The Velvet Underground's Rock & Roll - the right way | Guitar Lesson

[@duncaninglis3806]

I like how you unabashedly label them as rock and roll's greatest band. Whenever I say this kind of thing to certain musical friends (Bon Jovi, Sabbath, Deep Purple, Stones, etc), you can imagine the looks I get.... Great lesson as always; like the Velvets (sometimes), very sweet. I've been playing this song for decades.

[@lewisham]

Yeah it’s either them, the Beatles or the Stones for sure.

[@thebmc5969]

bon who?

[@SteveninTune]

Because they were ❤

[@SteveninTune]

​@@thebmc5969Scott

[@aguscarrizo9]

The return of the classic intro, this is very good

[@acpg]

yes, the old intro hasn't made an appearance for a while!

[@Proutt]

You cracked it, this is absolutely spot on. Never seen a tab or a video with that tuning but it sounds like it's exactly that they used. Great work as alway

[@klfaregonnarocku]

Yep soon as that drone low C started up - boom 40 years of hurt ended. Magic.

[@alexortiz6332]

Mo

[@dlm425]

He says lets face the 'greatest band of all time' and he's right love Lou and the crew also I miss Nico, she had a lovely voice RIP to all the velvet boys and girls, great memories of the band

[@PetefromSouthOz]

Thanks again Adrian, been a Velvet's Fan since about 1974. I'll be adding this to my list of learn/practice/play songs. I was lucky enough to see/hear Lou Reed perform this in 1977 at Brisbane Festival Hall Australia.

[@skull665]

Shaved blond Lou Reed on GTK talking about drugs was an eye opener. Friend's brother had Lou Reed Rock n Roll Animal . Funnily enough, got mind warped listened to Transformer.

[@jeanlikkewaan5605]

Yes, yes ,yes! An absolute rocker, velvet underground never dissappoint. I only know how to play the lou reed live version ,which is also great, but this will be a great addition to the repetoire.Thanks as always.Cheers!

[@MrChe1999]

Man thank you so so much for this! More Lou Reed and more velvets please! We know you love them as much as we do!

[@thebmc5969]

man love the sound you're getting blending the acoustic and electric! well done

[@leviathan76]

Wow, I’ve seen several tutorials for this on KZbin and it never sounded quite right when you play along with the record but your lesson is spot on! Great job!

[@slimjw]

Great video as always! Definitely think Doug Yule played the solos and more standard "rock" licks on this song. Love Sterling, but never heard this style in his playing on the previous albums.

[@mikericciuti5996]

new shit has definitely come to light!

[@sheistcoff]

Seems I haven't given Lou Reed as much credit for his craft as warranted until hearing this. Thanks Adrian. Have always known he was a trailblazer, but hearing this I simply have to applaud even louder and to his other talented VU members. Adrian, your instincts sound correct! Cheerz

[@danielkroha5440]

Nailed it! If you listen to “Squeeze” (which is basically a Doug Yule solo album), you’ll then hear Yule’s lead guitar all over Loaded.

[@salaris]

Once again Adrian nails it! What a rediscovery, what a song!

[@paulfrantizek102]

Sterling Morrison was an underrated rhythm guitarist. Loaded on the whole has a great sound, really punchy guitar tone. The Ocean is a fantastic groove.

[@peterpansie5]

Amazing. I have seen one other person who talks about it being in this tuning though. A video called Velvet Underground: Debunking the myth of the ostrich tuning. Very cool channel for velvet underground fans he has a few interesting takes on certain less talked about aspects of guitar in their songs

[@marcelaudiard3747]

Really excellent lesson! Always enjoy this VU song

[@rockabillyrevolution]

my favourite velvets track - many thanks Adrian! 🙂

[@danialkashin234]

Thank you Adrian, can't stress enough how much you help me in my guitar journey

[@djh6970]

She started shakin' to that fine fine music You know her life was saved by rock 'n' roll!!!! Loved it Adrian👍

[@DaveCatD]

I appreciate any VU lessons. I had recently requested a different VU song. Rock & Roll is great and one I had considered requesting. Thanks.

