EPIC RIFFS | World's Most Iconic Riff - (I played it wrong)

[@ShaneTheViking]

"Maybe you can clap along..." Now, is my time to shine

[@rhuee0307]

hahahahahaahahaha this comment is hilarious coz it's true! hahahaha

[@SepticFuddy]

Amazing how hard it is for many people to even get that right

[@boogerwood]

OMG your comment threw me into a coughing fit I was laughing so hard.

[@lockyer222]

I just clapped on my stomach……

[@ElCID40000]

I had a similar thought, but quickly realised I'd overestimated my abilities...

[@BrianWilson-cf4re]

Dick Dale was a amazing man, a good guitarist, pilot, artist, studied martial arts and was a adventurer. People might not know but Dick played a lot of instruments besides guitar. Dick also helped Leo Fender in developing the guitar amplifier which we use today, in other words, Leo used Dick to experiment with his amplifiers. Remember it was Leo Fender who developed the crossover. I had a opportunity a few years ago to interview Dick Dale on my radio show. It was a amazing interview, it lasted about two hours. I learned a lot about him in that interview, he did more than just play guitar. Rest in peace Dick Dale

[@cristhianreyes3437]

Wooww great, any chance we get to hear that interview?

[@BrianWilson-cf4re]

I do have it on a thumb drive but it is in storage right now...

[@davidmichaelzacharia2308]

Dick Dale also made Leo Fender deaf in one of his ears.

[@claudiosuarez1256]

yes sir , and i guess i remember Leo said that if an Strat could survive Dick Dale`s playing it would survive any player in the world ,so he had to do the strat stronger 🙊🙊🙊 I think also Leo helped him a lot when DD was a beginner , quite a nice history 😃👍

[@drdre4397]

@@BrianWilson-cf4re Awesome that you were able to meet the man in person! Thank you for sharing.

[@Zecrid.]

I was at one of his last concerts before he passed away, while his age definitely affected him as it would anyone at 81. He could still play Misirlou perfectly, absolute legend.

[@jakkangarza7078]

I was fortunate enough to see and meet him in San Antonio, Texas.a small bar ,a Sunday night.about 60 people.i thought LEMMY WAS LOUD!!!! it was an honor.very nice and informative man. Legend

[@crs1639111]

I knew Mr. Mansour well enough to have his personal phone number, and always had tickets waiting for me when he came to my town. That being said, thank you for this video. He was a very interesting man in his music talents, personal life, and how he lived right to the end. I’m a “Dickhead”.

[@williamrusso3130]

I saw him around the same time. It was more of a one-man show with 3 or 4 songs peppered in.

[@unck42]

I was lucky enough to see Dick Dale live a few years ago before his passing. It was in a little bar in Salt Lake City called Liquid Joe’s, which has a surf tiki bar decor, and there were probably only fifty people there, and half of them just came for the bar, and not the show, but it was amazing, and being a guitar player, and loving Surf Rock, especially Miserlou, I was able to talk with Dick for about an hour, and he told me a lot of great stories, and where and when he learned to play the way he did. It was incredible. He is still the king of surf guitar. R.I.P. my friend!

[@coversbymark1379]

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing it.

[@marcdemell5976]

Wonderful!

[@WillBravoNotEvil]

Good grief! What are the odds? 😄

[@alfandeddie]

Saw him 5-6 times when he came through Houston. Always brought earplugs😄

[@deadredeyes]

Liquid Joe's was such a great place to see shows. Great to see that it's still going.

[@thisisfrankie]

This type of scales and hammer-on/pull-offs are very common in almost every Bouzouki player in Greece. But to hear it on a strat with the spring reverb cranked up to 11 and in the 50's? That's very unique if you ask me.

[@mertsoyluoglu9791]

Saz players in Turkey too. There's almost no note they don't embellish. And not just single hammer-on / pull-offs, double even triple. That's probably why bouzuki and saz players instantly start shredding when they take up the guitar.

[@thisisfrankie]

@@mertsoyluoglu9791 very well said my friend!

[@es330td]

He was legendary for destroying equipment. Fender would send him amps which he would then break. Finally a Fender rep came to a show and afterwards said "Okay. NOW I get what you need."

[@rhineriversurf5594]

Well, it is a Greek song 😉

[@jamesmccormick875]

Middle Eastern music as well. I use this scale a lot. I mix traditional middle eastern instruments and music with hard rock and sometimes industrial music for my songs. This scale, if played correctly, can be erotic or sensual. It brings a beautiful dissonance, waiting to be resolved. Every guitarist need this scale in their arsenal for both soloing and writing. PS, If you are a guitarist and don’t know who Dick Dale is you need to search his music out, sit back and learn from the master.

[@arieltools]

This guy is amazing. His gentle tone is unrivaled among Creators. Love how musical you are even when moving through video sections. Delightful!

[@makius1400]

Got to see him play on his 70th birthday. He played for 3.5 hours straight and blew the roof off the place. Still the best show I've ever seen... R.I.P. Legend 🙏

[@Shauny90]

I absolutely love how musicians can be so enthusiastic about one riff and how you can tell it changed them and excites them.. awesome to see so much passion

[@someoneonyoutube1993]

Well that's all what's left to excite them to break down and the sound. Everything else is boring since it's mastered.

