Want to play like Ian Anderson? Do this!

[@mezzoca8110]

Always loved Ian’s acoustic guitar sound on the Jethro Tull albums…. Takes me back to those far off times even now you go through those Anderson arpeggios. Times change and you know it really does create an pleasant atmosphere. Anderson’s guitar work probably get attributed to Martin Barre by critics and the public because it so good but no, it is all Ian. An underrated acoustic guitarist with a unique style and great compositions and accompaniment. I know he wanted to work with Jimmy Page but fell out with Robert Plant for years. Hope they became friends again.. PS … your video is great and thank you for showing us how Ian played these songs, you are a good teacher and very good player.

[@snoozedoctor]

Glad you find this helpful. Ian is just an incredible musician. Whatever he played, or sang, was always accurate and phrased well.

[@MANN-v8b]

Retired physician also, been playing for the past 50 years and Jethro Tull was part of my young 20 s. Your tutorials are exceptionally instructive. I learned a lot .

[@snoozedoctor]

Wonderful! I'm so glad you're finding them helpful.

[@KhashayarGhazianzad]

Thank you very much for this excellent tutorial! I really appreciate the time and effort that you're putting in these guitar lessons. You are highly regarded among Tull fans who are also acoustic guitar enthusiasts. Cheers, Kash

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks so much for the kind comment. I'm glad the tutorials are being of some help to Tull fans!

[@kagreen2k]

Yes I do want to play like Ian Anderson and you have done more than anyone to help me get there. 😊

[@snoozedoctor]

I need to do these exercises more often. I hadn't for a while and last week I was struggling with some Tull material I was playing for friends. These really do help. Cheers!

[@kec5831]

Thank you very much for taking the time to share this very, very useful content!

[@snoozedoctor]

Glad you like it! I need to practice these exercises again. I've been traveling quite a lot these last 2 months and have barely had time to pick up my guitar!

[@philotomybaar]

I’ve been playing his songs for 35 years. I initially economy picked these arpeggios, but eventually found that the attack sounded wrong and switched to strict alternation, dud, udu, dud… (I probably also realized that he doesn’t do this on Dun Ringill.)It can be quite a good workout to play Thick as a Brick this way! Seeing this video, I instantly noticed you picking dud, dud, dud… I thought “that’s not right,” and watched some live videos of him playing and slowed it down. You are completely correct- that’s how he plays it! Well done. I also noticed that when he plays the a to b before strumming the G chord that he doesn’t hammer on! He picks each note. Fascinating!

[@snoozedoctor]

I did the same! I slowed down the video of him playing live to .25 speed and watched every move. I can't believe that he can play it that accurately every time whilst singing with great phrasing that's not always on the beat. All great singers sing that way. It's especially difficult to pick the a to b every time and get it clean. When he moves the position up to the fifth fret he hammers on which is much easier.

[@philotomybaar]

@@snoozedoctor Thanks, I’ll look for that hammer-on! It’s really amazing how much of a difference the picking makes for capturing the sound of a guitarist. I found the same thing with fingerpicking: I studied classical, so I’m very comfortable with using the “a” finger, but it doesn’t always sound correct when trying to copy a guitarist who uses claw hammer. Your attention to detail is what makes your covers and tutorials sound so good, so thank you from a guitarist who’s been doing this almost as long as you have. Incidentally, my first guitar teacher gave me a ‘72 Martin 016NY many years ago, and it was only after the advent of KZbin that I noticed that it’s the guitar that Ian used throughout the ‘70s. It became my primary guitar for recording sessions for anything that didn’t require a D-size sound, and is an absolutely fantastic fingerpicking guitar. So much so that I bought a second 016NY about ten years ago so I’d have a backup. My modest proposal to you is that you look for one on reverb. You have some beautiful guitars but the sound of that guitar with Martin silk and steel strings is precisely Ian’s sound (with an extra heavy mandolin pick). A player of your caliber and a student of Ian’s style deserves one! And they’re still relatively affordable. I don’t know how private messaging works on KZbin, but it would be fun to put one in your hands some time if we’re ever in the same city. Maybe we could do a duet- Acres Wild with a proper mandolin, or Salamander? Hah!

[@marmotsongs]

Fantastic video. I’ve been learning many of these techniques song by song but never put them together, or had exercises to practice them. Thanks!

[@snoozedoctor]

I think this will really help. They've helped my accuracy already.

[@moondawg1439]

Thank you, very excellent

[@snoozedoctor]

You are welcome!

[@chrissharratt4615]

Great lesson brilliant finger training,never thought of it

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks! This exercise is helping me with the arpeggios. It came in handy for covering "Rover."

