The Heart of Life (John Mayer) Guitar Lesson

Here's how to play The Heart of Life by John Mayer on guitar.
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Gear I'm using:
Guitar - Yamaha CPX 500vs
Mic - Rode NT1
Recorder - Zoom H6
Capo - G7th Performance 3
Strings - Martin/D'addario 12-54
Camera - Canon E0S 700D/Sony RX100III
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[@tmanley1985]

I've always found the slapping part to be the most difficult but I found that if I concentrated on the downward note, the slap follows easily whereas if I focus on the slap, I almost always miss the downward note.

[@tahaguler6838]

This was super helpful, thank you so much!

[@Ethan-rs4bc]

You saved my life the second i did that it clicked 🙏

[@sked11]

on day 15 of trying to get the slapping down and i have gone nowhere except the mental space where i want to sell my guitar and never touch it again

[@fmarolia]

Same here. I just focus on hitting the right string with the back of my nail (something like a rest stroke but using the other side of my nail). Stick to it for a few hours and you'll be able to play it through. Getting the smooth finness would easily take weeks

[@ericmulero8282]

ur a goat

[@patrickbrain2464]

It’s amazing how many people teach on-line these days BUT it’s equally amazing how few are as gifted as you; your lessons are clear, concise, sound great...just so incredibly well done!!

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Thanks a lot Patrick, that means a huge amount me

[@adonissss3782]

Because of that excellent British accent

[@gandenaw8012]

Yes yes yes. I always wanted to learn this song but couldn't find the right source. So happy that you're the best lesson!

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Thanks a lot, glad you like it

[@tashinamgial4328]

Yes soo true❤️😍

[@Inspirational.Powerhouse]

Underrated guitarist here , we love you man. many many thanks.

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Thanks a lot man!

[@SuperCakeFTW]

Strumming is great but there's something so damn satisfying about fingerpicking once you get it down. Great lesson!

[@trapperjoeoutdoors_coyotetrap]

AGREED!!

[@vangledosh]

yeah, when i first got some travis picking down it felt like i really progressed with guitar.

[@srinjanbhattacharya3293]

Just wanted to appreciate your channel. I've learnt all of my John Mayer favourites from you. Why Georgia, Neon, Stop this Train, Who Says. Thanks man! You're a great teacher❤️

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Thanks a lot, really glad you like my lessons

[@margiesplace259]

Same pattern for"Dear Marie"..awesome thank you!

[@Wixyl]

I’ve seen several ways to play this song on KZbin and I think you’ve got it spot on! Great work!

[@flatcarwillie]

Great lesson. An hour of practicing with a metronome really helped me get the beat with this one.

[@UnpluggedHimalayan]

Thank you so much man, I've been waiting for this for so long :)

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

No problem!

[@mr.siddharthtyagi]

I've learnt stop this train, dear marie and neon from you, so you made my basics pretty clear for this crab hand percussion technique and i was able to learn just by seeing, didn't need to go through the tutorial so thanks !! 💯💯

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

That's great, glad I've been able to help you out.

[@frankyjones6258]

You’re amazing man! Wanted to learn this song for so long and you broke it down perfectly!

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Thanks Franky, really pleased I could help you out

[@rjd0wn]

That guitar sounds SO good

[@saxphonian2972]

That starting F shape D is absolutely hard and terrifying

[@DhavalChhetri]

Great lesson ! I loved the process and finally being able to play a John Mayer song. Believe this to be one of his easier songs would definitely recommend beginners to give it a shot !

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Thanks, yeah it's a great one to learn!

[@mortenjacobsen2472]

A littletip on the D chord that made it easier for me. I leave out the first finger on the 12th fret of theD string. If you play it open its also a D note. Made it a bit easier for me and you can't tell the difference around a bonfire

[@arnobchowdhury9641]

wow, this picking/strumming pattern is magic.

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

It really is

[@myfavsandlikes7478]

How to heck do you wrap your thumb around without killing your wrist???

[@cameroncleaves3919]

You gotta have a very big thumb or long rather

[@313714]

Really lovely cover, buddy... I'm just relearning this, and you have made it pretty easy so thank you

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

That’s great, glad I could help you out!

[@iansmyth2931]

Thanks for your great tutorials! You give a great explanation as to how to play these tricky riffs.

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Thanks so much, glad you like them!

[@arunabhanaskar27]

Uff Finally.. A huge thanks to you.. You are awesome.. I was dying for this song to play & requested you multiple times.. I don’t know whether you remember or not.. Anyway a great lesson as always.. God Bless You.. 😇😇

[@AnuragMishra-zp7oh]

I really wanted to learn this song but couldn't find a tutorial!! THANK YOUU :)

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

You're very welcome

[@lukeedward9748]

Amazing once again thanks Chris :) I am going to purchase your intermediate fingerstyle course when i get payed on friday, anyone reading this id recommend doing the same, this guys a fantastic teacher :) hope your good today bud.