[@paultomlin8278]

​@@someoneonyoutube1993 nothing is "mastered" even the people that make the original guitar to any song I guarantee they wanted more to add to it and they ended up with what they considered close to what they truly wanted.

[@alexdialogaoficial]

¡Gracias!

[@Bacca839]

To say that this riff is iconic is to undersell it massively. It's so thematic, so ridiculously cool and will always bring a smile to my face every time I hear it. Having it broken down and explained to me just makes me admire it more.

[@kamikaze4172]

I remember seeing a comment saying "it's a cover of a cover of a cover", and I ended up looking into it to find the original song. It's a song with more history behind it than the listener would expect, and be unaware of otherwise. Though I don't play, this is an incredible lesson all on its own. Thank you

[@Soldano999]

It's actually a cover of a cover of a cover.

[@vovahimself]

Link?

[@kamikaze4172]

@@vovahimself kzbin.info/www/bejne/goiZonqvaLenrbs I don't know how reliable the source of this is or if it's even the original song, but it's a start

[@yessir6427]

@@kamikaze4172 seeing it was written by a Greek from a city that was multicultural(Greek-Turkish) back in the day, the lyrics being about a Christian mans love for a Muslim girl, the name of the song meaning "Egyptian" in Turkish, then adopted to Western Music and becoming the most iconic riff ever, i love the trivia behind the song.

[@enjoywithpriyanshu166]

The Double Harmonic Major Scale which is the base of this iconic riff is quite prevalent in Indian Classical Music where it is known as the "Bhairavi Raag." It is one such scale which forms the basis of so many iconic Indian songs. These amazing contributions to the entirety of music from different culture really shows and enriches the musical experience for the entire population of the world.

[@mukhisunil]

It is not Bhairavi but Bhairav, a completely different raga. The scale of Bhairavi has a flat 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th while the scale of Bhairav only has a flattened 2nd and 6th, namely double harmonic.

[@bobsbigboy_]

@@mukhisunil okay dude...

[@ericsvilpis1635]

@@bobsbigboy_ don’t like specificity?

[@devdutmn9608]

​@@mukhisunilyea it sounds like Mayamalavagowla

[@bardsamok9221]

​​​​@@mukhisunilnice comment! I'd never heard of Bhairav! But does anyone why flattening the 6th is commonly referred to as "harmonic" in old school music theory? Edit: Apparently most likely goes into obscure analysis of ancient greek tetrachords. Hopefully in future AI can figure out a modern more intuitive music theory.

[@RC32Smiths01]

The late Dick Dale was truly ahead of his time. I love this tune!

[@AndreasAtSea]

This was not written by Dick Dale … This song is a 1927 song written by a Greek rebeti - kzbin.info/www/bejne/goiZonqvaLenrbs

[@lockyp204]

Definitely one of the most unsung guitar heroes. He was a badass. Some distortion, humbuckers, and palm muting and it’s heavy metal 🤣 🤘

[@Yeowtch]

@@AndreasAtSea a versão original é um lixo ... Dick Dale reinventou a música

[@nzslol]

@@Yeowtch both versions are sick af

[@jimturner5800]

As a composer of advertising music in the 90's , post Pulp Fiction where it was heavily featured, this track was the bane of my life. Every ad exec wanted that twangy vibe on their ads (I'm not really a guitarist). Finding anyone who could play a similar riff at that speed was nigh on impossible. You did a great job...it's a lot harder than it looks!

[@elrincondelaguitarra3050]

Yes it is! And everytime you play it someone will do the Pulp Fiction dance moves.

[@DMSProduktions]

@@elrincondelaguitarra3050 What ABOUT the BATTUTSI?

[@MrSmiley1964]

Working in a guitar shop at this time taught me well that many people tried, but few succeeded in catching that wave. It became the Stairway of my life for a while. I still don't play it well enough.

[@elrincondelaguitarra3050]

@@MrSmiley1964 I did learn 'Misirlou' from a guitar transcription on Total Guitar Magazine. Had to start slow with a metronome on 60bpm and work it up to speed little by little. It took some time, but it was well worth the effort! This tune is a sure showstopper if you master it.

[@MetalMarauder]

it’s actually very easy

[@NewfieMan98]

YOU TALK ABOUT THE RHYTHMIC PATTERNS!!! I'VE BEEN POINTING THIS OUT TO LITERALLY EVERYBODY!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU RIGHT NOW! So many people do a "breakdown" of this riff and lessons and everything, but they miss that subtle rhythm! I felt like I was going crazy cause nobody else was actually pointing it out.

[@nachogarcia2159]

Honestly this is probably the song “analysis” that I’ve enjoyed watching the most. I don’t know how you do it man but you always get me with the tiny details that nobody notices but really make the difference. Thanks for an awesome experience 🙌🏽

[@UncleRJ]

Now that I listened back to it, the song sounds a lot more Middle Eastern than I initially thought. That sounds so incredible and I love it even more.

[@quintalozzo]

Misirlou IS a Middle Eastern folk song, a Greek song. The translation is "Egyptian woman".

[@drdre4397]

@@quintalozzo most surf rock uses the byzentine scale which gives that "middle eastern sound".

