John Mayer Teaches His PENTATONIC EQUATOR Concept with fretLIVE Animations! (Guitar Lesson)

[@swood07413]

Ok JM is legendary, but who's the intern who had to go back and chart out every single note he played for the animated tab? Hats off to them because that's sick!

[@kane6529]

That would be done by this channel POW music not JM

[@-caleb-7201]

@@kane6529 that’s what he said

[@deandee8082]

pretty sure its software

[@OrymUmenzi]

lol... the intern's name is Algo short for 'Algorithm'

[@michaelwoods3850]

It's a program that converts from his amp to his laptop

[@PepperCain]

“I could play forever and I will.” I respect that.

[@Mikeys-Music]

My favorite thing anyone’s ever said 😂

[@jeltoninc.8542]

Yeah that’s a quote I can live by.

[@shanep5121]

That animation is a life changer. That did more for me in 5 minutes that in 35 years of self-study. This is what I've been missing my whole life. When it stopped I was just heartbroken. Where can I see more instructional videos with this type of animation? It was perfection. The best I've ever seen by miles

[@PowMusic]

Awesome! Check out the rest of my channel and my courses!

[@shanep5121]

@@PowMusic i was just there and subscribed and hit the bell. I'm sharing this everywhere.. Do you do this for bass? My daughter plays and she is very new to it.

[@PowMusic]

@@shanep5121 no, not for bass but check out this channel for bass - I helped create those videos with another teacher: kzbin.info/door/OlWBkz7GW5gUCppyvX9Nzg

[@shanep5121]

@@PowMusic of course you did! You are an awesome human. Thanks again.

[@dr.strawberry5773]

respectfully, if in 35 years you havent picked up enough of tools to play by ear, then my friend its time for you to stop resisting sheet music so you can get ur audiation skills up.

[@mjt7231]

The John Mayer lessons are amazing. To have someone at his level breakdown how he looks at what he’s doing and how it makes sense in his mind is something you could’ve never been given for free twenty years ago.

[@bojangles6444]

Instructional vhs used to cost a fortune more than movies. Like $100. Now they are all free on KZbin. Even bootleg concerts with terrible quality were more than albums and you were at the liberty of some stranger to send it to you. And movies weren’t as cheap either! People would collect unofficial concert cd’s and tapes- sometimes the tapes were so bad. Some official vhs would be $50 new- especially if it won best picture etc. that was more like 35 years ago lol. I don’t think the nostalgia heads remember this was before best buy and circuit etc city started having price wars to keep all of this stuff affordable. 18 bucks for a cd at the mall..

[@stevesassano5047]

John's Guitar Teacher was Al Ferrante who was Edgar Winters guitar player. He still teacher in Fairfield CT.

[@collinwebster291]

I'm pretty sure his mother was a school teacher.

[@larryhudspeth4072]

I was not surprised to learn John Mayer went to Berklee at age 19!

[@ziblot1235]

What did he breakdown? All II saw was him playing little riffs, and not showing were the frst note was. Thats 30 minutes I wont get back.

[@777ZEETAL]

This animation is pretty sweet. It’s like seeing how a magic trick is done. After you see the animation, the patterns are revealed and with a little practice, the trick seems attainable and not as much a secret.

[@PowMusic]

That’s the goal! Thanks!

[@RestInPeaceX]

@@PowMusic you're the man kudos to you buddy 🤘

[@pikiwiki]

exactly. Easier than trying to imagine the patterns on the fretboard, repeating them over and over. Graphics help

[@ethan_silas]

@@PowMusic sir did you sit and transcribe every single note he played on the graphic of the neck????

[@reservoirfrog1]

I haven’t been playing for the last couple months but this has given me my motivation back!

[@guitarware]

I love how not only music theory but more specifically the guitar is just this puzzle that we all and even John Mayer is still trying to figure out and we all share clues with each other in this journey to solve it. This video is brilliant. Thank you for making this. Liked and subbed. Oh yea and the animation is next level detail

[@punkywozza4330]

As EVH famously said "It's Music Theory, Not Music Fact"

[@dr.strawberry5773]

@@punkywozza4330 it is facts, just not rules. i always find myself explaining that music predates music theory just like speaking predates dictionnaries and cooking predates recipes. (i do know the joke that you're making but it needed to be said!)