[@bookergrey5843]

Once again you come through with the one of the absolute greatest songs ever and the include ease for us beginners. Thank you

[@ShibaInu154]

Thank you for breaking down that 1969 live recording which, in my mind, is the definitive for pure energy. I've always played this in standard, but it is clear from Lou Reed talking in the 1969, that he has a beautiful alt tuning. . .which really isn't all that alt. . .dropped to steps and then drop D. . .

[@scottal]

My favourite song by my favourite band! Cheers

[@reidhowland]

Loaded is THE masterpiece in a collection of masterpieces. Nothing but hits!

[@rik2bits]

Yes! On Lou’s Satellite of Love live album he introduces this song by apologizing for the delay while they put their guitars into a “special tuning”. I always found a way to play it in Standard but you’ve nailed that sound!

[@tpmc12]

You can also keep the C bass note pretty easily to approximate the alt tuning on the recording. I just use an E shape on the 8th fret, B flat as an E shape but use your pinky to hit the C note on the low E, then a F/C, then back to C.

[@barryduff3047]

The greatest band ever... absolutely. Great lesson... as usual!!!

[@danapplebee4408]

The sound you get out of your new Trent at 1:27 is sick! Great song. Thanks for the lesson.

[@reuffrais835]

Doing a (great) tutoriel on how to play some of my favorite tune ever, opening this speaking the truth about the VU being the best fucking band of all time, period AND quotin the Big Lebowski, wich is my wife's favorite movie of all time. You're officially running has a serious candidate to be our newborn to come god father. Or at least you won a new patreon supporter ... Great job here, you seriously rock

[@maggieo]

Thank you, Adrian!! "Rock And Roll" is one of my top five songs of all time, and until now I never quite knew how to play it, aside from Lou's live versions. The Martin sounds fantastic- it's never occurred to me to use an acoustic on the song, but boy howdy, it is the *business*. Oh, and for the solo on the third string, I often have used a non-period-correct eBow; sound great, but obviously it's not what Sterling or Doug used. I cannot thank you enough for this lesson; you have made my January!

[@jamesbeard1302]

Fantastic Adrian, such a phenomenal song - I'll be playing along thanks to this lesson!

[@briangough7680]

This is spot on. I'd always figured there was a drop D but never copped it was in fact a Drop C!

[@ervbefelnareik7604]

You nailed this man! I always loved that acoustic guitar in the background and figured it was a drop tuning. Now we have the evidence. Thanks!

[@montigol]

the acoustic sounds absolutely wonderful

[@SB-kc8cl]

Your delivery of the Dude quote was perfect. I don’t know what it was about it, but it struck me and I was dying laughing.

[@davidgerrard8661]

That tuning makes total sense, this song sounds so laid back but it's deceptive isn't it? Great job

[@cerclesvicieux]

Just an amazing cover of this song I love it. Rally appreaciate the insight, I'm a huge Lou Reed fan. & great job of editing. Love your channel, Adrien, can't wait for more. Peace.

[@chuffy438]

this is the best tab and lesson version of it on youtube! sorry to add this but the first solo bit, there’s a few notes played differently like the succession of bends at the end of the song should be quarter note triplets, and i don’t know if there is an electric guitar part during the verse and chorus. this is all just nitpicking stuff though. otherwise, the acoustic chords and strumming sound exactly like the recording!

[@david.hauksson]

Amazing as always. What a way to start the “Rock n Roll year” that 2022 will become!!

[@Wulf425]

That was amazing, sounded dead on like the album. Thank you!

[@luismendo]

Thank you for always trying to get to the bottom of how it's really played. I've seen so many tabs and tutorials that sound off

[@myyootube2]

Nice lesson as always. I'm not big on tuning my guitar down a whole step but I play a lot of drop D. Drop C (just tune the low E string down two steps to C) is also good once in a while. Dylan used that on "It's all Over Now, Baby Blue". I realized this arrangement can pretty well be played in Drop C, everything is two frets closer to the nut so the reach to the high F is easier. You have to modify the part where the bass note walks up because you can't use as many open strings but 25x03x makes a nice D chord, move that up three frets for F and then two frets again or use 7x008x for the G. Only slightly different and easier to tune to in practice!

