Sweet Home Alabama is HARDER Than We Think!

[@MrCurtyWurty]

I used to hate this song after hearing it at every jam night played so straight and bland. I never really gave the record version the time of day because of that. Then one week I was asked to fill in on bass for a band (I'm normally a guitarist) and I actually gave it a listen and picked up all those little bass nuances. It completely changed my mind about the song. I remember their drummer hearing me play it like the record and smiling at me when we got into the groove, since their usual bass player just played D, C, G all the way through :)

[@TheArtofGuitar]

That feeling you got when your drummer smiled, that’s the exact reason I make these videos. ☺️👍🥳

[@matcoffidis1135]

That's really nice you put in the work to learn it proper. The bass and drums are so important in a recording...👍

[@matturner6890]

Yo that bass player should be fired, in some states it's a crime to make that song more boring!

[@jegr3398]

Nice

[@volguy1998]

A lot of people dismiss Skynyrd, but they have an AMAZING catalog of songs. "The Needle And The Spoon" and "Poison Whiskey" are two favorites, but I also wanted to say that "I Know A Little" and "That Smell" are some fun songs to learn for guitarists.

[@mcon8727]

Skynryd covers are frequently underplayed. They were great players and their songs have layers of great guitar parts that fit together beautifully. Like you said, the songs are really well composed with more complexity than many cover bands are willing to tackle. Thanks for the vid!

[@robdavis8307]

Skynard's complexity was born from 1000s of hours spent rehearsing and writing together under the pressure of a tough front man. Ronnie Van Zant was no easy guy to get along with at times, but their music was a testament to hard work and a chemistry few bands of that Era had. Every member contributed a great deal to the overall process. All of these nuances, subtleties, and details really made their music stand apart from other "jam bands."

[@kane29842]

It’s weird to have an American KZbinr actually release videos in prime Australian time but I’m here for it. Especially for probably one of the first songs I ever tried to learn

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Is this why I have a lot of Australian viewers? I love it!

[@kane29842]

@@TheArtofGuitar yeah man as I write this comment it ranges from 5:30pm on the west coast to 8:30pm on the east with DST. 7pm where I am in Darwin.

[@QuakeGamerROTMG]

I was thinking the same, it works out to where I tend to chuck these on right before bed.

[@DMSProduktions]

@@TheArtofGuitar You got it Knackers! \m/

[@lancehall3897]

@@TheArtofGuitarMike, our allies down under are on to something. Does this mean you are a long term provider of nocturnal submissions?😊

[@bryanmcdermott4204]

Revisiting the classics is terrific.

[@seanreiter]

I always found that LS songs are full of little nuggets that you don’t even hear due to how many instruments are in the mix. I have a good ear and thought I’d been playing this (on bass) 100% for the last 20+ years. You showed me a few things I hadn’t been doing. Thanks!

[@adamschronk3620]

Learning these, played to death songs correctly, kinda gives me a renewed interest in them. A fresh set of ears you could say. Enjoyed the vid as always.

[@XoseGuitar]

Great breakdown video. So much going on there. People think LS is just dumb hick rock and it's incredibly complicated and nuanced. Keeping three guitar from stepping all over each other is incredibly difficult. They were amazing musicians.

[@DavidOakesMusic]

Whenever I hear covers bands play it - they never play that one F chord.

[@DMSProduktions]

Prob don't know HOW!

[@whyceeguy]

I played this song a bunch back in the day and it taught me so much about where the other notes are around the open chords. If somebody wants to learn the guitar this song is such a great jumping off point.

[@Krullmatic]

This is the first time I've seen you with a Strat! It's beautiful, just like you're other guitars.

[@brianmckenzie1318]

Scott Raines channel does a good job of going over this song. He plays in the Artimus Pyle Band.

[@bjakupov1]

Great video! People who just focus on leads don’t appreciate how difficult it is to lock a rhythm and groove in perfectly to where it’s super tight. Completely different skill sets.

[@anthonyw5261]

Mind blowing details. Thanks 😊

[@zaturnneo]

Another great video! My bassist and I are always talking about how good they were as musicians. There's a lot going on in those tunes. Props for the American Ninja shirt!

[@Roxy-v8f]

Can you review the Metallica Death Magnetic guitar tab book?

[@phantomflame0658]

I love this series, these songs need way more love. Just cause it's popular doesn't mean it has to be lame. PS will you do vids on Type O Negative or Pist.On or similar? (saw your comments on some ToN vids)

[@robtech341]

Years ago the cover band I was in had a "schooled" bass player sitting in for a few songs. So I started Gimme Three Steps, the rest of the band kicked in and Mr. Julliard couldn't makes heads or tails of what to play in this. Prior to starting the song I asked if he was ready and he said, "How hard can it be it's F**** Lynyrd Skynyrd." Leon was a monster on bass. LS is a bit like DRL Van Halen, you can re listen to their songs multiple time just focusing on one part at a time. Cheers.

