Learn a 400-Year-Old Song On GUITAR!

[@brandonacker]

Join my online guitar course!🎸classicalguitar-pro.com -53 videos -6 hours of content -Learn your first pieces -Simulated recital -Downloads and PDFs

[@LetArtsLive]

I think I'll send this to my friend who taught me General Monroe song I think it was written in the 1800s but I can't find it on Google... I find this very interesting. My friend is anti electric guitar he will never play anything but a classical song and I don't understand. He's in college for music but he doesn't seem to really be into it like have the soul... it's more like going through the motions. And I told him what I think that it doesn't have to be perfect but it has to have feeling

[@scorptice7938]

Handsome Vampire showing us songs from his youth

[@obi-wankenobi7782]

lmao

[@markbrown2888]

😂 God bless him

[@randallcromer66]

How old do you think he is, my guess is at least 300 year's or more. This vampire been around a very very long time now, you can tell with how well he plays and his manners...💯 You gotta respect a blood suckers will to survive and now cultured they are.

[@simmersman9736]

Love this fuckin meme

[@randomspecificity5334]

Masterful 🤣 🤣 🤣

[@Yes-ht3fw]

This guy got me back into classical guitar

[@somarriba333]

I downloaded and printed the music and had fun showing my guitar students these tabs the last couple of days. 😁

[@TheRussianGenius]

There's ppl like me who don't comment a lot, but really you should know people appreciate this content! It's always exciting with a new upload from you

[@AdamKucharczyk]

I just like listening to Brandon, he's so nice. And all the music he spreads and the knowledge he shares - I think the idea of teaching tabulatures is absolutely perfect and brillant. Thank you :)

[@timothy4664]

I used to play that all the time back in college when I was taking lute lessons. I swear we all used that same tab.

[@Sagan_Starborn]

That archlute is an absolute priceless monster of an instrument.

[@IQzminus2]

This channel have made me interested in the older tablature. It was on my to do list to look into it when I had time this summer. But this is exactly the starting point I didn’t know I wanted. Having someone who is knowledgeable pick out a good starting point and go over it with great detail. And then it can be a spring hoard for other songs in the manuscript, and then venture out stating with ones written in a similar way and slowly building more

[@mickeycz]

Brandon, just to give you (finally) a word of appreciation - as I moved from classical piano to harpsichord, getting more and more "in love" with baroque and renaissance music, whilst being a lousy guitar player, this video gave me such a joy to master the lute tablature in 10 minutes (I secretly started to admire lute players). Really a moment of joy to have learned a new thing, thanks to you. Your videos are truly a joy, for its reassuring and calm fashion you explain/shoe all necessary aspect of guitar (or lute) playing. Thank you again

[@brandonacker]

Thank you for the very kind comment :) I'm so happy you enjoyed it. -Brandon

[@cmoreno12345]

This could be a really cool series unlocking old songs. Very fun and interesting.

[@yeayeayea9353]

You have the best music channel on this platform hands down. Thanks for all you do Brandon.

[@viktormedina4631]

This channel's content is always so beautiful, informative, and instructive. Mr Acker not just gives you tips, advice, and tutorials; he also includes some music history, the background on what he is covering, and (indirectly) a lesson in humility. He is hands down one of the best guitarrists I've seen, yet he is so humble and down to earth. Also, he is always very attentive to his viewers. That is a true artist and gentleman, folks. Also, he projects this vibe of being honestly such a good person. Thanks for your videos, @Brandon Acker.

[@brandonacker]

You are very kind, thank you!

[@viktormedina4631]

@@brandonacker Always thank you, sir.

[@jacobhempel1855]

Falling in love with classical guitar and music thanks to Brandon. Thank you! (Also love classical guitar pro so far! I recommend it for beginners!)

[@anotheret1064]

Love the passion and humility from these instruction videos

[@holstorrsceadus1990]

9:45 or I can just reach over to the rack of 7s. Remember, the simplest solution to any guitar related problem is always more guitars.

[@Magelord79]

That was fun to play. I love music from the english renaissance and this just opened it up for me on guitar. Now all I need is to stop thinking the note "A" when it says "a" in the tablature :D

[@redlight3932]

So refreshing i picked it right up and it's awesome i can share my love for music with history itself

[@marcinmcula99]

10:17 heavy metal lute

[@canadianmadduck8932]

Just that first chord already conjures up this feeling of tapping into the past, very beautiful piece thanks Brandon.