[@woodsoisin4270]

Wanted to play this properly for ages and this is perfect thanks so much!

[@simonrobson5844]

Man. I'm still trying to get my fingers round spell bound and you come up with this. Cheers.

[@DodgeDartSongs]

Great to see and hear your analysis of the actual chords. I love this song and this entire album but even as a guitar player, I never considered the unusual harming at work.

[@jeffess2571]

Always thought it sounded tuned differently,nicely done.

[@theoldboyproject3619]

Long Life Loaded I know it’s not the best but anyways still being one of my favorite VU albums with the Self Titled, btw a guitar lesson of Oh Sweet Nuthin would be great

[@grievouserror]

Growing up in Detroit, I always heard this song on the radio. However, it was always the cover by Mitch Ryder from the 1971 release The Band Detroit and I didn't ever know it was cover. Some years later, when I finally heard Velvet Underground's original, I thought it was pretty cool that Lou Reed had covered it and I enjoyed his take on it. Of course, I eventually realized my mistake but it's been reported that Lou Reed heard Mitch's cover and said he preferred it. History aside, thank you for a very nice breakdown of a great song.

[@jefferyakathedude]

I love how you incorporated the Lebowski Easter egg in the beginning. Great lesson!

[@graemejenkinson5]

There's that great Classic Albums episode about Transformer, where Ronno says Lou didn't really care if it was in tune or out of tune.

[@murdockmacinnis4206]

Great guitar work

[@PureMadMetal]

Superb Adrian skillfully crafted rendition of a velvets classic, youre taking me back to those heady days in Glasgow 1970s where we all wanted to sound like the velvet underground. Great video Adrian I'm of to get my transformer lp out.

[@SSRT_JubyDuby8742]

Tidy, christ the Velvet's are too cool for school, even now they are so out there, I can't begin to fathom how much of a shock they must have been. 😎🎙🎸✅

[@dlm425]

"Who are.... Lets face it, basically, the greatest rock n roll band of all time" this guy knows, lol more VU vids, tnks for this one

[@blueskyredkite]

Nice to see some love for the Velvets.

[@louisreed4992]

Excellent, as always. Fully agree that they're the best band... ever

[@saxophool]

Yo, Adrian! VU the greatest band of all time!? VERY bold especially with all the Beatles stuff out there right now. YOU da MAN!

[@CorbCorbin]

I always played it like Navarro on Jane’s Addiction’s cover.

[@craigbrown9987]

Spot on. I tried to play this when I was a teenager and it just never sounded correct. Now I know why!

[@GScott50]

Nice playing breakdown, and loving that Trent!

[@usanaluoma]

I've wrote a lot of songs in this tuning...it sounds great. I've seen it called C Wahine...a Hawaiian slack key tuning. Similar to Keith Richards tuning but you don't take a string off. It used to drive my band crazy when i tuned down to it for a song because it takes a minute.

[@willlodge5386]

This is awesome. Thanks Adrian!

[@CorbCorbin]

Excellent lesson. I remember how simple the chord progressions sounded when I was a teenager, then just never sounding right when I played them in standard tuning. I came up with many ways to get it to sound right. I actually listened to those three live albums, that were the best recordings from the Matrix and the End of Cole Ave. Club in 69’. There’s even a third volume that I found once in the 90’s, which got stolen by a girlfriend. One question. I thought Loaded was released in 1970. Reed was pretty much out by then.