[@bandit-ms6ys]

A lot of people put off Lynyrd Skynyrd as some southern rock band with a couple good guitar riffs/solos, but if you listen to their playing and music closely they’re actually very smart and tight players and bring exactly what is needed to each song (fast solo/rhythm on Free Bird, slower melodic rhythm and solos on I Need You, the angriness of Working for MCA, and not to mention how much better they got when Steve Gaines joined

[@matcoffidis1135]

I've realized over the years there's quite a bit going on in the song. For me it's easier to pick these things out with headphones. And now that we can search KZbin for isolated tracks. Either way, there's a lot going on instrumentally between the layered guitar parts, the bass that's not just playing root notes all the time and the cool drum patterns. It really makes you appreciate what they did over 50 years ago. I appreciate the lesson, as always my friend...❤🎸✌️

[@TheLockdownKidNYC]

Long story short: What this video hits on and what this entire channel specializes in is attention to detail. So many people in cover bands take songs like this for granted because they're so over played but if you actually sit down and learn the song as a cohesive unit - it will kill. Remember, your audience more than likely is just gonna be people looking to have a good time and dance. I used to be the snotty guy in the back making fun of cover bands when they'd play cliche songs like this but now I appreciate it so much more when I hear a cover band nail essential elements to a song like iconic harmonies, fills, and dynamics. I'm a working musician and I'm always trying to revisit songs that I've played for years _just_ to make sure I'm nailing every part. I do my best to never phone it in and try to retain improvements to a point where it's second nature. So, videos like this are always a great source of entertainment.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

I love this attitude. I remember playing some old and tired songs and thinking, "Man, maybe it's because I'm just doing the bare minimum that it's so boring to play." Turns out that was right. I ask any guitarist to play Brown Eyed Girl the right way. It's nuts!

[@TheLockdownKidNYC]

@@TheArtofGuitar Absolutely and on the topic of Lynyrd Skynyrd, they were class A musicians and fantastic arrangers and songwriters. Their music has lots of soul and excellent execution of their craft. So, yeah their songs are anything but just looper style jam songs. Every element of their writing is intentional. In fact, they were so good that they could jam out the songs live but never sway the course. Lots of those great 70s bands all had excellent ear for harmonies and hooks. I spent my formative years listening to mostly 90s Grunge and Punkish stuff where there's an intentional downplaying of musicality but as a growing musician, I have found myself showing significant appreciation to the masterful production and arrangement on those 70s rock songs.

[@matturner6890]

I mean, if you're not getting those nuances, you're not really playing the song, since those things make the song what it is. Otherwise, you're playing your own crappy rewrite of a better song.

[@TheLockdownKidNYC]

@@matturner6890 Tell that to a good chunk of cover bands who can't perform a show without an iPad infront of them.

[@TheMasonator777]

Well, yeah. No great song is easy in that sense. They all have crucial and often neglected details. Great video.

[@MKRISING75]

Very cool lesson hello from Alabama 🤟🏻

[@Viejo-verde]

It's cool that you play all the instruments.

[@joshwmusic6838]

I absolutely LOVE these videos, great insight and really valuable lessons. Could we get some more? Maybe for some Van Halen or Extreme or any cool 80s bands

[@wallofrock6725]

The 2 special ingredients for this tune were Bob Burns and of course Ed. Bob developed the rhythm with his pocket grove. When Bob left, this song started to fall apart in a live setting for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Artimus couldn’t play Bob’s groove if you paid him $1 million. The nuances that made the song special started to disappear and made the song bland. Once Ed left, this song never was the same. They put more focus on the piano and Allen and Steve made sparks by adding their leads, but during the verses and choruses the song was totally lifeless because the groove was gone.

[@8KilgoreTrout4]

Good stuff as always!

[@drtone]

Further supporting this approach to a cover, contrary to casual glance, apparently, Skynyrd was not a jam band, Ronnie made them play the songs precisely arranged undeviated. When asked to join Allman's on tour, they encountered expectation that they would stretch out, which the instrumentalist had to quash. Free Bird is orchestrated live. Solos, intertwined guitar parts, etc. are per se, "written" out !

[@sntpint]

I like how you reply even to the deepest comments way down the list. Most don’t get past the first few. With that being said - come and play in Iowa sometime!