[@airconditioningunit9777]

gotta love the byzantine scale

[@YavuzErol]

@@quintalozzo Nobody knows the origin for sure, it might be Turkish or Egyptian

[@bouzoukiman5000]

@@YavuzErol not the point. It's that Misirlou is the Greek name and it was by far the most famous version. Dale could have done it to just about any song from any culture in that region and get the same result. Like the Turkish song Rampi Rampi would be perfect

[@7StringsAreBetter]

Thanks! This is SO getting demonetized. Here's a genuine thank you for your excellent clarification. Wish I could give more. Please keep these vids coming. ❤

[@arfer1470]

I saw Dick Dale live in london, it was an awesome concert. He did crazy stuff like playing the bass players bass with drumsticks while the bass player fretted the notes, a great showman 👍

[@benh715]

I’m no guitarist, but it’s always a pleasure watching someone who is passionate about what they do. Great video.

[@JackBremer]

snap

[@stephenalexander6721]

Thank you. This set me off to playing Miserlou after Miserlou, going back as far as 1927, for about 3 days. When I obsess on a song that's how it goes. Your explanation and demonstrations were great. Again, thank you.

[@dennisfallon6185]

The last time my band opened for Dick Dale I took a photo of his Dunlop custom set of strings: 16, 18, 20p, 38, 48, 58

[@es330td]

I clicked on the comments to look for this. I saw him at The Laboratory in San Antonio, TX and asked about the strings and he told me the sizes. I'm a jazz guitar player and my high E string is a relatively heavy 12 so I was shocked when he told me his is a 16.

[@TangiersIntrigue]

Ooof.

[@Prossdog]

Holy crap. That’s insane.

[@lordsiomai]

Man his strings were thicc

[@WillBravoNotEvil]

@@es330td Musicians & pilots. Often a bit shy but get -them- us talking and -they- we won't shut up. 😎

[@NassosConqueso]

Great video Paul! The song was inspired by Middle Eastern melodies, however the known "original" version was recorded by Greek Rebetiko musicians. You may not recognise the Greek letters, but the version that you inserted between 2:07 and 2:14 was recorded by Tetos Dimitriadis. By the way, these musicians didn't think in scales, but in pentachords and tetrachords instead, which when combined constitute dromoi ("roads"). As a result, this song is written in Hijazkar (or Hitzazkar) dromos, which is made by connecting two Hijaz (or Hitzaz) tetrachords. Interestingly, if you think that the Double Harmonic major is the Western equivalent of the Hijazkar dromos, then the Phrygian Dominant (or Phrygian Major) is the Western equivalent of the Hijaz dromos. The equivalencies of two unrelated Western scales/modes, belong in fact in the same family, which is even betrayed by their names (Hijazkar & Hijaz). Cheerios

[@andrewoverhere8525]

Mind blown. Tell me what you're listening to right now

[@mayalimayasizkarisik]

so that's the name "Misirli" of Turkish origins lol.

[@theredshirts7245]

Thanks- my buddy who is a musician from Iraq mentioned that this song used Hijazkar, but I never got more than what the scale was- appreciate the insight about how it might be thought of.

[@alcoholya]

I didn't understand one single word of this.

[@randomstuff1315]

Middle Eastern melodies originate in Greece and not the other way around. Why does no one know that? Greeks did not use the western scale until recently.

[@diabeticmonkey]

It’s so cool how you can see his influence in metal. Dick Dale was an impressive guitarist

[@_h1ghl4nd3r]

This is one of the first songs i "taught" myself to show off with in high school after hearing it on Guitar Hero. Needless to say, I was playing it wrong the whole time. Great video.

[@adityamohan1773]

It's one of the easiest to learn by skipping ornamentations. But easily one of the most impressive and impressionable songs

[@random275]

Well analysed Paul - there were things in there which I hadn't noticed. Enjoyed your explanation.

[@marcdemell5976]

Oh man some double bass drumming would fit right in.

[@3dimensions540]

400th like 🤣

[@WorldWholeMusic]

I've been playing the Oud for 19 years now, and this riff never gets old for me, and I don't even listen to the oriental version I love the Dick Dale version. It was a pleasure listening to Paul talking about the Oud and how informed he can be about different kinds of music :)))

[@dblat1291]

It’s also called hijazkiar scale played with the passing notes for embellishments. A dromo in Greek and maqam in Arabic.

[@TheZnth]

And Bhairav in classical Indian

[@greigclement9081]

Its amazing how the musical influence of one culture affected the surf culture across the other side of the world just as the Fender strat was becoming influential in its own right. These collisions make music amazing !

[@lordofrims]

Butterfly effect 😀

[@empire0]

Especially when the origin has absolutely nothing to do with surfing

[@andrejavuckovic6735]

Beautiful old Oriental Mediterranean melody, great lesson and amazing dissection as always Paul! There is a piano version of this melody from 1947. "Misirlou" by Jan August an American pianist.

[@kevinhegwood615]

As an intermediate guitar player, I love this video. I figured out the notes by myself, but love hearing the music theory behind those notes. I remember my friends telling me I played this song wrong, "use a metronome", I was right Dick Dale played in rhythm and used feel. I got that, but I could never, NEVER hit those descending slides right. Fun to watch.

