If This Is It - Huey Lewis and The News

[@iansnyder274]

Wow. Great job! Thank you. Chris Hayes is no joke. His has a deep understanding of harmony and melody for sure. One of the under recognized maestros of his era and one of my favorites!

[@MarkZabel]

Couldn't agree more! He wasn't showy. He just made every song better!

[@danp9902]

One of the best pop solos of the 80's! Great video & lesson!!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Dan!

[@RedLion88]

One of my favorite feel good songs of the 80s. Thanks.

[@MarkZabel]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!!

[@balin71]

I will have a go at this today. Something great to start the new year with.

[@MarkZabel]

Have fun and Happy New Year!

[@landguitar]

Thanks for taking the time to do this, Mark. I have to learn this quickly for band practice and although it's a lot in a short time; between your video and Transcribe!, I saved me a bunch of time! One thing I notice that many folks don't do in these videos is talk about what the actual chords and notes are, which I think is important for everyone. You did a pretty good job of that. I also appreciate that you went over most of the chords - they are really hard to hear on this song. All the best!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Bill. Yeah, it's not a theory lesson, but I like to try to understand what I play even if I play note-for-note what the guitarist is playing. So if not chords per se, at least the harmonic approach that was being used. For me it makes it easier to remember and far more enjoyable.

[@geemac7267]

I've always loved that solo. Great job and thanks.

[@MarkZabel]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@texashazzard7606]

please more huey lewis!! great lesson!!!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks! How about The Power of Love? Nice solo in that.

[@NickTjack]

that's one solo I cant find anywhere

[@mseabs741]

Fantastic Mark! Always been a big Huey Lewis fan. As usual you present a complete approach to learning a song. The tab is also a great addition. Keep up the great work Mark!

[@MarkZabel]

I'll do my best to keep them coming!

[@hein234]

Thank you, Mark! It's a great solo and a good exercise for me to keep working on. I appreciate you posting it!

[@MarkZabel]

You're welcome. Thanks for listening!

[@racora14]

What a great musician you are Mark, thanks a lot for sharing your talent and knowledge.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Rob! I appreciate the kind comment!

[@mikeevans5039]

Beautiful guitar and guitar work. You've helped me immensely. Thank you Soooo mzch

[@MarkZabel]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@budandbean1]

Great Solos Mark, kills me how smooth you are... what a great song!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Buddy! This was from the "contest winner" in the "How do the Modes Sound" video. I think he made a great suggestion!

[@NickTjack]

Awesome video, I'm not joking this video was super easy for me to understand , please do more Huey Lewis!!!!!!!!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Nick! You got it - more Huey Lewis!

[@NickTjack]

It sounded just like the real thing!

[@fhfabio]

Wow, that was quick! Thank you very much, Mark! I find this a very happy song, a great option to lift the mood on a Sunday morning ;-) Fabio

[@MarkZabel]

We aim to please! :) Yes, you're right about the happy mood for a Sunday morning. I had fun doing this one, so thanks for suggesting it!

[@upuiaropati6839]

Very impressive picking sir. Unbelievable

[@MarkZabel]

Thank you kindly!

[@jeffreyjohnson646]

Wow this is great! Thank you...

[@MarkZabel]

You are so welcome!

[@officergregorystevens5765]

The intro and outro solos of this song are so great.. they also remind me of some of the guitar work for the 'Sonic Adventure' game from I think 1999 (on Dreamcast, the original one not Sonic Adventure 2) like Emerald Coast I think is the track.. anyway nice job :)

[@MarkZabel]

Ha! I just listened to that. Yep, it's similar. Interesting. Thanks for the kind comment!

[@jackson-aka2gs749]

excellent!!!

[@MarkZabel]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@austindouglas8716]

Another perfect lesson you're awesome

[@MarkZabel]

Wow, thanks Austin! I appreciate your kind words!

[@simflier8298]

Were you on tour with them?!!! Nicely, nicely done!!!

[@MarkZabel]

*I wish*! Thanks Louie!

[@wildphil21]

Thank you for this. This is fantastic. Well done. The only thing I noticed is that it seems like a couple notes are missing at 6:37/6:38. But the notes are so fast that it doesn't hardly matter lol. Thanks again.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks! My ears aren't hearing anything else there, but I could be wrong. Thanks for the kind comment.

[@officergregorystevens5765]

You're a great teacher too btw. I have a similar teaching method to yourself, which is essentially to be enthusiastic and thorough. If you don't love what you're teaching you just won't teach it well.. so yeah hope you're doing well and keep it up - Chris

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Chris!

[@backtoshallabal6662]

I know no politics on this channel Mark, but today is the day! Haha!

[@MarkZabel]

Ha ha! It *is* the day. I'm prepared. I bought a new bottle of bourbon!

