Monkey Man (Explained) - Rolling Stones

[@harchitb]

man the way keith's riff locks in with charlie's drums is so good. this is i think their greatest song

[@jacobfarbman4528]

By far the best guitar teacher on the Internet! Thank you a million times over!

[@TheRealSlickRick63]

your Privettricker library is so vast, it took me this long to figure out you moved. I just watched your Privettricker farewell video yesterday, and I'll be honest, I felt heartbroken when you explained how you were being treated by certain KZbin trolls. You've managed to singlehandedly create what is arguably the most comprehensive, easy to follow, and accurate encyclopedia of classic rock guitar lessons known to man. That, my good sir, is one hell of an accomplishment. How dare anyone on KZbin treat you any way other than with gratitude and respect. I'm sure I'm not alone in this sentiment. thanks so much for keeping it going!

[@reimereason]

All I do is watch privettricker videos. I've learned so much about my favourite songs by watching his fingers.

[@cainesdds]

Well said, totally agree. Glad to see the James James community is consistently very positive and grateful for the important work being done here.

[@YTOxygenLess]

The intersting thing to me is how he single handedly has made the most comprehensive guide pretty much just out of the joy for playing. Lots of other guitar playing "teachers" on youtube always feel like they talk down to you or throw lots of silly angles that make it weird to learn things. But James James/Privattricker and also the lady tokabilitor seem to combined have the best lessons ever!

[@luvittodeath7031]

Rick Hankins where is the video?

[@jorgemendoza325]

@@luvittodeath7031 check Privettricker channel. If you can't find it check "monkey man lesson", is the same guy teaching on his previous channel. Then check the last video on the channel.

[@stephenzanichkowsky4434]

I have loved your lessons since the PT days. Still, I can't believe you mention Monkey Man and Beast of Burden in the same breath... MM is one of the greatest riffs of all time!!

[@bhagmeister]

How can you not like and appreciate great, practical guitar playing & instruction that transcends time? Thanks always!

[@backtoshallabal6662]

I don't think anyone on KZbin has covered that many Stones and Beatles songs! Great job JJ!

[@DoctorRocker66]

I played the studio version along with you so I could hear you and Keith at the same time and WOW!! Your timing was perfect note for note. There was no delay at all between you and Keith. It was as if I were listening to the studio version in 2 different players at the same time. I am very impressed. In my experience, not many people are capable of that.

[@myriamwestcott2580]

Demystifying so many licks, riffs and tones - a true guitar thesaurus. Add so much to my journey and rock vocab. Many thanks.

[@debrawalters676]

This could be the best rock n roll guitar riff ever. Sounds mean! Great job!

[@zanichbug]

I've been thinking the same thing. Of all the riffs on all the songs in all the world, this one rises to the top.

[@klangeler95]

Right, so simple. Sounds so amazing

[@jorgemendoza325]

Can't you heard me knocking, Gimme shelter, Honky tonk women, midnight rambler, bitch, rocks off, tumbling dice, happy,................

[@terrycarthy4433]

First heard Monkey Man as a 12yo (44 years ago...) having just started purchasing all their LP's ; was amazed at how great Monkey Man was....how come I'd never heard it on radio ?? But it was the same when I got Sticky Fingers...Sway, Can ya' Hear Me Knockin', Dead Flowers....so many unheard gems !! And then Exile...kept playing first song, Rocks Off ! Classic albums and, indeed, great memories from when I was just getting started.

[@thommyers3080]

Another excellent lesson from one of the baddest Stones songs ever

[@yankeelawdog]

Hands down the best cover/instruction of this, my favorite all time Stones song. I hope I can learn it like this. Well done.

[@BarryPennock]

By far the best guitar teacher on the big old WWW!

[@alkitzman9179]

James your outstanding lessons just keep me working on stuff I thought I could never handle. A huge Thank You

[@rguidryrd]

Thanks for continuing your channel. I always viewed the PT lessons as the best guitar lessons on youtube!

[@durguitar8563]

You're right, when you play it it sounds just like the record. I cannot do what you do, Bravo. Glad to be able to continue to follow you.

[@tonelok]

It's actually staggering how many of my favorite songs were written in standard tuning with a capo on the 2nd or 3rd fret (How Soon Is Now, Until The End Of The World, Norwegian Wood, Champagne Supernova, etc., etc.). As far as I'm concerned with this classic tune, mystery solved. As always, thank you for making guitar playing a lot less mysterious and a ton more fun.

