonder songs and tuning stuff in there too

[@JohnBindon]

Genesee Cream Ale -- Genesee beer - the pride of Rochester, NY ! I love cream ale and love your videos James !

[@OriginalBlackwiggle1]

There is a rather odd reason why early AC/DC recordings can sound either side of A440. Malcolm and Angus's older brother George Young, and his Easy Beats partner Harry Vanda, were in house producers at Sydney's Alberts Studios, Malcolm used to get a lot of work prior to AC/DC doing sessions as a Rhythm guitarist, it's why he sounds so solid as a rhythm guitarist in even the earliest AC/DC songs. Anyway, both George and Harry were working on what then was a new sound [circa 1974/5] and started making their own drum loops on long strips of tape, using a session drummer....way before Drum Machines were even a idea. Best example of this is Love Is In Air. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hH-mYZ5_r7JkfNE This often used the tape machines Varispeed......I think you can guess the rest, but if you can't, the Varispeed wasn't always reset back before the guys recorded, sometimes by accident, other times on purpose when they found it suited the song.

[@Carrandas]

Great advice! The early Beatles albums are also quite doable.

[@martinpupelnickel3673]

I sure enjoy your videos- one thing to mention is the abilities/mechanics of playing - for example when I was taking lessons the instructor would try an have me play things beyond my abilities- and he neglected to have me focus on playing techniques to achieve levels to get to moderate and advanced songs - the basics to get to the next level - was very frustrating- also a mistake I made was solely focusing on one type of playing- be versatile in learning- country - and finger picking/hybrid picking I completely overlooked - big mistake -- Kudos to your playing - thanks for sharing

[@kbelbeisi]

Live at Leeds is a great album to jam on. Nothing super hard, but totally awesome.

[@bernalm3067]

Any Who album is good to jam with

[@runreilly]

Always thought this album was out of my league.

[@gianninisim3894]

John fogerty solo on I put a spell on you is too me one of the greatest solo ever played

[@glastrongs209]

after the Ajax hangover......was this a nice video to focus on my guitar playing....thNKS

[@karenleblanc1097]

M felix - If you're still recovering from that loss, think of how my Man United friend feels about the whole season. He said the upside was that it would give him more time for his fiddle practice.

[@diatonicjon]

Thank you for existing, sir 🤘

[@LiteralApe]

Great advice. The cars' "dont cha stop" intro is the very first thing i learned how to do on a guitar. About 2 years ago. Im still bad. I learned in my time of dying most of the way, though. So, good progress.

[@paulcooper5748]

Yeah ive come to a dead end with guitar i love it but im playing the same old.

[@michaelorourke3976]

Don't quit

[@bikenband]

Check out more of JJ's vids and I guarantee you'll get out of that rut.

[@SyntagmaStation]

Outstanding advice. If only I had known that in 1987.

[@dbob3405]

Brings back memories of making a Point Marion Pa. run every Friday to buy a few cases of high test beer while a student at WVU (WVU only had 3.2 beer)-it always included some Genesee as well as some Rolling Rock and the Stones or Springsteen were usually on the turntable when we returned-i love your channel and you have a tshirt collection to rival my own

[@naramino1]

Thanks for the reassurance. I've always leaned towards rhythm guitar and felt a bit incomplete because I was never much of a lead player. But I've found that many players I encounter are good lead players, but know less than I do about chord progressions, the ability to play chords and triads all over the neck, and being able to play complete songs. Meanwhile, I'm slowly advancing my lead playing and becoming a more complete player.. Wonderful journey.

[@burnahobliq3120]

Really enjoy the advice style videos. Thanks for the input!

[@1978garfield]

Poor Elliot Easton nobody remembers him even when they are telling you to forget him :) Dude if I could get to where I could play CCR even if I buy the TABS I would be thrilled. I love your vids.

[@ooofest]

This is very helpful - I've been playing off and on for years, but not in any purposeful way. This gives some practical focus that I can also enjoy, style-wise. And . . . Genesee! You've worn the HOG logo, too . . . ah, memories for me.

[@Danman911]

Learn to play the song from beginning to end ! Yes so important.

[@44scoots]

Great video. CREAM ALE!!!! Or when I was younger, known as Scream Ale! Love it!

[@MrRockNRoll]

I find the early AC/DC stuff is a 1/4 step either up or down. I like to use a free app call Audacity where you can change the pitch and dial it in perfectly by changing it to .25

[@mattmartel9990]

A great video. I'm somewhat an accomplished guitarist, and I went back and started working out the High Voltage album after watching this. I had a lot of fun, what Great insight James, thanks. Also lots of great Chuck Berry licks on this album!

[@joebowles06]

Steve Jones had only been playing a few months when Never Mind the Bollocks was recorded?!?! I've been playing for three years and still have trouble with some of those. The first two Stooges albums are great too, but Ron is another one who's playing simple playing isn't that simple once you try it yourself. CCR was a great recommendation too. Lots of simple rhythm parts, and even a lot of John's riffs are very beginner friendly. I like taking his pentatonic parts and trying to learn them in different positions. I found a really fun way to play Tombstone Shadow doing that.