[@poptart6862]

This is really good heck me

[@MarkZabel]

Glad you liked it!

[@NickTjack]

Can you please do Do You Believe In Love! This is my favorite Huey Lewis song!

[@MarkZabel]

NickTheRandom Sounds good. I'll get it on the list.

[@caicharles-classicalguitar8194]

Once again, awesome work Mark!!! :) Ever received any suggestions on doing a tutorial for the solo from Strong Persuader by Robert Cray???? I need your guidance to teach me how to play it!!!

[@MarkZabel]

Awesome suggestion. I was just listening to Right Next Door yesterday thinking that maybe I should do that one. Love that song. Love that album. (Take Your Shoes Off is a great album of his from just a few years ago. Very R&B. You should give it a listen if you haven't yet. He still has it ... guitar, voice, vibe ... everything.) Robert Cray is one of those players who doesn't sound too tough to play - until you try. He has a very strong and deliberate attack that's not easy to emulate, at least not for me. Okay, consider it to be on the short list!!

[@caicharles-classicalguitar8194]

Mark Zabel Will definitely give that a listen!!! Never come across that album before. Thanks for the response and keep up the amazing work!!! :)

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks!!

[@Jeff_290]

Your sound and tone are awesome! 👍 Could you please tell me what overdrive pedal/or combination of... you are using for the solo? Thanks!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Jeff! This was quite a while ago, so I don't remember what I used. I don't even have that amp anymore, but it looks like a cheapo Blackstar ID:Core. I probably was using the "Crunch" channel with gain clocked at maybe 6 or 7 and a little reverb. Sorry I can't be more helpful on it.

[@Jeff_290]

@@MarkZabel No problem, thanks for replying!

[@beniethomson4157]

wonderful song and well played mark! what backing track are you using cant find it anywhere:)

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks. Google guitarbackingtrack and you'll find a treasure trove ... along with this particular song. :)

[@yrulooknatme]

nice!!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks!

[@ieldepiel]

Mark will you concider some steely dan for us?✌🏼️nice lessons still enjoy them

[@MarkZabel]

Sure. Steely Dan is tough for me at the moment, unless you're looking for something simple. I'm battling some nerve damage in my left hand, so I really have to spread out the times I play. Do you have a suggestion on the songs? Maybe something like Third World Man? (Bodhisattva would be out for the moment, for example. It takes too much to memorize it and get the exact notes up to speed. Improvising is still okay, but ... well, I never hear the end of it when I do that!)

[@ieldepiel]

I should realy like to use the wah(talkbox in song) and do haitian divorce,not that fast but very melodic,thx mark and good luck with your hand!must be annoying :(

[@MarkZabel]

Okay, I'll give Haitian Divorce a shot. I don't have a talk-box, so it will most likely be with an emulator and a wah. Hopefully it will come decently close. You want the solo at around 2:45 right? It's not really the speed that is tough, it's the length of the solo and the "sameness." Ian Bairnson's solo on Wuthering heights would be similarly difficult for me right now. It's not fast, but it's long and the lines are all very similar, so it's hard to remember, get the muscle memory up to snuff, and get the recording right. Thanks for the well-wishing. It's actually a couple of slipped discs in my neck area, but the numbness radiates to my hand. Kind of a bummer, but hopefully it won't last too long!

[@ieldepiel]

Mark Zabel it's all about a good posture! Yes the wha intro and solo please.

[@budandbean1]

Hey Mark, could you check the download link, everything looks fine but I can't get it to work. B.

[@MarkZabel]

Hey Buddy, I just checked it and had my wife and son check it too. It worked on all accounts and machines. Try again, and if it doesn't work for you let me know and I'll email it out to you. www.dropbox.com/s/mwua6tyncsm92l9/If%20This%20Is%20It.pdf?dl=0

[@budandbean1]

Mark Zabel Just emailed you, thanks for you very kind offer, I'm using IOS, maybe that's it...

[@MarkZabel]

Buddy Martin No sweat. I'll send it when I'm next at my computer. One of the devices I used was an iPad, so I'm not sure. Hopefully this isn't indicative of more problems. Dropbox is my best option for now.

[@carmineruocco3768]

he keeps saying 9, i think he means 10

[@MarkZabel]

Hey Carmine. What time in the video are you talking about?

[@carmineruocco3768]

@@MarkZabel a bunch of times, he keeps saying 7-8-9, he means 7-8-10

[@MarkZabel]

@@carmineruocco3768 I am "he". If you tell me where, I'll check it out and let you know if I misspoke. You don't need to tell me everywhere, but it would be helpful if you point out a specific time. Then I could tell you for certain whether I meant 10.

[@carmineruocco3768]

@@MarkZabel when I get q chance I'll look