The 7 LEVELS of Smells Like Teen Spirit (Main Riff)

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Even the 'easiest' riffs have more depth than we usually think. What level do you do this part?

[@TheArtofGuitar]

If you want to learn how to play guitar from me, be sure to check out my entire lessons program at www.the-art-of-guitar.com. 👍🎸🎸

[@nunufjabisnjas8068]

You could add a level 8 to this video. He hammers on the 2nd and 4th power chord.

[@einoware436]

You know how Hendrix said: "I've been imitated so well I've heard people copy my mistakes. " Well this has kind of the same vibes.

[@bmkra8593]

@Mike everyone praises him with likes because he was about to do somethin lol

[@Bless-the-Name]

Now ... this is what I call good commenting.

[@pain9270]

I,m not the guy to like everything but this comment deserves it.

[@aryaredzwan89]

I dont get it😂

[@MladenMijatov]

That was my thinking as well. People are like level 6, 7, over 9000. When in reality it was extra shot of vodka washed down with Jägermeister that shouldn't been there.

[@ajasome9933]

well after 23 years of practicing wonderwall i feel as if im finally ready to persue level 2 of smells like teen spirit's riff

[@BrunoHasBeenShot]

I don't want to confuse you... but if you need that long for fucking "Wonderall" you should practice a little more or maybe accept that you maybe (!) have no talent? :D

[@BrunoHasBeenShot]

Yes. It took me this long to realize that your comment was ironic.

[@Double400]

r/whoosh

[@EgoCZ]

It surely does lol

[@Xx_BoogieBomber_xX]

Talent's just practicing the right way

[@Electric_Bagpipes]

you call it "scratchy", I call it "Waka Waka".

[@akselikoskinen2890]

I call it chukachuka

[@necroticzxxTTV]

Chicka chicka

[@dityakb]

tom morrelo style

[@koba5152]

Thank you sir it will now forever be stuck In my head

[@haniaszczygielska9413]

For me it's more of a "Chicky Chicky"

[@kryptic5638]

I like how it starts to sound more like the actual song as it progresses

[@delisub2910]

Joshua Jung this should have more likes than the original one

[@jjrc7424]

that's the point

[@hoangtranminh1991]

Level 8: Smash guitar after play it.

[@bud9269]

Level 9: jump into drums

[@greenbees3193]

Level 10 realise you now have to purchase a new guitar and drums

[@EnDeRBeaT]

Level 11: Purchase a shotgun instead

[@muhdshuhairi609]

Level 13: Point shotgun at head

[@apollofikz3738]

Can't stand the darkness

[@SangeetaDevi-zv1hj]

Level 8, play it on acoustic guitar

[@markybills5296]

Sangeeta Devi I play it on acoustic anyways

[@antonirachwa8687]

Level 9 play it on ukulele

[@user-ts6iu4yr6e]

@@antonirachwa8687 actually i can

[@jamesd916]

Yay im level 8 then

[@isabellanebs22]

fully support this

[@murphnturph2664]

Kept waiting for the distortion.

[@giovanidl9695]

He liked your comment but didn't answered it

[@nengahguleh4267]

@@giovanidl9695 a

[@nengahguleh4267]

@@giovanidl9695 ayu

[@Idk-zg6if]

LowBlue music what is there to answer with

[@domeck6482]

@@nengahguleh4267 b

[@chilly8417]

Level 8: Become Kurt Cobain

[@bubbybubs]

Chilly Gallagher what if I don't want to shoot myself

[@stewdapples267]

Aqrun then just get your wife to hire someone instead 👍

[@shishi1079]

uh oh

[@wtkvslowguy]

Um why

[@AllgdSuspexx27]

Ah yes, dead

[@blittlej]

You are the only person I’ve seen who truly nails Kurt’s technique and quirks for Teen Spirit in the detail it deserves. Really nice work.