[@davidforman6191]

Steve Jones, so underrated. Total riff master

[@rosskavanagh5053]

Hi James James you’ve reignited my love for AC/DC. As an Australian I grew up seeing their name up in lights at the local ice skating rink and saw them on their first Aust tour after Bon Scott died, with Brian Johnson. And yes, I can now play an approximation of Angus after listening and playing Malcolms parts. Thank you, your my go to when I can’t figure out a song myself. Keep up the great work.

[@listairgin]

Thanks once again James! For your great words of advice. 🌌🌠👍

[@3dsman]

@10:21 - Elliot Easton... total bad-ass guitar player. His compact little solos were such nuggets of genius. Shake It Up is probably my fave...

[@clbdyc]

Shot down in flames is a good easy Malcom lesson.

[@Billye3rd]

This is valuable info, I will follow this advice. Seems I've been stuck in that advanced beginner/intermediate zone forever. Thanks JJ

[@plattecitypaul9983]

Love your stuff, Man. Have for years. I appreciate what you do!

[@truckerkevthepaidtourist]

I find Bob Seger songs are some of the best to learn in the early stages too.. Many future easy chords but learning the strum is where the magic comes on so many of the tunes one one listens very carefully.. few of my favorites to play, I call them go to's is just for working on keeping chords and bar chords and especially strums down. 1. no man's land from against the Wind 2. either Till It shines or shining brightly.. both feature the same kind of strum pattern 3. course Night moves capleton the first frat the tricky part with night moves at beginning muting a great way to learn how to meet some strings not sounding out every single one in the first part of the introduction.. keep up the good work on the channel. I liked the wife guitar challenge and this one here kind of changing up little bit just some good old-fashioned shop talk here.

[@seamanjive]

Your story about Thin Lizzy is spot on....TL in A flat! I recall trying to explain this to a band I was with..they just looked at me in total befuddlement and said "but it IS in A flat..it's on the record". I didn't hang around. Certain riffs just fall out of certain chords. Great vid..you are preaching to the converted here but then I've been doing it for a looong time.

[@isaacjohnson.]

Thanks for sharing James, great advice!

[@rancedelong]

Thanks for the advice James. God bless you.

[@hankhenry15]

Endless thanks for your wealth of knowledge and youtube videos! Learning guitar is such a fun way to explore creativity and you have helped me learn many ways!

[@ImposingRose]

Great video! I think most all your videos are great, but some are more educational than others. This is one of the more educational ones.

[@rayhutto2063]

thanks again for inspiring an old dude to pick it back up

[@surfrby8876]

great video, excellent topic, just different,things that other guitar Teachers would never talk about , you always bring something fresh to YT, and to me the best advice to any guitar player is become a great Rhythm player first,my first teacher told me that ........ I didn't listen 🙄,

[@whmills2324]

Great job 👍 I support your channel!!!!!! Full LIKE & WATCH😎

[@klmp45]

You're the best Mr. James! Genee Screamers! T- shirt reminds me of my days in upstate NY. Luv it!!

[@jaylakoma3987]

Hey James that’s for the advice I don’t know if you read messages from old videos but I hope your shoulder is back to normal from your surgery.I look forward to more great instructional videos.

[@imannonymous7707]

If james says it helped him id better listen to him. .truth is i already know a few dc / bon scott era tunes, but ill do that , hes the ultimate rocknroll rythym guitar player

[@andrewfarrell3901]

One of Rochester’s best establishments!

[@robertgoodwinr6523]

Thank you Thank you so much!! Your lessons have been a huge help in my playing! Greatly appreciate

[@arthurdduda63]

Man,... learning off of vinyl,... the kiddies don't know how easy they have it these days, .. and how easy guys like you have made it

[@MrFrampo56]

Fabulous as ever. I've just discovered your new channel after watching your final video as pt. I was astonished and disgusted to hear that you'd received negative and frankly abhorrent comments on it. As for personal attacks and threats , well I'm speechless. Anyway that's all behind you now. The irony is that you're the best ( in my opinion) teacher/ demonstrator on here AND you seem a really nice guy too with a pleasant demeanour and last but not least - an amazing collection of beautiful guitars. Really guitar heaven for me to behold. Also, you learnt ALL this by ear?? I'm envious in so many ways! Envy is a sin though so I'll just say you're a great human being and a superb musician. Thank you so much from Yorkshire, England. Peace.

[@tagdaddy56]

Great advice.......thanks for sharing

[@sloanchampion85]

Great tips and suggestions...thanks my friend

[@spacedoginnebraska]

Thanks, man! You're the best!!

[@MrDoneboy]

Cool SG...I have a 1980 Firebrand SG Deluxe! Malcolm wrote most of the music for the band!

[@markjohn1298]

Holy shit. Genesee beer!!! Pretty much upstate NY beer 45 years ago!!!!

[@bighardbooks770]

love Love _LOVE!_ the tshirt! Used to drink the cream ale back in the 80s 😅

[@johnnybx3254]

Gene and rolling rock! Glad you are feeling better 👍👏🙏

[@vandelay24]

Great video and recommendations...baby steps...

