Mark Knopfler Talking about the electric guitar

BBC interview about the story oof the guitar an one of (my personal) its heroes

[@aking8477]

I could listen to this man talk about guitars forever.

[@roshanbeni3601]

All day long

[@landondyer]

I scrolled to the comments section to say precisely this. To the letter.

[@devildesignscustoms]

Same here

[@BaconTomatoCheese]

Yes… And I could listen to him PLAY the guitar all day long… especially that beautiful ‘54 Strat…

[@Abrahamhamham]

He's like "Fender Stratocaster guitar" You just know an American would've said "Strat" "Tremolo"? Fuck it: "Whammy" Anyway. It's all good.

The definition of a gentle man.

[@kerron68]

i've been called a gentleman but never a gentle man

Not the same, right? ;)

[@annetteturner5972]

Actually he is both!

[@GDMC07]

I love watching the truly gifted people talk about what they love. He's spent his whole life playing guitar and still you can see the excitement he gets just from looking at and holding a guitar. Cool shit, Mark Knopfler is one of the greatest without question

[@clairegrube3005]

exactly my thoughts

[@GrahameHedley]

You’ve got to love this man... my all time hero!

[@pkrautie]

"Let you play up at the dusty end, if you feel so inclined.." Knopfler is great.

[@aking8477]

I like to that quote as well.

[@John_Doe....]

it can get quite dusty, if you don't play telegraph road frequently 😉

[@thedutchfisherman7078]

Not only a fenomenal guitarplayer but a gentle down to earth and kind person as well. A true legend!

[@smokiebird06]

My all time favorite guitarist. He's nothing short of great.

[@TenorCantusFirmus]

Electric guitar playing levels: - Beginner. - "Indie" charlatan - Low-middle. - High-middle. - Advanced. - Master. - Insane. - Mark Knopfler.

[@Gretev1]

TenorCantusFirmus I love the category „indie charlatan“ haha

[@TenorCantusFirmus]

@@Gretev1 And I don't even know if I'm right having putting it at a livel higher than "Beginner"...

[@jussiuutaniemi3767]

My favorite guitarist , all-time, by some distance. Unique. Nobody embodies art and craftsmanship the way he does. Many musicians try to show off. Mark shows off without trying.

[@adamfowler3916]

A man who knew how to make that thing sing. Perfected a style all of his own. We could only aspire to replicate. Leo Fender would have felt fulfilled hearing you play.

[@jeffkennedy5448]

I'm just not the "starstruck" type, but Mark Knopfler is one of a handful of famous people that I'd truly love to shake hands with someday, buy a cup of coffee, and spend a few minutes gabbing about our common love of the guitar. A fascinating guy to listen to. And of course, there's the playing style, Astounding.

[@johnschober5240]

One of my top 5 players of all time.

[@libertyjustice2703]

He is the real deal. An incredible songwriter and musician. He has a different way of doing things and it makes him unique and instantly recognizable. A genius.

[@Smorz7]

It's so cool to see him still be so fascinated by something he's been doing for decades

[@ivanmay7890]

That is a beautiful collection of guitars Mark Knopfler has, especially that 1954 Fender Stratocaster he is playing.

[@bearboneskentuck]

No other guitarist has inpired me more. As a singer/songwriter I find myself searching for an inspirational moment. mark is a great human...

[@JeffThompson-l4p]

I love Mark's genuine love for the guitar...I understand it..I started this love affair with the guitar at the age of 11. I'm now 63 and I probably love the guitar more than ever...thanks for the insight Mark...🎸🎸🎸

[@ledsabbath1061]

Man, is mark a cool guy or what... down to earth as they get.

[@michaelgrosser1657]

Class act. Gotta love this guy. Tremendous talent. A humble down to earth gentleman.