[@FoxHound-ch1yy]

Aint the internet a beautiful thing =)

[@jeltoninc.8542]

Now factor in sampling and synthesis… music becomes even more limitless. This is why I love music so much.

[@ironicpunishmentdivision4226]

"It's so much fun"...I love that he says that in the lesson. Everyone forgets that's what creating music about. Great job on the editing and animations.

[@autistichead8137]

Really ???? we all play guitar for hours a day because we forgot it’s fun 😂😂 You could have just typed “I perceive myself as superior to everyone else”

[@ctzeninsane]

The lesson itself is gold, but the animation is impossibly good. How the hell did they manage to pull it through? Extremely well done!

[@bofa83]

His ability to make the minor pentatonic to sound like that always blows me away.

[@changzang8186]

Yea how the hell does he do that

[@ProdNJD]

@@changzang8186 idk it’s crazy

[@kenduffy5397]

YES IT DOES!

[@keithremedy]

@@changzang8186 years of playing... it took me a long time before I actually started being able to play music & had a melodic & vocal style. Where as before I was just playing guitar & playing what I knew whether it be scales or triads & something that just sounds like what you’d hear in music student. John plays the guitar the way you’d listen to a full band with multiple instruments. & that’s something that very few guitar players can do. Also keen to note playing through a crazy clean headroom amp only adds to that. All the right hand attack & dynamics that follow his phrasing is something that’s going to be far far more prevalent with a hand wired amp that’s not going to show as well with A blues jr or katana

[@iinfynitebeats]

you get blown away by a standard way of playing…

[@georgetebbens3524]

Wow. I've been playing Blues guitar for over 40 years and it NEVER occurred to me to riff on the Blues scale behind the Blues box. I just tried it now. As familiar as I am with all the notes on the fretboard, I found it more than a bit tricky landing on the I, IV, V notes and chord tones in the position below the "equator". Great lesson. I'll be practicing this, for sure. Thanks, kid. I guess you are the real deal after all.

[@OfficialPuvve]

John has been one of the greatest guitarists in the history of our planet for a good 10-15 years now.

[@dommirra5429]

Really???

[@RagggedTrouseredPhilanthropist]

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. How is it possible to play for 40 years and not realise there is more than one place to play the minor pentatonic.

[@DaveSwart]

They say everyone learns differently. Well, 25 years after picking up a guitar - FINALLY. THIS my friend. This is how my brain learns best.

[@EricRennerYT]

If you play it at half speed it’s your drunk uncle giving you a banger unsolicited guitar lesson.

[@PlumbingBanana]

Holy shit 😂

[@k.t.1641]

Thought this was a dumb comment, but tried it anyways and holy s! 🤣😂

[@EricRennerYT]

@@k.t.1641 I wouldn’t lie to you! 🤣

[@ColinHouston-Luke]

grade a comment... underrated. So true

[@jose-alvez]

Factss

[@johnbrasher5156]

HOLY SHIT. I'm not even 3 minutes into this and it's already the best pentatonic video I've ever seen. And I've watched dozens... It's the best explanation, the best graphics, the best everything. How come every YT guitar channel doesn't do it like this? I'm a new sub!

[@dorianpod77]

Well if u have studied some theory you should know this stuff already...

[@waltercapa5265]

I recommend also Scott Paul Johnson videos.

@@dorianpod77 It's not about what you have and haven't studied. We all have access to the same information, it's about what perspective / approach resonates with you most. Someone could study a concept for a long time but it just doesn't stick with them until the content is delivered a certain way, for John (Brasher), it's clearly John (Mayer)'s way lol, and there ain't nothing wrong with that ma friend 🤘🏼

[@bojangles6444]

Honestly it’s not really that helpful. The same notes are down the minor scale lol. It’s good for sliding down that’s about it. Can play a little more legato knowing these notes.

[@bojangles6444]

@ yeah I have listened to countless blues guitarists. Nobody really uses this. If it were ground breaking they would have- once you play it you will be disappointed it’s not as cool as it seems. It’s not a matter of studying theory it’s studying players. Nobody learns to play the blues with theory. You don’t need it for blues- not until you get into jazz. Kinda a dumb argument to make- you don’t study the blues to learn to you just play it. How long can you study pentatonic and 3 chords? It’s about feeling not thinking.