[@Guitaristmalakian]

Thanks for teaching me a bit of my cultural heritage, great video as always ^^

[@katrineroberts4084]

Lute tablalture. Is so brilliant, you can get used to it quickly. Dowlamd is my favourite 17th century song composer. Flow my tears. Oh i love that l

[@Agelos73]

I just came across this video learning of you for the first time. I experienced such joy learning this beautiful 400 year old piece. I feel like I've connected with John Dowland from across the sea of time. Thank you!!!

[@WaterMellen19]

Is anyone else going to point out that the guitar tab example he gives us is Stairway

[@MrSF247]

This is so amazing! Thank you for breaking this all down for us. Looking forward to Part II!

[@raefn8036]

So excited about this. Thank you for the simple explanation!

[@KarenPautz]

This is so great. Can't wait to get home and try this on my guitar! Also, thanks for the cleaned up version of the tab.

[@allenschneider1825]

Wow thanks man.. glad I came across your channel. Been a guitarist for over 20 years started when I was young. I enjoy these video’s because I’ve recently switched to playing with no pick like the dynamics more.. there are definitely applications for picks don’t get me wrong but these help me develop the hand dexterity ✌️❤️

[@WizardOfArc]

I am realizing that using letters might be better than numbers for tab as you can go up to 25 frets if one wanted and still just one character

[@pbabiesinspace6112]

Aiggght....Ima learn this now.

[@Casey_Fitzpatrick]

Great video Brandon, and thanks for featuring my website!😊

[@brandonacker]

Thank you, Casey! It's a great website with such easy to access facsimiles. Thank you for making it

[@johncronin2929]

Hi Brandon, I loved this very much. Really inspiring, thank you so much for making the scold music so approachable!

[@TheRichie213]

Mr Dowland's Midnight is a great tune!

[@christopher-miles]

it's much better than mr downland's midday-lunch-snack-and-dollar-menu-tea. i always found that one too modern.

[@michaelbishop.]

Being given a key to an ancient treasure box, fabulous. Thank you.

[@StevenBornfeld]

I first encountered (modern) tab about 1970, when I bought a book (I think pub. by Amsco) of Arlo Guthrie music. I could read very little notation at the time, and I remember how satisfying it was to be able to play a fingerpicking arrangement of "Alice's Restaurant". I confess I never understood the derision with which some classical guitarists look down on tablature for all music written more recently than, say, 1750. Of course they both have their place. Now I only have to think about deciphering the handwriting on those old manuscripts. Thanks for the clear explanation of tablature!

[@carlcurtis]

Wonderful choice and beautifully played. I'm glad I can play this on guitar (which I knew--but the lesson is helpful), but I do regret selling my lute.

[@cat-pirate4394]

Thanks! I learned it on the lute (which I have not been playing. So it was nice to reconnect with it)

[@potatomanworld]

Thank you Brandon, excited to try it.

[@Robobagpiper]

I'm a Scottish fiddler learning English Guittar (got an original Preston on eBay and had it fixed up!), and this and the next video on rhythm and finger choices will be a great help to me in exploring historic tab. Thanks!

[@Robobagpiper]

Also will help with Skene and my little mandora; won't have to rely on Dauney's staff notation anymore!

[@markus-hermannkoch1740]

Browsing the net for free music to play, or even our local music store, I get the strong impression, that tab is dominant even today. You top-notch musicians are exceptional. There is one thing that really goes for it: If well made (not auto-generated), it will give the budding amateur a good hint which of the, e. g., five (!) 'B3's to pick (it is, admittedly, rarely the one on fret 19 of the 6th string). And that's quite a service. Dynamics? They can do that, too.

[@sandykumar9426]

*It's good to know that Brandon is spreading awareness about the Lute and its importance in music.* *Thank you very much for the tablature.* *BTW I am the first to comment.*

[@natanvandoorn5660]

Pleeeease do an introducing video on the organ

[@LocrianDorian]

Nice stuff Brandon, I'm definitely going to learn this, but I might cheat a bit and go by ear and write my own modern tab instead after the first couple measures.

