The Promised Land, Bruce Springsteen (Guitar Lesson with TAB)

[@doobiederek1642]

Long time since I've been here but every time I come its like home with great music and friendly people

[@jonkomatsu8192]

Oh man! My first ever Springteen song, being the first track, off of my first ever Springteen album--ever! I was 14, and had purchased the album for no other reason than I had heard so much about him, and it was his latest. And after years of a Beatles, British Invasion and New Wave infatuation, Springsteen was like a Biblical Revelation! From that point on throughout high school, all I ever wanted was an old Tele. Wow! I still feel that lump in my throat and longing in my heart. Mahalos for the memory!

[@MarkZabel]

Hi Jon. That story gives me chicken skin! I had similar memories of this, though my older cousin played "Born to Run" for me, I hadn't heard that album or this one before I bought it. I still *love* the album! So many good and different songs, that really are better than they ought to be. I think Springsteen was/is like that - taking ordinary songs and working, working, working them until they "pop" one way or another. Thanks right back at you!!

[@jonkomatsu8192]

Mark Zabel Oooh, yeah! And until this day, and probably until the day I die, his acoustic piano rendering of "Thunder Road" off of the live boxed set will reduce me to whimpering tears. Aye me! Wonderous stuff.

[@chuckHart70]

Mark nicely done and I got to say... chills... .Thanks for bringing a smile to my face!

[@MarkZabel]

Hi. Thank you for the very kind comment! I had a lot of fun making this one. Love the whole Darkness album. Still remember that summer after it came out ... ah, days gone by. Thanks again for the kind comment!

[@fredjones3693]

Thank you so much! Looking forward to more Bruce lessons!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks. You got it!

[@tonyglen33]

This is great! I normally play the sax solo on my harmonica but this is a great option when the harmonica is not cooperating. Cheers!

[@MarkZabel]

Glad it was helpful for you!

[@TommySG1]

Hello Mark, thanks for this lesson man… it’s one of my favorite songs and I was trying to figure out the lead and I was close but I had a few notes off a bit haha!

[@MarkZabel]

Glad it was helpful! It's all good. Nothing wrong with playing a few notes differently - it's rock and roll. That's meant to happen! :)

[@frankm2588]

Great lesson, unlike guy below, all due respect, I love Bruce's solos. In part because he is not so accomplished that I feel I can at some point do them! Clearly not one of the world's best, but I think he puts a lot of soul into them. I'd love you to take a crack at the Luckytown solo. His solos through the years of Incident on 57th St have been great.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks! I agree with you that Bruce puts a good deal of emotion into his work (solos included). He would be the first to say that he can't communicate instrumentally the way some of his musical heroes did. That's okay, he does well enough if you ask me. His sound is a bit "raw" for some. Again, I don't disagree that some may be turned off by it. But consider Streets of Fire, for example. The rawness of sound is really part of the musical statement. For Lucky Town, if I recall, the guitar solo is pretty much the melody of the song. Am I remembering that incorrectly? I'm okay with doing it. Just want to make sure that's what you're asking for.

[@frankm2588]

Mark Zabel - Mark, thaks, I'm so used to live versions, on the studio one there is a brief solo at 1:50 that is to my ears distinct from the melody, maybe echoes it somewhat. Much longer solo live, there is a released "MTV Plugged" version from '92 (replacement band-Shayne Fontaine did that) as well as many KZbin vids over the years.

[@MarkZabel]

Hi Frank. Could you give me a link to the solo you'd like? I often don't do "note for note" on live solos, mainly because I don't want to repeat mistakes people make (and also because I respect improvising a solo live ... it's certainly what I would do), but I can let you know if you provide a link. Otherwise, I can certainly do the solo in the studio version.

[@frankm2588]

Mark Zabel here is a well shot live version starts at 3:20. Might be too long, and maybe too much for me, watch it for the fun of it & if too long maybe just do the shorter studio version. I like when be often motions to the sound guy to turn him up. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYGapYiibJWHiKc

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks! Yes, that was fun! It's also an example of a live version that I would avoid trying to copy. Some improvisation is best left as exactly what it was/is - improvised. This one gets by on energy. I respect anyone who gets up night after night and gives it his all for years and years. I'll put the studio version on the to-do list.

[@josephhecht6224]

Thank you!

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@dorsetpete9771]

Love this song! Thank you so much

[@MarkZabel]

You're welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@mrlafayette1964]

his best album imo, good song choice!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks. I love this song too. Always have.

