Are we playing House of the Rising Sun WRONG?!

Watch some videos of Eric Burdon and the Animals playing their hit House of the Rising Sun and notice the picking direction of the guitarist, Hilton Valentine. He's doing something that none of us do! His pick direction is different than how all of us play it!
There are different ways of dealing with alternate picking depending on each situation, but in this case, it was quite shocking to see the pattern he uses. Learn how to play these arpeggios in an efficient manner, and then learn how to create a melodic guitar solo over these amazing chord changes.
Tabs and jam track are all on our Patreon
/ guitarlessonsvancouver
More info about Blue Morris and his guitar books like Guitar Soloing Like a Pro are available at
www.bluemorris.com

[@PhillipAlcock]

Not a keyboard player, but Alan Price’s ‘solo’ on the Hammond organ is the highlight of the song for me.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

It is a good one for sure.

[@crazypainter56]

Vox continental-------------------------- not a Hammond---------

[@andyscott5277]

Yeah, it’s a Vox. Such a great solo.

[@michaeleastham3868]

@@crazypainter56 well, he did say he wasn't an fxxxxxg keyboard player...

[@noelwilde]

I believe he now owns the rights to the song after it entered public domain

[@christocello7731]

If you listen closely to the Animals' recording, you will notice that Hilton Valentine always plays an open string "g" at the end of the arpeggio. By this means he finds time to change the position of the left hand for the following chord.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Good point, he is lifting his left hand off the chord early. It does make the transitions easier. I made a video about that technique some time ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYukgqmJqrOEmrM

[@colinslant]

I was just trying to play it and hit on the same idea to go from the Am to the C - you need to lift the third finger to get in position for the C. Then I listened to it and realised you can hear that's what he's doing on the record. The G note is in the C chord so it makes a good passing note for that chord change.

[@jlewand]

Precisely. It's the WHOLE POINT of the guitar part.

[@jacobcollectscards7964]

I KNEW I HEARD THIS WHILE PLAYING IT

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

@jacobcollectscards7964 Nice, good ear 👍

[@SamHarrisonMusic]

Honestly, I think his method works. The down pick on that one note really puts the emphasis in the right place. Explains why nobody's cover ever sounds like the record :)

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

It works for sure, just different. But if it sounds good, why not?

[@SamHarrisonMusic]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver I think he must have done it for a reason :)

[@colinslant]

@@SamHarrisonMusic I suspect it's just the way he was taught to play, using alternate picking. Also I think it helps with the timing - if you play those three notes all upwards there's a temptation to play them too quickly as a mini-strum like the three downward notes before.

[@boldwinbeanbaker3033]

if you listen closer you'll hear him use a open G-string on the 'reverse part' of the patern to change chords as well. Something a lot of people miss out on.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

@@boldwinbeanbaker3033 True he does, I think to make the chord switches smoothly. It is a great sounding technique. I think we all do it to some degree. I made a video about it some time ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYukgqmJqrOEmrM

[@funwithmadness]

Funny thing... I'm terrible at playing guitar, but I try. When I attempted to learn this song, I naturally picked it the way you said Mr. Valentine does. I never thought about it and no one told me to do it that way, it just felt natural to me.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

It worked for him, so if it works for you, I think that's just fine :)

[@jimthethirdprobably]

That's the way I naturally played it too.

[@andarchy1386]

Me to it must be a self taught thing

[@pwrrpw319]

Interesting, I was never taught how to play it, I just leaned it from ear & I too play it the same as almost everyone does, but I do find it hard to keep going through the entire song, so I switch to strumming the chords part the way through, which adds to building the intensity of the song as it progresses and to my ear it adds some more variety & interest to the song as well. :)

[@zbaby82]

I think that means you have a good ear. 🎸

[@2011littlejohn1]

Hylton Valentine is from my home area in the North East of England. I once jammed with him in a pub in a blues band - long after he left the Animals. In the early days we were all self taught and he was known to play a new lick but would turn his back to you when he played it so you couldn't see how he did it. :) He does play an exceptionally good solo on the Animals track For Miss Caulker. This is from a promotional movie of current British rock hits which went on general release. None of it was live. You are dead right about relaxing your wrist that's the only way to play All My Lovin' by the Beatles.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Very cool story! Thanks for sharing that here. That's amazing you played at a pub with him once. I have heard about other guitar players turning their backs on stage. Eddie Van Halen used to do that in the early years of his career too.

[@davidcarpenter5274]

Excellent point and he was turning his back for a different reason than I was ... Mine was Bad technique ...

[@2011littlejohn1]

@@davidcarpenter5274 So you were the Stu Sutcliffe of your band. :)

[@davidcarpenter5274]

Loud and obnoxious ,,, Is what I do best ... Perfect for the mic check ... If you can fix my sound ,,, you've got a perfect mix ...