[@j-ferrell144]

Idk what it is about mark but the guy truly is special. I could set in his guitar room and just listen to his stories of being on the road, and listen to him play guitar and noodle around for hours upon hours. Mark has this ability to reserve himself in a very respectful way. Like he seems so balanced as a person. And his guitar playing is among the most unique styles I’ve ever heard. I’ve played guitar for 30 years myself. Since I was 11 and I am 41 now. And I can promise you I have heard 90 percent of every famous guitarist out there, if not more, and I’ve listen to all the local legends, and underground guys out there that are not mainstream famous, I’ve studied them, listen to all their music and be a huge fan and student myself. But mark is among all of them the most unique I think. His style of playing is completely against the grain. No one else sounds like him. Like no one! I have learned how to play sultans of swing all the way thru, I can play both solos as well. And I would say I have it done very good. But does it sound like mark playing it?? No! The naked ear could perhaps tell a difference, and a guitarist could definitely tell the difference. I am playing all the correct notes and in time. But it’s marks style of playing that just sticks out. I remember learning how to play his solos and just thinking to myself…. Why would he select that note? Or use that sequence? But then realizing how awesome it sounds, and just everything he has wrote is so brilliant! Is he the fastest guitarist out there? No Is he the most technical? No But it doesn’t have to be, it doesn’t need to be. I mean I can hear the blues in his playing, along with jazz, and country accents. His style is from the western greats before his time, but he lands on all these unique notes.. Idk 🤷‍♂️ 😂 it’s just fascinating trying to depict what he does. Love the guy

[@larrygeetar9309]

"Probably what they called in my school a misspent youth. Knopfler, might have known you'd be involved in this 'rock and roll.' " That's what they said about me, too, and most likely millions of others in our generation caught by the alluring sounds and looks of the electric guitar. Thank you, Les Paul, Leo Fender and all the other pioneers of the sexiest and most emotionally expressive of all instruments. Mark Knopfler is telling like it truly is for us soldiers in the six string army.

[@es330td]

larry geetar I wish I had misspent my youth learning guitar like he did. If I could play 1/10th as good as him I'd never be out of work.

[@stringsnmusic]

I just love and respect this man! humble to the core...and his songs are pure magic!

[@jiros00]

He's my favourite guitarist by some distance. His touch is unique. Listen to all the covers on youtube of Sultans of Swing. Not one is nearly in the same league as Knopfler's rendition. He's also a song crafting genius. He gets the art.

[@AgentRafa]

Totally agree. And I think his vocal is great too, he's got his own unique style.

[@carolina-qp3cu]

i agree with you.he is a good singer too.

[@cocospops9351]

Miguel Montablans version is fantastic

[@Gioagla]

How i love this man..! He turned and touched that guitar for more than 3 minutes talking to it :)

[@ikigai47]

It's amazing how timeless a design the strat was. It will never be dated. It will always be equal parts classic and current. Not many things in the world fit that mold.

[@JudySucks]

Love that description. “Classy and current”. Very nicely worded

[@ikigai47]

@@JudySucks Thanks. Though I did say classic, but classy describes it just as well!

[@JudySucks]

Chaplin oops! 😂

[@anbajani]

I'm in 2020 rn...and this was eleven years back?!!! It deserves more veiws

[@mikaail1186]

Living Legend! No one like him. I love how he makes us feel what he's playing by feeling it so much himself. He truly is a guitar great !

[@billmay7364]

A True Craftsman. Mark is in the Leauge of Greats. We recently lost JEFF BECK. R.l.P. There's not many left of The Great Ones. Mark has a beautiful Touch and Tone. One of my Favorites. Like Jeff Beck but just different . Anyone who understands the guitar. Knows the Greatness of Mark.

[@2good2beuntrue]

his passion for the instrument and musical art is felt in every of dire straits masterpieces :)

[@mattiasjohansson7231]

And his solo work ofcourse

[@countryguitar87]

Mark seems like such a nice guy. I can imagine meeting him and he would be really open to give me some tips.

