The Headmaster Ritual by The Smiths | Guitar Lesson

You asked for it kids, so here's more Smiths. I'm tuned to open E. From low to high: E B E G# B E. Apparently for the studio version Marr tuned to open D (DADF#AD) and put a capo on the second fret, which gives you the same notes.
Free music/tab for this lesson can be found here: www.anyonecanplayguitar.co.uk...
Tuning: 2:23
Intro: 4:01
Main riff: 10:03
Verse: 13:36
Chorus: 18:11
Here's the gear I'm using for this video, fellow nerds: Fender American Vintage '65 Jazzmaster. 80s Fender Super Champ amp. I'm running through my mini pedal board: • Building A Mini Guitar... (Tumnus for a teeny bit of drive, Ibanez Analog Delay and the addition of a bit of Ibanez Mini Chorus.)
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[@fabriciojunkes]

Holy shit dude Johnny Marr is a real phenomenon

[@leh3625]

Yes, Johnny just copied Adrian's lesson almost perfectly for us Covid shut-ins. He did a pretty good job but he's no Adrian.

[@TheLemonFox]

Man, this open tuning just makes the guitar sing. It's not an easy song by any means but crazy how much busier it feels than it really is. I kept going, "Oh damn is that all he's playing? Just simulateously sounds crazy busy and yet still effortless.

[@pressureflipin1992]

After hearing his open E tuning in tuning my guitar to open E and writing some pop songs! This is the sound I've been looking for. Thank you so much!

[@drago6769]

My favorite Smiths song. Your taste in music is spot on, almost every song I've seen you cover are songs/bands that I love, bands like The Smiths, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, Joy Division, PIL, The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, Chuck Berry, etc etc etc etc. Keep up the good stuff!

[@davexjs5889]

Thanks, Il Check Out His Other Stuff Cheers.

[@offgrey7303]

I always wait on edge for your smiths lessons! Thanks!

[@muddymike10]

Stunning - just beautiful Adrian... as close as anyone of us will get, thank you...

[@JohnLee-iw1fn]

Thank you! Thank you, Adrian! I've loved this song for over 30 years, but never learned it til now. Thanks again!

[@scottburnham8583]

Adrian you'll never be pigeon holed ... Thank you sooo much for uploading this lesson! Great playing and a great tone too..

[@richiefuzz6408]

Great lesson as usual Adrian. Awesome song choice as well...was always intrigued by the unique sound of the Smiths, and especially this song. Best teacher on youtube by far.

[@pajotrus]

these three Smiths lessons (others too, but The Smiths are my favourite band and I started playing an instrument because of Johnny Marr) taught me so much about a guitar and music. it's pure dopamine to my brain. thank you so much!

[@koho]

Adrian - thank you! This was amazingly fun to learn, and is great fun to play! And the chorus passage is one of the most satisfying bits of music I've played.

[@ukmom44]

Fantastic lesson Adrian.I’m loving playing this. Thank you!!!!

[@DocDave1]

Please dont ever take down this tutorial. You are a great teacher and I have been using this tutorial to try to learn this song as perfectly as you play it. Im close but I have to get up to speed and know how to count all the where and when all the changes come. Thank you for your time helping others. I truly appreciate and will be looking for other tutorials of your's, I just need to finish something for once all the way thru as perfectly as I can get it. Im playing this on a Rickenbacker and it sounds great.

[@dmanntube]

One of Marr's very best. Nice job, Adrian!

[@giorgio6082]

I love your lessons, I’m truly learning playing guitar with them.

[@jimmccrae8694]

Thanks Adrian this is an excellent lesson, and is up there with other lessons you have given. The tab is an invaluable guide especially when following more complicated sequences such as in your back to the old house lesson. Much appreciated.

[@blottoinchcago]

This was always on my list to learn, and I almost like this song more than How Soon is Now , but when you deconstruct everything Johnny Marr did as a guitarist and an artist.. I hope everyone can appreciate it how genius he really is . This isn't your average song by any means . Love the complexity and the chords. This was brilliantly taught and explained and my sincere thanks for this . I deliberately got it down on my acoustic , and when I transitioned it over to my electric, it was a wtf moment . lol . I'm going to try the open D and capo . It's obviously going to brighten up nicely .

[@daviddutton9723]

one of the most helpful song tutorial videos I've ever seen. thanks so much!