[@hipski]

I've always had this in my head when playing but to hear Mayer talk about it with this AMAZING animation...next level. Love the term pentatonic equator, that's so perfect!

[@wardettinger6177]

More is always better and don't stop teaching John we love hearing you play and love the videos 👍👍👍

[@Piratesteve81]

I just got a guitar lesson from John Mayer. For free. Damn. This sounds sick. This channel is a treasure mine. So glad I found you guys. Keep it up.

[@baimun]

Personally, I’ll admit to struggling with caged or pentatonic around the entire neck, but I do love that “minor bar” and will think in terms of 5th fret A bar, 7th fret B bar, 8th fret C bar, 10th fret D bar, 12th E and 15th G… and work out the rest as we go. Love it…. Thank you #JohnMayer

[@unifyhumanity360]

Amazing! Level up now engaged. 35 years of playing,.studying books ,live vhs,dvdsny entire life,5 min KZbin video blew that out of the water: from JM😢

[@SticksAandstonesBozo]

This is the hands down best guitar lesson I’ve ever seen. This has totally changed my soloing in 48 hours.

[@GeorgeZimmermen]

Sureee…….

[@PowMusic]

That's awesome to hear. Thank you for sharing!

[@PorkPioneer]

Once you realize you have the ENTIRE neck at your disposal no matter what key you’re in, you can start really working

[@swardmusic]

U should get a guitar teacher!

[@peterliolis5482]

@@PowMusic Often you see people say and then I do this etc ...and learners are saying what!!! slow down with the fret board showing you can follow and hear , one of the best tutorials above,

[@joesanchez9916]

Great lesson! For those that want more, take a dive into the deep end of the CAGED system. That’s exactly what this is. Molly Miller has an excellent master class on this that I’d recommend!

[@marksinner2289]

I just want to thank you for putting and syncing the scale below that was a genius idea. Subbed

[@TheAdyyoung2000]

Here this is, in a ten minute video showing what took me YEARS to work out on my own. We all love the comfort of the pentatonic box but want to break out of it to add interest. The obvious thing is to go up the neck, but there is huge amounts of musical flavour to be found by going below that root line. I LOVE the visual concept of tracking the notes played with the pentaboxes highlighted to you can kind of see the musician's thinking. Hands down the best guitar instruction video I've ever found on KZbin.

[@paulmccabe2966]

Whether you like his music or not (I do), John Mayer is a truly great teacher. Clear and precise.

[@Acujeremy]

I couldn't;t follow what he was trying to say.

[@thepushfitzyify]

@@Acujeremy maybe your not good enough yet lol

[@Acujeremy]

@@thepushfitzyify Or maybe I am beyond finger patterns.

[@thealaskapicker8628]

@@Acujeremy If you were "beyond" finger patterns your understanding of them would be so solid that following what he was saying would be easy

[@Acujeremy]

@@thealaskapicker8628 What I mean is, I don't know the point of what he was trying to say. Why don't you tell me.

[@CY3ER]

My GOD watching this man play is so satisfying. He's a legend for a reason. One of the best guitarists of all time.

[@ray.jay.jam21]

I'm more amazed with the animation than the lesson itself haha! Thanks for doing this man!

[@robrob1596]

I've been looking for transcribed John Mayer videos like this for a couple of years! You should do a whole series on these they really help more than you can believe

[@hfuhruhurr]

Man, those animations are friggin' hot! Probably a PITA to animate but its value is immense. Now that I know something like this exists, anything else is substandard.

[@MOAB-UT]

You probably still cannot play well though.

[@rudamchu]

This man is more of a legend for his willingness to teach and share than his iconic playing.

[@TWDay-sy6nq]

"That's not a capo," classic Mayer humor and the kind of subtle stuff that I love in his lyrics.

[@sujayanarula3913]

So nice of John to have made these videos available to everyone, i know it's a lot to expect of him to have supported it with the diagram, thankfully you've made it easier to understand so his efforts don't go wasted, well done! 😊🙏🏽🤩

[@MOAB-UT]

One way or the other, it was sponsored by PRS I am sure. Notice the guitar he is playing?

[@leeburgess9416]

That was a great way to highlight what he’s playing. Well done!!!!

[@edwardmolinary4890]

Same. Great way to illustrate what is being played.

[@robrob1596]

Please transcribe another John Mayer lesson like this. This is one of the best videos on the internet!