[@javalantern7546]

I don’t get why people always hate on Kurt Cobain as a guitarist. He’s a good and a adaptable one and he pulled off so much with the little he knew. I don’t see him as a “guitarist”, rather I see him as a great artist.

[@surhit]

The main reason Nirvana got so much hatred was because of all those Glam Metal band who were destroyed by them. Metal Band worked more hard in guitar techniques and stuffs...but then came Nirvana with pure raw music with simple guitar technique and with nice poems and nice voice. Every artist was Jealous of Nirvana, because they stole their fans. And some glam fan boys picked up Nirvana's weakness in musical technicality and they did negative marketing, what you call pulling legs.

[@dianaivey5649]

Lantern Well, you have to give credit to Kurt for being a good composer even though his guitar skills were limited musically speaking, still l think that the music industry used his early death to portrait him as a genius and as a guy who changed the late 90's rock sound, imo nirvana was one of the good grudge music's pioneers, but again bands like soundgarden, Alice in chains, and Pearl Jam were technically and musically superior, althought it is hard to deny that Kurt was a talented song writer and composer, and a great artist with lots of charisma.

[@byanymeansnecessary398]

I once read that Cobain could only play 3 chords. I doubt that's true though.

[@caldoemiljr9841]

Kurt plays punk music. He once even says that punk is a musical freedom. Playing saying and doing what you want. He plays music to have fun and entertain people and not to show off.

[@Tcivan]

When it comes to artists, its not the technique. its the final product. I work in film, and you would be amazed how some of the best cinematographers barely know how to use the camera. BUT, when they coordinate the lighting, the framing, and the color pallette its magic. You hire technicians if you need perfect. Perfect is often boring.

[@ClevelandRock]

He keeps talking about Kurt Cobain in the present tense. He either lives 27 years in the past or someone hasn't broken the news to him.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Leave me alone in my denial. 😂

[@diego2112gaming]

As long as we all agree, Courtney killed Kurt.

[@PaulGrieselhuber]

Cleveland Rock one of the nice things about changing the world: you live forever

[@DoPtRiGGa]

His music lives on thru time, therefore so does he

[@irmamazziotte2214]

I see it as a respect thing

[@dyjhhffgjjjhgf9512]

Smells like teen spirit: easiest song to play but hard af tone to hit. And lets be honest he nailed the tone here.

[@Acroanidd]

I'm with you. I know how to play it, and i can play it, but getting it just right is something that involves more than just the right notes and strumming. This can be said for most songs. but this is one that people consider super easy, which i guess if you look note for note, sure, simple.. but in the end not really cut and dry.

[@livv212]

@@Acroanidd An amp might help or something

[@shanebiggs1888]

Let's be honest how the fuck do you pronounce your name?

[@aceconover1289]

@@livv212you need a twin reverb for the tone and a boss ds 1 and small clone chorus it’s not just a amp

[@nicolascarlino2139]

@@aceconover1289 the more important thing is the guitar mics, if you have the right ones, any distortion and chorus should nail it

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Crap I just realized I called it "Palm Muting'" on Level 2. I meant "Fretting-Hand Muting."

[@Ghost-jh8xu]

The-Art-of-Guitar they can also be called dead notes, right?

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Sure.

[@jaimerojas6578]

I didn't even noticed xD

[@UTDSUCKDICK]

Do you even guitar brah?

[@nonya8311]

The-Art-of-Guitar Level 8 lol, sometimes he will slide the power cords especially when he's going from the last power cord back to the first power cord.

[@Shalev2209]

7:00 the green light in the back just vibin'

[@AtlasCompleXtheProd]

aww lol

[@richpurslow3283]

Its really difficult to gauge weather he was a guitar genius or a slob from this. Definitely the king of subtlety in those techniques. Simple things like that upstroke add something to the music. Something in the way is another one of those great yet subtle songs. I guess grunge was meant to be trashy and unpolished anyway

[@aadiduggal1860]

i think he was just a dude having fun with music. whether or not he's a "genius" or a "slob" is just overthinking things imo

[@Rollincoal311]

Nah it was all intentional, it’s the whole point of “Grunge” it wasn’t supposed to be clean or perfect. It was break the norm and speak out. Breaking the mold did that. Needed to be around in that time to get how it was

[@yeehawburnout]

I can't not hear the booming drums every time you near the end of the riff.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

Same.