[@brandonacker]

Thanks and I'm glad you'll learn it! You could take the short cut but then you won't develop the skill to play 100 more songs in that book ;)

[@HeathcliffeMcHarris]

Transcribing it into legibility surely would help build familiarity with the script for the transcriber.... we read Shakespeare in modern print, once transcribed there's no need to squint

[@brandonacker]

@@HeathcliffeMcHarris I purposely avoided that. I don't want viewers to play it in modern notation. Tab is easier than modern notation so I believe viewers should just go straight to it. I did create a modern computerized version of the tab so it's more legible though.

[@patdzon]

I thought tabs were a modern invention. Learned something new today.

[@mridinguitar]

What a beauty!

[@Soldano999]

This is called old school Bardcore

[@imherkhan]

Planning to do a Curse of Strahd campaign, & make Brandon either the penultimate bigbad or the tritagonist that they fight first almost die to and end up working for against Strahd.

[@matthiass.4818]

This is so cool. I play Viola da Gamba (also with tabulature). I have a guitar too, but can't play it. After seeing this video: Now I can :D

[@Foster444]

A brilliant idea! Thank you!

[@brianewers8773]

Brandon did anyone ever tell you that you visually resemble John Williams a bit? LoL. Maybe it's just me. Anyway you play beautifully. It is unmistakable.

[@kirouacmichael]

As always, nice video Brandon! You're truly talented and inspirational. And btw, i saw what you did with the tablature showdown at 1:04.... NO STAIRWAY ALLOWED !!! XD

[@davegreeley]

I can watch all day. 🙏🙏👍👍🎶🎶🎵🎵☕☕❤❤🤠🤠🤗🤗😍😍😍😍

[@anthonyrich1592]

Geez, Brandon, you really know how to nerd snipe a guy! :) After watching this video I suddenly found myself unhappy with the lute notation produced by MuseScore and have been looking at alternatives. So far it seems that Wayne Cripps' "tab" typesetting program for tablature is the best at producing French tablature with fingering, flagging and alignment bars closest to Margaret Board's own style.

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Brandon's right. I need a lot of practice

[@MetalscriptNetNews]

Hi, Brandon. I really enjoyed your video and learned a lot from it. It is very clear and helpful even for beginners. Could you please share what software you used to create the beautiful and readable lute tablature pdf you posted? Thank you! :)

[@brandonacker]

Thanks! I used Musescore.

[@raressuchea5971]

This is awesome!

[@jean-yvesPrax]

Nice video, as usual Brandon. May I add something : With Dowland tablatures, there is a trap... On all 17th cent. French tablatures, the courses below the low G are noted : a for F, /a for E, //a for D, ///a for C, 4 for E, 5 for A, 6 for G and 7 for F... which is kind of logical diatonic chromatic. But sometimes Dowland writes a for F, and then /a for D or for C !!! wtf ? Because at that time the 10 courses lutes or 15 courses archlutes, as Brandon is playing with, were this notation prevails were not common, Dowland used mostly a 8 courses : so given he had only 2 extra open bass courses, he tuned the first in F and the second directly in D or even in C according to the tune !! Hope I make me clear ;-)

[@brandonacker]

Thank you, Jean-Yves! I also think much of Dowland's lute songs are written for a 7 course so the low A is just a D. But I don't find it too difficult to infer which note is in the bass. Thankfully, it's consonant music so the low bass note is almost always the root of the chord.

[@jean-yvesPrax]

@@brandonacker You're right, in this tablature, the "a" is a D, so intended for a 7 courses lute, and as you demonstrate it with an archlute you've to make the conversion while reading... easy and usual for confirmed players, but not so for beginners. Regarding the root bass... I did not check all Dowland, but later, many 17th composers liked to play a strong "a" or even a "b" on the 7th course, standing for F or F#, i.e. first inversion of D minor or major chord.

[@jmpoder]

I would like to try that modern tablature at a guitar store

[@xXCORRONXx]

Was that very first tab he popped up at the beginning stairway to heaven? 😂

[@themedallostoryteller1105]

There was a lute piece I was searching for a few years and I couldn't find it, 'cause I heard on a recital by Álvaro Pierri. The Piece is Galliard 2 by Jakub Polak Reys. Is such a nice short piece

[@dillonkeeton5239]

Hey Brandon Can you either do a Video or Comment your Top 10 classical guitars 2500$ or under?