[@dontletmebrown]

This is amazing makes what he's talking about so much easier to get my head around, thank you so much!

[@nattyboyo2404]

Crazy that he never saw this until a few years ago. I've probably been playing as long as he has (although not day in day out) and it took me a while to think like this. It's just mad that he plays as well as he does and finds out new things, however simple. He's very humble to be fair.

[@clgmafnas]

What a great presentation style with color coded notes and everything! Props man 🤙🏼

[@Cooking-with-Bradley]

Minor pentatonics all day with this dude. He’s SO proficient in that style. Great lesson!

[@MOAB-UT]

Yeah but can you play the major pentatonic scale? Can you play the major scale? Do you know how to go from the major to minor penta in the same tune? Do you know any modes, degrees of the scale and triads all over the neck- the names of each fret all over the fretboard? If not, you have some work to do.

[@kevinmyrick218]

Can you? And are you sure you can?

[@janjansen7983]

@@MOAB-UT i get what you are saying and sure, you are right. The whole point I take away from this video is that you can spice your minor pentatonic up by mirroring another minor penta position to a major penta position. Hence he says ''underground'' playing. If you can master this, sure go learn more, but you can make a lot of nice music with it. Mayer never said to stop learning after this video

[@MOAB-UT]

@@janjansen7983 What he was showing really did not have much to do with Major Penta. Most of his lesson was simply showing position 1 and position 2 of Minor Penta. Nothing more. Below the equator is technically position #1. IF the key is Major, you can start below the equator with your pinky on the root and play position #2 penta. 1-4, 1-3, 1-3, 1-3, 1-4, 1-4. It is really very simple stuff. Simply learn all 5 shapes. Also, be aware, when you are playing major penta, some of the places you find the root will change. The notes are the same (5 out of 7) but the location will change. Not e.g., the A of 5th fret (top and bottom string.) Even if you fret it with your pinky, and THAT location stays the same, other locations will change.

[@davidhallowell3457]

Great lesson…and I love the synced animation. The same notion…that there’s an option ‘toward the bridge’ and another ‘toward the nut’ is, of course, true for all manner of intervals, scales, and riffs…so this lesson has many offshoots for fun discovery.

[@LucaLindemann]

This is the best and more clear pentatonic video from one of the five best guitar players in the world: practical, simple and joyful. I love him! ♥️

[@TheWilliamHoganExperience]

Mayer is always excellent. Your animated diagrams really lay it all out and beautifully compliment his more abstract, obtuse theoretical explanations. Both work together to help players like me reach higher levels of expression with the blues.

[@chrisfor]

I can't play a single a chord but I watched because I love watching JM play the guitar. Saw him last year in Chicago, such an amazing artist.

[@nojuanatall3281]

You can though!

[@DoctorMcFarlandStudios]

Instead of Equator I have been teaching circle pentatonics for years. Same concept but when introducing the concept to a student I will show them how to go up the first down and then down the second box and then keep circling up and down until they are familiar with the notes. Then you choose the next two boxes and practice those. Eventually you learn the whole fretboard.

[@designwithdaniel]

Whatever software is used for the visual, it's priceless. I hope to see this become widespread. It's game changing.

[@michaelkozma5929]

That guitar animation is incredible! John is playing CAGED shaped system in C pentatonic minor with added pentatonic major in E-Form.

[@pihermoso11]

Wouldn't it be the Eb major penta that is enharmonic with the C minor penta?

[@michaelkozma5929]

@@pihermoso11 Most people get lettered position forms mixed up, the best way to make sense of it is to replace the word E-form with the words (Position 1form Major) which he is playing = C Major pentatonic. Sorry yea, that word (E-form) confuses people. Instead of saying position form C, position form A, etc. etc. You can say Position form 1, position form 2, etc. etc.

[@ziblot1235]

No he isnt. He told you what he was doing. "Key of C" major and minor.

[@cerclesvicieux]

That's the most inovative way of looking at scales that I have seen in years. Definitely going to work on this. Thanks!

[@theoemanuelsson7465]

I’m very familiar with the pentatonic but this actually opened up a new path for me. I feel like I now understand it just a little bit better.

[@domagojskrbin8633]

Skill on another level...amazing how nowadays you can get lesson for free from this kind of top musicians...