[@MOOSEDM]

Reed left the band right after Loaded was done recording, but it hadn't been released by verve yet (i think they were still with verve)

[@markuspboeddeker5930]

On Cotillion, in fact

[@tuskedbeast]

Nice. Good first one to open a series (nudge!) because it has some of their trademarks- alternate tuning, hypnotic strumming rhythm and drones, simple yet complex songwriting. I'd love to hear you teach Venus In Furs, What Goes On (1969 Live), Pale Blue Eyes, My Best Friend, etc., etc., etc. :)

[@latontolog]

He's already done "Pale Blue Eyes", luckily. :)

[@davidhamilton7780]

New to guitar and accordingly new to your channel but a long time VU fan. Excellent breakdown - many thanks!

[@regularnimnule9715]

Absolutely brilliant Adrian!!!

[@genofre]

Fantastic video!!! Thanks!!!

[@carlbouthillette198]

Just brilliant Adrian, pretty savvy with the dual guitar video imaging!

[@jamesbagshaw8251]

Brilliant

[@koplegend1963]

Brilliant guidance - more Velvets please.

[@BessieBopOrBach]

Great breakdown. It's definitely been confirmed that Doug Yule who played the solos on this (as well as "Oh Sweet Nuthin'").

[@broscosmoline]

that open tuning sounds legit to me. i just can't imagine dropping two whole tones on my acoustic and getting all that nice sustained ring on the open strings...then again, i've never tried ...

[@TheMLMGold]

Sounds very accurate to the original, what a classic!

[@stevemccann7719]

Thanks Adrian! This is great and of course……more Velvets please!

[@michaelschaefer7962]

Fantastic breakdown--thank you!

[@MichaelStJames-ze1gp]

Thanks

[@johncarroll8229]

Truly amazing, please more VU.

[@user-oi8lj3gp2f]

dude you totally rock)

[@brohemian]

You struck gold! This is the magic. Wonder what inspired this tuning... I remember remarking the barre chord version doesn't sound proper and someone trying to tell me its the bass part that I was mixing up. Hahhah.

[@dereklong801]

Awesome. Yes, I think you got the sound of the record figured out!

[@user-oi8lj3gp2f]

god damn so cool lesson!

[@jamesbaynton1881]

Genius! Both song and tuition. Thanks so much.

[@davenewton4862]

excellent! thank you!

[@acpg]

Cheers Dave!

[@IceAgeBabyWithGun]

Thank you for making this 🙏🏼

[@megadethforlife84]

Finally! Proper tuning!!!

[@treads2864]

Brilliant and fascinating. Thank you.

[@ericscandinavia3220]

great

[@taylorturant8567]

Loaded was released in late 1970 not 1973.

[@miketayse]

Great stuff! Keep up the good work.

[@spk1969]

Whoa - Grunge Tuning before there was grunge! Makes sense, that what those guys were listening to growing up.

[@nigelsmith8727]

the velvets used a baritone acoustic in b the half step up is tape speed to make it tight just like the beatles

[@synthmalicious7541]

Where’d you read that?

[@andrearecchia8859]

Hi Adrian, you should check out The Sound, The Chameleons, Talking Heads, Interpol :)

[@kalvino67]

Awesome song! Awesome lesson!

[@Chris-SS]

Great video, great playing, great band 😁

[@redseals7340]

Great video and would never have thought this was in a stoner rock tuning! Would love to see you do a Suede lesson, Animal Nitrate would be top!

[@bullet0657]

This is exactly how it sounds played on the record. Every one on you tube teaching this does it wrong imo.

[@shitrigs6506]

You nailed it man 👊🏻

[@tpmc12]

I’ve approximated the original recording in standard tuning by playing the verse as C (8th fret) - B flat /c - F6/C (or DMin7/c) - C. Keep a finger on the 8th fret of the low e to approximate the dropped C. You have to play around with the voicings a bit. I mute the a and high e on the b flat, and I mute the a string on the f6 or d minor 7. It sounds very close to the record without changing your tuning. If you guys want me to just diagram out the chords let me know.

[@simonwebster1148]

Wow this came on shuffle literally an hour or 2 before y I posted this and whenever it does I always think now this is one I gotta play especially those lead parts, talk about that for synchronicity

[@juicylucy5797]

Sounds Ace