[@iceman10129]

Yeah, that drummer had some great hard drum licks. Its crazy how much he looks like the singer of Foo Fighters. If they ever do a tribute/reunion show they could totally get that guy.

[@sunnylime2831]

I thought I was the only one who noticed that. We so need that drummer and the vocal of Foo Fighter to have a collab.

[@1713162434]

Nick Yates heheje

[@haldern501]

I wonder what happened to that guy? I heard some people say he *is* the guy from foo fighters but there's no way that could be true

[@rosembergarias50]

I play the flute, will all this apply to my instrument as well?🤔

[@TheArtofGuitar]

7 Levels of Jethro Tull. haha

[@OH2az2]

Cheesy Maccool depends on how good you are at flute.

[@chriswebb383]

Only if it's a meat flute.

[@ItsTacoBacon]

This dude plays the skin flute!

[@nuke8191]

OH HELL NAW

[@bootyliciousfeetenjoyer]

*bars the power chords "I knew Cobain is always within me...."

[@Mossmossmosss]

Kurt learned to play smells like teen Spirit by watching this

[@josemarquez5277]

GAMOVA666 yeah facts

[@el_Riky]

XDD

[@john9409]

He tried but killed himself cuz couldn't figure out level 7

[@lucasellington8910]

This guy watched his own video on how to play this song, to learn how to play this song.

[@dmc_9894]

@@john9409 FUCKING DUDE !! 😂😂😂😂

[@squishyflac]

Kept waiting for the drums. I now have anxiety

[@krisfrederick5001]

They will never come... lol, 30 false starts right?

[@redhot6464cm]

Yes, I keep waiting for the drums too!

[@woomi177]

Maybe xanax will help

[@sea-snake8315]

this has been in my freaking recommended for like 7 months now

[@cohenwilson1701]

Lol same

[@bud9269]

Because they new we would click it eventually lol

[@serfasleep]

Dude, you spent more effort analyzing it than Cobain did writing it.

[@user-hf9rq9xr2o]

That's a trend on KZbin. I'm sure he knows that though. Still makes for an interesting video.

[@lorenzoroman9745]

Level 8: get completely stoned and try to play

[@jay8819]

Lorenzo Roman doubt Kurt just got stoned. He was a smack head at least

[@Sophia-dw8xv]

Level 420*

[@tommcglone2867]

Lorenzo Roman nah inject a shot of smack then play it

[@ibefullofme]

It's damn hard to play when you're stoned, everything you do is a step behind what it should be, so you're constantly trying to correct.

[@happeebirthdae8136]

Idk what you guys mean i play waaay better after a blunt or two

[@thedevilhimself856]

Wow, cobain really brings a lot of imperfect perfection into a song meant to vibe with people who feel imperfect. I would have never realized how homemade his playing is without this. Thanks dude!

[@jordanflowers8174]

He's actually sweep picking so fast that it sounds like a chord

[@rferguson3]

Jordan Flowers 😂

[@jacobpottala]

lmao

[@markbaum9615]

It's a power arpeggio....not a power chord...haha

[@Steve-s.w]

hahahahahh fuck i spat my drink

[@NourElRayes]

😂

[@jchrispy3621]

I read the title as "7 smells of teen spirit"

[@crowthyr5884]

I kept mentally screaming for the drums to come on and I actually yelled "WHERE ARE THE FRICKIN DRUMS"

[@mikeydoeseverything1267]

Oh, hello Ryan. You still wearing vanilla deodorant?