[@machitect]

wow this is awesome, not just JM, but whoever made this video with the charts. Insane!

[@PowMusic]

Thanks

[@lian1238]

To the animator who did the tabs, thank you so much. Even got the direction JM bends the string! Must've taken days

[@jonathansnell-callanen2881]

JM's tone has always been killer. His huge LH allows him to use the thumb over top for the low E string. He also uses the ring finger for most of his hammer/pulls, which has some extra power when compared to most players' pinkies. The micro bending, the (obviously) great instrument with a great setup through a great cabinet, and an effortless picking hand = everything he plays sounds great.

[@danno9608]

Besides the incredible visuals and editing, let's not ignore that JM is and has been incredibly prolific throughout his career. His most recent solo tours and what he's done the last few years with Dead & Co arguably armed him to be an even greater artist and musician. He's become a professor to us guitar players and, much like Paul Gilbert, is incredibly praiseworthy to provide us with these gems!

[@noelbridgeman99]

The shape below the "equator" is simply Cm pentatonic using a different shape, there are 5 well known shapes for every pentatonic scale situated across the fretboard, not sure why he's associating that shape/scale with Cmaj pent or am I missing something here? The animation is excellent as is the playing, many thanks 👍

[@joshuadevries3459]

Man I’m sitting here wondering why he’s making it so complicated!!

[@andymyers8406]

Yeah, it's simply linking box1 with box 2. Does John Mayer not know the five 'boxes' ?

[@jasonpitre1249]

John Maye doesn’t seem to be suffering from any lack of knowledge. He can play circles around almost anyone, and continues to get better.

[@davedavem]

Major and minor pentatonic scales each have 5 different patterns. Pattern 1 of the minor pentatonic sits 4 frets higher than (the identically shaped) pattern 1 of the major pentatonic. If you want to switch between minor and major and use those patterns, you have to jump back and forth. What he's saying is use pattern 5 of the minor pentatonic, which overlays more closely with that major pentatonic box, so you can stay in the same position but play either scale. TL:DR pattern 5 minor pentatonic and pattern 1 major pentatonic are in the same place.

[@greglambert6199]

@@davedavem And also you can do niftier hammer ons and pull offs one couldn't do with pattern 1 as easily.

[@dominicshonk5651]

I actually started doing this on my own recently but it’s so satisfying to have JM reaffirm I’m learning something useful. I will be studying this and learning how to utilize it more

[@bobbybays]

The graphic is really amazing the way it shows bends and vibrato is rrally cool this video is great

[@Donj777]

You’re the best teacher I’ve seen on KZbin!!! Love your show!!

[@mcaputto]

All the John Mayer lessons like this. Amazing. Thank you!

[@veshaw.]

out of all the famous guitarist in the world brother John is one of the few who actually takes time to do a guitar lessons for his fans

[@q4991]

Just lately got INTO J. Mayer, (since 'body wonderful?") He is *One* of The *Greats*! It ain't Just pentas, pentas...it's Inspiration, it's Him, only, Totally *Instant Creativity*. SO, i Will return to *Forgetting about Guitar Solos* . i Have 'learned' all the pentas, 10x...i can't even remember That, after a month, it takes Borne 'Inspiration' 'Creativity', to EVER do even a Copy of J.M.! Back to *MY level, again*!!!

[@cavejelly]

Took me learning guitar to appreciate John Mayer. Really loved the guitar frett animations. Massive help!

[@skipneumann1]

I was missing a few of these ways of thinking- I realized I have been utilizing the H&P available in each pattern and being in a different tuning like Albert would make me play another way- always great lessons from you

[@PaulChaplo]

Thank you John for sharing this eye-opener lesson! We appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge. Also thanks for the amazing graphics!

[@drgnslyr221]

Never been a fan of his music, but he has a feel for the guitar, few musicians have.

[@EUC_DeathRay]

Great guitarist but his music is shit

[@Theohybrid]

It feels like know how’s whole concepts and chunking them together as he moves them around.

[@_GandalfTheGrey_]

This visualization style with the fretboard and notes being shown is INCREDIBLE for learning. Holy shit. I had none of that when I was learning.

[@pauligyarto3179]

If John's dishing out guitar wisdom, I'm listening. Dude's on another planet when it comes to guitar.