[@simroberts2788]

Another very clear, to the point and accurate video. Well done ! Thanks for taking the time to create and post your excellent lessons!

[@smashem63]

James Great job ! I have loved the Stones since forever and saw them in 81 . They are the greatest rock n roll band

[@randalmcintyre7750]

This is one of the songs that made me want to learn guitar a year ago. Well on my way thanks to these videos!! Keep em comin man!

[@philipheying4902]

Love this lesson, and I'm convinced. I actually learned -sort of- a non-capo version of this. It kinda works with live recording sometimes. But this version sounds exactly right, plus, it has so many of the chord shapes Keith uses so often... Thanks again!

[@MrDanman830]

Just another " I'm impressed JJ ".You brought the song back to life again for me.

[@dmorthanj1091]

Thanks for the tips...great stuff. You are spot on with deconstructing this classic nugget.

[@Bob-bj7vh]

Just sayin' u are awesome and i like ur humility and knowledge Wish i had an ear like u! But then i'd have to be u and altho i think u are totally amazing i am mostly happy being me! Ty for sharing ur talent

[@word67]

One of my all time favorites. I have worked with it at PT. But thanks for going even further. What a tune! Great job man

[@RickyPisano]

I play it with a capo on 2 also. Great lesson James.

[@richardroot9164]

you blow me away man.

[@jperryfan]

I love Everything you do But this is so next level. Thanks for what you do. Health & Happiness to you & your family!

[@zane.walker]

Myth Busted! Great (and convincing) explanation as usual. Always enjoy your insights in how things are played and why.

[@jumpskirt]

One of the best Keef grooves and tricky to figure out. Thanks so much!!

[@micktschagger]

James, you are fantastic. OMG, I've learned soooo much from you within the last years. Many many Thanks Cheers from Germany Mick

[@sturobertson1403]

2:04 I have always played the 5th fret on the B string on that part instead of the 4th fret. Saves me stretching my pinky for the G string, and I may be wrong, but it sounds closer to the record in my opinion.

[@T_D_]

100% spot on. You nailed it completely 👍

[@johnburke5053]

I think that you are awesome JJ. I have most of your stuff book marked in my privet tricker folder. You give me some great insight on how to play some Beatles and Stones songs. Trolls suck. Your lessons are spot on and asking a friend to teach me something is like pulling teeth. You are a cool dude.

[@bernieclemens8900]

Great stuff. Thank you!!

[@haribremec1982]

Great cover and TSHIRT!

[@rickfrier1647]

great job man you are my stones guru

[@Novotny72]

you're so nailing that. quick edit: I really love your work man, you so clearly love that 60s/70s brit guitar stuff and I'm just the same.

[@socceraj33]

Heck yes!!! You rock. Thanks!

[@AnthonyBurrito1313]

my fave Stones song to play

[@5150show]

Another top lesson .

[@jeffhamlin45]

Thank you so much please keep it up , it's great to see a fresh positive approach to the Guitar.

[@SullenMorbius]

badass fucking riff. thanks for tutorial ...

[@prosimulate]

You are amazing! Such an honest practical and definitive tutorial, wow! Such fluidity in your playing!! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@topjimmy1984vh]

Btw.. long time follower.. love the P. T. channel AND the J.J.!! Great work!

[@curtmanners1182]

Hot stuff, JJ, thanks a million.

[@carlherling1856]

HA! YES ! END OF DISCUSSION! Thanks for another great video.

[@coreyjohnston4673]

Damn man. Just fantastic!

[@tonybrown7847]

totally awesome! just found your channel man, thanks a bunch 🐵man!

[@batpatrol49]

I remember this from the PT channel as it was a big eye opener. When I can't find the capo, I still play it in the same key. When it comes to the E chord, I just play the B, G, and D strings on the 9th fret and occasionally hit the B string on the 10th fret. For what I'm doing, it's good enough. I do the same thing on the 9th and 7th frets after playing the F# minor chord on the 9th fret during the beginning of Under My Thumb. It's a gas.

[@bentleycharles779]

Spot on.

[@felineth56]

Cool! Thanks for your great videos, very accurate!