[@roquefortfiles]

He's a guitar legend but the most regular guy. And it makes him even more of a legend. He's not a wow look at me kind of guy. He's golly gee himself.

[@Oneida100]

Such a talented man and seems so humble and down to earth.

[@SpaceCattttt]

For being a superstar, Mark's just hilariously normal. :)

[@agwtube]

Just love this guy! Wonderful player and awesome songwriter.

[@anacristinabraga3451]

Foi com muito estudo, trabalho, determinação e muito amor que você conseguiu chegar até aqui! É por isso que seremos seus fãs eternamente... você é nosso ídolo!!! 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸❤️🌹

[@travelinben1966]

One of my all time favorites.Amazing artist.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@philipkelly5658]

If you are going to watch someone talk about Guitars it might as well be the best guitarist in the world. Love you Mark

[@williamrobinson7435]

I too remember the woodwork shop scene.. Our woodwork teacher, bless him, made my friend Myron fix his new Strat type body together with recessed screws.. Mark Knopfler is a huge hero of mine.

[@sparky7718]

"The cutaways let you play, up at the dusty end, if you feel so inclined"... love that.

[@johnlaccohee-joslin2113]

There is no mistaking the style of Mark, its a one iff sound that few can really copy, plusvtge ability to put the words in order that theybtell the story very clearly, like brothers in arms. It is hardle surprising that the likes of Mark are still held in awe by so many players and singers. when you listen its clear that he is not a singer as such but is one ofe the worlds best story tellers, like the Moteliano song, there is nothing missed out of the story, its all there.. I would say that in terms ofbthe story telling he would be that same level as Don Mc.Clean, who again with age does not change and still has the punch with words that make yoy hang on every word, long may he continue, here is a man that I for one admire him, he keeps the music coming that tells thevstory of our lives as well as his own.

[@necroyoli08]

Wow Mark Knopfler using a pick !! one of if not the biggest guitar legend still alive and playing godly as ever.

[@newporter42]

Mark playing totally solo, even just song fragments, I'm in heaven at the feet of the master...

[@mulgamutt]

Just those tiny little scraps bring tears to your eyes...

[@gray807]

By god, Mark needs to narrate something. He would make BBC planet earth phenomenal again

[@moxxichannel5950]

2:43 Love that knowing smile after what he says.

[@GiftHorse123]

Mark, you knew you had a gift from God when you first touched that guitar. You're Sultan of Swing is near the top of my Top 10 list of my all time favorite songs, along with your friend, Eric Clapton and Layla.

[@camae62]

Man, You are my guitar hero. You are the best brother.

[@recordevo]

That is a hundred grand guitar right there... plus owned and played by Mark, priceless!

[@ClassicVideos80s]

I started using a pick but it didn't feel natural at all so I used my fingers instead. It just feels right.

[@0xbitbybit]

+ClassicVideos80s Agreed, I prefer using fingers too. Way easier and smoother sound :) Would love to play like this master!

[@stevo53]

40 years using picks only went down the drain, when I went fingers only nearly 3 years ago. Now I can't use a pick at all. Bit frustrating, as I'd like to use both, but I just don't feel I have the control, like I do with fingers. But still, fingers on both hands are dancing now, and I've progressed more in the past 3 years than in the previous 40. Is it possible that the pick held me back? individual journeys for us all

[@beckgrayson4254]

+stevo53 no way man, theres no way 40 years of guitar experience went down the drain because of what you decided to strum with

[@beckgrayson4254]

+stevo53 no way man, theres no way 40 years of guitar experience went down the drain because of what you decided to strum with

[@BasementEngineer]

+stevo53 Part of playing an instrument yourself (as opposed to listening to/appreciating/idolizing another's work) is the physical feel of what you're doing; I played 6 string for years starting as a Kindergartner and got pretty good at it as a little kid. Not a 'phenomenon', but thirty+ years in retrospect, I was honestly *good* at guitar as a little kid. I could play expressively and not just mechanically. When it comes to physical feel of holding and playing the instrument, I can honestly say I learned to love... of all instruments... The humble 4-string bass :) If playing with your fingers turns your crankshaft then that's the way you should do it! Even if Mr. K himself says playing with a pick is 'better' :)

[@toddhbinkley]

A true set of gifts to this world. Leo Fender and Knopfler.