[@bmann792]

I love it how this is common knowledge and everyone uses this but when John Mayer says it everyone is like oh crap this has changed my life

[@JohnZeeX]

Most don’t get as much out of it as JM does. He takes a basic pattern and makes it sing where most people just manage sound like everyone else.

[@thatsamazin-]

Even John played guitar for years on a high level and never thought of this approach. I don’t think I would call it “common knowledge”. I would just call it a helpful tip.

[@philipmarsh3522]

Right? I honestly thought everyone did this ~ and the other positions as well. Obviously I’ve been focused on the wrong stuff lol.

[@ricoamordavila7496]

So what I'd people know it, it's how to play it so it has soul.. alot of people can't do that. Making it sound good with transitions is not easy

[@josezerpa8177]

What a luxury being able to learn from masters like John Mayer, Snake Sabo and so many others via KZbin! who would've imagine this 30 years ago!

[@davidsteinart]

He's really good, I'm shocked that this is a new revelation for him.

[@DavidJones-ey6ie]

John Mayer is a frickin maniac on a guitar! This is a fucking masterclass in blues/Clapton/Hendrix. But he explores that Jerry touch. Jerry Garcia is a master

[@jdwhitt6999]

Beautifully effective visuals for faster learning! 🙏🏼

[@splshorty18]

The way this is presented visually while he is literally playing it ! Thank you for this

[@DavoY2K]

At around 3:27 where the 4 is on the B you can pull that up a step and hit the 1 on the E for a great diad then release the 4 and pulloff the b3 to the 1. It gets a lot of miles. Put both of those pentatonic modes together as one. Also try to incorporate some of the other pentatonic modes as well using the root as a starting point. Switching b/t them instead. You can add chord tones and passing tones. Especially the flatted third, fifth, and seventh. Try using triads from the chords all over the modes. Count in numbers from the root so you can relate intervals without letters. I doubt anyone will ever read this so I will give it it's only like. Humility, not conceit.

[@makerphin]

I read it! So many words but I have a lot to learn to understand all of these concepts haha

[@49erascon40]

Thanks🤙🏼

[@MariCornell]

Oooooooooo yeah

[@DavoY2K]

@@makerphin I wish i did youtube videos. I could show you a lot easier than explain. Believe me, I tried to be as visual as I could.

[@aldorodriguez7310]

This editing is on point. This is the new music educational format for guitarist.

[@johnrose6230]

Wow excellent. Been playing guitar over 30 yrs and I only discovered this pentatonic position maybe a year ago, accidentally. Just to add what I found; as well as the ergonomic hammer on and pull off changes which JM mentions, the bends are different too. You bend on the "equator" where you wouldn't usually bend in original position. Sounds cool, I found it to Claptonify my playing a bit.

[@watjuhjo]

I am really curious, and this is not meant in a condescending way at all, but how do you play guitar for 30 years and not know this position? It is literally the first thing I learned on guitar as soon as I started practicing lead and I'm curious as to what other methods people find, if not this, to know what to play on the guitar?

[@johnrose6230]

@@watjuhjo Living life brother! Playing thrash metal and living in a time before youtube existed

[@johnrose6230]

@@watjuhjo this is the first video I've ever seen talking about this position and I thought it worthy of comment as, like I said, I had only recently come across it myself. You know nothing about me or my musical path yet, in an absolutely condescending way, decide to undermine my enthusiasm for sharing my thoughts.

[@watjuhjo]

@@johnrose6230 Forgive my choice of words, I honestly didn’t mean to sound condescending. I’m sure you play loops around me, I’m not that great. I was truthfully curious about how you see the fretboard if not for these positions. Have you made your own positions? Do you play by ear? That’s the kind of thing I meant

[@johnrose6230]

@@watjuhjo no worries and apologies for my retort. I dunno man, it doesn't matter who knows what, it's a personal journey and everyone has the potential to discover new things this is the glory of music. I find jamming with other people and the synergy of that brings me the most joy. But to answer your original question I only really saw the standard pentatonic shape and followed it up the fretboard on the top 2 or 3 strings, it never really occurred to learn it across all of the fretboard. But indeed, it's always just shape recognition for me, and yes...the ears, definitely!

[@ignatiusjackson235]

I've been messing around with this concept for years, but I never thought of referring to it as the "pentatonic equator." That's such a perfect description!