[@jeffreyfago9035]

This an absolute Masterclass! Great work and thank you.

[@pietervandorsselaer2529]

A brilliant lesson - couldn't have done it without you! Really great, thanks a lot!

[@FelipeTorres-yk2fv]

Jhonny Marr is a total genius. Trying to learn his songs sometimes is just frustrating hahahahah. Good lesson, thank you!

[@abbotsford85]

Incredible lesson, incredible song, incredible band. Well done sir

[@jasonq111]

Great song, great lesson, great playing, Adrian. Thank u!

[@CouncillorCrooke]

Abdolutely brilliant. Smiths lessons are hard to come by but greatly appreciated

[@RayzaEFC]

Just seen this absolutely top playing and lesson, massive thanks mate!!

[@MOONENSTEIN]

Love the way you play it man, I actually played it slightly differently but you’ve converted me. Those chords are just sublime

[@OstrichNipples]

Yeah so Marr just put out his own lesson on this. You were 99.9% right, you just missed a lead note on the last chord before the chorus bit (Which would be difficult to notice anyway). You're v good at figuring his shit out.

[@davidhoban3825]

Brilliant.. Yea was that the bit where the finger comes on the second string, fifth fret? Superb lesson. I came here to clarify Marrs lesson 👍

[@OstrichNipples]

@@davidhoban3825 ha maybe, I don't even remember anymore

[@MrRandomposter]

just saw that that yes

[@stiglistanbul]

I love you for doing this! Thank you so much! Your this Charming Man lesson helped me make a huge leap in my guitar playing from beginner to intermediate.

[@eamonholden8083]

Adrian yet another fantastic lesson, I've been watching your tutorials for awhile now and really love the format you use, PS I can almost play This Charming Man after watching your lesson on this, its not perfect but my friends think its amazing, could never have worked this out by myself. Also like the diversity of your lessons....THANK YOU

[@eggweed_productions]

Easily one of the best tutors on the tube - this is quite a difficult song and you had me playing and making progress within minutes - you're a thoroughly good bloke. Definitely not that guy who'd always playing Smiths songs - thanks mate!

[@acpg]

Cheers Simon, glad you liked this one.

[@rpm12017]

Thanks for doing this one! It's really tough, but I'm slowly getting through it!

[@adamtaylor31]

Excellent! Thank you....this video answered a lot of questions for me. Very well presented. This is one of my very favorite Smiths tunes. I subbed your channel so I wouldnt misplace this vid.

[@riesgojavier]

Dude, thanks for showing me how to do it. Before watching this I guess I just never had the confidence. Great instructional video!

[@fkorekore265]

Guau, Johnny Marr imagination was just incredible here, with these textures and progressions, stands alone even without the rest of the band. So emotional, creates a mood and emotion beyond tech aspects and words. True magic, psychedelic in its own way.

[@garydixon6315]

Johnny was the nuts and bolts of The Smiths...!

[@curtmiller5334]

No need to apologize for sharing any Johnny Marr riffs. You're doing a good job. Thanks.

[@jsimoes95]

Your video is public service. What an amazing lesson! I was watching Marr’s KEXP session wondering what version of the chords was he using when i stumbled on your video and realised it was all about the open tuning. Great job

[@bassheid]

Great job sir ..and one of my faves

[@garthmaul1575]

You do such an incredible job! thanks for sharing

[@AnthonyBurrito1313]

Hey thanks for all the great lessons , you're tone is impeccable and your tone is impeccable , oh wait I already said that.

[@Zoey-wf3op]

That is BEAUTIFUL!!

[@noddyholder79]

A sterling job. Thank you sir

[@deanc.5984]

Great playing and instruction! Very nice, Loved it! ..Cincinnati Ohio.

[@mheberling5939]

In Cleveland, Ohio! I also completely agree!

[@MarcosJ-mq4lk]

Beautifully played!

[@KOVARSKY]

This is so precise and helpful. Thank you man

[@chilldude30]

You're the goat guitar teacher

[@andreasstromberg296]

Excellent job😊

[@tomc.3987]

Man. Just when i started to think rhythm guitar was getting somewhat easy or, at least, understandable. You go off and do something like this. Here's another link I'll be saving off.

[@pietervandorsselaer2529]

Another great lesson, thanks a lot!

