13 Sonic Youth Riffs

[@nathanisaksson]

This dude deserves a like for tuning the guitar that many times alone.

[@MrInebriati]

I thought the same

[@PYRUHIN]

Такое дерьмо как Sonic Yuoth можно слушать только на при американском менталитете, или человеком, у которого вкус - говно. Nirvana - вот, где красота и международность.

[@kdayad]

@@PYRUHIN нирвана?? серьезно? ты выбираешь самую простую и переигранную группу в мире, а не Sonic Youth, одну из лучших групп 80-х?? с таким скучным и обычным вкусом, я бы никогда не хотел, чтобы ты выбирал песни на моих вечеринках. слушай настоящую музыку, ¨My Bloody Valentine¨, ¨Cocteau Twins¨, ¨Mazzy Star¨ а не скучую нирвану, которую слышишь повсюду. нирвана - это хорошо, но не самое лучшее.

[@brotherfromguns9714]

@@PYRUHIN Хоть я и сам топлю за нирвану и она любимая, но ты капец какой глупый чел. Даже сам Курт восхищался Sonic Youth

[@jonathan_vortex]

@@PYRUHIN la tuya por si acaso

[@rodjato]

Ive been playing the guitar for decades… always standard tuning. Every time I try a different tuning I feel like Ive never held a guitar in my life. This is awesome… so is Sonic Youth

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks! I know what you mean. The alt. tunings force you into thinking different for sure.

[@roljavi]

That's what makes them good, because the biggest inspiration comes when you don't have a fucking clue what you are doing and when you are in unknown territory and mentally sets you like you are a child that is drawing and doing it for the joy of it without being stressed that you need to paint like Rembrandt. Every single time I tried a new tuning I made 5 songs in a day or created a bunch of ideas because it's impossible to play those things in standard tuning. Sonic Youth is not the best example of using effectively alt. tunings because they were not abusing them for harmonically rich music because they would create simple riffs and melodies and doubling them with vocals in numerous songs and you can play tons of their songs on standard tuning without missing a thing. But, if you start strumming 4, 5, 6 strings and play chords not riffs, but chords, then it becomes IMPOSSIBLE to play that same thing on standard tuning because it's THEN when you actually start abusing that tuning, the same way you use standard tuning.

[@julienrodriguez4439]

@@roljavi Well said!

[@rodjato]

@@roljavi cool! You’ ve inspired me to try it out! Im also a songwriter

[@daylonsyler5599]

Just play by ear whatever sounds good in alternate tunings. Figure out something original that's the main purpose

[@SCYTHE2525]

With that many alternate tunings I can't imagine these guys get covered too often by too many. It's such a struggle to keep a Les Paul in standard tuning, I can't imagine going to the effort.

[@inaijik]

there's no way they're perfectly in tune so why should you be?

[@kkrsnn5632]

Try keeping a floating bridge in tune with alternate tunings 😊 Keeping a LP in tune is easier. Worse is thebstring tension. Sonic Youth can communicatebwell with Soundgardennwith tunings 😂

[@TheOfficialCaseMade]

Joe Walsh put out an excellent video on how to set up a Les Paul and keep it in tune. I thought for sure I was going to have to put lockers on my Studio, and ever since I followed his tips, it will stay in tune for days at a time.

[@HeyIntegrity]

Do you mean the band or KZbin covers?

[@SCYTHE2525]

I@@TheOfficialCaseMade I've seen that myself! And it was entertaining as well and I also recommend anyone interested to check it out. But if I had one tuning tip that I have only in recent years seen made note of more regularly is stretching the strings. Especially when a new set is on any guitar and don't settle for one and done. Up around the 7th fret stretch them well, tune up, stretch again. I do it over and over until the tuning is hardly affected by the stretching anymore. It might take a dozen stretches or so at that. Even worn strings still get a good stretch during tuning and seem to benefit. Greasing the nut slots with graphite from a pencil lead also seems to help in the process.