[@berryj.greene7090]

Strange you should mention All My Lovein' The guitar solo is short but very catchy. I have my own approximation which might fool a fool. I'll bet there's a tutorial for that too on here somewhere.

[@torque91]

He actually plays all 6 strings in that E chord. It varies the rhythm pattern a bit, but it's there. That rhythm pattern pops up in the Am chord sometimes by doubling the E string picking. The E7 is in the organ :)

[@jeffkalmar7871]

I noticed this too!

[@jono1457-qd9ft]

Yup. I noticed that when I first started playing guitar. This teacher is clueless

[@marklawrence8518]

You sir, are a great teacher! I was with you all the way through this lesson. Thanks!!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching!

[@DUKEofWAIL]

Morris, I am so impressed with your clear communication and teaching on the 'Tube! Your graphic and sound drops are perfect to support and clarify each point. I wish every contributor could see and study this as a model to follow.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you very much! Glad you're enjoying the videos. And thanks for commenting.

[@michaeledwardharris]

That was cool. Absolutely one of my favorite songs. You're a great teacher. I don't even play guitar, but that was super interesting to watch!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@lightbox617]

I saw the Animals at BB Kings in NYC a long time ago. I am grateful for your recognition of Alan Price and hope everyone remembers "Oh Lucky Man" My mother went to Julliard in the late 1930's. She taught my brother and I to read music but only one of us ever mastered it. It wasn't me

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool! Would have been great to see them live

[@paulketchupwitheverything767]

I'm guessing you are referring to the surreal and brilliant Lindsay Anderson film 'O Lucky Man!' that starred Malcolm McDowell and that Alan Price also appeared in and wrote the music for. There is not surprisingly a song on the soundtrack written by Price also called 'O Lucky Man!'. The music in 'O Lucky Man!' is performed by the musicians appearing within the story in a format often called a 'Greek chorus' and not as background music, unseen, or as the main focus of the film, as in a musical. I think the film is a bit overlooked because it is quite long and it contains a few scenes that are probably now considered unacceptable (particularly Arthur Lowe using blackface for his role as Dr. Munda).

[@michaeldorey9225]

Another great lesson! All of your points are understood easily, I think. Real happy to have found your channel recently.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Awesome, thank you! Lots more coming

[@michaeldorey9225]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver Your Welcome!

[@eoln_]

For me, it was always easier to play like he plays, even though I never watched him play. But I never got guitar classes too, so I never was forced to play in a certain way just because "it's easier" or "it's the way to do"

[@maurine2524]

Hilton was a sweet man. I was even Myspace pals with him a decade back and bought a CD from him online. I'd sent way too much money in the form of a 20 dollar bill, but I told him to keep the change. He sent me the album with a guitar pick he signed. RIP, Hilton 🌌

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Great story! I've heard some wonderful stories about him from doing this video. Thanks for sharing 😀

[@maurine2524]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver You're very welcome. That CD is still at my grandmother's house- it was my most prized possession as a teenager.

[@MsPulpGirl]

I also bought an Animals CD from Hilton online, which he signed for me with a silver marker. Silver on black looks very cool. The cd sits prominently in my CD collection and I feel very fortunate to own it. Now that Hilton has passed away, he won't be able to do so for anybody down here on Earth. He was such an interesting guy. I absolutely adore The Animals.

[@maurine2524]

@@MsPulpGirl Same. I discovered them as a teenager and spent hours on rainy weekends listening to their Best Of album. I'm hoping to get Hilton's CD back after a fallout with the family. I hope they didn't toss it. :/

[@MsPulpGirl]

@@maurine2524 I hope you get it back and I wish for you and your family the best. 🙂

[@BrianOates]

William Leavitt taught that style of picking arpeggios in some of his picking exercises in his Modern Method for Guitar Vol. 1-3. The series is a Berklee College of Music standard for every guitar student. The idea is to use Downstrokes when picking in the direction of higher strings which uses the weight of the arm falling, but alternate when picking towards lower strings because sweep style picking upwards towards lower strings is less efficient as you have to pull the arm against its own weight.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Interesting, I have played through those books, though a long time ago.

