Guitar Hacks To Instantly Sound Better

[@samuraiguitarist]

Last chance to save 50% off my new course Elevated Open Chords here: samuraiguitartheory.com/p/elevated-open-chords?coupon_code=LASTCHANCE&product_id=5063529

[@MrLogo1002]

Hiiii Sammy G!

[@MrLogo1002]

also no i will NEVER pay attention to my breathing, i have ADD i *CANT PAY ATTENTION TO ANYTHIIIING* >:D

[@jamesdykes517]

First person you were trying to sound like was SRV? Second, maybe Jeff Beck? Third I feel confident was BB King.

[@theotenaguillo7671]

@@jamesdykes517 First one i would have said Derek Trucks

[@jamesdykes517]

@@theotenaguillo7671 ok. See I was hoping this would spark a speculative discussion and then maybe the Zen master would enlighten us. Alas, these are the dreams of a naive fool... But thanks for getting it started!

[@jonkerrmusic]

Dude, the "try pretending to be someone else" is bulletproof; I started doing that a few years ago and it REALLY helped me diversify my approach to serving a song with more 'appropriate' styles of solo.

[@jamesdykes517]

This guy is the most helpful obscure guitar tip guy. His lessons must be amazing!

[@user-hh7ho4jk8p]

Not so obscure. 🙂 With over a million subscribers.

[@afurinperil]

I've never seen a second person humble brag before

[@pkbreeze08]

​@@user-hh7ho4jk8p I think they meant the tips were obscure, not Steve.

[@coltoncarey7042]

Wait. His name is Steve? I thought it was Sam

[@jonathanschubert9052]

He uses the circle of fourths, not fifths, cause, you know, metric system.

[@GutoOCamargo]

About the singing along ( 8:47 ) hack, what really changed my mindset when I changed from "singing what I'm playing" to "playing what I'm singing", we are much more musical when our technical instrument barriers aren't there, soo when your shapes and scales aren't muscle memory, you'll see that this change will make the solos much more interesting and musical.

[@RandalSmith]

A guitar player in Nashville showed me the dotted eighth trick back about 1972. It’s still cool today. Singing along with you’re playing aka “scat singing” or “scatting” makes people think you really know what you’re doing. George Benson used it well in “On Broadway”. The db meter trick is a new one on me. Great idea.

[@GuitarPickReviews]

I like referring to Troy Grady as the "master of impactful subtleties". He made a huge survey a few years ago about how players hold their picks. I keep referring to it to this day because his analysis is superb. It's the best source of knowledge on this subject.

[@erikberg8352]

Any shoutout to @troygrady is a good one

[@simpumoon]

Just shut up and practice

[@rockapartie]

Did he ever feature Takayoshi Ohmura? (Most people will know him as the guy with the pink guitar from Babymetal) His picking technique is insanely efficient.

[@Semitotal]

I'm all about the leaving more space thing! Fun exercise, record or loop yourself soloing but intentionally leave space, maybe even a little more than you're comfortable with. Listen back and note how short the space really was to how long it felt leaving it while playing. Edit: Ha! typed the comment before the rest of the segment--nailed it.

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

Never ceases to amazes me how much faster that space sounds back live. At times I wish I could access the ‘college guitarist’ in me. Back when I only used the Pentatonic Scale and crushed that wah. I got into trouble the day I learned triplet runs…then got into country. 😞 Should’ve just stuck with Frusciante.

[@madstrummer]

The green top on that LP is gorgeous

[@ehsanhaq155]

As in intermediate player of 20 years I cannot tell you how USEFUL and awesome these pieces of advice are brother! You rock! The mantra is something I`ve been doing for a few months now and idk how, but that stuff works at a very subconscious level psychologically. The story visualization is also another which has changed the game for me. Keep up the awesome content fellow rockstar! Much love from Bangladesh

[@Vykk_Draygo]

I think playing with confidence and conviction is one of the best tips. I was just thinking about that yesterday. There is an audible difference between confident playing and uncertain, timid playing.

[@MedalionDS9]

The dotted eight note delay trick... aka the Edge from U2's most famous signature sound

[@richpeltier9519]

Lead me to get an Echo-Plex (tape delay) and some various analog/digital delay pedals and running 3 at a time. Usually one for extra fat reverb and the other two for polys.

[@lunasquid8632]

Rob Scallon also used this trick in ‘Rain’.