[@lerouzicmatthieu]

WOW, so interresting ! Can you do the same with the baroque lute for example ?

[@brandonacker]

Hi thanks, it does not work with baroque lute because you need 13 strings that are tuned in a completely different way (open dm).

[@lerouzicmatthieu]

@@brandonacker I see! Maybe there will be a video on how to read tablature for instruments with more courses like the theorbo or the baroque lute ? (I must admit that I'm having this last instrument built by a luthier and I have trouble finding information on how to read tablature, how to play, how to tune... ). Baroque music is the best 🥰

[@brandonacker]

Yes, it's great! Tabs are great but you need the right instrument or at least the right number of strings with the same tuning. So if you have a 13 string instrument tuned in dm then you can play from the French tablature by Weiss, Visee, and many more great composers. Reading it is mostly the same as what I taught here. If you want to get better at it faster, you could have some weekly lessons with one of my lute teachers at my online music school Arpeggiato.com

[@alessandromog5208]

Excelente! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@tee4222]

Cool! Sounds like something I’d hear playing the Witcher 3

[@MittensOnly]

You've played some pieces on... Renaissance guitars? They're tuned like a ukulele I'd like to learn some of those pieces o3o

[@brandonacker]

Yes you can play directly from renaissance tablature on ukulele! Look up music by Morlaye:)

[@subjectline]

I've tried this and it pretty much just works, but I'd love to see a demo from a proper player!

[@migleroide]

There was a group called Ukes 'n Lutes from England and their music was fantastic. Ukeleles as vihuelas was an unexpected and happy discovery.

[@subjectline]

Will you one day show us renaissance guitar tab on the ukelele? I've tried the first Prelude from Adrian Leroy 3rd book and it ... kind of works?

[@brandonacker]

I plan to, yes :)

[@lukekline9513]

Your channel is such a fantastic resource!!!! It has been a lot of fun learning these manuscripts? Would it be possible for you to do a video on some tips on actually sourcing some of these early instruments? Or just give me some advice lol. Id love to get a lute but i have no idea where to start

[@brandonacker]

Thank you! There are links in the video description, as mentioned in the video. They contain manuscripts with enough pieces for a lifetime ;) Best way to get a lute is either rent or buy used from this website: lutesocietyofamerica.org/resources/instruments/lutes-for-sale/ Enjoy, Brandon

[@jeremiahembs5343]

A very good tutorial. I'll be learning this and write some variations on the theme. The melody has a lot of potential. Your tuning doesn't sound 440 though so I'll explore that too.

[@brandonacker]

Thanks! The guitar is 440 but the lute is not.

[@billymeyer99]

Such a pretty sad song

[@jonmcg9731]

I found your comment in another video about there being enough tablature for guitar from that 200 year period to last a couple of lifetimes very interesting. I wonder if there wold be any way to scan all of them and somehow convert the handwritten text to midi files or something similar. Just to have them all together, maybe in an open source.

[@brandonacker]

This isn't likely to happen in our lifetime because the handwriting or engraving is different in each manuscript. Thankfully this isn't necessary. You just need to learn what i teach in this video and then you can play directly from the manuscripts and bring the music to life in a musical way as opposed to a terrible midi sound

[@jonmcg9731]

I agree with what you say about the midi sound. I was thinking that with AI it could be possible to interpret different notations. Not for performance purposes but for possible musical analysis of a large body of work over time to identify trends in harmonic development or something like that. They are using AI to help read ancient texts and even help date them so I do think there is a good chance it could be done.

[@pedroaquino6265]

Thanks !

[@TenebrousFilms]

The people who make epic versions of a piece would probably have a field day with this... if they haven't already?

[@VetsrisAuguste]

I have a ton of digitized keyboard scores from the 18th and 19th centuries. These too feature some interesting archaic conventions. Likewise these quirks are relatively easy to figure out and assimilate, however the most challenging part of using these manuscripts is their readability. While some were originally handwritten, some are facsimiles of rudimentary prints. Some are clearer than others but they all suffered the ravages of time to varying degrees before being preserved digitally. The question is, would it be time better spent transcribing these treasures into more readable formats or should one learn to read them as they are?

[@Methylene.]

Everything was normal until he played it on the actual lute. it COMPLETELY changed the voice and feeling of the entire piece

[@marlou169]

❤ thank you

[@triple6wolfi]

Very much obliged my good Sir!