[@Cyberglad]

Yea, what a memory those books without tabs and hours spent to figure out the notes!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

@@Cyberglad haha yeah I've been there 😅

[@MusiMasterJam]

And of course, if it is written... One should be careful not to put too much stock into these kinds of arguments. It is self-evidently true that sweeping upward is less efficient than sweeping downwards, but it is also self-evidently true that alterating picking direction at the same time that the overall trajectory is upwards is less efficiently than continuously moving in the direction that the notes are moving. Either way, the hand must ultimately get back to the top, and moving in a continuously upward direction is a more direct way to do it than going out of your way on every second note. The shortest possible distance between two points is a straight line. The energy saved by allowing the weight of the arm to reinforce every second note is offset by having to reverse direction and avoid that string, then move twice as far to hit the next string. It is also unquestionably slower. Of course, where efficiency is concerned, any pick-based solution is less efficient than using ones fingers, where one does not even need to move the hand or the arm (large body structures), but only the (small) fingers, which can be set to their own strings (I don't necessarily mean to say that this is better, only that it is more efficient - this is not necessarily the same thing).

[@JohnJano]

First time I came across your channel. This was an amazing tutorial! You are a very awesome instructor! I love the way you captivate the listener and make it very interesting! Loved the solo, by the way! Keep up the great work!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! Lots more on the channel and our Patreon group www.patreon.com/guitarlessonsvancouver 😀

[@buddhamus]

My first time watching one of your videos. Good lesson. House of the Rising Sun is a song I could never play because of the arpeggios. I never could get them right or be consistent in the picking pattern. Your video helped a lot. I will be watching more of your stuff. Thanks.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Glad to hear it helped thanks! Lots more coming to this channel and our Patreon 😎

[@WeyounSix]

One thing I found out when trying to pick it the way the original guitarist does it, is that I ALSO don't play it the first way that you showed! I realized that the way I play it, I down-pick on the 3rd to last note, I only up-pick the last two notes in the chord. Very interesting differences! Then again I just learned it by ear from looking at the chord sheets, so It's cool to see how every individual finds their own most comfortable way to play!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Yeah, I think with this song in particular there are a few good ways to play it. As long as it sounds good and is somewhat efficient, I think go for it.

[@michaelmonfils2642]

That upstroke open G string on beat 6 functions as a passing tone between the chord changes. It is not heard as a "mistake" because it is played on a weak beat immediately preceding a new chord on beat 1 (a strong beat). This device is used a lot in strumming technique and gives the music a more lifelike organic feel. It is like drawing breath before a new phrase or segment.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

It is a great sounding technique. I think we all do it to some degree. I made s video about it some time ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYukgqmJqrOEmrM

[@jackk7310]

This is a really good video. There’s a lot of great stuff in addition to the picking technique. Thanks!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! Lots more on this channel 👍

[@paulgardner6239]

I was given the 45rpm in 1978 by my Mum from her collection and at my age of 8, it blew my musical world. Love the guitar work and it's one of those you know what the song is within seconds. I could listen to it every day.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool. Do you still have the 45rpm? 😀

[@gabor222]

I learned this song long ago without the help of a teacher but the 4 down-picking then 3 up-picking (arpeggio) method was somehow uncomfortable for me too so I ended up learning it using the 4 downpicking then alternate-picking method that Valentine also did. First it seemed to be a more difficult method for this song but at the end for me it helped to keep a more steady pace.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

All good, if it worked for Hilton Valentine...😎

[@andybullis1140]

I taught myself this song from reading tab, and this is how I pick it. It helps with pacing and dynamics in that part, and when I played it that way it sounded more like the recording. I also often pick the base string of each arpeggio on the way back up and let it ring as I come back down again. I've been playing barre F all these years... I'll have to try cowboy F.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Makes sense definitely more than one way to play it 😀

[@richieg6031]

I picked up guitar 6 years ago, and I am now in my 50’s. I came across your channel and you Blue are outstanding. You are now the second KZbinr I will use regularly and thanks for that. Now I must teach you something, LOL, and Yes you are teaching it wrong which I am surprised you or nobody picked up on this. I learned this song naturally with the alternate picking, for one, it was easier. And 2, picking with all ups sounds off, its Alternate picking with a little aggression that makes this sound sooo good! Just my opinion from a newbie. Thanks from the Kootenays!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! Welcome to the channel. Lots more lessons on here and more coming in the New Year

[@HarryVsingersongwriter]

I've been teaching a lot and MAN are you good! I just love to see you work. Love from Holland ❤

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! Much appreciated 👍

[@crashdaddy261]

I've been stuck always trying to use downstrokes for everything, and I never could get the number of notes for the chord to line up quite well with the melody. So thank you very much for this reminder that I'm still stumbling over the SIMPLEST problems!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool glad it helped!

[@BiffTech05]

I've always played it up down up. For me, it separates the first part being essentially a controlled strum and the return to be picking which stops you slacking and half strumming on the way back up. I always found it easier to stay tight that way. Edit to add that you can be a little slack on the down strum but getting those return notes properly timed is essential.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Good point. It could feel more controlled by doing alternate picking on that part. Thanks for watching!

[@josealbaposse]

Useful Blue! Excellent the explanation of the picking technique…Thanks!!!!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for your support José!