[@martingonzalezfarias2562]

With minimum feedback (just one repetition), you can also play some of jonny greenwood’s riffs in The Smile, like Thin Thing, or even Radiohead, like Present Tense (as he plays it live)

[@hw_yozoraVODS]

i think about Rob Scallon's "Rain"

[@Typical.Anomaly]

Mike Einziger of Incubus uses it a lot too. The Edge even has his own signature delay pedal though!

[@Postdotfuzz]

In regards to Balancing Pedal Levels: I set my amp up right on the edge of overdrive, so it can't really get louder, just fuzzier. This negates this issue of volume changes while also turning all your volume knobs into gain knobs. Useful! The downside is you have to turn up the amp up pretty loud, which isn't always an option, but you can balance this by putting any pedal with a volume knob in the effects loop and turning it back down. I use a GE-7 and call it my "attenuator."

[@trevorclark7985]

the impressions: 1.) john mayer 2.) SRV 3.) bb king or clapton

[@ChikenComet]

I thought 1) was BB King then I heard 3) and didn't know who was who. 2) is also SRV to my ears

[@planej6315]

Number 1 gotta be Derek Trucks

[@trevorclark7985]

@@planej6315 without a slide?

[@bretsamblis5560]

I was thinking #1 was Chris Buck

[@planej6315]

Yes, like Derek Trucks if he played without a slide. The phrasing was spot on@@trevorclark7985

[@DJClassicAuto]

Something that I found to very helpful was practicing in dark. Go through the warm-up routine then turn the lights off. That never seems to come up in these conversations, but, it will make a world of difference in fairly short order. Not having to hunt for stuff with your eyes will make you much more aware of what's going on around you.

[@choimdachoim9491]

That's almost how I taught myself keyboard 40+ years ago: lights out AND eyes closed. My fingers finally figured out where the keys were.

[@Justinl2391]

I think the first guitar player you were attempting to replicate was Duane Allman or Derek Trucks, second one was SRV, third one I am not sure. Says so much about musicians whose style is so unique that even someone else attempting to sound like them is still so recognizable as them.

[@aaronkerr2481]

I was thinking Chris Buck, definitely SRV, and I'm lost on the third as well. Any clues Sammy G?

[@IamtheFerryMan]

I thought the first was John Mayer

[@xodiaq]

I’ve been doing that pick slanting thing since I was about 18! I’m still slow af though… I don’t know who you were going for, but your fingerstyle is like slide without the shrill highs. Pretty wild. Gonna try the record two solos thing as soon as this video is done... OMG! Breathing! Back in college I took History of Jazz and it was taught by John Earl, the jazz drummer John Earl. He said to play like your instrument is your voice, breathe with your playing, like a Trumpet or Sax. It humanizes it. Great ep, Sammy!

[@Skagzy.]

I like the way you describe the delay pedal notes with your hand. That was actually pretty helpful showing the notes as your fingers for visual learners

[@gregoryguarneri8473]

Amazing video!!!!!! This was extremely helpful. I am a gigging musician for the last 15 years but I would rate my guitar skill as intermediate. This did in fact help me sound better immediately

[@toxicmicrowave]

my guitar hack/pro tip is: put your amp to ear level so you hear the real sound coming out of the amp when adjusting your tone, or just sit on the floor so the speaker is pointing to your ears. high frequency waves are very directional so all that harmonic richness gets lost if it doesnt reach your ears. you dont hear with your ankles, do you?

[@CoffeeRising]

And if you have a full cab, does it matter then? Or only pay attention to the top amp?

[@Fidozo15]

But my ears are really on my ankles 😢

[@PaulSpeed42]

This is especially true if you need to play quiet for someone reason. I keep my practice amp on an amp stand. Helps tremendously.

[@Munzyy]

if i do that ill probably get ear damage considering my practice amp is a 4x12, i usually sit as far away as possible, but i do record my playimg at times to get a sense of my real sound

[@rockerbuck967]

The delay pedal trick is the best! "Echo Song" by Paul Gilbert is one I suggest everyone try. There's videos by him where he breaks it down and once you get the time right and play it, it's one those OMG moments. It made me feel like I knew something lol.

[@RobertFisher1969]

I find that singing along with my playing helps me get better at being able to play what I hear. But to really stop “playing by finger”, I like to record some scratch solos only singing. Then go back to the guitar and incorporate some of those ideas.