[@AngelMartinez-qs3cf]

This is absolutely fantastic. I don't know how you did it, with the tabs. But this is great! Thank you for posting this.

[@samstrom9632]

This is maybe the single most helpful guitar KZbin video I've ever watched (and that's a big denominator lol)

[@jazznotes3802]

Shows that even the pros lack theoretical musical knowledge and are still always learning. The only difference is their writing great music with what they actually do know. So what you waiting for? Go write some songs with whatever knowledge you have, now!

[@awittypilot8961]

SOOO AWESOME!!! Go to menu and slow it down and it changed the way I look at pentatonics. Can't wait to put in in context!

[@tenzinkunga9860]

had to drop a like because of how good this was

[@PowMusic]

Humbled! 🙏😁🎸

[@aydenburris8631]

John mayers videos like this are easily the best source for knowledge once you have a pretty good understanding of pentatonic scales

[@jjvillafanemusic]

The animations are phenomenal! 👏🏼 May I ask what software you used to make them?

[@Rodrigo_xt8c2]

FretLive

[@cassiusdio6048]

no you may not! 😆 lol

[@soofitnsexy]

NO

[@ryanguitargodfrey]

Wow love this perspective. New way of seeing my fret board thank you. I always just find my key and memorize how to go up from there. Thinking about finding the key and using it as an equator and immediately know what's below it is awesome. Also like you said, it's a unique hammer that can't be done in the standard pentatonic we all know and love. What a nice flavor to immediately sprinkle on my playing and feel like I just gained a few XP points in the process. Didn't know you had this channel. This is exactly the kind of advanced lessons I need. New big fan!

[@MulveysMooney]

John is just playing the 5th position of the pentatonic scale. Just learn the 5 positions of pentatonic scale and it will set you free.

[@kjohansen4088]

It unlocks the guitar forever

[@chrisbassartist4344]

Does it help with other modes and scales? I’m Kinda new to guitar

[@ForProfit-x100]

Just learn every position of every scale,every mode,every chord,and every arpeggio,and you'll have complete fretboard mastery 😬

[@kjohansen4088]

@@ForProfit-x100 simple 😂

[@ForProfit-x100]

@@kjohansen4088 one weird trick ...

[@ChangedEver]

Love seeing videos like this from him! It makes me feel a little better about myself knowing that he just learned something I've utilized for my entire music carreer. I just never knew what I was doing lol!

[@lewisgallardo9702]

anyone else get freaked out at 1:25 by the swoosh sound.... no one ? just me ? cool

[@IoannisChristosLimnaios]

Came to the comments to make sure im not the first to mention this

[@bmodestructive85]

Dude I wish I could slam the like button a million times. POW you did an awesome job transcribing this to TAB.

[@JosephVFitness]

Thank you, John Mayer, always so insightful and clear in your explanations you awesome guitarist. QUESTION: for anyone (I know he's super busy). Where, oh where, can I find that great software that shows what you're playing on a fretboard diagram? SO Handy! Thanks. And, happy holidays y'all! Joseph

[@codewarrior5229]

Please let me know if you find it... Would love to know too!

[@FakingANerve]

@@codewarrior5229 me too. Incredibly helpful.

[@utube11235]

@powmusic thanks a million for the tab animation. Made his lesson so so so much more accessible!

[@keithklassen5320]

It's so hard for me to believe that someone as virtuousic as Mayer only recently realized that scales have multiple shapes on the fretboard.

[@kevinborchers3522]

I mean a lot of the greats from back in the day (60s/70s) made it a surprising amount of years before realizing what scales, chords they were even playing. Its mind boggling

[@bbloom8796]

Totally agree, sort of blew me away. Surely he wasnt locked into just that one shape with all the solos and rhythm parts he's written. I wonder how he would say he visualizes the board when improvising.

[@peternoble3691]

It’s crazy! I can’t comprehend how they managed it (mostly) without formal training. There must have been a lot of people just discovering shapes independently and sharing the knowledge with each other. I remember Paul McCartney joking that they would hop on the bus and travel across Liverpool to meet a guy who knew Bm. We are so lucky to have a wealth of information at the push of a button!