[@henriquepseixas4239]

"Which tuning do you use in your songs?" Sonic Youth: "Yes"

[@tgore22]

Check out the tunings used on the first Third Eye Blind album. No matter how you feel about the band, the guitarist was doing some really inventive stuff.

[@whothennow24]

This makes zero sense.

[@GooseGumlizzard]

original.

[@killar1one]

@@whothennow24the joke is they use every tuning

[@Vodka-182]

​@@tgore22same with Blue and Out Of The Vein

[@asdretdghjhfgj]

My brain is completely rotted, tell me why i kept seeing thinking the tuning for Titanium Expose and Diamond Sea said EDGED

[@traxcanonch.2421]

Me too 😭

[@ParkaGrind]

I swear man, Teenage Riot has some of the best riffs ever recorded in that one song alone. Props for going through the effort of tuning up for all these songs too

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks!

[@noelwhite6650]

Sonic Youth changed me as a person and my approach to music. I remember doing the tunings for all these songs back when i was 17. So many broken strings haha. But it was worth it. You absolutely nailed the tone on Silver Rocket.

[@Modern_Hippie]

One of the best bands of all time

[@i-deni-i5138]

Second only after Pink Floyd in my opinion!

[@matteocoda6368]

As a teenager I wanted to sound like them. So I tuned my guitar randomly and put a screwdriver entangled between the strings. Then played Green Day songs as usual. Got somewhat close.

[@bloxsy_]

That'll work.

[@RealAsaMitaka]

Purr is literally one of their best songs ever, nicely played man

[@ianllewelyn]

When I saw sonic youth.. there was a tea chest of guitars to the side of the stage. All different tunings not all 6 string

[@bloxsy_]

Yeah it's crazy how many they had. I think Thurston just uses one guitar and tuning now with his new band. Also that's awesome you got to see them!

[@Morbid0007]

Yeah, I think I read that they used to travel with 25 guitars and basses in various tunings.

[@undrwrldsk8fred]

The way it should be. One guitar for every tuning

[@KSacki]

​@@bloxsy_i saw him last year and he played one guitar, except for two or three songs he used a 12 string. Him and the other guitarist played a 12 string for those songs.

[@DavidGarcia-pi9wn]

Someone should make a pedal that allows you to set the tuning of your guitar through a pedal, string by string. Not a tuner but a modeler just for different tunings. It would allow a lot of liberty to try the alt tuning bands

[@leaframirez4418]

I have never loved a band more than sonic youth

[@brazilnostalgia2]

TRACKS 0:01​ Drunken Butterfly 0:34​ Kool Thing 1:04​ Titanium Expose 1:35​ Silver Rocket 2:09​ Sunday 2:40​ The Diamond Sea 3:06​ (I Got A) Catholic Block 3:28​ Purr 3:51​ Total Trash 4:18​ Youth Against Fascism 4:51​ Dirty Boots 5:24​ Teenage Riot 5:55​ 100% (Thanks, @Bloxsy_ for more videos of riffs ❤🔥)

[@shark6656]

i love sonic youth but i think i will never learn a song cause of this tunings......... omg

[@bloxsy_]

Some are easier to tune into than others

[@rocket69218]

I remember pre-internet and having no idea how the songs were tuned, it made working them out almost impossible! 😂

[@bloxsy_]

This website is very good has all the tunings and tabs www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/tab/

[@sladen3884]

Well played! Dirty Boots made my day totally. You could literally drop entire vids on Daydream Nation, Goo, Dirty etc... Love me some Lee and Thurston

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you. Yeah those are great albums for sure.

[@youtube1235x2]

always love seeing a new video from you

[@julianschulz1620]

It's weird, never got into Sonic Youth, but loved Mary Timony & Helium. Now, i can hear where she got a lot of her ideas from.

[@raphaelfp]

So good to see Catholic Block and Total Trash getting some attention. I wish you could have done the latter's riff until the end though! SY has got several great guitar parts and I think a part 2 would be very welcome

[@bloxsy_]

Yeah. They have such a huge body of work, might be fun to try some more obscure stuff.

[@bigneon_glitter]

F-ing BRAVO. You deserve a 🏆 for the tunings alone.