[@spishe683]

Watch Hendrix, he sings along to his solos all the time; I always thought this was why his solos sound like the guitar itself is singing; the fusion between his singing of, and playing, his solos is why his solos speak to us, because they are as expressive as the human voice.

[@florianniebauer3705]

You do these videos like no one else on here - great content!

[@slaskpojken396]

The singing while soloing actually did wonders for me within like the first few minutes of trying it

[@1683clifton]

I follow the J. Mascis approach for the volume levels. You find out which tone you want the loudest, and everything else gets turned down or equal to that. Never should you find a pedal that goes over your killer loud tones.

[@thimblythom]

My Guesses: 1) Derek trucks 2) SRV 3) ??

[@miguelhenriques3308]

Don't know the 3rd either...

[@thimblythom]

Maybe it's a country guy like chet atkins or brad paisley? @@miguelhenriques3308

[@samuraiguitarist]

I don't think anyone's gotten 3, he's less known and also pretty hard to imitate so I don't know that I did a great job. But John Scofield is who I was going for

[@miguelhenriques3308]

@@samuraiguitaristHa! It was just as interesting as the others. Got it! Gonna listen from him...

[@thimblythom]

Thanks in advance for the John Scofield rabbit hole I'm about to go down @@samuraiguitarist

[@shaneharrington3655]

My positive mantra, when I often feel anxious about walking into a venue to play a show: "What would Omar (Rodriguez Lopez) do?"

[@BananaManPL]

*starts dancing uncontrollably*

[@BosseCory]

Band members not listening to each other was one of my absolute biggest pet peeves when recording bands. I recorded a band live off the floor and each guitar player was just doing their own thing and didn't seem to be remotely aware or considerate of what the other was doing. What a fucking nightmare.

[@WhiteCranK]

I'm having that one friend... ow it can be very exhausting sometimes

[@martinaddison4880]

yeah - very similar to kids posting on FB or IG or texting but rarely replying completely. A one-way generation. We were given two ears and only one mouth for a reason and we are meant to use them in that proportion.

[@therealzach.b]

Does this work with a jellifish pick?

[@alanbritton]

Love the idea of musical storytelling. I remember once being advised to learn a simple poem (or piece of Shakespeare) and go through this in your head with each syllable as a note from your solo, pausing your playing as the poem pauses…if that makes sense.

[@misteress3840]

Thanks! Always enjoy these tips videos 😊

[@Gunnahan]

7:40 ish... thats why ACDCs solo in "little lover" is just unique... an uncomdortably long break followed by such an amyzing solo...

[@gihangunasekara4039]

Thank you sensei ❤ Truly the best advice I've heard on YT and I have listened to a lot of guitar teachers. Keep up the good work dude

[@gihangunasekara4039]

@tel247 um what

[@maxryder9321]

9:49 whenever I play the “Money” solo it always stands out to me how clearly separated the beginning middle and end sections are

[@Harrery]

The pickslant thing think is called economy picking, it’s definitely useful and should be learned by everyone, it’s the big brother to alternate picking

[@RagboshBoshrag]

Not necessarily, I would say pick slant is only a part of economy picking. As I understand it, economy picking is more about making as few individual strokes as possible. So say I play a note on the g string on a downpick, then if I want to play a note on the b: I would just continue that downpick to the next string, rather than making an upstroke or a separate down stroke. If that makes sense.

[@jwhelan709]

no, economy picking is playing two strings in one motion. ie downstroke hitting b and e string. Pick slanting aka up or downward escape is extensively explained on troy gradys site.

[@tylercharlton9404]

Thanks, I needed this. The decibel app tip with pedals is actually pure gold

[@pkbreeze08]

0:20 This is something that I know to be true for art, when you think the piece looks crap, walk away from it, come back with fresh eyes.

[@sagittated]

Theory of learning that the brain feels frustration at getting something wrong, then is able to form new synapses to get it right. Works both with the frustration of not getting music right and the frustration of not getting your painting right. The essential elements are the frustration, time, and trying again. Your brain will do the rest.

[@theTenorDrummer]

These are some great tips, will definitely implement the space and sing-along solos. Thanks for the video!

[@JoeR203]

I sometimes duel myself. I'll play something on the bridge pickup, and then pretend I'm another guitarist trying to replicate what I just heard, using the neck pickup. Also, switching guitars helps when you're stuck in a rut playing the same things over and over. If I'm playing my Ibanez Jem Jr., I'm always doing something heavy. If I switch to a Les Paul, I end up playing more melodic rhythm stuff.