[@hash2718]

Ryan Ross no you didn’t

[@eddie1993]

Mad lad

[@RossFixxxed]

The re-release of Dumb with no cello hurts my brain so bad.

[@calebnailson7508]

ME TOO

[@cancereverywhereigo]

The Cobain Chord is always me when I play anything on guitar. No idea it had a name. my friendo calls it "quit doing your stupid T-Rex thing". 5 years of playing and I can't fucking stop. it's just a bad habit man.

[@mxm9777]

well embrace it and write fire grunge songs

[@turb0m0nk3y]

Level 8, you actually play this a semi tone higher like the original single version and not the album version.

[@yurick]

turb0m0nk3y Link? I never heard about this

[@brian4480]

I started playing the guitar cuz of Nirvana. One cool thing that I learned about him was it was very VERY easy to play almost exactly like him as the chords were easy, but it was VERY hard to make it sound like him exactly. I have seen shredders who could play circles around me not play Nirvana songs right because Kurt's mind was so weird and he learned how to play the guitar on his own so he forged his own little tricks to get through the plateaus and sticking points.

[@louisjames3893]

U didnt cover level 8. The way he played it live at top of the pops 😂

[@giovannimangiante1502]

That's God level. Mere humans like us can't do such things.

[@generalskunk6876]

as in not at all and deliberately miming it horribly?

[@methtank]

His strumming pattern is crazy in that version

[@musicalmadness4902]

You mean he mimed it right?

[@PCkeez]

Louis james the best version of all. And the best FUCK YOU to the management of the ‘music machine’

[@TheJtreml]

Great ear for the details. Once you added the Upstroking, it really catches the rhythm.

[@Paradigm93]

It's called the "chicka chicka" 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@jamesleita3277]

yk whats up

[@user-sx3nt2bf2u]

Todd Brown Slim Shady

[@icylite1774]

Your voice is so calming, how is this even humanly possible?!

[@jorgespahn9518]

It's more than a feeling when I hear that old song...

[@rafamatavelli3399]

It's smell like teen spirit, not more than a feeling. Read the title. GODAMNIT

[@medicineman360]

@@rafamatavelli3399 You beat me to it! 👍

[@marcosflores8188]

The point of his comment is that the opening chords for SLTS is the same as More Than A Feeling. Even Kurt acknowledged this and would troll the audience live by playing More Than A Feeling before transitioning into Teen Spirit

[@chrislair6832]

@@marcosflores8188 did he really? It's so that is freaking awesome! When he died I was 13 and I remember ditching school because I couldn't handle it

[@asher8756]

Wasn’t it reading where they did an absolutely awesome intro for it?

[@yeetboidalydaly8555]

Power chords 0:36 Scratchy Sound 1:12 Open Strumming 1:40 Adding the Upstroke 2:06 Cobain Chords 3:41 Little Details 4:26 Adding Initial Upstroke 6:16

[@MrFriendsfan]

it's like he shows how genius Kurt was adding those little details but in realuty Kurt was just sloppy punk player who did this naturally being stoned, reminds me of todays filters in console emulators to emulate TV scanlines and NTSC artifacts using complex shaders while CRT TVs did it by their nature naturally

[@boseefusmacmurphy1156]

Kaiki Deishu all this hi tech gear and I can't get the "hello I love you" doors tone ..

[@r.budddwyer8951]

“punk”

[@DoPtRiGGa]

Oh look another envious twat who doesn't understand style and has no individuality

[@andywaynebrooks]

I know! Or those jeans that are all torn up to look all grungy but they are crafted that way on purpose by textile workers at the factory, then they add an extra 50$ to the price. They do the same thing to guitars. It’s totally fake wear. Kurt would have hated it.

[@davidlenz7817]

Kurt had alot of soul in his guitar playing u just have to feel it

[@timallen7354]

Such a good lesson!!! I normally cringe when technically perfect players play nirvana, a lot of people just don't get the fact that Kurt worked hard to be imperfect and he was a better player than he let on. Better rhythm chops than most too. Once again thanks for your superb lesson.