[@mortenjacobsen2472]

Thank you!! This is fun! Its very interesting with some new takes on those chord shapes. My hand is gonna learn how to twist a little bit more

[@aneesh1701]

hey, what are the chord shapes for this? it's pretty hard to figure out based on the tutorial, a bit rushed imho

[@subhranildey3202]

I have been looking for a good guitar lesson for this song for months now, couldn't find a single one. Thanks 😊

[@rev2499]

why my thumb is paining when i hold high E string any suggestion on how to hold that right ?

[@eli_sonora]

Omg I was literally watching a tutorial for this song and then my notification bar pops up "The Heart of Life (John Mayer) Guitar Lesson" ... Now tell me, do you work for the FBI?

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Haha, maybe I do...

[@mortenjacobsen2472]

I've been thinking about starting to laern this one for the last few days after finally getting Who Says under my belt and then it pops up as well

[@joelthomson1709]

idk if he is the agent but.. I want an FBI agent like your..

[@IskandarRohadi]

same!

[@ianklassen340]

Yesss! I was waiting for this tutorial, I couldnt find it anywhere on youtube!

[@joepnieborg5646]

A little sus

[@joshfaye3300]

Sus

[@yourebreakingmyballs4787]

I can play Stop this train but not this with these exact chord shapes!! I had to change the chord shapes to be able to play this!

[@CHIEFSIJAN]

BEST TEACHER COMES IN CLUTCH AGAIN, never learned a mayer song so fast

[@bodogaming2210]

Thank you so much! I’ve really wanted to learn this song for a while now, but coudnt find a good totorial. I’ve never got a better video in my recomendations. Consider me subscribed, and i cant wait to check out more of your content.

[@antoinesimon9655]

thank you so much, one of my favorite song! Great job

[@bryanmulisa3044]

I personally love the way you teach us

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Thanks, I'm really pleased to hear it

[@Hassan-Moqadam]

Wow, one of the best tutorials of the song yet A great one to improve skills... thanks a lot Can you please do a tutorial for “Coldplay - Christmas Lights” ❤️

[@jordansimmons2298]

You’re the man thank you so much- I was playing this wrong all along!!

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

You're very welcome Jordan, cheers

[@Toto123412341995]

Beautiful ! Congratulations

[@niwanrai7300]

hey sir thank you so much for this lesson.. been waiting for a long time for this song lesson

[@alekhyamondal6854]

Wow! You can perform, if you sing, too.😅 Having big-size hand is a headstart for playing John Mayer songs. Nevertheless, you are a really good person. I hope you and your family are doing good in this pandemic.👍

[@finn3031]

Sir, I love you for doing this song

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

You're welcome Finn

[@leoguitars8110]

Thank you so much for this 🙂 pure perfection

[@31abhimanyugupta87]

Very nice lesson thank u soo much

[@sw33tsat4n2]

hey you didn't teach that last part 0:20 in the lesson

[@niwanrai2853]

Thanks alot

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Welcome

[@tinachang2657]

Thank you!

[@altrix0212]

Love you’re tutorials! And also great player.

[@UnReal2k05]

Sir... You did the best tutorial of this song... Can you do a tutorial of 'let me down slowly' by alec Benjamin please..

[@nonsense7129]

Can you put the chords on screen when you describe them? That would be super helpful.

[@tashinamgial4328]

Thank you so much

[@kevingeorge9070]

Favorite content on KZbin!

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Cheers Kevin

[@amielaicart866]

I also wanted to learn this for so long hahaha Thank you!!

[@danina8163]

Can you please do a tutorial for Diamonds and rust by Joan Baez ? It's a great song :)

[@Deepa_652]

Good play guitar 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@t3chwood]

Having a lot of trouble with the thumb-over voicings for the minor barre chords. Especially that index barre on the g and b strings. Anyone else have issues with this? Any advice? Just keep doing it? Chris makes it look so easy lol.

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Jack DiMarco just got to keep doing it Jack, keep moving your hand around trying new things until you find the sweet spot. You’ll get there

[@jarretgosbee7717]

I'm still learning this but I find a good way to help is to leave out the ring finger. It might just be a "me" problem but I have difficulty on the D string which throws off the other two fingers. So I just play B and G strings with the bass E strings and I have that pretty much down. You're only missing out on that one note on most of the chords and i think it still sounds fine so it's a good way to practice until you can get that ring finger in there. The chorus part is my biggest hang up because I can't cheat without that D string

[@jacksondavis4770]

I’m having the same exact issue especially on the Bm. Not sure how he keeps his fingers in place when he puts his pinky down on the tenth fret

[@bernardobachino15]

the thumb on the top is such a physical impossibility for me now .. anything that can be done to find that hand position?

[@nicygeorge7584]

Really impressive ❤️❤️

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

Thanks a lot

[@sked11]

fk man that b chord hurts like a mofo, my hand does not want to barre with my pointer and keep the thumb on the low e. any suggestions on how to place your hand for the B? kept at it and eventually the fingers just fell into place, thank you for another solid tutorial brother

[@jsquiambao]

I cant do the pluck and chuck 😟. It's so difficult!

[@TitoKYeptho]

Your hand is so huge that the neck of your guitar is buried within your fist and that's lovely.