[@kennethyoung1485]

Saw-heard Dick Dale 2012 at a small club, he played, talked about his life and career. A truly wonderful show that I was fortunate to attend.

[@erikliljenwall8185]

The thing about Dick Dale playing his guitar strung upside down that everyone overlooks, is that the neck pickup was mounted at the standard angle, which meant it was at the opposite angle relative to his strings. So the it was even closer to the bridge for the low strings, making them brighter, and further from the bridge on the high strings, which made them sound a little warmer and louder. That meant his volume and power was more consistent from the low E to the high E. Also, he only used 15s in his speaker cabs, (The bass player used 10s, I think, or maybe 12s) and he had those fckers cranked. He had to hang his outboard spring reverb by a rope so the vibration of the stage didn't make it crash all through the set. . And then there were bridge cables he used for strings. Every choice he made about his gear was either to make his sound as louder and bigger, or managing the unwanted consequences of it being so loud. He was carrying entire songs on one string, 9s or 10s just ain't gonna do the job. Standing in front of the stage at his shows was like standing behind a jet engine. True legend. His influence on music is enormous.

[@arthurdurham]

*Me before I found this channel:* "I'm a good guitarist!" *Me after finding this channel:* "So apparently I don't know how to play guitar"

[@bryanbrett6037]

Yeah man me too! Lol

[@WillBravoNotEvil]

Me with almost any keyboard player. I finally just started saying I play rhythm piano. Naturally no one gets the joke so I also have a quick explainer locked & loaded. 😝

[@bciecko1]

There is playing a song then playing a song the way the original artist plays it. David is great at showcasing those little intricacies.

[@JellyrollHorton]

Me after "I will never know how to play the guitar"

[@yobrethren]

So i tried learning a handstyle heavy (pretty easy song btw, i know how to play it now) song, it's super calm and slow, but a little full of variations and it just happens to be that i started learning it like 3 months ago and learned exactly a half of it, first half like my toes i know And after just sitting at it extra 10 mins i figured exactly how and why i failed it. Pretty funny how easy songs feel after you learn them fully, taht's why i try to not indulge myself in awesome riffs and allathath, and try to learn songs from start to finish, at least a more easy variation The Song is На Кухне by Кино by the way, if anyone's wondering

[@radeum1010]

A fabulous lesson for drummers too. To be able to appreciate the complex technical rhythmic and melodic elements of that riff. And what a groove it truly is.

[@pantognost]

Man, your positivity is great! Love how you break down a really mean oriental riff. The original Greek song (it was composed in then1920s n Athens and then covered in the 30s by many Greek bouzouki players in New York) is actually in some mean folk Greek (Lebanese or other middle eastern tbh) scales which are sometimes played on fretless instruments with flourishes outside the common scale spacings! In any case your break down of this classic made me move the packed up guitar down from the closet’s top! For that I thank you! Cheers!

[@gearwatcher]

I highly doubt this version of the origin story. The song is known throughout the Eastern Mediterranean, and the only Greek community this song is seriously attributed to is the Greek community in Istanbul, not Athens. And it's Turkish Greek artists that made the first recording in the USA in 1920s. However, the simplicity of the melody - ie the fact that it's a simple up and down the Hicazkar scale, a very common makam throughout the middle East, and that every middle Eastern ex-Ottoman country claims it to be their own folk song (apart from oddly the Balkan ones, which also doesn't work too well towards the claim of Greece origin), both suggest it's probably an old folk standard from Ottoman times.

[@Craven01]

@@gearwatcher Recording songs wasnt a thing that people cared about in Greece in the early 1900's until the late 20's - early 30's,simply because music like this was played in places with "bad" reputation and people playing this kind of music (together with rembetika, zeimbekika etc) were acting almost like gangsta rappers in the early 1990s performing mostly in close groups with no easy access to outsider. The confusion that people have is between "Tetos Dimetriadis" a Greek from Instanbul that was an immigrant to the USA and "Patrinos" a Greek from Smyrna that after the disaster of Smyrna and the massacre of Greek civilians by the Turks back in 1922, was relocated to Athens (like most Greeks in Smyrna that survived from the massacre, like my own grandfather). Some people think that since Dimetriadis recorded it in the USA, he is the one that composed it. Thats not the case. Patrinos, performed it in 1927 a few years before Dimetriadis recorded it and it is thought that he wrote the lyrics, but even he is not considered the composer by most although he has the credits! Usually the composer to songs like this before 1930, was unknown, mostly because the composition was done from all the members of a band and the leader was taking the credits (just like Patrinos did back then). There is a rumor that they could be influenced up to a point by an older Egyptian instrumental from the early 1900's but cant be confirmed So this song, as we know it, was composed in Athens Greece and was called "Misirlou". It was about a forbidden love with an Egyptian girl. Word Misirlou comes from the Turkish word Mısırlı meaning "Egyptian" that is actually an arabic word (Misir) and that is why the song has a few other arabic words in the lyrics. It was a slow song and on the first version it is said that because Patrinos had a heavy accent, he was singing "Mousourlou". It is also said that Patrinos recorded it in Athens a year before the song was recorded in the USA but cant be confirmed. In 1941 another Greek immigrant in the USA (Nick Roumbanis) recorded an oriental version without lyrics (faster with a fusion of oriental and some Jazzy elements). That version is the one that became popular in the middle east, is the version that actually influenced Dick Dale and is the version that confused people thinking that its probably a traditional middle eastern song. Many versions were recorded after that (mostly by Greek artists and some Arab artists) until Dick Dale recorded the instrumental version we all know today. I think in Greece, the most popular version back then (again a slow version similar to the 1927 version) was the one from Sofia Vembo in 1947 (a very famous female singer). History was way to complicated back then all over Europe and the middle East so it is difficult to trace it properly.. Lyrics by Patrinos (most probably) roughly translated by me (with the same strange syntax that the Greek lyrics have): My Misirlou, your sweet look Α flame has ignited in my heart. Ah, ya habibi, ah, ya leleli, ah, Your two lips are dripping honey, ah. Ah, Misirlou, magical, elven beauty. I will go crazy, I do not suffer anymore. Ah, I will steal you from Arabia. My crazy black-eyed Misirlou, My life changes with a kiss. Ah, ya habibi, one little kiss, ah From your sweet little mouth, ah.