[@sagittated]

The 20+ pedal pedalboard is making me ridiculously happy, and it doesn't even matter what they are. Go big.

[@jessejorgensen3931]

The getting up and moving thing works. Freaking weird. Works on puzzles too.

[@therealdoug1000]

The breathing is everything.

[@wheeltrouble]

The 3 note to a string is solved my following to the next string with a down, so dud on the 4th to dud on the 3rd. This is instead of dud/udu. Much more efficient, and speed players have done it for decades.

[@MichaelEMJAYARE]

Dont know if its a “hack”…but I see a LOT of beginners just hovering their hand like 5 inches from the bridge. Palm muting is a MUST right off the bat, otherwise you have no control. That green LP is fucking goooorgeous

[@JakubK182]

I always tilt my amp 45 degrees, the sound is directed towards my face and ears, not my legs, so I can hear what I'm playing and the sound is much better

[@WhiteCranK]

Good advice here!

[@drfathertime]

Sammy my man, did you get a new Les Paul? Never seen you play this one before. I love that color man!

[@Thisisrance]

Dude…. That is the sickest LP I’ve ever seen 😮

[@Nicenigel14]

So many great tips, thank you!!

[@jwhelan709]

every one of these is gold.

[@jamesnewton485]

I think all guitar players hold their breath at some point. I haven't met a guitarist who hasn't. I catch myself doing it from time to time. It's kinda funny because I'm completely unaware that I'm doing it until, out of nowhere, I take a HUGE DEEP breath.

[@JJvienneau]

#1 Derek Trucks #2 Stevie Ray Vaughan #3 BB King? Thanks for the tips! Pick Slanting! YES!!

[@3rdalbum]

I think Justin Sandercoe also tries to explain pick slanting, but your explanation seemed better. I got the idea straight away.

[@Shakura8]

Singing while playing solo is a great way to improve improvising and just know the notes you feel to play. Must have hack

[@felipetorres4802]

I'm so waiting for a Christmas bundle of all 5 courses 🤞, hope my saturnalia miracle come true 🌲

[@jakekrupicki]

Can you make a video, a short even, going over your affirmation “conviction is worth more than the occasional mistake”? I’d love to hear why that is yours and what it means to you

[@14rnr]

Only found you channel last week and I really like it.

[@Beast_Hub]

Great video as always Sammy G!

[@eggpod4567]

You won another subcriber. I love how knowledgeable you are. Pretty sweet stuff.

[@Denvercoder]

4:15 - Angling your wrist so the motion of the stroke… 😂

[@KingBollock]

I could drop my guitar on my foot and instantly sound better than when I try to play the bloomin’ thing!

[@gabopalacios2028]

You wouldn't believe how many times my cousin and I fought over the volume level of our amps. I can't believe I never looked for a DB meter on the freaking appstore. He kept on turning his amp's volume up every 2 songs (sometimes in the middle of a song) so I had to mess with my settings every 2 songs too because now my distortion pedal was too low, my cleans were nowhere to be heard, and by the time I was done with my settings I was being buried by his amp's loudness again. He kept me overplaying, strumming harder and harder in order to hear myself a little in the mix. Now that he's given up on the band I could not believe how easy is for me to be relaxed while playing when I'm not fighting against someone else's volume.

[@alexs.2221]

Very cool chanel. Subscribed from Canada 🇨🇦

[@Typical.Anomaly]

Mike Einziger of Incubus uses that delay trick a lot

[@TLC.The.Nonsense]

Hey! I'd love to see you talking about the circle of fifths and chord progressions! I feel I would finally understand it! 😂

[@monkemonke5064]

Gotta ask, love the green les paul where can you get a green gold top?

[@djuengst2000]

Nice, I think this is my favorite vid from you so far😊

[@nugrafik]

I placed a decibel meter on my pedal board a few years ago, it really helps.

[@szymondudzinski6661]

The first "someone else" was DEFINITELY Chris Buck. It has to be him. Love him too

[@nekot9274]

The singing thing is actually very logical as this is the speach part that is used to improvise music.

[@Redlightv98]

I have a pedal called the weapon! My buddy gave it to me! And basically transformed me over night!

[@lennonnicolas5994]

These are magic! Part 2 Please!

