How To "Double Skank" - Reggae Music Guitar Lesson

[@tidaltheory]

You can see in your face when your doin it that you feel the music. Big ups

[@JustAnotherUkuleleGirl]

Thank you. I've been trying to learn from others for weeks and this is the video has done the best job explaining it so far

[@BillyDeCristofano]

So happy to hear! Have fun with it.

[@notfarfromgone1]

you're one of the reasons AI will never win. just a great chill watch. gratitude, man.

[@BillyDeCristofano]

That’s super kind of you to say! Thank you, and thanks for tuning in. 🙏

[@turkyazoo]

Reason why I........

[@DominguezMusica]

That’s good! Thanks for sharing

[@milanarki8542]

Thank you for this video. Really informative and gives beginner as well as pre-intermediate players great idea about the pattern. I would be grateful for more rhytmic stuff

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Glad it's useful for you! I'll think about what else I can do on rhythm. Thanks!

[@dregolding2961]

The first couple of chords sounded like a reggae version of this night has opened my eyes😂

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Haha that's a good idea for a cover!

[@sebastianjapan]

Thank you so much!!! This is so helpful. Will be practicing this a lot.

[@braveheart4603]

Thanks man very much appreciated. 🙏 It's crazy how much I've learned from generous folks like yourself taking the time to post helpful vids like this. After getting back into guitar in my late 40's I still can't get over the resources available for folks these days. You only have to be willing to put in a bit of effort and you can literally learn anything now.

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Glad to help and you’re exactly right! So much you can learn for free here on YT. Happy to hear you’re back to jamming and learning new guitar techniques. Enjoy!

[@luigifontana4164]

so pure.. so simple... really beautiful. what music is.

[@BillyDeCristofano]

As Bob Marley said, "one good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain."

[@luigifontana4164]

@@BillyDeCristofano brilliant. btw I'm finding this surprisingly difficult.. I'll keep on practicing until its perfect.

[@BillyDeCristofano]

@@luigifontana4164 It's tricky at first but once you have it, you'll have it locked in for life.

[@luigifontana4164]

@@BillyDeCristofano thanks brother! peace!

[@Ruby-vr-t]

Man this was perfect and exactly what I needed. Thank you!

[@123simion1989]

Makes it look easy. Way harder than it looks! I'm getting there. Thanks for the video mate 👍

[@BillyDeCristofano]

It takes some practice but one day you'll lock it in and have it forever! Glad to hear the vid is helpful. Keep at it and enjoy!

[@paulymullo]

Top lesson,iv been playing a ry and a half,im 47,late,but im a rudeboy ska true and true,2 tone music like ,the specials, the beat,selecter,madness,2nd wave ska in england but i love the origional ska from jamaica,toots,the etheopians,but your lesson has showed me the way to get the exact beat,cheers mate,SKAD FOR LIFE

[@jean-paulhorre5582]

Good lesson. Good vibes! ⚡

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks, Jean-Paul!

[@laurie242424]

It helps a lot! This is an excellent channel. Keep it going 👏

[@BillyDeCristofano]

So happy to hear and thanks for checking out the channel! I’ll keep it going and welcome any requests for videos/lessons

[@laurie242424]

@@BillyDeCristofano Definitely The Specials and UB40 but I still have to master the strumming. Cheers Billy.

[@tangledrootsmedia]

holy hell ive been searching for this "double skank" and thank you bro! my cousins got this down to a T but cant ever explain it haha. Thank you thank you!

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Haha well I'm glad you found my vid and found it helpful! You'll be jamming the double skank with your cousin in no time.

[@andresstoner5839]

So clear and very easy to understand,man thanks

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Happy to hear that it is helpful! Have fun playing.

[@matthewq7631]

Great style, I hope to learn this, but struggle right now with the muting part

[@youniquetalent4941]

Thanks fr this video I have learnt something

[@theseverelyprofoundguitari866]

Great lesson love learning new technique 🍻

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Glad it’s helpful! Have fun with it.

[@dudearth]

Excellent m. Thank you man.

[@ozWUNSEN]

Great vid thank you !

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Hope it was useful. Thanks!

[@Jasminesvoice]

This was a great explanation thanks!

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CozyBear_29]

just what I was looking for - very helpful 🤙

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Glad you found it useful, Jamie!

[@jellewever1225]

I love this!! Thanks so much.

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks and happy to hear it's helpful!

[@MrRayzer1]

Cool lesson :)

[@eelcowiemans]

Thanks for this. Also for the other vid on the differences between the three rhythm guitar parts in ska/rocksteady/reggae. How do you make your guitar sound so open and bright?