[@TJTinerella]

When you started talking the first thing I thought of was that burst on Mother Goose. It is tempting to try and play it with alternating picking but that will screw it up 50 - 60% of the time. I can't do it as a sweep I really need to attack it to get it. It's in my set list and sometimes when I ain't feeling it I will just play the roots to get through it without a big ass flub.

[@snoozedoctor]

It's a tough one. I can't sweep pick. Basically it would be the same as economy picking where every movement downwards to the next string is done with a downstroke and every movement upwards to the. next string is done with an upstroke. So basically sweep picking. I'm amazed watching people that can really do that well because it looks like they aren't working that hard. But, yeah, I've always alternate picked and that's what I can do.

[@RA-rf4nz]

Excellent tutorial. Many thanks for the secret techniques!

[@snoozedoctor]

You're welcome!

[@bmh942]

Excellent Doc.

[@snoozedoctor]

Many thanks!

[@clacclackerson3678]

Just absolutely wonderful thank you, and thank you Ian.

[@snoozedoctor]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@pufforg]

Great lesson thank you!

[@snoozedoctor]

My pleasure!

[@RYDR6517]

Outstanding video. Answers many guestions.

[@snoozedoctor]

Glad!

[@RYDR6517]

Your talent is amazing.

[@waynecaswell5727]

Another great lesson. So many great tips and techniques. All the way down to the orientation of the pick. Your skills and dedication are greatly appreciated.

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks! I can already tell this drill has improved my arpeggios!

[@highfieldbri]

Thanks for this. I'm sure these techniques are going to improve my playing no end. Another great lesson.

[@snoozedoctor]

They've helped me already and I've just been doing them for a few days!

[@shelleycarlson986]

Doc, thank you so much for this lesson! This is well thought out and very helpful to me. I have needed this tutorial for a long time!

[@snoozedoctor]

Definitely a drill that helps with those fast arpeggios!

[@silenceinsound1295]

Thank you so much for this! Great pointers for a relative novice like me! Appreciated!🙏🏻

[@snoozedoctor]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bobamato3763]

Would love to know what model and make of guitar this gentleman is playing. Very beautiful

[@snoozedoctor]

I’m playing a $365 Orangewood Mason Live. Laminated back and sides so not tons of bass response but plays really nicely!

[@artrogers3985]

Thank you sir. That’s exactly what the doctor ordered for this Sunday afternoon.

[@snoozedoctor]

I think the drills will really be useful.

[@Robbo57]

A masterclass Doc.

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks! I think these exercises do pay off!

[@goog646]

I really enjoyed this. Thank you. After 25 years of trying, I still struggle with the arpeggios in My God. These exercises might help me.

[@snoozedoctor]

You're very welcome!

[@justgivemethetruth]

nice, wish I could play guitar like that.

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks!

[@juraposuful]

Great. These exercises will help me to continue improving on the guitar. Thank you very very much. Greetings.

[@snoozedoctor]

You are welcome!

[@clacclackerson3678]

I love the guitar playing of Ian Anderson. Can someone recommend other acoustic guitarists who exclusively use a pick but play chordally as Ian?

[@snoozedoctor]

I can't think of many that do a whole lot of arpeggios like that. When I want to feel inferior with a plectrum, I just watch a Ewan Dobson video and wonder how the heck you get that good with a pick. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqGvo3l-qMpsaKs

[@OndrejBargl]

Hello snoozedoctor, you are very good, I'm very glad that you make these JTull songs tutorials, I'll try and learn, do you downpick-uppick-downpick during the three string arpeggios?

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks! Yes, it is down-up-down.

[@ulrikhvolgaard1210]

Hi Doctor. I enjoy your great work and I've learned a lot to play in the band in witch I play the electric guitar. I've been looking for the "Songs from the Wood" tutorial with out luck. Have I missed something? I would certainly love to learn play that tune, all though it is difficult peace! I found a cover version by Alberto Sorrentino, but I enjoy your pedagogical approach and teaching. ♥️

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks! I have been thinking about doing a tutorial on Songs From the Wood. That should be in the near future! Cheers!

[@ulrikhvolgaard1210]

@@snoozedoctor I would love that.. THX.

[@ulrikhvolgaard1210]

PS! I live in Denmark!

[@snoozedoctor]

@@ulrikhvolgaard1210 Awesome! Never been to Denmark, but visiting the Faroes in a few week from now.

[@ulrikhvolgaard1210]

@@snoozedoctor The Faroe Islands are Denmark - far from here and I have never been to the islands. You definitely have a beautiful nature and a mental state in store. Good trip when it's time.

[@Skyy-avari]

Ian plays just about every instrument and all of them with perfection. Notice on some of his albums it says "ALL INSTRUMENTS BY IAN ANDERSON.

[@snoozedoctor]

truly a remarkable musician. I don't think he's highly proficient on drums or keyboards but I'm sure he's very passable.