[@123446809]

I've been playing guitar 60 years with some stage success . The youth of today will be glad they have you as a teacher and a mentor . In my day everybody played by ear and mostly and had to lift the record needle up over and over to learn a song and usually the results were in correct. Love your channel . I find myself playing House of the rising sun even better now. In My 60's tribute top ten hits band this will be a good add. cheers I will be following along with your channel .PS Iconic tune made simple and clear for the new generation to come. Great teacher mate cheers

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! Lots more coming to this channel

[@taipo101]

Couldn't agree more. Self taught, wish we had you around 60 yrs ago! From Manchester.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

@@taipo101 Thank you Howard!!

[@taipo101]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver err sorry...that would make you 60 years older... Great stuff, a good instructor (not teacher please note) is what is required these days to get ppl thinking for themselves. Teaching is merely a rote method to pass exams. Being instructed allows us to use skill acquired to another level, then pss that on to the next generation.

[@dougmackey3696]

I love your soloing on this song. Sounds perfect.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! You can get the tabs for that solo on our Patreon group www.patreon.com/guitarlessonsvancouver

[@garysutherland8327]

Reminds me of what The Ventures did with the song

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

@@garysutherland8327 Oh yeah, I hadn't thought of that. I'll have a listen to that version again. Been a while

[@aardvark77]

Another thing you may not have noticed is that Hilton Valentine plays an open G string at the end of each arpeggio before changing to a different chord. This makes it much easier to get the chord changes cleanly.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

I did hear that when listening to it slowed down. He is lifting his left hand off the chord early. It does make the transition easy. I made a video about that technique some time ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYukgqmJqrOEmrM

[@aardvark77]

⁠I watched your video and I, too, have cheated at strumming for a long time but I guess I was too concrete in my thinking to think that it was acceptable while playing individual notes. However, another video recently pointed out this cheat and it definitely works in this case.

[@paulharvey5505]

Ive heard that called that an ‘escape’ note. Enjoyed this video.

[@shareurtube]

I have play this rip and watched the video a hundred times and never realized this. Thanks. Up Voted and Subscribed.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool, welcome to the channel!

[@JBurky15]

I've never seen one of your videos before, but that quick solo lesson immediately made me want to sub to your channel

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Great! Welcome to the channel 😀

[@danjestic9199]

What I’ve admired is a bandmate’s ability to riff in service to the song rather than a limelight grand flourish. Price’s solo was inspired, fits right in !

[@alanrprice]

And I still can't play keyboards - of any sort!

[@robcockayne]

If you like it, fair enough. I reckon the Vox spoils it, but the other 4 parts make it still worth listening to.

[@InvisibleAvenger]

The first video image of The Animals wasn't from a TV show, it was from a movie/documentary called GO GO MANIA or POPGEAR depending on the US or UK release. It is currently available on blu ray from Kino Lorber (either direct from them but also through other retailers as well). A lot of popular UK and US groups are featured in it, and as I recall from watching it on TCM the producers relied on pre- recorded music, which seems odd to me as all the groups had to perform for the film anyways.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool thanks that's good to know!

[@gold27b]

It was shot on 35mm color film. Now, this was a movie production which means one camera and multiple takes. So the sound will be a playback for each take. It could not be done live with one camera. @@GuitarLessonsVancouver

[@berendharmsen]

I stumbled onto this after seeing Brian May talking about the same song, and I must say that I agree more with his interpretation of how the 'one string too few' is solved for the D and F. I don't actually hear the high note twice in the pattern for the D and F, but rather that he plays the bass note twice, also giving you a full four-note pattern.

[@DouglasB42]

Me too... doubling the bass note sounds more natural. As a finger picker, i also play the third string two times often (like 4-3-2-3-1-2-3)

[@berendharmsen]

@@DouglasB42 Yeah, I play it finger picking style myself as well, and then it's probably even more obvious that the 'double bass' approach is the way to go.

[@dueckmarcelo]

Really great class on this amazing song! thanks a bunch!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! Lots more lessons like this on the channel and our Patreon group www.patreon.com/guitarlessonsvancouver

[@berryj.greene7090]

Very interesting! I suffer from all those weird things with this song too - ever since it came out. That's a little while now isn't it? I notice how difficult it is to keep it going and the business off picking one note twice. However, over the years I have sort of convinced myself that, although you need to start well, so long as you keep "the flavour" of the picking, a few fluffs probably won't matter in a live setting. It's when you come to record that such things can get a little bit wearing! When you can hear it over & over again! Great tutorial. Thanks. P.S. Love the organ solo of Alan Price and the tone of the voice. It still sounds terrific.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

I think you're right. I bet if we listen closely to each measure of the song, probably no one plays it perfectly all the way through. As long as you keep it going and the mistakes a minimal 👍

[@guitarthink]

Props for that solo... Was on point and really followed the vocal lines.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you!!