[@gearwatcher]

@@Craven01 You weave a nice narrative but provide very little to substantiate it. Wikipedia says this: "The folk song has origins in the Eastern Mediterranean region of the Ottoman Empire, but the original author of the song is not known. There is evidence that the folk song was known to Arabic musicians, Greek rebetiko musicians and Jewish klezmer musicians by the 1920s." Given how much shit stir any touchy-feely Ottoman zone nationalism subject usually causes, if there was any compelling evidence for your argument it would be cemented there. Apparently the best they could settle on is "author unknown, song known to various Ottoman musicians before the 20s". You can also look at the Wiki talk page and sources to see how deep the rabbit hole goes. Lyrics schmirics, the ONLY important aspect of this song is melody. Or better put, lack of it. It's a simple up/down a VERY POPULAR SCALE. To suggest that this simple up/down of a makam, in the tradition where students learn scales by doing EXACTLY THAT is somehow authored in 1920s is ludicrous.

[@Craven01]

@@gearwatcher So Wikipedia is your source of reference? A very "serious" source.. then If that is the case why dont you consult the Greek version of wikipedia that the information is TOTALLY different? You see, wikipedia is not a serious source and the fact that two pages for the SAME thing has different information, proves it. What about if a middle eastern guy goes and edit the page and write "The song has origins in XXX country", will that make it a fact?. Funny thing is that as a Greek, I never said that the song wasnt influenced from other songs but it was Egyptian songs not middle eastern. Its not a contest, after all the info that you propose is correct, says about Greek composers, so If my problem was proving that Greeks wrote the song I wouldnt mind if they where Greeks in Turkey (like my Grandfather was) or in any other country, but I am saying the opposite thing, that the song was most probably was influenced (not written, influenced) byt EGYPTIAN artists, not Greeks. Finally, Let me know as a Greek a little more about Greek songs than a foreign guy in wikipedia.

[@dirtyharry1881]

@@gearwatcher You seriously quote Wikipedia as a source? What a joke... You know that anyone can write there, right? If I go now and write sth, the next minute I can quote myself as "what Wikipedia writes"....

[@mbrownie22]

You and Beato are masters at breaking down songs, great job with this iconic riff.

[@iliketrains3495]

@@AzathothsAlarmClock As soon as the word 'augmented' came out of Paul's mouth I instantly heard Pat's 'BEATO' in my head

[@milospopovic4878]

This tune just become even more legendary, always loved the "andalusian trumpet theme" starting after wild "oriental". Paul thank you for breaking down these and showing that beauty is in details.

[@giisfa]

This is amazing!! I’m an amateur musician and while I’m not very skilled, I’ve always loved videos like these breaking down music theory and incorporating song analysis. I’m a Lebanese-American and both love the surf rock guitar style and songs using middle-eastern scales, so seeing both elements in this song is fascinating! Love your videos 🖤🎸

[@Nachotina]

This is one of the riffs that everyone plays wrong, legendary.

[@doim1676]

Well i could have played it correctly, because i heard these embalishments, i just lack the technical ability to pull it of at full speed 😂

[@KingPepeLePew]

the reality is most riffs are played incorrectly by the vast majority of players...we all play what we think sounds correct (close enough) and others seem to agree with us because we all seem to miss the musical embellishments and focus on the obvious.

[@hathatsfunny1911]

@@doim1676 same

[@peelslowly28]

If you want to play it "correctly", turn your guitar upside-down.

[@gbormann71]

@@doim1676 Exactly, you also have to hammer on it in order to pull it off! 😉

[@rakeshrainmusic]

Paul you're a great player and greatest teacher. You're seriously getting better at it every moment. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@watkinscopicat]

i was very lucky to see him live in a small club about 20 years ago, he was absolutely INCREDIBLE, mind blowing, face melting sounds. 🙌

[@walter4748]

Why did seeing his poor living conditions make you so happy

[@antonyferreira5285]

I'm loving the quality of the production/videos on the channel. Good job Paul!