[@TheArtofGuitar]

That's my goal, to walk the line between cringe and decent. :) Thanks for the comment TA!

[@chriswooldridge1301]

IMHO, he was just a bad guitarist... He was creative, but didn't have much skill. That's part of the beauty of art, though.

[@TomGoldsmithguitar]

yep

[@tr3vk4m]

Are impressionists just bad painters? Technical proficiency does not equal artistic merit. Being 'skilled' or 'good' are not necessarily related either. One might be capable of playing any riff, no matter how intricate or difficult and yet still fail to write a moving piece of music.

[@ozman6602]

Kirk Cobain didn't become who he was because of his skill, he created the grunge sound and his songs people could relate with. He was a smart guy smarter then most people give him credit for.. He remained himself he didn't let money or fame change him. It's ashame Courtney Love never faced charges for his death.

[@MrvlZmb]

I just finished a lesson where I was figuring this out with a student, trying to determine whether this song uses 5th chords or barre chords. I heard the sus chords and thought, wtf? How many people noticed this? Then watch a live performance and noticed the two-finger barres. Then looked it up to see if anyone's teaching it that way, and of course you are. Always catching the details, great stuff as usual!

[@welp7383]

sounds like you've reached Nirvana *wink wink nudge nudge*

[@wOhst]

Kody Yardley WTF?

[@talaynt2656]

Kody Yardley food fighters? You mean foo fighters

[@diegolucero4609]

This has 420 likes

[@akio_0110]

Bobby Ratliff fvck me

[@james2155]

Smells like he’s reached nirvana

[@sburfordmusic996]

Do you think Kurt played 'level 7' live because he was bored of doing the same thing with that song all the time? He was a decent rythem guitarist but didn't care about playing tight, especially live, because he respected/wanted to be punk too much. I can almost imagine him just playing the upstroke out of boredom/slight hatred, it's a bit of an agressive move like you're pulling/scatching at the strings. But maybe I'm over analysing a bit lol. This is a really cool lesson, I've moved past SLTS at stage 4 I've just realised because I could play it at that level and wasn't too fussed about learning it better, but the barring of the 4th string on the lower strings is such an important detail that I never cared enough to explore. Genuinely opened my eyes!

[@ChrisFranklyn]

You could be onto something there with the boredom thing.

[@qty1315]

These say it takes longer to form a habit then it does to break a habit. He probably played it one way in the studio, then started playing it another way live (in the studio he didn't play the rhythm guitar intro live, he dubbed it onto the recording later) when he was singing and maybe nervous in front of a crowd. I mean, he played Lithium differently live as well, so maybe there's something to that.

[@vladislavkirilov4360]

With this song I won't be surprised at all.

[@kasperdomagala4544]

Chris Franklyn he was happy when weird al made a parody because he was sick of hearing SLTS on the radio, so you might be onto something.

[@RalphLindsen]

A hard down stroke is also a different kind of aggression than a hard upstroke.A hard upstroke just feels more destructive to me, more tension and more dissonant. A downstroke is hard but feels more controlled.

[@AfroNihongo]

if cobain saw this analysis i think he would laugh.

[@thegoodcaptain]

Likewise. It's sort of over-analyzing the chaos of one punk guitar player's natural messy style. Still nice that the uploader realizes there are many ways to play the same thing though.

[@RMDK22]

it's for people who wanna cover to the letter. it's more satisfying this way.

[@AnotherWorldYT]

Yeah, but at the same time I think he'd appreciate that at least someone is trying to put it out there that the songs aren't as black and white as they seem, and that this style of music has it's quirks that are more important than the notation itself.

[@stephansong]

AfroNihongo yeahhhhh

[@banklikefrankwhite1]

Are you saying that because you knew him personally? Or are you basing that off his very manufactured public image?