[@mblimmina]

I would guess the main reason keith plays things different live is he finds short cuts that still sound structurally similar because at this point in his game, I don't think he could concentrate hard enough to make all those subtle changes. He wrote things at that time that he can probably barely play now, if he could at all.

[@danielj1063]

Kieth openly concedes such...

[@dj-mn4sc]

Yep. He does it the laziest way. Let's him put on a great show.

[@Nazzz65]

Thank you JJ!

[@charlief2383]

great job, love your stuff. you said in your other lesson it was in 'B' but it is in C#. keep up the lessons, love them

[@jamesjames9275]

It's common practice to use the capo as the zero fret when discussing keys.

[@charlief2383]

thanks, I didn't know that. I guess that's why you're the teacher

[@kbatao]

This song is in the key of E don't cha think? Not talking about capo or not. The root key is E. The chords are all in the key of E. And the root chord of the melody is an E. A is the 4th, B is the 5th and C#m is the 6th. Hence the key of E.

[@jimdiskin3760]

@@kbatao e major and c# minor scales share the same notes, just different root notes. they also share the same chords. if the song is in a minor key, which i believe it is, then it's in c# minor.

[@normannoriega9557]

You do a fantastic jod on teaching us chords and song I appreciate you ✌🎶

[@Bmwguy2011]

I just found your video. This is spectacular!!! Bringing one of my fave songs to life like nothing else. It is that incredible opening to this song. A keyboard or xylophone or?

[@jamesjames9275]

Piano.

[@MikeCindyWhite]

Awesome!

[@5150show]

Awesome lesson thanks

[@JoaoCorreia441]

great job !

[@captaincrosbie]

Brilliant!

[@philipheying4902]

Btw: any time you feel like revisiting the demo you did of Ron Wood's part on "Hey Negrita" on the PT channel, man, I would LOVE a lesson breakdown of it. (That's actually the video that started me down the magical wormhole of the PT and JJ channels. I dream of being able to master that riff... It's still too hard for me to really figure out from watching the PT demo. -A friend of mine says he thinks you play it better than Ronnie does.) Totally understand if you don't wanna do it, but I would be hugely grateful if you did.

[@stevendominie4482]

WOW thanx , my favorite stones guitar riff songs, capo!?!

[@marcob6880]

one of my fave all time Keefisms

[@kirkobayne9090]

Superb video!

[@sloanchampion85]

I completely agree..Keiths studio and live concert sounds and the way he plays songs seem to be very different

[@12footchain]

Totally agree with your comment that Keith plays stuff differently live vs how it was recorded. It's funny, I like to do research and see how guitarists reproduce their songs live for clues on pieces that I'm stuck with but watching Keef vids for live performances (while entertaining) often don't provide "the" answer.

[@cosmai23]

Perfect.

[@deadheadgene]

why does it do it so different on stage ? great post as always

[@rayoll]

may I ask what the amp is there back there with the white LP leaning on it. and as ever nice touch man!

[@danbaron9094]

This guy GETS IT!!!

[@jonesy2111]

Excellent

[@violatorlator9527]

Coolll..👍

[@brankoj62]

Like always great lesson,please can yo do the slide part of Ronnie,Madison 2003,I´m not sure if Ronnie is in the standard tuning playing this slide,thanks.

[@ackthewack]

Nice job

[@kmd9999]

When you're right, you're right! Thanks

[@alfatone2654]

Way to go JJ, if you can't rock me, somebody will...

[@ba6561]

Bravo

[@richardfweeler2939]

Just goes to show Kief is the MR Riff ,, very nice thank you

[@andrewptob]

Yeah, there's just no practical way those D shape chord hammer ons could be done other than with the capo on 2

[@green323turbo]

you really have an excellent ear. If i need to know how to play something the right way, i look at your videos Just a question.. why can't you play it with bar chords ?

[@AnthonyBurrito1313]

You are correct sir, He plays every thing different live than studio for obvious reasons, You can hear those hammer ons on the record and there is no other way to do it

[@rickbellet6263]

hey James...love your lessons and your attention to detail. Question...I notice between this explanation of Monkey Man, and your lesson (both published on the same day), the main riff is played differently. In the lesson you hold down the 2nd & 3rd fingers (at 7th & 9th frets respectively) when you put your pinky on the 9th fret G string. In this explanation it looks like you always take off the 2nd & 3rd fingers when you put down the pinky. They both sound good. Did you notice something different between making the two videos? Is it just how you feel at the moment when you play this song? Thanks in advance!