[@HannahCope88]

🤘🏻🔥🤘🏻 this is great, really cool details. Nice to see the new bass again 🙂. Enjoy Iron Maiden 🤘🏻.

[@daveweed2765]

Ya know. You talkin about how the bassist played open? I play bass. It may be easier up the fret board but it sure sounds better the closer to the nut you get on bass anyway. A lot of people think bass is easier than guitar and in some ways it is but... from the sheer sise if the strings, the distance between the frets and the constant movement of the picking hand it starts hurting after a while. I loved playing guitar. But I absolutely love bass better.

[@giulianomarco]

Only the clips have been blurred... to protect the guilty. 😁👍

[@DMSProduktions]

Haha!

[@kevystead]

As a working drummer I enjoy learning these songs properly from you. Good stuff Mike. But Please turn your stick around when you play cross stick😉😃

[@TheArtofGuitar]

I try but I drop the stick sometimes when I flip it. 🤣

[@Dylanbeee]

I find so many cover bands are getting very very lazy these days. Not all but I was watching this one band doing 'Hotel California' and the bass player was just playing one note per bar instead of the cool way it's originally played

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Dang, Hotel Cali without that sweet bassline? Yuck!

[@julesbrunton1728]

I suppose it depends if the band is trying to replicate the original or just play music. I know sweet home, or hotel California ain't jazz but what's wrong with reinterpreting, altering, re harmonizing , rearranging any song?

[@phantomflame0658]

@@julesbrunton1728 That's cool there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I think they meant playing root notes the entire song and being lazy is not cool at all

[@420RittzBish]

@@julesbrunton1728 The difference is effort. All of those things you listed take effort. Even rearranging a song to be more simple takes effort. You have to learn the song and then change it. That's showing respect to the original. Laziness is a distinct lack of effort. It's disrespectful to the original music, the audience, and even yourself to be honest.

[@lt_johnmcclane]

@@julesbrunton1728he has to address someone saying this exact thing every time he does this style of video so I’m kind of surprised he didn’t do it this time

[@richardpierce7819]

Ed king said that part you played is what insipired his lick. He played off what Gary was doing.

[@patguitars1675]

In an ed king interview with Marty Schwartz he said in the chorus he doesn't play the first beat of the bars. That may not be in the rhythm guitar but i thought it was interesting.

[@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn]

I'm "Guest Starring" at a gig on 9/11, 9th of September, and I got their set list today. Then this is the first video on my homepage and it's on their set list. I'm really not sure what to do! Sending them this might come off as a bit arrogant!

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Wait to see how it goes first. 🤣

[@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn]

@@TheArtofGuitar Ah man, I wish you hadn't taken a whole minute to respond, I've already sent the link to the Bass Player! 😁

[@scampydog2318]

Awesome 😎 Love it

[@peterdenner2374]

I'd love to hear you cover the drums on the song Grapevine Fires

[@Dragonrc.]

Well have no projects I am spending the winter getting back to guitar, planning to focus on electric and DANGGGG coming from an accoustic guitars im find it hard to keep other things silent lol

[@ruledtrendy5066]

I learned this song to play with a very mediocre covers band. I couldn't understand why I kept getting the structure wrong even though I'd put time into learning the song. After a couple of rehearsals I realised they simply didn't know how to play it properly and played it differently every time. Clowns

[@BeyondTigerMilk]

What's on your shirt? I watched the first 3 American Ninja movies over the weekend while dealing with an injured foot. Can't tell if it's that or something else.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Enter the Ninja

[@RosaDodson-t9r]

I learned more from this tutorial than I thought I would.

[@drippin-in-sauce]

The lead in "lead" part sounds great on bass too if you dont have another guitar player

[@normiemcboomer4812]

I still hear rookie cover bands playing this without ever doing the interlude part

[@DreadVon]

IT IS 1:20 AM BUT I DON'T CARE

[@PurpsMalurps]

WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING

[@returnofhesi3900]

Love seeing people who know the real secrets to this song posting about it

[@Owen_plays_music1049]

2:46 And i'm pretty sure he plays on Neck pickup

[@WalkenDead]

Always killed me when I hear a band completely mutilate the opening of Gimme Three Steps, and I heard allot of them do it.

[@SuperStrik9]

Nobody plays Sweet Home Alabama better than Ed King.

[@perpetualbystander4516]

Not surprising, since he wrote it.

[@nine9whitepony526]

Thats pretty cool and I admit, we wung it when we played it. After watching this I kinda wanna go back and do it right now.

[@matturner6890]

"wung it" Well shit, I have never seen this typo. My hat is off to you. Also, *winged it.