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you

[@funerariacaetanovelorio7434]

bro i rlly need a spotify playlist with all these songs, im obseessed

[@shifu9276]

They’re the best

[@aziziabdrahman7756]

Amazing as always. I discovered Sonic Youth through your channel, so thank you for this.

[@bloxsy_]

You're welcome. I appreciate you watching the vids!

[@heisenberg6785]

Mildred Pierce is my favorite one

[@firebirdgao]

Miiildreeeeed pieeerce

[@jessicabrum9200]

Diamond sea is my favorite one, hope to see a whole cover here someday :D

[@bloxsy_]

That would be cool to do.

[@aronlange1977]

Amazing! Great covers! Hearing guitar isolated really makes you realize how much of the sound and composition of each song is centered around the different tunings. Good job!

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you. Yeah each tuning has it's own character.

[@Major00Tom]

The guitar track scholar

[@lewchishelltaya5745]

Glad people still know who this band is. Thanks for this. Great job!

[@LaffSoundsIncProductions]

I'm really glad you did another Sonic Youth Riffs video! I love them and their tunings are so weird! I am so amazed how they can come up with so many songs with these tunings!

[@edsohovocals]

Outstanding work, sir. Thanks. 🙌🏻

[@Bewar3them00n]

Awesome stuff, thanks for putting the tunings on too

[@SEVEN7YOUTH]

TE AMO BLOXSY GRACIAS POR SUBIR MAS CICCONE YOUTH

[@jordanmurray410]

Daydream Nation is by far one of my favorite albums of all time, just a banger all the way through

[@mistermatcheu]

Great job! Excellent video! I'm really impressed. Sonic Youth and Pavement are my two favorite bands but I never play them because of the alternate tunings. It's a real pleasure to see you and listen to you play these songs.

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you very much. Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@efficiencygaming3494]

Your videos always come out at the right time. I got into Sonic Youth recently and I think this channel may be to blame for that 😂 That "Silver Rocket" riff never gets old for me. It's so punk and I love it. The "Titanium Expose" riff sounds twistedly melodic in an almost Beatles-y sort of way. That one sticks out for sure. The riff from "Sunday" kind of reminds me of "Coffee and TV" by Blur, except much darker. Am I weird for thinking that?

[@RealAsaMitaka]

Nah i can totally see the comparison between sunday and coffee & tv, similar strumming patterns

[@efficiencygaming3494]

@@RealAsaMitaka Yeah, that and the chord progression gives off a similar vibe. Pretty cool considering it's in a weird tuning. I call it "Black Coffee and TV" 😂

[@jspanos500]

Killer video. Love SY and this hit the spot.

[@dep1001]

Great job! So many awesome SY songs!

[@firebirdgao]

You are the man ! I love Sonic YouTh and you do it perfectly 🎉

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you!

[@CamInABand]

100% looks so fun to play. Also, holy tunings man! You definitely earned a like just from amount of times you had to tune your guitar

[@bloxsy_]

100% was the most fun out of them all. And thanks yeah the tunings were a pain but well worth it.

[@sappy-xg6dl]

Purr! Love that riff

[@christhompson9378]

Nice, some of my faves in there, fun to watch! Was hoping for 'the sprawl', maybe next time? 😂

[@alexcaprio]

One of the bands from my 20s, saw them so many times back in the day. Thurston was always really nice

[@AlmiNia]

those tunings are wild

[@phy2sll]

Awesome. You're an aficionado for sure 😁

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you!

[@nameisnotrelevant]

Clean paying and thank you for the tunings! I'm practicing to tune by ear between songs (caution: strings have broken on me from the random tension they get) my favorite to play is Tunic, that resonance is unparalleled✨ Now interested in Purr...

[@bloxsy_]

For anyone curious to know more about Sonic Youth tunings, tabs and what gauge strings they used, this website is really good www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/tab/ Though I didn't change any strings for this video.

[@bjornhaakestad]

subscribed as soon as i saw how many times this man changed the tunings

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you!

