Lesson - Right hand #1 "If You Could Read My Mind" intro James Oldenburg

a close look at the intro from "If You Could Read My Mind" by Gordon Lightfoot, with respect to the right hand for study purposes.

[@bartrobins6707]

You presented this in a way that this long-term drummer impersonating a budding guitarist could grasp. Thanks so much!

[@moberlysound]

Thanks a lot for checking this out Bart!

[@dongriffiths3898]

Thank James, it really makes the difference to slow down pick the right notes instead my usual flailing finger style. 😊

[@moberlysound]

hey, glad you got something out of this Don! thanks for checking it out

[@c5back9]

Very nice lesson,, and one of fav picking pieces ever. Love it!

[@moberlysound]

thanks C5back9 - glad it was helpful

[@robdondorf9570]

Nice lesson! Speaking of Red Shea: if you watch Gord playing this song live on an old BBC “In Concert” show, you’ll see that Red is playing without a capo and seems to be finger-picking his lead parts. Red’s embellishments add a lot to the beauty of this song. Truly one of the most beautiful tunes ever written. RIP Red

[@moberlysound]

Absolutely Rob! Couldn't agree more - always great arrangements with his tunes!

[@Baci302]

@@moberlysound Rick Beato does a in-depth breakdown on the production of this incredible song here on KZbin in a returning episode of "What Makes This Song Great". kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmSWiqylrL-NrrM

[@sbennettyt]

I'm so glad you made this video and pointed this out! Details matter.

[@moberlysound]

I'm glad you found it useful, thanks for checking in!

[@iansmith961]

Just what I needed on a hot summer's day. This will easily fill in my time for a while - thanks James

[@moberlysound]

thanks Ian! - Hope you're hangin' in there my friend!

[@jamesjones-rp6cl]

Hey thanks alot Great lesson . Gordon was a God sent musical Gift for all of us .

[@moberlysound]

Thanks so much James!

[@scotthorslin5482]

Hello James. Really enjoyed yr analysis of this intro… It’s a beautiful song, and the syncopated finger pattern has always been a strong element for me. Gord Lightfoot is the reason I play guitar…way back before I was 10, listening to his Canadian Railroad Trilogy. It just blew me away. Cheers for this!! 👍

[@moberlysound]

Thanks for the kind words Scott! Very much appreciated! Keep groovin'!

[@sarah-janemelnychuk541]

Gordon Lightfoot is also one reason why I too play the guitar. Some of my earliest memories is listening to Gordon Lightfoot. My dad would sometimes have Gordon Lightfoot playing. This song in particular has always been one of my favourites. Gordon Lightfoot, Elvis Prestly, and Anne Murray influenced me musically growing up. I started playing at age 9 but I spent 3 years prior hounding my parents to get me a guitar and I suppose after 3 years of my being so determined they finally gave in and got me a guitar.

[@tmo7734]

Thanks, James. A very clear tutorial. Best wishes from the San Francisco Bay Area.

[@moberlysound]

Thanks very much TO

[@dennisferrell3662]

Very helpful analysis. I’ve played this tune for a while now, having learned it from a lesson from Jerry’s Guitar Bar, but your analysis of the chord change was insightful. The 4/4 right hand pattern of 1..2..3..1..2..3..1..2 is also quite common in the songs of Jim Croce. Of course it’s always challenging to incorporate some of Red's lead licks into the arrangement when I am playing and singing solo on one of Lightfoot's songs (or Maury's licks in Croce's case). Thanks for this!

[@moberlysound]

Thanks so much Dennis!

[@cagecatchum3001]

Wonderful lesson. Thanks James. Mark

[@moberlysound]

Thanks Mark!

[@oceantuber]

This was a fantastic bit of lesson, thank you.

[@moberlysound]

thank you Oceantuber!

[@nextphase7481]

I have been working on this song in recent weeks and trying (with some difficulty!) to figure out the exact right hand fingering. It is a such a beautiful song. Thank you so much for going through the details of how Gordon does the intro. Very clearly explained and helpful. I will look and hope for your Right Hand #2 lesson! Thanks again!

[@moberlysound]

Thanks NP...I'll post something soon on tritones that will be useful for solo playing

[@jeffreygoodin9643]

Awesome..thank you. I have working on this song for years and keep giving up. It is tough to master

[@moberlysound]

keep at it Jeffrey - slow practice and it will come together for sure!

[@cwsgershwin]

That did it! Got it! Great explanation!

[@moberlysound]

glad it helped gershwinfan!

[@reidseibert801]

Thanks James! This is exactly the kind of thing I’m looking for to take my guitar playing and songwriting to the next level! I think some musicians often do this kind of thing unconsciously (by feel) but learning and growth usually involves some conscious analysis. Your video does a great job of that and is most helpful. Looking forward to learning a lot more from you! Thank again!

[@moberlysound]

That's great Reid! I'm glad there was something in there worthwhile hearing!

[@roneilken6668]

Awesome breakdown of the timing and the accent notes! Now I realize even more why I am struggling to nail this great classic! Thanks so much for your musical wisdom and explaining it in a way that helps us see and hear what’s really going on. I don’t think I will ever hear the song the same again after this video- and that’s a good thing!