[@Skyy-avari]

@@snoozedoctor and nice guy to, I met him in Hampton VA. and was lucky enough to get his autograph also. !!!

[@snoozedoctor]

@@Skyy-avari Very cool! When he first got on the internet he invited questions and I sent him one. Got a reply in a few days, which I thought was nice of him.

[@Skyy-avari]

@@snoozedoctor right, like i said he was really nice. He spent time in the bar talking to me while he drank his tea. I also saw Martin Barre his guitarist for a minute and was able to get his autograph also .

[@absolutebeginner2733]

It actually works! :-)

[@snoozedoctor]

It really does. By the time I had worked the exercise out, I could tell I was doing the arpeggios better.

[@sheheryarhasnain7511]

I working on this great exercise -- what I am struggling a bit with is the up/down stroke pattern (I was a finger picker but I am now working on using a pick) -- what I find interesting is that you always return to the down stroke when you go back to the base strings (and the opposite - upstroke - when you are reversing the arpeggio). Is it ok to do the arpeggio without returning to the downstroke (so there are no two down strokes in a row)? But thank you for this, I need it particularly for Dun Ringill!

[@snoozedoctor]

I was a finger picker too before I started using a pick for these arpeggios. I don't have my guitar with me (on a trip) but I think it would be possible to not do 2 downstrokes in a row. But, I've slowed the videos of Ian playing live, to see exactly how he does the arpeggios and that's why I do them like I do, to emulate what he does.

[@sheheryarhasnain7511]

@@snoozedoctor Ok if that is how Ian does it, and you do it so beautifully, thats good enough for me -- when you do it the way I am currently, it mentally muddles you a bit so it is probably worth returning to the downstroke each time to ground one a bit. Thank you so much!

[@ef2b]

​@@snoozedoctor This video may be a breakthrough for me, so thank you for making it. Looking at your right hand technique, what I think I've just discovered is that my strumming is all wrong! I, too, am a finger picker and what I think I'm doing is strumming from a classical hand position. That means the wrist is fairly far away from the soundboard. I am just used to being in a position with a relaxed and flexed right wrist and fingers like they could cup an egg. It seems I'm trying to strum from there, which means much of my motion is forearm rotation (supination/pronation) plus elbow flexion. In the video, it looks like your hand is closer to the soundboard, the wrist less flexed, maybe nearly neutral, and the strum comes as wrist adduction / abduction and some elbow flexion / extension. I think I need to go back to scratch on my strum, and I think this explains my problem with switching from a strum over to picking. Does my description of your hand position and movement sound vaguely correct? Do you feel like your strumming wrist position is closer to the guitar than when fingerpicking?

[@fraros]

Another excellent video! May I ask what pick you use, and what strings gauge? Thanks a lot.

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks! I like to use medium stiff picks playing acoustic guitar and heavier picks when playing electric. I use light gauge Elixir nano webs on all my guitars.

[@russellwood6362]

Do you have access to perscrption pads to perscribe Genius pills for us all to play Like Ian

[@snoozedoctor]

Haha! He is sooooo. good with that right hand.

[@quarter_moon_and_a_guitar]

exercises at 3:30

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks, I should have put that in the description.

[@quarter_moon_and_a_guitar]

@@snoozedoctor Thanks much for the Ian Anderson lessons, which are oddly under-represented on YT.

[@quarter_moon_and_a_guitar]

@@snoozedoctor These are excellent exercises, and unlike scales, improvements are quickly seen. After years I can finally play the Mother Goose riff (almost) consistently :)

[@oldhiway66]

Always wondered how Ian was getting that style - not really finger picking.....He gets that sound/style that is perfect for the song. Thanks for another great video Doc!

[@snoozedoctor]

Thanks! He doesn't fingerpick much. The only song I know of is Sanctuary from Secret Language of Birds.

[@tomphillips2608]

Wouldn't you like to have been a fly on the wall when young Ian actually came up with these ? I mean he was basically a kid . So much vision and guts to use almost classical techniques when his contemporaries were 3 chord tricking.

[@snoozedoctor]

His development as a composer was so fast. He obviously showed facility with melody and riffs on Stand Up and Benefit, but to progress to TAAB and Passion Play in only a few years is totally mind blowing.

[@denniskramer9657]

oh that Uncle Ian,such a tricky duck...

[@snoozedoctor]

that he is!

[@timculp4126]

I think being left handed but playing right handed puts me at somewhat of a disadvantage. At least that's my feeble theory. ha ha.

[@waynecaswell5727]

Similar problem. Too late to buy new guitars and relearn. But really don't think it would help.

[@snoozedoctor]

There are some really good lefties that play right handed. Steve Morse immediately comes to mind.