[@quentinrance8974]

What an amazing artist, thanks for the gift of your music.

[@traileater]

That classic strat tone is to die for!

[@thecavestudio]

WOW! What a cool guy! I'd love to sit and listen to him for hours sipping cocktails! That's a Bucket List kind of night!!!

[@lukedeehan7680]

Same, I'm a fingerpicker, always have been and always will be.

[@Bpjames]

I love it - "at the dusty end if you're so inclined..." lovely and subtle humor, but so true as I rarely travel there myself!

[@donwarnick1089]

Down to the Waterline is such a great song sung and played by a genius.

[@Knotton]

Next summer! Mark Knopfler live

[@martinmcgimpsey9750]

That’s why it’s called a Stratocaster! Well put though Mark! Always enjoyed your music, thank you!

[@solitaire5142]

A brilliant guitar player and songwriter, seems like a genuinely nice human being too.

[@dreamtheaterfanboy4421]

This guy has been playing since before the 80’s, and yet he’s still on top of his game.

[@moose6676]

This guy is an absolute genius, a fantastic guitar player, the best musician that ever came out of the Northeast of the UK 🙏🏻

[@srvfan454]

Awesome, I love anything with Knopfler in it! I love hearing him just talk informally like this

[@ConstantinCatalin]

Mark you honor music with your immense talent..you re the best to me!!

[@TapeShapes]

Mark your persona moves me and thank you for the music you have given us wow what an achievement !

[@alanpecherer5705]

It's almost impossible to imagine what a gutsy thing it was to come out with a Stratocaster in 1954. Cars weren't especially space-age in 1954, of course, it's much harder to tool up to make a car than a guitar. Still, cars took 3 or 4 more years (think '57 Chevy) to grow fins and launch into space. By '58 or '59, everything was all-out space based. Yeah, it's just a chunk of wood and who the hell ever thought you could bolt a guitar neck to a body and have a functioning instrument but this was the plainspoken genius of Leo Fender. How many things he got right the first time that are still working and working well today.

[@lucianonahuelgomez1374]

soooo clean and nice. I love the strat bright sound

[@rickkostelijk]

He inspired me to become a guitarist! Lovely to hear him talk.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

I feel the exact same way about the Fender Stratocaster design. Which pickups are in that Strat - they Sound like heaven. He is so great, and a true gentleman.

[@GrahameHedley]

This is a man who truly loves guitars.

[@cravinbob]

What is unique about Knopfler and others such as Richard Thompson is they took time to learn guitar styles from 100 years ago and also played acoustic guitar quite a bit. I know a lot of guitarists and they are good at electric guitar, playing other people's songs but they do not own or ever really explored acoustic. Plus they eschewed anything that could be called "country" music which is basically playing in major scales but that style worked for Allman's and Pete Townsend and Skynryd. Being well rounded can only take you farther and being a one trick pony you won't grow or go far. I have seen and heard a lot of the greats play and try to copy them but there is so much to learn. I will say that I was born the year that Strat he has was built. I built one close to the specs of that year and they do have a distinctive sound which I credit mostly to the swamp ash body. with the pick ups having some effect but when Fender changed to alder the sound changed. You don't have to be a wizard with a guitar but write a catchy tune or two that several hundred thousand people like and you will not have to work a day in your life!

[@doc221978]

cravinbob Well said. I've played around with rock, metal, blues, country, and whatever else sounded good. I'm trying bluegrass lately. Some of it makes metal seem easy. My enjoyment comes from playing with friends. Lay down a beat, and I can grab my guitar and solo over it.... or I can drop some 12 bar blues for you to pick something over. If you watch Knopfler's videos with Chet Atkins.... that's where I want to be.