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks for checking out the videos and glad to hear they're helpful! As for the "open and bright" sound, I'm guessing that is mostly due to the strings I'm using. In this video, I'm using Ernie Ball Acoustic Guitar Strings called "Earthwood Phosphor Bronze Alloy" (Medium Light).

[@machobob9401]

Good lesson my bro 💯

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks for watching - hope it’s helpful!

[@tokododdles]

This is phenomenal, still a beginner but IL get there. Totally inspired here.

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks, Levi! Stick with it and enjoy the journey.

[@ThaFreestylers7]

Blown away by your teaching here, IMO it felt like we were in the same room and I was understanding every thing. Thanks for the time and effort. I haven’t read any comments I paused the video at 3:44 to type this. 🎉

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks for taking the time to share this! I learned by sitting across from my guitar teacher like this so guess I subconsciously set the video up to replicate that feel. Glad it’s helpful!

[@rob4366]

Amazing thank you have been struggling with this for a while and suddenly I can do it, still badly but I can do it.

[@BillyDeCristofano]

So happy to hear that this helped! Everyday you do it you’ll get a little better and will start to naturally flow with it.

[@Zboub781]

Woyooooo big great thx !

[@metalmouthmedia]

thanks bud!!! think I'm getting it!! this was very helpful!!

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Excellent, thanks! Happy to hear that it's a useful tutorial!

[@annandashimha-br9mp]

Thx bro

[@BillyDeCristofano]

You got it 🤙

[@avijitov5160]

I loved it ❤❤❤ May be I could catch it! If i m not wrong - UDU(D-muted)?

[@how2blowup]

Ya mon, Bless up!

[@BillyDeCristofano]

🙌

[@victorwashington7306]

Thank you!

[@Jack-fs2im]

cool classy thanx

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Glad it’s helpful, Jack

[@hector3466]

Muito lindo e muito gossttossoo

[@kozmancometh]

So I assume you are fretting on the "silent" upstrokes to slide between barres and adding a sixth with the pinky now and again for color on the chords?

[@zombie-zombies]

Make a tutorial about Rotimi love rhythm

[@krisross1326]

What song is rhis lesson based on. It sounds really familiar. Obviously a well know reggae track.

[@krisross1326]

Figured it out master blaster jammin

[@BillyDeCristofano]

It’s mostly Bm to A with an occasional G. Going between a major and minor chord like that is very common in reggae tunes.

[@nobbyclark1346]

Thanks Billy, very inspirational !

[@teejay425]

how do you get that muted chuck that repeats every couple of seconds, du du dum chuck, da du du dum chuck ????

[@BillyDeCristofano]

I think that comes from hitting the muted strings in between each down-up strum.

[@matthewgalicia1101]

woah. That tune at the end had some stank. Gonna go get that...

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks, Matthew! A little stank never hurt anyone. It's a song of mine called Roll On and you can listen on streaming services or here on youtube at kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2mal3pqnrJ3n9U - Enjoy!

[@joschawil]

Thanks. It's something new for me. It makes sense. It sounds cool.

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks and glad you dig the sound! You’ll enjoy playing it.

[@dudley0007]

Exactly what I needed ! Cheers

[@t-n-tkorpi4412]

I’m want to learn how to play reggae music and some ska music. I know nothing about music but I listen to a lot of ska and reggae. I’m not sure if this makes sense but is the double skank your playing the same double skank you hear in all ska songs or can you do something similar to write your own music?

[@BillyDeCristofano]

I created a video on the difference between ska, rocksteady, and reggae that you can check out here - hope it's helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWG8dHaegrFjiZY

[@t-n-tkorpi4412]

Billy DeCristofano thank you! That video was very helpful. I’m not sure if this is a good song to refer to, but for example the intro to underneath it all by no doubt. Is the guitar intro on underneath it all the same chords that you played in your video or is the double skank, reggae, and rocksteady a technique of how the guitar strokes are being played and then you can write your own music? I’m sorry if my questions don’t make sense lol. I’m not really sure how to state it.

[@BillyDeCristofano]

@@t-n-tkorpi4412 Underneath It All is a great song! It is different chords from what I played in these videos. But you're right, you can use the different strokes with whatever chords you want to make your own song. Use bar chords with the strokes and experiment with different chord progressions to make your own tunes. Have fun with it.

[@t-n-tkorpi4412]

Billy DeCristofano thank you for your help! I listened to some of your songs and they are great!

[@BillyDeCristofano]

@@t-n-tkorpi4412 That means a lot, thanks!

[@AlbertoJIEBEL]

Hello, what is your guitare please ? 🍀🍀🍀

[@paulymullo]

Yeah you make it look effortless but i found muting the strings till i got the rythem the"click click,click click,sound👍👍

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Glad it’s useful!

[@surftx11]

Really good vid, sub'd!