[@scabo33]

Same with back in black. No one gets that’s hammer and pull off lick in the main riff.

[@matturner6890]

That one drives me nuts! It's not even that hard to get down!!

[@chrisa1125]

It's crazy that the harmonic part is so difficult, I never knew that. I figured they did it all on the same fret or something.

[@LouCondon-j1v]

There is a video out there where Ed King shows somebody the real way to play the intro.

[@charlesgauldin8010]

It’s Marty Schwartz , it’s actually a “hidden note” in the intro, after the palm mutes there’s a turn around that most people don’t get right, they often play a B note to go back into the intro verse, when Ed explains it’s actually a B flat and he rolls into the B note from there to complete the turnaround

[@mobeus84]

I believe that guitarist can pull that harmonic move off so smoothly because their slide guitar players and they're used to that

[@theorangegoodness]

Ed King is tricky and a genius

[@davidcelliott]

In my first band, I played bass and it drove me crazy that none of our guitar players could ever get past those 3 basic chords. There's so much in that song to make interesting, but you have to listen and practice it or it's just boring.

[@ButBigger42]

I remember the first time I heard "Gimme back my bullets" I KNEW these guys were real, seasoned, highly skilled players.

[@matcoffidis1135]

That's a good one...🤘

[@swagner89]

There's something else that you missed- the chorus power chords. In the Marty Music video at 3:05, Ed King says that most people play it wrong, and that it's supposed to "miss some of the downbeats." He then plays it without hitting on the 1s. Of course, Marty cluelessly proceeds to play it exactly wrong as Ed had just described lol

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Damn muscle memory...hehe

[@ottomattix86]

This is a song I just started trying and I've played guitar way too long. Just never cared to learn it till now 😅

[@bi0lizard1]

Best place to go to learn guitar? I’m kind of stuck atm and would like to improve.

[@matturner6890]

In front of a set of speakers and your favourite songs, with your guitar. AVOID TAB!! 90% of the time they're either mostly or completely wrong.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

My website is good. ;) *had to self-promote hehe.

[@matturner6890]

@@TheArtofGuitar You're the whole other 10% I'm pretty sure

[@NateR107]

“sweet” Enter the Ninja shirt!

[@RolandCLEMENCEAU]

Can't be complete without the input of the guy who actually created the riff, Ed King kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZ_Qlaybn7aMqc0 In this video he shares the little details guitar players often miss performing SHL.

[@Pustekuchen32]

What about the eric Clapton unplugged tab book? I think its not right....😅

[@TheAndostro]

the art of being whole band video

[@panicoestatico9260]

Brother and sister bonding intensifies...

[@PatternRecognitionMusic]

Yeah, there's not a big enough tip jar in the world to make me play that. Yes, there are other songs on that list. Dock of the Bay, Brown Eyed Girl, Brick House, Mustang Sally, the usual fare, fnope. Never lost a gig or failed to be invited back after refusing to play the mundane crap every other bar band plays, either, so I don't wanna hear the "You have to play those songs" line.

[@matturner6890]

Hell yea brother. I usually pick a song from the same album of those super-overplayed ones that's less loved but just as good. It has never been a problem.

[@colinburroughs9871]

we are not doing a disservice to skynard playing a simple tune, to learn quick to make a buck on saturday at a bar. that charm is that I don't need to think about it and I don't really want too either

[@jeffrey.a.hanson]

How many bands skip over that two guitar intro on Call Me the Breeze, play it Skynyrd style…then give a shoutout to Cale lol.

[@AmiGuitar]

Apparently Ed king would get annoyed when people played it wrong

[@hybridtemple]

Wtf I was watching a video whilst singing the chorus of sweet home Alabama and when I went to the home page this was first in recommended. Wtf google.

[@ragnadrabinowitz7629]

a band i played in covered that song (who hasn't?) and i'm surprised we weren arrested for attempted murder (of that song).

[@BenLondonN6]

Nice video. With respect, the guitar bass notes run up, in the intro, does not start on the A. It starts on Bb. So Bb-B-D-E-D-B-A-G rather than A-B-D-E-D-B-A-G. It's been played wrong, even before KZbin but now it's being taught wrong, by almost every video on KZbin. You gotta listen very carefully to the original and you'll hear it..

[@TheArtofGuitar]

I just did a video on that lick, just now. :)

[@gelchert]

Ive always said of Skynyrd that anyone who can make three guitars and a piano play nicely together is smarter than I am. “Sweet Home Alabama” is a great example of that.

[@jormajoo]

how Ed was doing the solo harmonics kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZ_Qlaybn7aMqc0 25:05

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Heck yes. That’s how I finally understood it. He’s doing a bit of that modern way too which sounds great. So happy this footage exists.