[@firzenfire990]

Level 8, switch to left-handed guitar

[@owurakdanso]

Level 9, now play drums, Bass, keyboard, and sing the damm song all at once .

[@jakobhellmann824]

@@owurakdanso keyboard?

[@JacobJoyce1]

False that is level 9. Level 8 is to perform this while wicked stoned

[@amandapike9335]

It's like Keanu Reeves and John Cusack had a baby.

[@eliza3986]

Amanda Pike & paul rudd!!

[@RD-ms9gn]

Accurate

[@phillybhatesme]

So after watching this video, I've noticed Kurt starts other songs on upstrokes as well. What a fucking nuance that I've never noticed. Thank you!

[@studiouscrib2774]

Level 8: get stoned and play it left handed

[@Jackb201]

Level 9: just become left handed

[@Joseph-rk5iv]

Lol

[@thetruth6872]

I love when people go “Well he just played it. He never thought about any of this” May be true, the fact it takes 7 steps to break down 4 chords shows the genius involved.

[@xchaos7247]

thetruth6872 no

[@featheryfemme]

There's really no genius that he's analyzing here, not saying that Kurt wasn't good at what he did, but this guy is just showing people how to play it exactly as Kurt did on that specific day in the studio.

[@dominiktrubacik502]

Level 8 - Get drunk and high at the same time and play the riff

[@tomgig18269]

Dominik Trubačík flip out in the middle of the song and trash the whole set.

[@0371998]

hail, to you

[@williamsandoval6564]

@@albertomaciasduran2212 this went from 0 to 100 real quick

[@swagmiredoesall]

Now there's a challenge

[@imanottelling2963]

That's if you believe he did it himself. . . *cue X-Files theme *

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

In other words, play it kind of fast and kind of sloppy. But not too sloppy. Just sloppy enough. And btw the way, we need to get our terminology right. It's not clicky clickys. It's chicka chickas. Not to be confused with the chugga chuggas of heavy metal fame.

[@jeremyspracklen4590]

I thought chicka chickas were Tom Morello's sound?

[@sappyfoot]

bowl

[@richelleriley5501]

Its chicky chicky

[@danieln6613]

Paul TheSkeptic Also not to confuse with cheeky breekies of Russian fame

[@isaaccortez5835]

This comment is my first band

[@tobyijbema235]

The fact you noticed he does the upstroke in the intro live earned you my sub!

[@Metaspace2]

Nice 6-string bass!! Besides that, amazing video. Thank you for illuminating us how much depth are just in the main riff. Fascinating!!

[@negativeze]

The only correct way to play Nirvana is playing it in the way you fucking want

[@heavyribassmaiden4924]

Professor, just wanted you to know I am a beginner bass player, but after so many 'arrivals' in your channel I also bought an accustic guitar... after an hour or so with the guitar I played a good level of Smells Like Teen Spirit without ever touching a guitar to play, and I credit it to you and your videos/methods of teaching: there are lots of great guitar players all over, but only a few have the ART-OF-TEACHING! Thank you and cheers from Brazil! (Not stopping the groove btw)

[@TheArtofGuitar]

That's awesome. Great to hear. Brazil is in my heart because I do Jiu Jitsu. :)

[@heavyribassmaiden4924]

@@TheArtofGuitar wooow! What tesm are you on? Which belt??

[@AnthonyWabo]

Just play it sloppy, that's the key

[@sfbunnyman]

AnthonyWabo. You are so right..

[@keraki1787]

The key is F :) :P

[@skeelr311]

You know you’re right 😂

[@Momo-bu3le]

AnthonyWabo finally something i can do

[@antonionsfw]

nope, kurt played this way FOR YEARS, so if you are going to play an “easy” song you should play it the correct way not just mess it up.

[@AndriyVasylenko]

Please do more of these riff videos! Nuances make the difference)

[@TetrisShark70]

Hi frrriend! Love your videos!