[@AriesCarrionCaine]

Wicked.

[@joeno1235]

You are one great guitar player. I simply cannot do what you do. I will keep trying though.

[@jamesjames9275]

You don't have to play like me or anyone else. Play like yourself.

[@aapozz1492]

@@jamesjames9275 Very true

[@lespaultexasburst2847]

I soooo completely agree with you. I wonder who needed a second lesson for that one, the first was enough, as far as I'm concerned. Really funny to listen to your comments though.

[@gomerpyle2760]

Niiiiice....!

[@Yurov7777]

how much time is spent on learning the songs?

[@thomasstern7080]

Take it with a grain of salt. You will always have haters we you have people(monkeys). Your an Established Rock king!!!!

[@1rwjwith]

I know you did this awhile ago but you are absolutely right. Especially about the fact he does virtually NOTHING the same on stage as the original studio recordings..Especially from the late 60's stuff...Actually thats true for the whole band but that is largely because of Keith!

[@Oallright]

There's definitely a capo in the studio version. It would sound pretty close without one but not as sharp as with one. I think the reason Keith used a capo in the first place is because it's standard tuning and standard tuning isn't good enough for him without some sort of modification haha.

[@Heroball299]

it would be in the wrong key

[@frankmirra8700]

probably for Mick's voice range.

[@willkensonit]

Maybe key is better for the piano as well?

[@alexclarke9894]

Any idea how he is playing it on stage without a capo then?

[@MichaelCaliri]

Your right about Kieth

[@stonz82]

makes perfect sense to me

[@rnrsteev]

Capo: snap & chime.

[@karllib]

good job...only diff I hear is that I think he's slightly bending the g and b strings up a quarter tone - minor 3 and 5th on the main riff.

[@jamesjames9275]

Hmm. During which part of the main riff?

[@karllib]

right after he hits the minor to major 3rd of the C# on the A string (fret 5 and 6). He then goes to g and b strings on 6th fret and hits em at same time. it "feels" like there is a bit of bluesy bend in there. Same goes for the minor 7th after doing the 4th and 6 at the same time. Maybe I'm off...I think you do a great job...used to be in a stones cover band..that went nowhere.:) I think some of our half rendered stones tunes are on my channel. You know what I'd love to see...someone recreate harvey mandel's solos on "hot stuff." fuggin A...that is differrent. cheers

[@TheRealSlickRick63]

karllieb you must be talking about the bend during the intro, right?

[@woody816]

karllieb that is completely alien to me trying to understand any of that. Fuck how I wished I had got into playing and learning music as a kid

[@jasman92627]

Sold me !!

[@whiskersb5296]

I think you're correct that this is how it was done in the studio and that Keith does it differently on stage and that that doesn't really mean anything. The thing about Monkey Man though is that unlike lots of the open tuning songs, if you do it without the capo, it still sounds good, whereas most of the open tuning songs just sound like crap if you try to fake it in standard.

[@jamesjames9275]

+Whiskers B I suspect that the way Keith approaches tour rehearsals is to say, "Hey, let's do Monkey Man on this tour. What key is it in? OK, count it off..." And he doesn't even refer back to how he originally played it, he just comes up with an arrangement that works. Onstage, he's not worried about things like hammer-ons and suspensions. He approaches guitar playing like an impressionist approaches painting.

[@michaelleigh]

One guy I like to go to.....always accurate!

[@gusdupree9076]

guitar player mag did a nice piece on this song , capo on the fourth fret though, same chord shapes though , nice stuff

[@jamesjames9275]

Hmm. I don’t know how it could be the same chords with a different capo placement. Everything would be off from the tuning on the recording.

[@gusdupree9076]

James James similar chordal shapes , the sus 2, sus 4 , I'm just saying that you clearly worked it out in that key , if I'm not making sense , i apologize, I'm not a theory guy, i just know what was transcribed in the '92 guitar player interview and lesson, came out when main offender was released, play on, play on, just as good as hal leanord

[@bernardo7492]

What guitar is that?

[@jamesjames9275]

Gibson ES 335.