[@fatkitty4207]

Yeah, his videos are organized very good

[@antonyferreira5285]

@@fatkitty4207 Yes, he also puts excerpts from the music he is referring to, I think this is very good, he has several excellent points.

[@fatkitty4207]

@@antonyferreira5285 yeah. It also looks like a movie. Maybe because of the ambient in the room idk. It is just 👌

[@leonr0]

Great audio, great video, great beard

[@TheMerc1950]

Dick Dale was a legend! Saw him live a few times, loved that he would still pull out his old zippo and play an entire song with it lit using it as his slide.

[@jeffro.]

Wow! Wish I could've seen that. 🤪

[@willflint5014]

He wasn’t called a “showman” by Leo Fender for nothing!

[@bouzoukiman5000]

I saw him up close at the Coach House in OC and he didn't do that

[@TheMerc1950]

@@bouzoukiman5000 last time I saw him he did it was back in 2008? Iowa City at Gabe's

[@Jerfish1]

I remember as a kid listening to 90’s grunge and having my mind blown by early 60’s pioneer surf guitar, Dick Dale and the Deltones. It was great piecing it together on guitar so that it was at least recognizable, and I certainly always played it ‘way wrong’ lol. But fun. Thank you so much for this breakdown! Really awesome.

[@foljs5858]

As someone from the eastern mediterrenean, every note in this mode (it is an eastern mode) comes as naturally and is as expected as I-IV-V chords come to a rocker...

[@chilldude30]

Cool

[@ACyoutube46]

It's a very ordinary and common scale, Hijazkiar scale. It's one of the first you'll learn in Greece or the middle east. Also called Phrygian dominant in the ancient world.

[@frizzlefry2436]

I'm not from the eastern Mediterranean but eastern mode has always sounded so awesome to me. I use eastern mode a lot

[@WhyNotChris0]

Not many people knew that Dick Dale was of Lebanese descent. Last name was Mansour.

[@tomas_nehyba]

@@ACyoutube46 Phrygian dominant is very similar but little different, DHM has major 7th, whether Phrygian dominant has minor 7th.

[@sparky6086]

I saw Dick Dale play a concert in a small venue around 30 years ago. I remember being impressed at him pulling out a trumpet in the middle of playing "Miserlou" on his guitar, and he playing the trumpet part flawlessly.

[@jamesmccormick875]

I used the Double Harmonic Minor scale frequently. I mix middle eastern music and instruments with hard rock and at times industrial music. Every guitarist needs to have this scale in their arsenal. It creates a wonderful dissonance waiting to be resolved. With the right beat and playing with in this scale can bring a very erotic sound that evokes an almost trance like state to the audience.

[@animefreak55060]

One song breakdown I've always wanted to watch Is Midnight Rambler by The Rolling Stones, live version from Ya Ya's. Particularly Keith's rythym part. Its so simple yet there's so much variation and man he just keeps the grove of that song moving. It's a testament of Keith's rythym playing. Would love if you can do a video on it.

[@rauldorsman8191]

Brussels affair version on the latest goats head soup super deluxe version is beyond great. The way Charlie watts takes the lead in that song really shows his greatness

[@Skypie61]

Thanks!

[@kobbetop]

Dick Dale is one of my all time favourites, listened his records hundreds of times. He had a true gift for guitar playing but he mastered other instruments too and was a riot on stage right through the end. What a legend.

[@garyssimo]

extrem riot! loved him live in a tiny club 2006ish

[@chipsterb4946]

I loved the fact that Paul had to close his eyes and stop moving anything but his hands in order to concentrate on getting this right. It’s also really cool that the trumpet continues with that odd scale while Dick Dale moved to something else underneath for the rhythm guitar. Thanks!

[@russellmartin7757]

This is my absolute favorite guitar piece. I was born the same year that this piece was made popular around the world. Thank you for teaching the right way to play it. I figured this out years ago, trying to learn it. It opened up an entire world of music I never really knew about. Thank you.

[@ThePauseMenuVlog]

The effort in this video and your others should not be understated. Thank you for the value of content you are putting out.

[@JensLarsen]

Great lesson! I've used this song so often in lessons (though in the simple version :) )

[@SpeedKingHighwayStar]

Agree it's a great lesson, as all of Paul's lessons are. But as regards the riff being the world's most iconic riff that's a matter of personal choice, for me any Sabbath riff blows stuff like this clean out of the water and seem incredibly tame and underwhelming, and personally Floyd material played by David Gilmour also makes this kind of stuff seem very basic. Personal choice as with all music.

[@bojangles6444]

@@SpeedKingHighwayStar be grateful he didn’t know about the dance from Pulp Fiction. This song was popular then and I had a teacher who had an album of surf music. It was all the exact same tremolo picking and boring. It made me dislike the sound of strats for a brief moment. It sounds like an old alarm clock radio with no low end. The production is like “And Justice for All” where bass is an after thought. I didn’t know Lars produced this stuff he must be older than he looks.

[@bojangles6444]

@@SpeedKingHighwayStar coming from somebody who covered a lot of Sabbath songs in a band- it’s a lot more fun to play by yourself. Playing paranoid over and over gets boring as hell. It’s fun the first 200 times but will where out it’s welcome a lot of the early songs are almost the same riff the entire song. It’s better when they play it. I dunno what it is but only Tony Iommi and Zakk Wylde also to some extent keep the energy level up playing those riffs over and over.