[@alphasxsignal]

Tom Petty always said the rhythm playing was the key to the song.

[@theycallmeglen]

I totally gravitate toward playing rhythm guitar, I like this video!

[@chrissnape9537]

Your great love it when you teach !!

[@triggerfish6619]

I'm still pretty much a beginner...unlearning many bad habits. Even when I tune up I try to use my ear to find the correct note. Just what I'm trying to do to train my stoooopid dumb ear! 😋🎸🎶🎵 James2 has a perfect pitch ear me thinks and a very great guitarist and teacher!! Yea.. yea... yea!!! Thanks Jtwo

[@meanmrmusician9469]

The Cars' debut album is one of my all-time faves. Here's another one: the "Hard Day's Night" album is important for coming to grips with barre chords *in addition to* the standard cowboy chords.

[@namelesshidden]

thank you so much for your valuable advice! This was exactly what I was looking for!

[@Guitarplayer724]

Dude, I want your shirt! I haven’t had a Gennie Cream Ale in over 20 years! 😃

[@23skidoo46]

I started with Never Mind the Bollocks. very easy all barres .

[@michaelorourke3976]

I pretty much taught myself to play from the first 3 or 4 Black Sabbath albums, I always thought it was easy to learn songs I already memorized from listening, if I can hear the whole song in my head start to finish then the rythym and chords seem to make sense to me

[@MrMojo271]

Thanks a lot for the advice! BTW I’m guessing we’re the same age, and you convinced me to get a colonoscopy. Everything was good. Thanks!

[@MrDoneboy]

Good luck, sir! And I had one at 50 as well!

[@jefferyakathedude]

I'm scheduled for my first one in two days. At the ripe old age of 55. Getting a head start on my clear liquid in fact.

[@kylemoran4343]

When I was a kid, in the early sixties my dad sometimes brought home 45's for my sister, brother & I. Ray Charles, Fat's Domino, Elvis, Sam Cooke, and then one day he brought home "Oh Boy"(West, Tilghman, and Petty), on the B-side was "Not Fade Away" (Hardin, Petty). I must of played both sides of that record for days on end, until my Dad yelled at me for playing it too much. I wanted a Stratocaster so bad after seeing a photo of Buddy, up until I bought my first album, "Surfin' Safari". I saw Dennis Wilson, and became a drummer for a few years. At the age of 37 got a Hagstrom III ($150) from a dude in the local paper and started learning most of Buddy's stuff. I'm 64 and still play, EVERY DAY ! Cheers ! Oh, I do have a proper Strat now.

[@Genjokoan]

My guitar teacher told me that Keith Richards said to get Chuck Berry's Great 28. If you could learn hot to play like that, you would have a pretty good start at being guitar player. Or something like that - 1970 was a long time ago.

[@john84896]

I love that my teacher loves Steve Jones! Has made my day👍

[@RussellBonjornoJr]

Genny Cream! Flying in to ROC from FL tomorrow!

[@robertpeters4075]

Glad to see you hope everything is working out. I'm still praying for you

[@skyhawks4ever]

Beer is good for you. It made Gene see and Bud wiser😜

[@kaydenkircher2076]

Choose a song that's gonna make you wanna learn. If you don't like the song you're not gonna want to learn/play. Oh yeah, make sure to get picking and strumming down correct. Their's my advice for those reading comments.

[@dhy2kb393]

Fogerty got a lot of good sound out of those lead riffs on those classic songs. Always threw me off and couldn't figure it out until I learned the alternate tunings. I learned by ear from hanging around older dudes playing outlaw country. Waylon, Haggard, Hank Jr, David Allan Coe, Johnny Cash.. Classic rock.. Bob Segar, Skynyrd, Eagles, Zeppelin.. AC DC and ZZ Top was a little more advanced ryhthmically.

[@dominicmauricio2474]

Great advice and so true, thanks !

[@Joe_whatuknow]

James James, I watched this a week ago and have been thinking about flipping my neck Humbucker in my SG around. Do you do it on all your SGs? Mine has 57 classics

[@astrologist174]

Your videos are great! Thank-you so much for all this knowledge. :)

[@TomTom-kv5nf]

Brilliant guidance!

[@bikenband]

Ha, good call! AC/DC inspired me to buy my first electric guitar which by the way was an SG copy made by Yamaha.

[@ashleyspeake3168]

Great advice.

[@fernandoc.m.1206]

J.J. Congratulations for all your videos, they are extraordinary for those of us who love music and try to play the guitar. I would like you to answer this question: How old are you and how old are you playing the guitar? Thank you so much for everything.-

[@erman4633]

THANKS AGAIN... great advice.

[@jbbennett9802]

Thank for the sage advice!

[@harrisonhardcastle1465]

I fell through the ice an Angus and came out an Agnes once

[@Dad-Gad]

I like to put on bass backing tracks using different styles on here , for some reason I find reggae frikin hard !!!! Good to test yourself though 👍

[@josephplatania5593]

Nice shirt dude. The screamers