[@PACUCOWAY]

Great guitar player and great musicman..............very good

[@frankrhodes1885]

Cool guy. I bought my first electric guitar in 1972, a c1963 Hofner Super Solid 172 (red Strat copy) which I still own. It's identical to Mark's first one which you can see in this video behind Mark and next to the amp. I need more practice, a lot more :-(

[@jaxbus3000]

Guitar lessons and history by Professor Knopfler....HEAVEN!!!

[@TheGigDoctor]

Watch how the music affects him. I can relate to that so much. Sitting with a guitar and sometimes just playing out a note or a chord and listening to it for the sheer pleasure of the sound. You can see him doing that in this interview.

[@MadsBoldingMusic]

And the Telecaster, electric bass... And some of the best amplifiers in the world. And a ton of devices on guitars that today are commonplace, but back then were revolutionary. We have a lot to thank him for!

[@dml0ver]

If Mark was this amazed over a standard tremolo, I wonder how his reaction to the Floyd Rose was like? Haha. Great video, always great to hear this legend speak.

[@EastmanD]

Wow here's a guy that, I think, gets completely forgotten about. What a fabulous guitarist ! Gets famous with his trademark electric work (i.e. Dire Straits) and then releases his acoustic soundtracks and shows us he just might be better on the acoustic ! Incredible. Loved his comment about the cutout on the Strat..."so you can play up at the dusty end", I laughed out loud at that one. :)

[@TruthSurge]

he tricked me. I always thought he was American after hearing him sing on Sultans. He's British!

[@Megavector2022]

He's from Northern England, he's watered his accent down here. If he spoke in his normal colloquial twang, you probably wouldn't be able to understand him. I would struggle too..and I'm from Northern England, albeit a different part.

[@TruthSurge]

Christopher Plows There's a vid where he's teaching these 3 British or at least 2 British guys. They have pretty strong accents. And not posh refined but that kind analogous to our south I guess. One guy said "innit" when he said "isn't it" hahaha It's funny because it sounds so different. I do voice acting for over 6 years and I should really find these accents on an accent website and learn them for real. I just wing most of my accents. For games it's usually not needed to be spot on.

[@kodiakandgrizzlybears3787]

All wrong. He is Glaswegian and he is Scottish and not English!!

[@TruthSurge]

Thomas Good His mom was ENGLISH and his dad was JEWISH. He only lived in Scotland the first 7 years (per wiki). So, what is he? Jewscotlish?

[@kodiakandgrizzlybears3787]

Scottish

[@markharris8929]

Born in Scotland, grew up in Newcastle and lives in Yorkshire and London. He’s played and spent time all round the word and it shows. Apparently your accent is laid down in your first seven years, normally you keep traces of where you were at seven for the rest of your life. He sounds like a Geordie and that will never change. UK regional accents change quite sharply in short distances, a Newcastle resident would know if someone else came from North Shields or Sunderland just from listening to them talk. Liverpudlians would tell someone from the Wirral or West Kirby from someone from knotty Ash. It really does change village to village, town to town. So many diverse sounds and dialects across the UK. And that’s just the big Island. Strabane accents are impossible to understand to many from Belfast! Of course in Bradford you would speak Urdu…..

[@philmckenna5709]

Innit

[@larrygeetar9309]

What a sweet guitar player. Every note sings like a voice. He is a master player, deserved of all the praise and accolades he gets. Interesting that he called it a tremolo bar. Technically it's a vibrato bar; vibrato changes the pitch, while tremolo is really when the volume pulses on or off or in and out to varying degrees. It's like finger vibrato - you're actually changing the pitch of the note when do that. Tremolo is an electronic effect that doesn't modulate the pitch. Thanks to Premier Guitar mag for that. Who knew? These terms are often interchanged but they're separate things. But Mark Knopfler can call it anything he wants, as far as I'm concerned!!!