[@TommySG1]

Darkness is my favorite album by Bruce too, couldn’t agree more 🤙

[@MN-iu9pd]

Thank you!!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🎸🎸🎸

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@simbovideophoto9082]

Great lesson. The Darkness album is my favourite Springsteen LP. Thanks for this lesson. Could you also do a lesson about the solo of " Streets of Fire" or "Prove it all Night"? (Maybe all Darkness solos ...?)

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks, and thanks for watching! The solos from "Streets of Fire" and "Prove It All Night" are on my to-do list. Darkness on the Edge of Town is my favorite too, though I like the second side of the original LP much better than the first. The title cut is possibly my favorite Springsteen song of all. After waiting 3 years since Born to Run it was really amazing to hear for the first time. I also did a lesson on Adam Raised a Cain here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGqonpKKqJx6nrM. The sound could've been better, but that was when I just recorded from my phone.

[@simbovideophoto9082]

Thank you for your answer. Your Adam Raised a Cain Video helped me a lot, especially the last part, with with I had struggled for a long time to get it right.

[@hopsnbarley8309]

Great video. Any chance you could do the solo to Streets of fire?? I can never get it quite right

[@MarkZabel]

Sure. I'll put that one on the to-do list!

[@hopsnbarley8309]

Mark Zabel awesome! Thanks so much!

[@codyjames1897]

Thanks man! I appreciate this so much! This is the song that got me into Bruce. Any chance you can show us the prove it all night ‘78 solo intro?

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure. Do you mean one of his live intros? The only ones I've seen are completely improvised. As a rule I don't do live solos, as everyone's usually disappointed. (Me (because I invariably need to compromise to keep the video less than 2 hours long!), people who want 'note for note' transcriptions, people who wanted a *different* live versions, etc.) Please excuse my rant - especially if you meant something other than one of his live 'Prove It All Night' intros. Either way, if you specify *which* version you mean and give me a more detailed idea of which intro you want, I'd be happy to do part of it.

[@codyjames1897]

Mark Zabel Haha. Thanks for the reply. I understand that you won’t do live solos. I would honestly be super happy if you could do something with the solo from the studio recording of prove it all night. I’ve had trouble with that and would be interested in your take.

[@MarkZabel]

No sweat. I'll do the studio version solo. Always liked it. If you send me a link to a live version I'll show how Bruce is approaching the solo at least ... and maybe a couple of lines he plays. No harm in that.

[@codyjames1897]

Mark Zabel Thanks! Much appreciated! This is probably the best video video version but it’s hard to see what he’s doing. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYnEk2CqnZmfqrc

[@john8675]

Have you watched this version of the song? kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWm4m42Zr9Z9bas Is that standard tuning he is using there?

[@MarkZabel]

Hi Allen. I hadn't heard/seen that. Sounds like standard tuning to me, but capoed. Who knows though?

[@TheFizz40]

I love your lessons but I have never been much of a fan of Springsteen's solos. There's something harsh (and not in a good way) and contrived about them. Almost as if he's forcing them into songs that don't require them. Little Steven was not much of an improvement. Nils Lofgren was/is such a brilliant guitarist that his work finally made the solos work, but it took a guitarist of his magnitude to make a guitar solo work in songs that really don't need them.

[@MarkZabel]

I know what you're talking about, though generally I don't feel Springsteen is indulgent in his solos. Many/most songs don't have them, which is fine. Some songs feature his play that sounds relatively organic to the song ... those occasionally have a guitar solo. It's a fine line between "harsh" and "hard-edged", and Springsteen is probably right on that edge with his tone and his play. Sometimes, like maybe on Candy's Room, he's over that edge. If you add in something "canned" it's going to sound contrived, sure. I don't believe this is one of those solos. It's understated enough and short enough to let Clarence Clemons' sax solo make the real statements, and I believe the whole thing leads nicely back to the harmonica line. I've got to spend some time listening to Nils. I don't really know his work very well. I know he did much of the guitar/piano work on After the Goldrush, so he's A-one in my book.

[@colingraham9281]

Mark, you want to watch this from Nils Lofgren. Some might say it's indulgent also. I just think it's pure class musicianship from a brilliant artist. click this link for a great Nils Lofgren solo backing Bruce & The E Street Band at Hyde Park in London in 2012 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oni0p513nN50Y7M

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks! I'll give it a good listen.