[@SukacitaYeremia]

Paul: Maybe you can do the claps for me? Me: Don't tempt me I'm trying to learn!! Paul: * slides* Me: * claps like a cavemen*

[@unduloid]

He even made you clap in plural!

[@SukacitaYeremia]

@@unduloid Dang 'em

[@robertsteinberger]

We all did.

[@mrkrag]

Clapping like Herman Munster over here!!

[@tehfiredog]

I snorted and said nah, busy typing something as I watch this... and then proceeded to do so anyways cuz it just needed to be done =)

[@danytoob]

Paul ... love you for recognizing the old masters and affording them their just dues. I'm actually old enough to have grown up listening to this. This along with "Pipeline" by the Chantay's (my personal all time fave!), are the songs and genre that were my first inspirations to pester relentlessly my parents until they finally bought me a guitar. Thanks for the memories!!!

[@126.Seconds]

Congratulations, Paul Davids, this is one of the very best videos I have seen explaining the music and the songwriter/performer. Thank you and please continue the excellent work!

[@Sfingle]

Thanks for going into the beautiful ornaments of the riff. I recently got into oud and maqam music, and it is both interesting and beautiful musical tradition. Very fun to explore, being from the west and mostly naïve to it

[@davidpepper442]

Such a great video Paul. Amazing breakdown of an incredible riff. Slowing it down and analyzing it shows what seems to be so simple is really highly complex. I'm sure that's why it has endured...pure genius.

[@paulstanley7292]

This is literally one of the greatest videos I have ever seen on KZbin. Absolutely blew my mind. As a beginner I definatley want you as my teacher, courses her I come!

[@letsthinkit]

Paul is such a great and kind teacher. He creates these videos with such passion and I am always drawn to these videos. One of the best guitar channels ever. Thank you so much Paul for making these videos for us.

[@tsr7198]

Strike be damned! You earned a sub!!! Excellent breakdown of a classic yet deceivingly complicated riff. So much more than most assume but that is the exact reason for it's legendary appeal.

[@rocknrollbob7199]

It's funny I've always played this "sorta" close to this and just kept on playing it wrong insisting it was "my style" or take on it. I spot practiced the main riff this way and now it just sounds monstrous and full of finger grease. Thanks Paul!

[@Will-kt5jk]

One of the crazy things about the original is the little delays between notes at full alternate picking speed. Yours sounded great, but a lot smoother - the original having those fractionally delayed notes made it sound more staccato in some areas.

[@jasonforno3269]

How can anyone down vote this video… this guys skills are unparalleled… thank you for the detailed explanation, and I too played it incorrectly like many others on my 12 string Fender acoustic…

[@Daniel.Sanchez75]

This guy is mediocre at best.

[@jasonforno3269]

@@Daniel.Sanchez75 tell me you drone on and on about Eddie Van Halen without droning on and on about Eddie Van Halen…

[@DronedLove]

@@jasonforno3269 lol, there's nothing more inevitable than every KZbin guitar video receiving comments from 'shredders' about how easy everything is to play. This video being a classic example full of "any thrash metal guitarist could play this at twice the speed" type comments.

[@dslcp72]

Aah, some people are just too tightly wound up to see the positives in anything! I’m going to listen to this again!😎

[@tonybarnes3858]

Don't know how it took me so long to subscribe...I've watched and learned from so many Paul Davids videos. This was an especially well done trip to Dick Dale land and the main root of surf music. Add the cultural interchange and you add the seas and the wind, as well as the vast lands and people with so much in common. Ah music. So this is some of the best of KZbin, and frankly a mini-documentary that I look forward to sharing with friends. They don't have to play guitar, be into music theory or surfing culture. Just the nature of culture itself and the quality of presentation.

[@StamatisStabos]

Nice Video! the cover from Dave Wronski from Slacktone is one of the best after the original 🌊 also the Misirlou comes from a Greek folk genre called Rembetika and its based on the Byzantine Scale

[@ACyoutube46]

Hijazkiar scale.

[@MalenyFieldsForever]

Part of the differentiating nature of Dick's style was that he played a right-hand strat left-handed (i.e. upside down). That meant the low E string was below the rest. It changes the picking action.

[@lgv3051]

Almost. He played a left handed strat left handed. But his strings were set up like a right handed guitar. So it is as if he were playing a right handed guitar upside down. Like Hendrix but without the annoyance of the electronics in the way and the cut aways like they should be.

[@shoe5895]

@@lgv3051 I'm almost certain he played a right-handed guitar due to the lack of availability of left handed guitars and just played it upside down

[@Louisthesaxman1]

Saw an interview with Dick on this a while back. He started on a right handed guitar and later often played a left handed guitar with the strings the wrong way round.

[@MalenyFieldsForever]

@@Louisthesaxman1 Yes, I remember seeing an interview with Leo Fender talking about introducing the Strat to Dick. He turned it around and played it left handed and Leo thought to himself something along the lines of "well I didn't think that through".