[@larrygeetar9309]

***** I guess it's a question of semantics, but I'm speaking of the technical definition of each term. If you check out the Premier Guitar issue of November, 2013 (or go online to premierguitar.com), it goes into great detail about all of it. Very, very informative and well written articles. We both know it's just a good old Whammy Bar, right? Whatever we call it, we love what it does. I've always been a huge fan of tremolo effects from amp or pedals, too. Just old school I guess. Let me hear some "Pipeline" and I'm all set.

[@keithodom4788]

[@TooleyPeter]

He called it a tremolo bar because it's called a tremolo bar. And french fries are french fries even in Idaho.

[@gdkopinionator4356]

When Fender first manufactured the guitars and amps, they misapplied the terms "vibrato" and "tremolo". The term "synchronized tremolo" became a Fender trademark (referring to the bridge system), and so "tremolo" stuck - just as "vibrato" stuck on the amps, when they were really modulating the volume, not pitch. When discussing music, you use the terms properly, but when you discuss guitar equipment, you use the convention that Fender created (erroneously). This kind of thing happens in language all the time (people misuse the term "decimated" all the time, for instance).

[@ianhayden]

Smart arse ! : )

[@mexistratman1]

It was this very video that made me decide my first guitar would be a strat about 2 and a half years ago now, never looked back. :)

[@kevinburns5762]

He's good, he knows all the chords

[@adriancalder2726]

He's the sultan of swing!

[@crewBackfire]

Марк заставил меня любить гитару. Кнопфлер лучший!

[@PS3gtatbogt]

He inspired me to play acoustic then self teach myself the electric thank you mark!

[@smvc90]

"Boy, they really hated it. But we don't." What a great guy

[@ca0520]

Mark the Legend!!!!!!! Being one of the greatest ever guitarists.. He still talks like a kid.

[@PaleHearse]

No, but once a generation or so, you get a handful of innovators. Mark was one of them. It is fair, I think, to say that there are not many that play to Mark's standard. He, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimmy Hendrix, Clapton, Michael Hedges, there are a few of them, but not many when you consider the thousands and thousands of good guitarists. These guys really gave back with new techniques and sounds that we simply didn't hear before they arrived. And they do it with such ease and beauty.

[@travismalone1985]

Yeah and he went on to create one of the greatest guitar riffs in the history of rock and roll!

[@MrSnapy1]

One of the most underated guitar players around...

[@MegaDutchdude]

the sound of that strat is just amazing!

[@atlwrns7127]

This guy loves the guitar - great to see

[@rhinowarrior404]

He is so brilliant because he listens and treats his guitar like it's a person. Where as alot of players will just treat it like its some wood.

[@felsner1]

Beautiful Electro in the background...

[@soyghost1]

@GeorgiaBoy1961 you are entirely right-- there are a lot of great guitar players, i know a few myself...but the legends sing and play and write great songs-- bb king, knopfler, hendrix, and on and on...learning the crafts of writing and singing greatly increases your chance of reaching an audience..

[@Maudit1972]

Piacevole, rilassante, perfetto... Grazie Mark, grazie di cuore.

[@smokiebird06]

He and Sting are the only two people I've ever wanted to meet.

[@DaveMiller2]

This man is so humble and genuine. Not a pretentious egotistical prima donna. The great ones are like that. Reminds me of Lindsey Buckingham, who is really down to Earth and humble too. (And a finger picker as well).

[@Theoderich]

you can really feel that he loves his guitars. surely a reason why he is such a good player. :)

[@Northernspotter101]

What a great guy and what a awesome guitar player !!

[@troy4340]

I would love to have this genius guitarist as my grandpa. Please be my grandpa MK 😁

[@arthurmorris98]

Mark knopfler was born to play guitar. Period. 🎸