[@dareelantonio.3056]

@@peternoble3691 when you pick up a guitar and you just play randomly up and down the neck you start to pick up each note and what’s sounds right and doesn’t then you start to learn by ear like most people do and when you realize all the pentatonic scales and shapes really are just one big Scale all-together divided into parts that’s when the magic happens. The more you play you’ll be able differentiate minor from major just by the way the notes sound and how you play them up and down the neck that’s how I learned and when I watch a video on Pentatonic scales and all the shapes it really blows my mind because I play the shapes and I really didn’t know they were part of the Pentatonic because I learned from just playing all day by ear

[@jonathansfv3109]

@@peternoble3691 it’s called incredible talent

[@AZRubicon1]

Standing in front of JM multiple nights at the Sphere was a lesson and then I see this and my mind has melted AGAIN! I'm gonna try and rugn through this for a few weeks lol

[@polymathism7598]

I’ve been playing like this from the beginning. Never thought of it as an equator, just always wanted to connect all of the pentatonic shapes

[@gkniffen]

I know, right? I don’t see what’s so groundbreaking about playing the same intervals/notes in different areas of the neck... 🤷🏼‍♂️😆

[@taz-b5m]

@@gkniffen @Polymathism Thank you both. I've been scratching my head over why people are so amazed by this. Is John Mayer saying he's been playing one shape until two years ago?

[@BrandonTheBoyWonder]

I’m nowhere close to Johns level but about a year ago I sat down and tabbed out every note that sounded correct to me and it’s actually exactly what he’s showing 😁

[@haipingplays412]

Years ago i wanted to play the guitar badly. Now i can finally play the guitar badly

[@WhiteCranK]

😂 good one!

[@kyu2813]

I've never ever seen someone make a video with tab animations like this :| That must've taken such a long time, it's soooo useful to seeing the patterns thanks for this vid!

[@dogzillamonster]

Love it! Question, do you recommend software to do those beautiful, seemingly live-time, tabs and notes while you demo'd this?

[@PowMusic]

It’s called fretLIVE made by Pow Music - thanks for checking it out!

[@dogzillamonster]

@@PowMusic Sweet! Is it software that I could buy? Could I get the source code to make it even better for you?

[@codewarrior5229]

I gotta have that software... Brilliant!

[@dogzillamonster]

@@codewarrior5229 Okay, Code Warrior, can we make that happen? Need is the Mother of Invention :)

[@juanexpo]

Incredible work transcribing and making the graphics for this superb lesson. Thanks.

[@atarijam]

Not sure what the key takeaway is, maybe I'm missing the point. But I've been doing pattern 5 and pattern 1 since ever to extend the scale. Isn't this what he's doing here?

[@PowMusic]

That’s really it - but also to see the overlay of major pentatonic pattern 1 with minor pentatonic pattern 5 in the same area. And then to just see some of the riffs he plays in all the shapes shown

[@odprjo9016]

@@PowMusic but those are not the same scales… c minor and c major are different. Playing c minor, one position behind the famous position, isn’t the same as playing c major there…

[@EwetoobSucks]

Disliked the whole thing. The 3 screens on top make all of them nothing more than useless. I like John Mayer, but this was just garbage.

[@PowMusic]

@@odprjo9016 Yes not the same scale… But same location…

[@odprjo9016]

@@PowMusic So what is the point of this video? He wanted to show how cool it is to play major and minor while soloing. And then play c minor in two different positions?

[@andreheizer]

I feel kinda dumb but I think this video just unlocked my brain to navigate my fret board more fluidly. I just practiced for like 2 hours and somehow it all made sense with the whole equator idea. Damn. It helps I had already known my minor and major scales of course, a lot of different pieces came together. Damn thanks!

[@jimbeaux4988]

I learned the pentatonic below the equator first. It was actually quite a while before I realized you could also do it above the equator.

[@baldwad]

Exactly !

[@ryan_raus]

The fret live animations are absolutely incredible. Does that take a long time to do?? Absolutely genius

[@PowMusic]

Yes, very long!

[@magww1]

@@PowMusic Start investing in a programmer who can get AI to do it! hahah

[@billyclub56]

I am not a fan of His music, but he is my favorite player. Does that make sense?? I love watching him play with the greats. He always shines. Love his Blues playing.

[@ChristianGonzalezCapizzi]

listen to his live albums! one under John Mayer and the other under John Mayer Trio, they're great for any fan of SRV or Hendrix

[@JordanAF808]

Incredible technology you’re using to teach! Better than anything else I’ve seen