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Glad it’s helpful and thanks for subscribing!

[@CryptoZem]

Hello ! We would like to feature this video in our page. Please let us know if that ok thanks

[@Themindblockreggae]

I learnt like this.... chicka chicka chicka chicka

[@BillyDeCristofano]

I like that! I could see that really helping.

[@borukhura]

Master, what is YOUR OWN favourite style of play?

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Depends how I’m feeling but reggae if I could only play one.

[@reecetony7096]

Awsome 🤘🍁🇯🇲

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks, Reece!

[@Frank_inSA]

Nice, simple explained that even a monk like me can understand 😂 Thanks

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Haha glad to hear it helped!

[@PaulvanEgmond]

Lovely tutorial! Now go clean your fretboard ;-)

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Thanks, Paul! That sweat and residue on the fret board enhances the sound haha

[@priyankasarkar3132]

Can you break down the rythm patter ... It's hard to follow

[@Thelightmusic01]

What are the chords🔥🔥🔥

[@odily2000]

I love it bro.

[@CozyBear_29]

Still working on it 😆

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Stay at it!

[@palereaper]

I cant tell if the fretboard is dirty or just heavily used

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Mostly just heavily used but probably could use a cleaning too

[@p.z.8355]

Hi you say "hold it down during the down-up", but isnt the whole pattern only down-up ?

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Hey P.Z. - good question. What I mean is stop pressing down on the strings during that brief time between the downstroke and upstroke. Or, put another way, only press down on the strings when you're strumming down and then up. There's a brief time between the down and up stroke where you don't want the chords ringing. This is what gives it the skank sound. Otherwise, you'll just be doing straight strumming up and down with no skank. Hope that helps!

[@p.z.8355]

@@BillyDeCristofano , thanks a lot :)

[@weiloh4091]

chord names pls

[@BillyDeCristofano]

I'm using bar chords and playing A to Bm. I then go up to G and back to A.

[@b-rgi6777]

Do i need to tune my guitar for that it doesnt sound the same

[@fabienarbour5785]

no, probably not muting enough...Bm and A goes to G sometime

[@BillyDeCristofano]

I'm using standard tuning here and playing barre chords (Bm - A, up to G and back to A). If you're new to barre chords, you may not be pushing down all the way (they can be hard at first)

[@francisonubi]

R u using a pick?

[@BillyDeCristofano]

I am indeed.

[@highmagiclowlife]

the pattern is not even down up, even when you mute all your strings its seems like you are accenting somehow by looping the down up. so having up come after an up or having a down after a down im very confused 😭

[@BillyDeCristofano]

Didn’t mean to cause confusion! Just start out slow. Take a barre chord and strum down once on it, then lift up after you strum. Then press down on the same chord again and strum up, lifting up from the chord right after the upstroke.. Gradually pick up the speed so that the down stroke and up stroke eventually are played in quick succession, giving the double skank effect.

[@highmagiclowlife]

down up down up down up 😭

[@CC-mj3zq]

So the rythym is on the and a, and a, and a ....

[@BillyDeCristofano]

@@CC-mj3zq pretty much!

[@Jacksmusicshack]

So there's palm muting involved? In having trouble..lol

[@BillyDeCristofano]

When you're just starting, I suggest working out the "down-up" rhythm on muted strings. Once you have a feel for the rhythm, start pressing down (try a bar chord) only on the down-up strokes. Other than the down-up strokes, your fingers making the chord should just be resting on the strings. When your hand is in motion with the rhythm, your pick will likely hit the muted strings between the down-up, giving off the muted string sound, which often adds a nice effect but isn't essential. The best way to hone in on your technique would be try following along with a song that heavily features the double-skank. It can be a challenge at first but once you lock it in, you'll be set for life!

[@Jacksmusicshack]

Billy DeCristofano wow! Very Strait forward! Im writing this down..THANKS MON lol :)

[@ph0kused]

I found taking pressure off the chord your fingers are fretting gives it the muted sound,not your palm. Its more left hand technique. After awhile your left hand is pressing off and on chords the whole time. You can see his fretting hand fingers moving from applying pressure off and on. Also making sure your index is barring across all strings is pretty important, with this technique less is more, your more percussion than guitar when playing double skanks.

[@dezionlion]

The up stroke is more of an accent on the muted strings, an echo pedal does it even better! Don’t get too pushy with the fretted hand

[@shawnosanchez2127]

So are you going down up up down up? Because you keep saying up down up down…

[@highmagiclowlife]

the pattern is not down up u are lying to us

[@br3ntt_]

Im thinking the same ong

[@avijitov5160]

It's a bit hard to catch it. Please, demonstrate the rhythm slowly breaking down it. Close up shot is more effective. Your tutorial would be far better this way. Thank you.