[@mykelc205]

Thanks for doing what I'd never take the time to. 🎉🎉 Superb playing of legendary tracks

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you for watching.

[@someguyontheinternet68]

wish Z) Eliminator jr was on this, the riff is super simple but i love it

[@chrisdaniels4420]

So good. Thank you for this

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you for watching.

[@kkrsnn5632]

100% excellent video.

[@grimblegromblethegnome]

Awesome dude, well done. Sonic Youth rules.

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks dude. Yeah, love Sonic Youth

[@thiagohiromi1849]

Now I know what will be my tunes on the car tomorrow morning on my way to work.

[@remarc69]

That was sick🤘🏻

[@LuminaireNoire]

Awesome video! And oh man, I haven't seen one of those Fender Cyclones in years. I used to have one that I modded with an AVRI Strat neck pickup and Duncan '59 humbucker in the bridge with a push/pull tone pot coil-tap, but I had to sell it for rent money. I always wanted to get the Deluxe model with the triple Jaguar pickups, but Fender stopped manufacturing them and I can only find them online and I don't trust buying instruments over the internet. That is a killer guitar, even with the stock pickups.

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks man. That's really interesting because I'm thinking of swapping the pickups out on this guitar, but I don't really know which to go for. Thanks for sharing that information! How was the '59 humbucker? I was thinking about getting a Seymour Duncan JB because that seems a popular pickup, but I'll have to investigate the '59. Also I love the triple pickup Cyclone, it looks cool but I've never played one.

[@LuminaireNoire]

@@bloxsy_ The JB gives a nice modern humbucker sound, but I prefer the '59 as I like the more vintage PAF humbucker tone. They're both great pickups, but the JB has a higher output and more mid-range. I don't think you can go wrong with either, it just depends on what you're going for. Also, the '59 balances better with a neck single coil IMO.

[@bloxsy_]

Ok that's interesting. Based on your description it sounds like I would prefer the 59. The stock atomic humbucker is very high output and I don't think it suits the guitar overall. I've got it lowered right down and with a coil split. Also your point about the balance with the neck pickup which is also a bit of problem sometimes. Thanks for the advice!

[@LuminaireNoire]

@@bloxsy_ NP, I hope you like whichever humbucker you wind up with (there are lots of good PAF style ones, but SDs and Dimarzios are just as good as the hand-wound boutique ones, IMO). I also agree about the Atomic humbucker; way too much output for me personally.

[@ZachisntReal]

Glad to see some titanium expose love!

[@pepuletrz]

no cavity protection here just total tooth melting sweetness.

[@xTheeLancelotx]

You played some of my favorite SY songs. Total trash sounded amazing. Wasn’t expecting youth against fascism. But that was cool.

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you. Yeah Total Trash is one of my favourites.

[@jameswestley5643]

Thank you for this. Sonic youth is still great.

[@lenadroks]

Amazing!

[@ДенисКраснов-к1й]

Cool video, lifted my mood, I love Sonic Youth :)

[@luisroden1631]

All great. Teenage Riot especially !

[@evertonvargas6763]

Muito bom !!!!!! Aguardando sempre From brazil

[@bloxsy_]

Obrigado!

[@tope6702]

Hi Bloxsy, I´ve been following your videos for a couple of years already and man, let me tell you that you are doing and excellent work. I´m having tons of fun with your tutorials!!!! Thank you!! If your find the time, I will highly appreciate if you can post a video with to more SY riffs: Screaming Skull and Starfield Road. I´ve trying to work these two out for a time but, I´m not happy at all with the result, even using the specific tuning that you can find at SY webpage. I´m sure that you probably have millions of pending petitions. Don´t worry if you don´t find the time for this one. I more than happy if you just keep posting this kind of videos. Thanks a lot!!!! Cheers from Spain!

[@bloxsy_]

Hi! Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m thinking of doing more Sonic Youth tutorials and riffs so I will see what I can do. I know that the tabs on the SY page are not 100% accurate even though it is a really great guide for learning the songs. I will see if I can make sure there are more sonic youth tutorials on KZbin as there are not enough!