[@jespero93]

CHALLENGE!! Learn Mallorca by Isaac Albeniz and put it on your channel. One of my favorites =)

[@chrisking6695]

Music must have been so calming back then. No blast beats and growling. 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Urululla]

I am mentally struggling with this piece of paper in the third string. I have a problem of fine tuning of this string in my guitar. It is that usual?

[@brandonacker]

It's just a paper shim. The string was slightly buzzing

[@ayabimou]

Nice resonance on your lute. So where can I download these manuscripts?

[@brandonacker]

Link is in the description

[@ayabimou]

Thank you Brandon, I'm so glad to live in the age of dowloadable content 💯 these books are like looking back in time. Definitely getting interested in Lute. Beautiful instrument and sound.

[@cmoreno12345]

Reminds me of Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics.

[@user-jp8wy1cz9h]

what do u think abt Scarborough fair

[@nekuchan900]

The french notation is messing with me so much cause I hear you say "C" and think of the note and not the position lol

[@RohitKumar-rx7xi]

❤

[@katrineroberts4084]

I love the guitar , i cant use my right hand so i can just love it from afar.

[@bohyerhansen6193]

Can anybody direct me to a good video explaining the stuff underneath the tabs in the modern tab google doc? I don’t normally read any kind of music and the deftones riffs I spent my time learning from tabs as a kid sure didn’t have all the stuff going on. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@August140]

Im confused with 2:55, isnt that an e because it is the e string?

[@August140]

Plz someone explain

[@brandonacker]

No. Tablature doesn't give you note names, if gives you coordinates. Which string and which fret.

[@August140]

​@Brandon Acker thank you, you have been such an inspiration to me and I hope you have a nice day!

[@aoifecalderon383]

You’re probably not going to see this, but could you or someone in the comments section tell me what piece of music is playing in the background at 2:32 reading from the manuscript section? Thx 😊

[@brandonacker]

Canario by Kapsberger

[@aoifecalderon383]

@@brandonacker Thank you!!!!! And love your videos! They made me feel like I could get into guitar

[@Jimmysage3273]

Brandon I love you but some of us electric guitarists while we are dumb some us have the hybrid picking skill and can finger pick while also holding a pick. This does sound better picked with the thumb though.

[@seteoito78]

dude I think it's hilarious the fact that the tablature he used for the example was stairway to heaven

[@Coentjemons]

I'm onto you, immortal strugoi!! With your devillishly seductive playing...

[@WARIIIIRONWORKS]

How is the 1st fret on the 5th string a B? Am i missing something?

[@brandonacker]

Yes, you are missing the fact that the letters do not refer to pitches. They are simply coordinates. In tablature, a=0, b=1, c=2, etc... So b means play the 1st fret regardless of what string you are on. I hope that helps you! B

[@WARIIIIRONWORKS]

@brandonacker it does indeed thank you lol.

[@ilovegitaar]

The note C is on the 3fret 5th string,,',m I right?

[@brandonacker]

Yes but don't think about notes in this piece with tab. Just use the coordinates. So in tab C refers to the 2nd fret

[@arkashahbazi201]

Can someone tell what are the tuning are please

[@brandonacker]

Hi, I speak about this 3 minutes in the video. E A D F# B E It's standard tuning and then you just lower the third string a half step. Enjoy! Brandon

[@arkashahbazi201]

@@brandonacker appreciate it 🙏

[@held2157]

Watch out that Don Henley doesn’t sue you

[@nat20live40]

But did you use gut strings on this?

[@brandonacker]

Many of my videos are with gut, yes. I'm using synthetic gut in this one.

[@lary90210]

Which book is this piece found in?

[@brandonacker]

It's from the one I show in the video and is available at the link in the description. The Margaret board lute book

[@pbabiesinspace6112]

Super easy. Just annoying to have to tune G to F#. I know I'll forget I did it and be like...why my guitar sound so wrong?! Ever hear of the old song Gilderoy? That is my jam.

[@Robobagpiper]

Great song, an older example of the family of melodies best known for Star of the County Down.

[@manuelpachuca4222]

♍️🎶🎵🎶

[@charlesfloydeco6212]

Amazing, but I want you to play teen spirit or sweet child there.