[@bigark6399]

LoL! I just rolled over!!

[@azbiker7113]

Yea, I have heard so many bad versions of SHA! It's like they're either too lazy or have no attention to detail. Most of Skynyrd's sound was nuance-based. Without those nuances, it reallys falls short.

[@SalAvenueNJ]

Shook Me All Night Long.

[@kidcrowz04]

me when i wake up way to early but also me when you post way to early :0

[@deanporter3509]

i'm from alabama & this song is (as you'd expect) very overplayed here. my dad was an incredible self-taught guitarist & every now and then he would turn up the amp and play it LOUD & you could hear my mom from the other side of the house go I WANT A DIVORCE lmfao

[@codenamenot47]

RIP Paul Di’Anno

[@vicenzor9699]

Never liked this song at all, so will never play it. But interesting stuff to see

[@PIZZAdayisback]

OMG TF is skyn prog or something? (j)

[@randallhaney7909]

To me there is a rather large difference between a "cover band" and a "tribute band". If you are going to perform the song exactly like the record. with zero personal flavor, And you're not in a tribute band?.. Then get a DJ and just play the record. If you are in a tribute band? do it as best as you are able like the record.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

You can put your own touch on a song and still honor the parts.

[@randallhaney7909]

@@TheArtofGuitar Indeed, But the trick is to own it when you play it.. Whatever it is. I will reference Tina S. and her Cover of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" 3rd movement. True to the parts and totally owned.

[@SuperSuperdude88]

sometimes people should only " jam" to certain songs and maybe not play them live..

[@80sMeavyHetal]

Great stuff, thanks for that! 13:54 I hear there is no third harmonic before the long note, so muted, muted, nothing, sustained note. It's like an acoustic illusion that there is a third one.

[@zachlewis9751]

no

[@ganuilek]

🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@DMSProduktions]

Yes, but we've heard it WRONG a billion times!

[@AlexTway-j4u]

where do you fake that you're about to start playing werewolves of london

[@matturner6890]

Please keep triggering lazy musicians, there are too many around these days getting paid to do half their job and doing mental gymnastics to justify it.

[@stephanbrunker]

You have a great attention to detail, but I also think you are from a species going extinct. The music, like the world in total is polarizing ever more - on the one hand you have that too perfect overproduced music for the charts where every vocal line is pitch corrected. On the other hand you have music in your local venue where they simply don't care if they butcher these details and the mix too. There are far too few people who do care and try to get it "right". As a drummer, this is one of the songs where I didn't made the transcription myself because the one I found was reasonable (included most of the details you mentioned), but I think I have to revisit that thing and make an exact transcription. The world doesn't care, there are simply no exact transcriptions in the whole of the internet. Unfortunately, my only chance to play in a band crashed because they objected to my refusal to butcher a song.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

If we are going extinct, I’ll accept it but I’ll still go down swinging.

[@matturner6890]

@@TheArtofGuitar You and me both! DETAILS MATTER, GODDAMNIT!!

[@satinwhip]

We played it in my cover band years ago. I didn't play Ed's part the way Ed played it. I played Allen's part the way Allen played it. Nobody cared. Played in that band for several years. Played Sweet Home Alabama every night. Not once did anyone from the crowd come up to chastise us for playing it incorrectly. People don't go out to hear note perfect renditions. They just want to have a good time.

[@EastyyBlogspot]

Its like with blur song 2...seeing the tabs and yet the way its actually played is different lol

[@matturner6890]

Tabs are never right, use your ears as much as possible.

[@micclay]

Most people don't know Skynyrd was formed almost 10 years before that had anything resembling success. They may have started out playing it the lazy way and added one intricacy at a time.

[@matturner6890]

Proof?!

[@h.markhorton8188]

Most bands are just too lazy!!

[@monsterram6617]

Unless you're in a "Tribute" act, you don't need to play any cover exactly like the record, nor should you.

[@matturner6890]

Nah, you should learn songs how they were written, otherwise tf are you even doing? Pretending to play the song, pretty much. Really knowing how to play someone else's song "better than them" is EXCEEDINGLY rare, and most people are just skipping the hard parts, which is just lazy and no one should pay to see that. In your own home do what you want, but live? Don't be lazy.

[@julesbrunton1728]

I'm totally sure you couldn't pay my band enough to bother

[@wallofrock6725]

😂

[@matturner6890]

AW yea it's Julesy B and the "Don't Bother Band"!

[@h.markhorton8188]

Love your appreciation of detail;?silisrbto a Steve Tyler. This separates drunken bar bands from real musicians. Great stuff!