[@pwrrpw319]

Yeah man ! , love that solo ! :)))))))))))

[@Floydisgr8]

It really followed the solo in my opinion

[@MLFranklin]

Ever since I was a little kid I loved and was mesmerized by this version of the song.

[@jonathonwearn1098]

Cool lesson. I love unique takes like this.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you!!!

[@shamsam4]

That's the first proper song I taught myself and I never bothered to learn his name. Thank you, and Hilton Valentine.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching! Yeah his name is not that well known unfortunately.

[@colinslant]

The Animals: Eric Burdon (vocals), Hilton Valentine (guitar), Chas Chandler (bass), Alan Price (keyboards) and John Steel (drums). A few years later Chas Chandler went on to be Jimi Hendrix's manager. Chas and Hilton are sadly no longer with us but the other three are still going in their 80s!

[@kkarx]

I think he alternate picked it because it just sounds better. Without it it sounds almost like some excercise. With it gives the riff more interesting sound and life. Those 3 notes are better articulated and stand out much better in the riff.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Interesting thought. Not sure it's that different in sound, but there is a subtle difference here.

[@kkarx]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver When I was learning Holy Wars solo by Marty Friedman I sweep picked it all at first and it did not sound right. Then I alternate picked the descending part of the arpeggio and that was it. He did the same thing as Hilton Valentine here. These little details often make difference in our perception. You def have more control over the tone when with alternate picking and the notes feel more separated.

[@davesieler7442]

@@kkarx As a violin player, I was thinking "up bow" - "down bow" and how that affects the sound. Up pick, down pick, up pick creates a tad more separation and attack on the notes. A subtle but noticeable slight emphasis on on beat 5.

[@chrisc9755]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver alternate picking helps add a bit of a swing feel which sounds better to me. but I tend to fingerpick it these days anyway to give it my own twist

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

@@chrisc9755 yeah fingerpicking works too 😀

[@Jimjolnir]

Glad to have stumbled upon this vid... House of the Rising Sun was one of the first songs I learnt, apparently I have been playing it very wrong... for 25 years. haha. Gonna take some doing to undo that, but as soon as I heard the correct picking pattern it made sense that that is the way. I've taken a deep dive on many songs, finding faults in tabs, just not this simple masterpiece. Thanks for that.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

If you're playing a different picking pattern but the correct notes and rhythm, it might not matter. Certainly there are multiple ways to play it, so long as it sounds good 😎

[@davidswinnard7565]

I'm not a guitar player at all, but I am a huge fan of this song (from the first time I heard it way back in the day). Not sure why this video was served to me but I'm very glad it was. I enjoyed learning something I"ll never use, and certtainly enjoyed the song. Love the organ too.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool thanks for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@terryenglish7132]

Wow, that's exactly how I play it ! Going down, sure it seems easier to do down, down etc. But up, reverting to alternate picking like on leads seems more natural.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

That's cool, if it works for you, go for it.

[@j.t.2722]

Great lesson. I learned that song in either 1964 or 1965 and I’ve always played it just as he plays it. It’s different but if you learned it that way and have played it that as long as I have it’s not that difficult. By the way I enjoy your lessons.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool! yeah if you are used to playing it that way, no reason to change now. It worked for Hilton Valentine I'm sure it can work for you :) Thanks for watching!

[@redpaul101]

As a POI, 6/8 (7:22) is a _compound_ time signature: two dotted crotchets (quarter notes) per bar; i.e., the product of two _simple_ time signatures, 2/2 * 3/4 . That 2/2 march time component is what gives 6/8 time its *_1_* , 2, 3, *_4_* , 5, 6 ( *_1_* & a, *_2_* & a) feel.

[@wideyxyz2271]

Good stuff as always

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Much appreciated

[@stnhndg]

It also has make something to do rhythm feeling. I often find myself playing some (not that fast) passages not in the most efficient way, but it's more about feeling. In this example the last up-down-up... leads to downstroke on the first beat. Also while I play it sweeping I have a habit of 'reintroduscing' the second downstroke: that is I don't rest on the next string, making kinda shaking motion with my hand.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

I agree it will have a slightly different sound or "feel" with different directions. Down strokes tend to be louder.

[@jackjustice1731]

Hilton was a great musician, and nobody looked cooler doing it. He would respond to emails and answer questions when he was still with us - this would have been a great question. Interesting video - well done.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

That's cool! I didn't know that about him.