[@charleswettish8701]

@@shoe5895 That may be how he first learned guitar, but, regardless of which hand guitar he played, the strings were upside down. Hendrix played a right handed guitar, upside down, but the strings were "right side up". Eric Gales plays with his strings like Dick.

[@chrissturley823]

Paul Davids is my favorite KZbin guitar teacher. I think he is just as good or better than Fujita and Beato. His lessons hit my style of playing just right. He moves at the perfect pace. He describes what he’s doing in a way I can understand. And he adds in just the right amount of theory. Thanks Paul!

[@blitztim6416]

We got to see him around 2010. The whole set was cool. I was impressed at how good he was.

[@gugaesitashvili3116]

me, a grown man clapping with song when Paul plays this amazing riff, has to be something really special, love

[@skullkrusher4418]

Double harmonic major has always been my favorite scale. It's such a rich and intriguing sound.

[@rexstetson1717]

I know you asked for a gentle thumbs up, but I couldn’t help but smash it. Your videos are outstanding!

[@elrincondelaguitarra3050]

This is excellent! You're a great teacher! I used to play this but now I see some bits I was playing are wrong! Will have to sit with my strat and practice along this lesson!

[@coolinol6340]

You are a truly great teacher! Just love the combination of music theory, practical playing techniques, sound and music history. Brilliant!

[@abraxis20]

Love the track. I think the film, 'Pulp Fiction' brought it to a whole new generation! Certainly when I first became aware of it!

[@brucemorton13]

That album from Dick Dale was one of the first records I ever purchased. It was good to learn of your appreciation of it.

[@gururajchadaga]

Opening intro: 4:50 Main Melody: 5:38 Main Melody with tremelo picking: 5:56 Embellishments: 7:55 9:02 Embellishments with alternate picking: 9:20 9:47 10:00 Don't mind me. this is for my practice.

[@travisk4215]

A friend and I were the two road techs on Dick’s final tour. Got to travel across the states and back with him and his wife, Lana. So I’ve played his guitar. You’ll never get his sound unless you play it upside down ;)

[@heruraha93]

Was literally just learning this song for the first time last night and having a blast with it. This was super helpful, thanks!

[@joashtunison351]

This is the only video we'll ever need on this tune. Addresses all the nuances of the song that my ears have picked up since i was a little boy, but that nobody seems to get right. A+++

[@This_Guitarist]

This is gold, I've been wanting to learn this correctly for a while now. Thank you!

[@euridulay334]

Super awesome! It's amazing how sometimes things like this are really ingrained in your memory without you even knowing it. Thanks for all the good stuff again, Paul.

[@MadnessInLivingColor]

First of Paul Davids’ videos I’ve seen. No obnoxious intro, no “This video sponsored by…”, and no “Sign up to my Patreon” just a fantastic video from end to end. Thanks for this gem my dude.

[@ianrotten4453]

Dick Dale is one my biggest influences (along with The Ventures) as a Metal guitarist. And I'm sure I'm not alone.

[@nathancate582]

My guitar teacher LOVED the Ventures.

[@SebastianS72]

I must have listened that song more than a hundred times, without understanding it. Your video was really opening eyes. Thanx

[@jeramywatembach8673]

Huge thumbs up!!!! As a lefty myself, the first time I saw Dick Dale I was floored that he palyed upside down. Arguably a defining trait of his sound. Dick Dale is my hero and a true legend!! Lefties unite!!

[@JKLauderdale]

Dick Dale was an absolute genius and a major influencer of multiple genres

[@dereklong801]

Great song, great run-through. Thanks, Paul. Miserlou is always a treat for the ears.

[@Freebyrd7]

Don't play any music, but I love to watch people who are passionate talk about it and perform. Enjoyed this video.

[@patrickisawesomer]

I don’t understand how people could click dislike on a video like this which is just phenomenally done

[@patrickisawesomer]

@@ithecastic it will still haunt me

[@marks8437]

Such an excellent analysis of a masterfully written song. Thank you so much for sharing Dick's genius and passion with us through your own passion, makes it a double treat.

[@straighttalk9999]

dude,i havent played guitar for 20 years and only just picked it up again,out of all the tutorials,yours are the best.thanks

[@thein-tele-gent5654]

This was such an awesome video, Paul! Absolutely love the break down, and the respect you show for Mr. Dale. The second some of the original recordings started play, I think we all knew the demonitization sharks were circling, so it makes you going ahead with it all the sweeter. Thanks again.

[@danielhahn7329]

Really well recorded guitar! Sound really lively and almost like I'm in the room. Hats off, Paul!

[@Verkrustet]

love the appreciation for the commonly overlooked intricacies of this legendary riff. excellent video.

[@romandurant5309]

Your playing, production and overall quality is stunning as usual Paul

[@EelcoPeterzen]

I love this song! Such a classic. I could never make 'till the end, though. My arm could not keep a steady rhythm as song the went on.

[@jeffro.]

Ditto for me! Whew! 🤪

[@shredward666]

Excellent job explaining the correct way to play this. I’ve been to countless metal shows over the last 25 years but hands down Dick Dale was THE loudest live show I’ve ever witnessed. R.I.P. to an absolute legend and the main reason I picked up guitar in the first place.