[@VikCain]

Thanks for reminding me of "Cracking the code", it's still one of the best things on KZbin.

[@matthewpejovicmusic1019]

I always played with pick slanting because when I began learning guitar I was big into thrash and speed metal like slayer and what not.

[@matthewpejovicmusic1019]

God I wish that was real lol

[@dylanball5647]

The motion of your stroke is very important........when it comes to pick slanting that is

[@truthinesssss]

Great tips, thank you.

[@polygraphovich]

Decibel reader… brilliant!!

[@Tscendrik]

0:55 Thats gotta be the most beautifull les paul I've ever seen. I want it. Please tell me this is a model you can still buy somewhere. I need to know what this model is called!

[@TDRKB]

You are a clever and smart dude.

[@chilledcadaver9205]

Okay I’m in a predicament. I have to be in the office tomorrow at 08 for recruiting assistance with the marines in dress blues. It’s now 0426 and I didn’t realize I had watched so many KZbin shorts. I’m leaving the house at 0645. Should I stay up and just push with caffeine or should I risk going into deep sleep and blowing through all my alarms?

[@saedt]

Great tips!

[@tallguy810]

Listen to the solo in George Benson's "Give Me The Night" for an excellent example of singing along with your solo.

[@luznis139]

The intro was, exactly, down to the wording what i thought when i saw the video

[@gamezharks]

I think leveling all your pedals will be very revealing as to whether they actually sound good or if they're just louder.

[@mattdylan664]

0:33 tip 2 adds an instant *Edge* to anyone's guitar playing yes even U2

[@richpeltier9519]

My (old) style was based off the limitations of my equipment. I played with NO open space for the same reason Johnny Ramone did, if you stop the guitar will feed back and kill everyone. 🤟🧙‍♂️🤟

[@thinkfloyd1973]

Your first impression was Derek Trucks, and the second was Steve Ray Vaughn

[@00Blackthorne00]

Ok, like directly on no.1. Soooo true..

[@Tom_D_iscool]

Can you do more bass videos

[@markschlipper5129]

RE: Leaving space... Coltrane to Davis: "Once I get going, I just go and I don't know how to stop." Davis to Coltrane: "You take your horn outcha mouth." Few know about leaving space like Miles Davis.

[@eric_coquin_poirier]

You should do more "one man band" video . That is insane ! I didnt know you could play the harmonica and accordion too . 😂

[@LP-123]

You could also just economy pick, rather than alternate pick. Do that AND Troy's tricks, and you'll get even more blazing.

[@rockapartie]

I honestly don't understand why economy picking isn't guitar player 101 and the same goes for spider chords, which make many metal riffs a hell of a lot easier to play. It's so weird seeing otherwise great guitarists shift positions like madmen, when they could eliminate many position shifts through spider chords, or people struggling with the main riff of Paul Gilbert's Technical Difficulties, which is damn hard to get right with alternate picking, but child's play with economy.

[@Ndorphinmachine]

Love your videos dude. A question though: are there any decent apps for guitar on windows or android (other than guitar tuna)?

[@fenderbass0]

For 1) I thought of Allman because of the slide moves you were emulating. Agree with the others on SRV for 2). 3) don’t know.

[@Thog25]

I'm mostly a singer and everytime I have to write a solo, I sing it and then I play it on my guitar so it sounds natural and not overly complicated

[@mateoatehortua3716]

Mr. Samurai, thank you so much.

[@tresblack4739]

Very helpful, and very useful. Thanks!

[@Neptune7_]

at 4:59 is that Chris Buck? at 5:09 is that John Mayer? and is 5:21... a guitarist taking a nervous solo onstage? That last one confused me

[@CameronPlatt]

Was solo #1 Chris Buck!? 🤩 #2 SRV #3 No clue…

[@Jesse.Kruger]

I think #1 was Derek Trucks

[@nickbracamonte]

Can you do a video of what foods to eat that will make me a better guitarist?

[@tonycleal3225]

Try pick n mix

[@cdemike7517]

I'll bite on the 3 guitar players thing: 1. Chris Buck 2. Eric Clapton 3. No idea. Sounds familiar, but I can't place it. By the way, the pick slanting thing totally didn't click until this video. I found the Troy Grady video, but I didn't really get it until I saw this. Thanks!

[@TristenE]

2. clapton; i thought this might be john mayer lol. i mean it would make sense since mayer has a lot of calpton influence.. either way it sounded sick