[@tope6702]

@@bloxsy_ Many thanks for your fast reply!!! Great!!! Any SY´s new matterial will be super!!!! 🤩🤩🤩

[@crunchers9]

This shows my frustration, for all those years, trying to play guitar to these songs while being in good ol EADGBE

[@Bewar3them00n]

If ever I need an excuse town a few more guitars, I can just say “Sonic Youth” tunings!

[@bloxsy_]

Absolutely!

[@allantucker4972]

Killed it again.. and purr.....

[@stevebond7387]

4:52 Dirty Boots🔥🔥🎸

[@sugmintub]

Thank you for this!

[@August10Ten]

Amazing! Sonic Youth is the greatest

[@hrvojecacic6358]

Absolutely great!!!❤

[@mdorre7607]

just EGDGED to this video

[@alexandrepit85]

My favorite band ❤

[@vanguardcycle]

this was RAD!!! also E#E#E#E#FTW haha

[@odiumimbues]

love that song diamond sea..

[@hosscartwright3431]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Thanks!

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you.

[@frederichiebler4690]

Top job man!!

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks dude

[@postmortemritual]

Lovely work ! Would like to see "Wasted" from "Experimental Jet Set ,," and the incredible beautiful "Unwind" from " Washing Machine" . Also "Brother James" from "Confusing Is sex" or "Chapell Hill" from "Dirty" such a fierce , emotional song, also "Mote" from "Goo" .... so many timeless piece of art in sound and composition. Sorry, so many favss cant get enough Congrats and thanks for your vid. For real.

[@verroleplay1960]

"Deleted" black square is my favorite

[@revoltlikeme]

Guitar techs nightmare

[@Gentedeapata]

Great job! Try with de song called Under th Tilo's Tree by a.uruguayan band called Buenos Muchachos

[@tgore22]

I'm partial to "Incinerate." I think it's in open D# Maj 7 or something like that.

[@bloxsy_]

Yeah that's a nice one to play.

[@adee2569]

fantastic!!!

[@phillramirez8323]

Nice cover and nice cyclone 😎🎸👍

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you!

[@jarrodhroberson]

Thuston toured with a different guitar for every song at one point almost 2 dozen from the stories

[@jdaywork2693]

I love Teenage Riot. Incinerate is another good one. Well done!

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks dude

[@crapweasel17]

Nice work. I've seen all the alternate tunings they use but have never seen information on chord positions or where to play on the neck.

[@nunoallen4788]

You rock, bro

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks bro

[@SGC90-t5y]

So good.

[@japerlm8150]

Sounds good

[@matheusrj22]

Thank you!

[@likethatnice]

TM or LR rlly liked that EGDGED tuning

[@clintonr60]

Hitting 4 out of the 13 seems pretty good considering the way sonic youth plays and tunes.

[@priestsonaplane2236]

Dude I just can’t with the tunings my guitar will fuckin break

[@pedruxxo]

Good night,congratulations by your video,greetings from São Paulo,Brazil,cheers and have a nice weekend for you!!!!!!!!!

[@pedruxxo]

#sonicyouth4ever!!!!!!!!

[@bloxsy_]

Thank you! Greetings!

[@pedruxxo]

@@bloxsy_,you're welcome as always!!!!!!

[@danielktdoranie]

Cool Thing is one of the baddest riffs ever

[@Malady]

How many strings were broken making this video?

[@bloxsy_]

Actually none!

[@raywt3237]

You bet me to it! Some of those tunings are savage!

[@Blisteryn]

Would be so nice if you do a Babes in Toyland riffs video.

[@cdre6747]

It's like a sonic youth lounge cover medley..

[@johnton6488]

You are a Sonic Unicorn!!!!!

[@Hornwiesel]

Awesome!

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks!

[@FlameFlickers]

I thoroughly enjoyed that! What year is that Mustang? It's a beauty.

[@bloxsy_]

Thanks! It's a '98 Fender Cyclone.

[@bratwurstred]

@@bloxsy_ Cyclones don’t get enough love, they’re incredibly cool guitars!!