[@moberlysound]

Thanks very much Ron! I'm glad some things were helpful. Have fun on the journey!

[@Vully2]

Ditto the above. Finally got the intro pattern sorted out. Gordie doesn't make it easy on this one if you want to both sing and play!

[@larryblatterman1]

Good lesson!

[@moberlysound]

Thank you Larry!

[@johnsrabe]

You are a really good explainer.

[@moberlysound]

thank you Angelino! Hope some of this was helpful.

[@dankeck6230]

This is an excellent lesson of Gordon Lightfoot's picking pattern I've been playing Lightfoot songs for about 50 years. Had to work everything out on my own. It sounds O K but your pattern is more like the recording. Thanks for this video. If you take requests could you do a lesson for the right hand pattern of a Mississippi John Hurt song? Thanks again

[@moberlysound]

hey Dan, I'm glad you got something from the lesson! Thanks very much for the kind words

[@darrylt1031]

James.....I have gone through many video lessons for this song....yours is the best one I've come across so far.....your brief discussion of syncopation was very helpful to get the feel of that groove....p.s. just wish you would have included the entire song....either way, well done....😃👍

[@moberlysound]

Thanks very much Darryl! Perhaps the video I put in as the first comment above will help?

[@ethelip5239]

Your guitar sounds great!

[@moberlysound]

thanks ethelip!

[@lj5899]

Really (REALLY) great lesson (and teaching style). BTW I love the little chunks of "theory", happens to be of great help to an old picker like me. Found lots of tutorials on this song (all helpful) but none... well... as good as yours! I know there are literally countless ways to play/interpret a song, but this more than satisfies my obsession with playing a cover song... like the original! Thank you sir! Looking forward to more (just stumbled into this as my first "James Oldenburg"!

[@moberlysound]

Thanks for the very kind words jlar! I'm very glad that things are getting across on this one way platform!

[@carmeldelaney1086]

Great teacher!

[@moberlysound]

Thanks very much Carmel!

[@sarah-janemelnychuk541]

This was an amazing tutorial. Do you have any videos that tie in all this for the song? I've watched a lot of other videos that over simplify this song. I just wasn't feeling it like I do with the finger picking tutorial you have in this video. I love the syncopation in the finger picking.

[@moberlysound]

Thanks very much Sarah-Jane. I'm glad there was something in there for you. You know I don't have a video on the whole song, but there are some interesting things in there so I will try and do one for ya towards the end of next week perhaps, and I'll link it here when I get it done - cheers

[@sarah-janemelnychuk541]

@@moberlysound That would be amazing... like it really would. Looking forward to hearing more from you.

[@moberlysound]

@@sarah-janemelnychuk541 - here ya go Sarah - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXnLZYV9rpufirs

[@alanjackson3119]

Excellent 👌🎵🎶

[@moberlysound]

thank you Alan!

[@douglasmccannpiano]

and he sang over the. Counter accents

[@chrisminer5884]

I've been trying to figure the count from the pattern and the bass d string on the and of 2 was confusing me. Thanks for clarifying

[@moberlysound]

You're very welcome Chris - thanks!

[@ethelip5239]

I’ve discovered that this 3-3-2 pattern is actually derived from Calypso rhythm..

[@moberlysound]

yes sir!

[@roberttay2071]

James how can I obtain the full tabs for the song If You could read my mind Thanks the video was very instructive

[@moberlysound]

I don't really know any other way other than to google and weed through them, sorry.

[@dennisferrell3662]

Try Jerry's Guitar Bar online. He sells tab and video lessons of this and many other tunes for a reasonable price.

[@moberlysound]

Robert, I added another video as the first comment above that may be helpful?

[@Baci302]

Nailed it.

[@moberlysound]

thank you Baci!

[@Baci302]

@@moberlysound No, thank you! 🙏

[@douglasmccannpiano]

you might guitar arrange. my. Little Red. piece

[@moberlysound]

Here's a link to a lesson on the verse and a way to play the solo on one guitar kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXnLZYV9rpufirs

[@Mr9111950]

Thank you for Sharing you talent, Man you're a good player, but you talked me into confusion.. .. I'll be back to the sweet spots... Please forgive me.. 🙏

[@moberlysound]

thank you, and sorry for being so long winded

[@douglasmccannpiano]

wish you would do. cat stevens. e tuning. if i laugh.

[@moberlysound]

I'll try and get you some ideas for that tune Douglas. Cheers

[@moberlysound]

douglas mccann - I'll post a lesson on this Cat Stevens tune tomorrow

[@douglasmccannpiano]

@@moberlysound how can i tell you.

[@peterdixon1714]

Too much theory

[@moberlysound]

sorry if it was boring for you Peter, but there seems to be 2 camps of guitar players some that don't want to know how or why things work and others that do want to know. cheers

[@Freidlon7]

Amazing lesson thank you

[@moberlysound]

thanks very much Freidlon7 - glad there was something in there for ya!