[@toddapplegate3988]

​@@GuitarLessonsVancouverI play it the way valentine does. I didn't even think about it until I saw this video. It feels natural to me ( perhaps the only reason to do anything)

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

@@toddapplegate3988 That's cool. It certainly worked well for him too :)

[@The5Edie]

@@toddapplegate3988 It's natural for me also. When I watched this video I paid attention on how I'm playing. And was Valentine's style.

[@kennethbroderick6358]

I went to same school as Hilton. he was 2 years older than me. he taught me 3 chords before I got my 1st guitar. he was only kid in the area with a guitar, but if he trusted you, he would help you to learn using his guitar. Sadly lost touch after leaving school and he was playing in a local band called the Wildcats,c.1960

[@capearkona1989]

Another cool lesson and good to know! Thanks.👍

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching and commenting 😀

[@robinwood5833]

I have always had trouble playing this song, and I was around when it first came out Thank you

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching! Glad I could help :)

[@2bikemikesguitartopics145]

That Gretch sounds great

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks I love that guitar. Made in Japan Power Jet.

[@jackandy1736]

Strange, I have never picked up when playing, it just felt way more natural picking down on all the notes. I also play all the strings of the E chord by just sweeping the 4 strings slightly faster

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Lots of ways to do it. As long as it sounds good 😀

[@walterhambrick8705]

Another one like that is "Help!" where George has the riff on the 5th, 4th, 3rd,and 2nd strings. It is supposed to go down on the 5th, up on the 4th, down on the 3rd up on the 2nd. I believe he does it "right" in the movie. Many other times he just goes down, or hits the 5th string and then makes the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd a chord.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool good example. I'll take a closer look at it. Been a while since I've played that song.

[@MrSteelehead]

I could not live without it. Cheers!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching 🎸

[@d3vilman69]

I like your guitar's tone, friggin' beautiful

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! Gretsch Jet through the UA Dream 65.

[@An_Idiot_in_the_Wild]

Sweeeeeet, have been playing this song for ages, and this will help me improve a lot :-)

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Glad to hear it thanks! Lots more on our channel here @GuitarLessonsVancouver

[@craig7350]

Well broken down good explanation. I saw this video some time ago and noticed his picking pattern was unusual.... I immediately looked away. What ever he was doing, I'm not changing the way I've been doing it for 50 years!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

No need to change it. It worked for him 😀

[@tonycarpenter-Makzimia]

I guess us old guys are just tricky to follow on guitar hey :). I have been playing it the way he does since I first learned it. Probably 1970 something. A lot of us from that era of playing play folk or cowboy chords. I personally still favour a G chord that most people can't pick what it is by simply looking at it. :). Good video, and glad you finally do it right!.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks! That's interesting to hear you play it the same way he did. Whatever works in this case I say.

[@MLFranklin]

This is pretty cool and very educational.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you!!

[@paulbalogh4582]

This was great - my lunch time tutorial! Thank you!!!!!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Glad you enjoyed it thanks!

[@stuinblack]

Seen loads of lessons on House Of The Rising Sun over the years, most of them are wrong. This is by far the most accurate to how Hilton Valentine originally played the tune. Absolutely brilliant tutorial with excellent analysis.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you!!

[@Superdeanmiller]

Great video, I find the alternate picking in the upper 3 notes easier then sweeping. I could never accurately figure that out so thanks for sleuthing it out from the original videos> Great job!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool thank for watching

[@user-qp3cy3wn5v]

Hey I found the title of your video intriguing because like you I've taught hundreds of people the wrong way. It's the first song I learned when i was 12. I learned it by ear from the 45, and got it as close as I could. But where my method was different was, when I got to the D and F chords, instead of playing the high E string twice, I played the 4th string twice. And then when I tried to hip my students to that I just ended not being able to play the song any more! I did it for 50 years one way and now having two conflicting ways in my brain has just kind of ruined that song. If I ever really sit down to it again I'm sure I'll get past that. But one other difference for me is, I pick ALL of the notes downward. The return trip isn't so hard because they're all 1/8th notes. This was my favorite song in the world when I learned it in 67, and so yea, thanks for a great conversation about it. Oh one other thing is, I had not learned the F chord once I started figuring out the song off the record, so my first exposure to an F chord was hearing the notes he played. I had seen friends in my neighborhood playing the chords and I thought they were just going to C in that spot.

[@blankczechz]

Bryan May has an instructional on this piece as played by Valentine and he emphasizes the difference and explains why he did this as a guitar player.

[@Wendell309]

Definitely enjoyed your video 😊

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you!!

[@alanfarr9624]

Once past the first verse, our man Hilton frequently plays an F7 (I'm fairly sure) before descending to the E/E7 at the end of line 2 of the verses, giving a feeling of even greater urgency to get going on line 3, keyboard and drummer also powering in to make that point.