[@lewisa3222]

Click the link in the desc, he has a video showing how to play the chorus :)

[@eranlevent8177]

Great lesson but now my thumb is not working anymore

[@Tuhqa]

Tbh this is way harder than i expected, given i never do fingerstyle i only do pick playing which is an awful habit. Hoping to get this down

[@gabrielalbarran9204]

I feel so bad about this, because my guitar have like an extension of wood in the down part of the 12 fret, and I can’t put my thumb in the 10 fret, I can’t play the first chord :(

[@nerd4688]

Sounds like you need to get ur neck or frets fixed

[@esatgursoy7076]

Wow zero disslike I've never seen that and thank you for the lesson

[@amogharyan41]

Why No Chorus??

[@MikeVened]

Nice as always! Can you do gameshow rag/canonball rag the intro by tommy Emmanuel its really great to start cannonball with that intro thanks!!!

[@classybeaverlord524]

So goooooood

[@Deepa_652]

I am practice that

[@poopotter5037]

My thumb is now jacked

[@gracemauro2759]

anyone else need slower placement of where the fingers go?

[@lilyhoit2268]

I think I manifested this video. Ily

[@user-lx3nq5zc9s]

The key part started from 03:25

[@TaylorL3]

This is the style of guitar that makes me feel like I suck just when I thought I was good because... I suck. This is hard but it really shouldn't be. This is what it means to play guitar BTW, not strumming Cats In the Cradle or some John Denver campfire song

[@TaylorL3]

Yea john Mayer does that to me too

[@nicygeorge7584]

Really cool playing style. Instead of the the name of the strings CD you say the the string number cause it will be more easy for self learners like me

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

I do try but sometimes I forget as I never learnt the number system so saying the numbers actually feels unnatural to me, working on it though. I really recommend you learn the notes completely off by heart too.

[@mortenjacobsen2472]

Its better that you learn the names too, they serve you for orientation with Barre Chords and you should know your instrument. Hugs

[@nicygeorge7584]

@@SixStringFingerpicking will try

[@undeadassassin0438]

could you teach the chorus?

[@apexdude105]

oh man, tabs/chords on screen would go a looong way

[@SixStringFingerpicking]

I would but it breaks copyright laws. Would likely end up getting shut down.

[@mcrocksy2018]

1:33 just hurts me🥲

[@TheShreyasBramhe]

Where are the chorus chords? :(

[@nicolaslam1773]

Hi everyone ! Wondering if the picking pattern is the same for Neon. Never saw videos with Neon picking slow enough. Thanks !

[@bentleyburke2242]

It is not. This is the same picking pattern for stop this train

[@blakesaupe129]

You do realize you don’t have to tune down. Just shift everything down one. I play it in standard along with the track perfectly fine

[@spaghettimeatballswow]

Is this the most accurate version on here?

[@borsho9889]

So which tune is?

[@hudaalsaleh2446]

Does anyone know which grade this song is?

[@Wozniak_15]

Wat tuk u so long to do tis tutorial ? Amazing song ...

[@andresisaac6847]

My ring finger is always muting the g string on the b minor chord

[@sriyansh1729]

Use the pinky finger lol

[@Rakesh_but_handsome]

' This song is Tuned a half step but I'll teach you on standard ' Me who always has guitar tuned downed a half step 👁 👁 👄

[@isteahmed8813]

full lesson link not working

[@westonwalls8904]

Dude how did John mayor wrote this ?

[@bdubs__]

He’s a god

[@SWAG-ko2mz]

4:00

[@hungryhippo10]

i cant get my thumb to work like that :(

[@Deepa_652]

Brother me do this

[@demidrek-heyward]

thanks for the standard tuning lmao

[@Travelingman-1980]

What is the model of your Yamaha?

[@JohnAllenRoyce]

CPX 500 ... All the gear used in the lesson is in the description.

[@deanjade2464]

Are anybody’s else’s hands too “meaty” to get your thumb down and also have enough finger length to hit the other notes? I’ve been trying and I honestly feel like maybe my hands are meant for punching things instead.

[@martea726]

LMAO yeah man same

[@lfcsandroz]

do you bar the g and b strings on the b minor chord? because it looks like your finger is covering both the g and b string, while mine can only cover the b and it sound quite different?

[@alpha_money_tips8419]

He does. I’m Struggling with this too. Did u figure out the best way to do it

[@RuslanZinovyev]

@@alpha_money_tips8419 The same here, I can take this chord but sometimes it sounds muted, need a lot of practice to master it. It's damn hard.

[@sriyansh1729]

Use the pinky instead of ring finger

[@khimaros]

Curse my stumpy thumb! It sounds amazing but I cannot physically reach that bass note.... 😭

[@martea726]

lol same but that’s not a problem. I just play the A string as the base instead lol

[@demidrek-heyward]

well F*** my thumb hurts

[@victordiaz1273]

soo.. not gonna show us the chorus?

[@tilaka.c9837]

To much tutorials of this song I only liked yours

[@ZerefuGt]

66.6k subs and 666 dislikes hmmm...