[@brokensilence6790]

Cheers/ I learned This Charming Man from this channel. Recording it atm.

[@nallekarhu7994]

My favourite Smith's song

[@eoinosullivan1771]

Thanks! Such great guitar on this one.

[@daviddelossantos6075]

Thanks from six years in the future!!!

[@jagercaster]

Really cool and tone. Thanks greetings from Spain.

[@rufuspage6210]

The part at 09:50 is perfect. It's exactly what's played (I think!) Great vid

[@branni6538]

Marrs riffs are so melodic. Nice worrk.

[@basti_marr]

Duuuude thanks for this, I learned how to play Back to the Old House because of you thank u thank u thank uuuuuuu

[@luketaylor7021]

This guy. Legend.

[@lowbrowrodeo]

Thank you for this great tutorial!

[@DhontFrederic]

beautifull playing!!

[@ssmedz4335]

Excellent man!

[@abelgomez5106]

muy bueno !!! estuve practicando un buen rato, ya lo tengo, ahora hay que pulirlo para que salga perfecto. Saludos

[@pressureflipin1992]

You know what song would be great? What she said, my favorite smiths song ever.

[@fat80832]

Thank you so much for this!

[@noddyholder79]

Sterling job sir

[@orlandoramirez3071]

Great!! more Smiths lessons

[@LowWinterSun01]

Great stuff man 👍

[@groundcrew9066]

great lesson!

[@TheMojoRobson]

Great job

[@vendettavendetta6490]

Nice one Adrian, I'm on it.

[@tidepoolbay]

Nice work!

[@mattdoliver1984]

Absolutely nothing wrong with pigeon holing the Smiths. Excellent work pal

[@Bark3rd]

Amazing how this open tuning creates a melancholy mood, I believe Jimmy page used the same in a few songs.

[@SavoPaddy]

Great job. Thank you!

[@jimemerson6372]

thank you again

[@deathcommando1]

Thanks Adrian!

[@mufc99ok]

Ah come what a song eh brilliant

[@LordHeath1972]

BRILLIANT!

[@benneddelpiero1717]

that tone.... thumbs up

[@crispydude8155]

Wow I actually learnt this

[@tictactictac2840]

Brilliant!

[@geoffholmes8173]

The opening chord is Cmaj 7 + 9.....or so says the Meat is Murder songbook I have from the time. Fiendishly difficult as a chord (as are all the other ones) in normal tuning, I‘ve spent nearly 30 years off and on trying to master bits of this song. Thank you! Loved “Back to the Old House” and will try “This Charming Man” one day. Any chance of “William it was Really Nothing”?

[@pippipster6767]

Lovely tone …

[@duaneulman9915]

Thank you

[@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.]

Well you made that look easy!

[@haraldstenglin7611]

good job dude

[@LittleFox95]

Could you do a tutorial for Ask by the Smiths please?

[@mikemcdandy4899]

Brilliant! I owe you a pint!

[@DavidSmith-wr6vj]

Yes! And thats about it

[@plasticbudgie]

In my honest damn opinion, you're the greatest guitar teacher on youtube im so sincere about that!.. im wondering seeing as you're a smiths fan, if you could ever delve into some folk also such as johnnys influence Bert Jansch. Much love keep up the Awesome work brother!

[@acpg]

haha you're too kind! Ages ago I did look at Bert's Needle of Death. Think Johnny played and recorded with Bert on a few occasions too so might be fun to look at something they did together.

[@concretelightbulb7082]

Next time someone asks "Why do you need so many guitars and basses?" I'm going to direct them to your videos.

[@johnsmith866]

Genius

[@steveholderness1450]

Possible that this is my favourite lesson yet.. Dare I say even better than the Joy Division ones. Talking Heads next? 😁

[@metrakos]

Thanks!

[@christianhahn1299]

Ah yes, thank you thank you thank you, from Vermont USA.

[@branni6538]

The part at 00:55 & 18:15 is divine. Man it sounds great.

[@meanrambler2295]

There's also a "some girls are.."there? 😮

[@saldevere9066]

wow thanks!

[@FancyAnimal]

That cool arpeggio riff he’s picking is the intro to Ticket to Ride and Day Tripper by The Beatles.

[@mrsoul4231]

Legend!

[@acpg]

Thanks! Enjoy learning it...

[@BedeLaplume]

Thank you mon ami :)