[@richardclark.]

I checked the comments just to see if anyone else had noticed that. I have been playing it that way since I sat down to learn it for a band in 1989.

[@wmfife1]

BTW; *Loved* the "it's rainin" part at 0:03 where you said, "...because it's Vancouver"! I could have just as easily said (here) "...because it's Florida!" It's becoming more tropical here every year. Have to keep the dehumidifier on in the guitar room. Cheers!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Haha oh yeah its a temperate rainforest here. Except summer. Summers are wonderful here.

[@dylanmeyer6614]

Nice guitar lesson and catchy caption. I learned this song using the original animals picking technique. As it was the first song I learned on guitar I still find it easier.😁🙃 BTW, as a beginner I find that F bar chord shape very hard, so I do the easier F chord shape by skipping the high 'E' first fret, and pressing down on the 'A' string on the 3 fret.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool! Seems like this was a first song for a bunch of us 😀

[@victormarinelli5660]

I hit the chord root note then rake off the G string through the high E (GBE), down stroke on the high E returning and up stroke on the B and G on the way back. It's not difficult to play it this way, keeps every chord pattern the same and it sounds very much like the way it's played in the song. The up-stroke retuning on the high E never sounded right to my ear.

[@RBZ3]

Thanks Blue!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks 😄!!

[@RistoBopDz]

great job Dude! Thanks a mot

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching!

[@rosskendall3310]

Not a guitar player, but a keyboard player and enjoyed your video. Thanks!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@congamike1]

Wow! Good stuff. Thanks

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Glad you liked it!

[@user-co1wf3oj7g]

I was lucky enough to see The Animals play this in Southampton England on the very day they'd recorded it in the small hours in London. Never to be forgotten! I hadn't been playing guitar long, and what most impressed me was that Hilton Valentine could play it all the way through with hardly any cockups! I didn't notice the picking pattern particularly, but I'm pretty sure he played the E chord on all six strings and just kinda skated over the extra string, or played the bottom string twice.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Wow very cool! What a great experience that must have been!

[@user-co1wf3oj7g]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver It was! Chuck Berry was top of the bill, but the Animals were an utter revelation. There was something a bit menacing about them, especially Eric Burdon, who was about five feet tall, with terrible acne, and he really worked hard. Someone said he was like an “apoplectic beetroot on a pogo-stick” 😄 Alas, once they were famous, they didn’t last long. Internal dissent and boozing got the better of them, which was a great pity, because at that time they were at least as good as the Stones, and their stage act was much more intense. Mind you, no one ever screamed at Chas Chandler 😳

[@ProDangles]

I think Hilton Valentine's picking pattern is strange, but I also think your pattern is strange. I think its interesting I've never seen anyone play it the way you do, up-picking the last 3 notes. I've only seen it played up-picking the last 2 notes. I think it follows your idea of always picking towards the next place you are going, but maximizes the efficiency, as you don't have to move the pick down past the 5th note without playing it and then pick upward, which is two picking motions. It also makes accenting the 5th easier. Cool video, keep them coming!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool, thanks. Yeah there are certainly a few good ways to do it :)

[@edfinleymusic9256]

I've played this song since aboui 1968 and at 74 I play it on an accoustic guitar with 3 string cross picking and I was un aware that I played like the recording , you're stuff is pretty cool thanks

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching! Lots more coming :)

[@northsongs]

Thanks for the vid! I like your Gretsch.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thanks for watching!

[@matthewmaurysmith2486]

I've been teaching guitar for a long time, maybe I can throw my two cents in.. So the picking you're suggesting initially in the video, I call it "unidirectional picking". It works fine at slower or moderate tempos. But at faster tempos only a very practiced alternating (or down/up) picking technique can hold together and stay controlled. Down/Up picking would work great on a typical arpeggio pattern in 6/8 time, because the direction of the pick strokes would match in the direction you happen to be wanting to go.

[@Hedgehog1039]

Very interesting, I learned by learning the chords then lsitening to it, I've always played it as: D, D, D, D D, U, D / D, U, U I don't know why but I seem to alternate the last stroke depending on the bar / point in the song. It must just be a subconsious nuance of some kind.

[@d4ddyK]

Your content is awesome.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you so much 😀

[@dougbeuerman4797]

Watch the video again. He’s also lifting his left hand or sometimes one finger to play an open G as the last note of each of these progressions. It adds a cool depth and continuity that I only hear in the original.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Good point, you're right about that last beat. It is a great sounding technique. I think we all do it to some degree to make chord switches smoother. I made a video about it some time ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYukgqmJqrOEmrM

[@roberteltze4850]

And I just realized I was taught this song wrong 40 years ago. Not the picking direction, we were fingerpicking it, but the instructor had simplified it by making it all quarter notes. Each measure was Root, 3rd, 2nd, 1st, 2nd then 3rd string. I knew something was off with the rhythm but honestly never looked into it. The good side of that was to make an E7 we played the D on the 2nd string instead of the 4th because the pattern never hit the 4th string. Not only is it a much better sounding way to play E7 it was my introduction to learning to play chords in nonstandard ways.

[@denniswinters3096]

If you really want to play it like the Animals arrangement, at the end of the song, as they're playing the last few bars, they just alternate between A minor to D minor until Alan Price's end chord ( which I believe is an A minor 9th ).

[@mariannaferry6089]

that solo came out so cool, damn

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you!!

[@steveperry1344]

this has always been one of my favorite tunes and i don''t tire of hearing or playing it. another good hard rock version of it is by the band 'frigid pink'. thnx for the info.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool, thanks. Yeah I love that Frijid Pink version too. Thanks for watching!

[@Wilderlens]

I've always played it as one eighth note, an eighth note triplet, followed by three eighth notes. For the Am and C chords, down strokes on the first eighth and the triplet, alternate on the last three eighths coming up. On the D and F, down on the first eighth, double pick the third string, up then down for the first two notes of the triplet and down on the second string for the third note of the triplet, then alternate up as before for the last three eighths in the bar. For the E, I pick string 6 thru 3, all down for the first eighth and the triplet, skip the second string and alternate back up from the first string. The last three notes played in any bar are the first three strings, alternating up on first, down on second up on the third string..

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Cool, thanks. Yeah there are certainly a few good ways to do it :)

[@kasiorbasior8494]

11:30 ... and the bored dog left the building. "He gives me the food at least" ;)

[@paulodonovanmusic]

Just lovely! Can't argue with that G#

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Yeah sounds so good in this song 😀

[@Maggioretom]

Thank you for the usual beautiful lesson. You make the difficult, easy and this is the special feature of the good teachers. I've only one question: what kind of Gretsch is that? I have a Gretsch too but I never seen one like your before! It's really fine!

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you! 😃 It's a aGretsch Power Jet made in Japan. Great guitar.

[@Maggioretom]

@@GuitarLessonsVancouver he's, I know. This was one of my favourite but then I chose a semi-acoustic, an Electromatic CB JR with Bigsby.

[@sholland42]

I don’t think of a song in terms of being in a major or minor key, but in terms of the tonic note only. It’s in A, but has a minor tonality due to the flat third. You can borrow from the parallel major or minor scales. In this song the IV and V are both from the A major scale. The V7 is crucial for the cadence.

[@leftundersun]

Having learned this song without a teacher (I just searched which were the chords and listened) I played the last three notes with the alternate picking. It's just obvious, they're very important to the goove ans the right hand (in my case left because I'm lefty) is the rhythm hand.

[@julesbower762]

Vancouver, like a rainy Seattle... Was in Vancouver for a week... Somehow it rained for two weeks.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Haha yeah it's like that. Summer is great here but the rest is rain rain rain.

[@Mr.-J-2024]

I think I read somewhere that The Animals recorded that in an 8:00AM studio session and nailed it in 2 takes.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

I can believe that. Eric Burdon one said he was born to sing that song.

[@tedgoodfellow9103]

Thank you GLV. Regards from Blighty :).

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you too!

[@LaurieBunyan-ws9mn]

Amazing teaching

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Thank you!

[@gagem5]

Valentine probably plays it like that because he naturally slants his pick downward. Basically the position you have your hand in when going up the arpeggio in the first half of the pattern. And he's uncomfortable slanting upward, so he just alternate picks. He also probably was thinking in an alternate picking mindset, but the sixteenths where to fast, so he swept those, and alternate picked everything else

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

That's a good point. That could be. Thanks for watching

[@frankperricone2065]

First song I learned on guitar, my uncle taught it to me when I was about 12. Made me a big Animals fan, especially Eric Burdon.I was taught the right way and always did. I can see how ppl play it wrong. Never saw the real Animals but have seen Eric do this as an encore more times then I can remember.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Nice! Thanks for commenting 🙂

[@frankperricone2065]

😊

[@killrade4434]

I learn the pick pattern from my dad who does it like Valentin. They are several blues and only country songs where you have to do this and its an older technique that most people don't practice any more. T This is the forearm rest to keep the pick at the right spot for sound and why he keeps the neck more vertical; this also is at his reach limit he wants and why he keeps the pick between strings. This can allow you to play the pattern with less arm movements and you can play longer without fatigue. Most people now days play with the neck too far down for this technique to work well and makes it much more difficult.

[@GuitarLessonsVancouver]

Interesting. For sure we all tend to play neck horizontal these days.