[@PIayer420TV]

Is level 8 doing heroin so you have perfect no perfect technique?

[@Punkpsychobilly]

Come on, man. Everyone knows that drugs are a prerequisite for making music. Narcotic are step zero.

[@that_deadeyegamer7920]

@@Punkpsychobilly so that's why my career as an artist isnt picking up? Thanks guy!

[@kevindoran9389]

Ringo said the music the Beatles made while high was absolutely awful and always had to be deleted and redone.

[@dylan.606]

but the thing is, since its cobain, he wouldve never played it the exact same way every time. So just be sloppy af and crank the gain

[@Sp0nge5]

I think he just didn't give a fuck.. For him it was all about not being a sheep and follow set patterns.

[@Tocu360]

It's because he doesnt Care how it sounds he Cares about how he feels

[@khbgkh]

This is all so presumptuous

[@troliol]

Pretty sure it was just a result of him being a self-taught guitar player who developed a lot of bad habits. He was more a singer/songwriter than a "guitar player" as we usually think of them.

[@kontolaf]

That “Cobain Chord" is actually an Fsus4.

[@aldoearredondo3943]

Nice observation :)

[@vystaz]

and it only belongs on the fourth chord.

[@ainmsloinneadh6022]

At last! I’ve been telling people since the 90’s that it’s an incredibly complex song to play faithfully. Most people don’t get much further than level 3, but they’ll look like you as if you’re an idiot if you tell them they’ve a long way to go still. That he used a leading upstroke on the intro shows he put a lot of thought into the tone and would deliberately perfect something that was more difficult to get the sound he wanted. That’s a conscious guitar player, not a sloppy player. You may not like the tone he put out or think it sounds amateurish, but it was a tone he was chasing. Another similar thing he often did was to alternate his strumming speed, even within a bar, where most others would instead alternate rhythm speed by filling constant stroking patterns with air strokes. He ability to step in and out of strumming patterns/speeds - or turn them upside down as in this video - was wonderful. A bit of that, fret hand muting and the same dissonant tones in the same places over and over again shows that he was either very deliberate from the get go or learned how to turn his natural mistakes into a technique very much his own. That’s what sets a guitar player apart from the rest.

[@nocturnallsnake4228]

Good point about the upstroke. It was used because looks cooler on stage and we get a "brushy" sound which rocks a lot. Like the first chord on On a Plain.

[@mariasigmaaa5427]

Awesome video. Iam very impressed that you have noticed those extra tips of Kurt good job. What about making a video to show us the levels on can't stop by red hot chili peppers? It would be awesome! I also subscribed keep the good job .

[@JK-hr1hm]

Maria sigmaaa i like that your a great person

[@antonionsfw]

totally! everyone play that one wrong

[@Sebastian-ci8zb]

My favorite riff by our Lord and Savior John Anthony Motherfuckin' Frusciante... (Jesus)

[@hadeseye2297]

+Maria sigmaaa What took you so long? :P

[@vilimbubas1302]

Most of guitarist has great technique but Kurt has great trics to make a song

[@manguejoe]

You are literally the only person on KZbin who dissects the riffs like these. Please do more.

[@AfterEightShave]

in other words: play sloppy and you'll get the tone. he didn't miss anything on purpose, he just didn't really care about perfect precision that much :D

[@AspenEmrys]

he was a perfectionist... just not in the way most people define perfection.

[@banklikefrankwhite1]

This is what’s known as a myth

[@GinEric84]

trefrog In that he was chasing the "perfect heroine" high?

[@LlorracTN]

7 levels of Iron Man next?

[@pshep138]

Ooooh fuck yes

[@_jess_879]

yeah, that would be awesome

[@gicady]

*I AM LENIN MAN , FROM THE MOTHERLAND I CAME !*

[@sebastianelytron8450]

1.Tony Stark 2.Tony Stark 3.Tony Stark 4.Tony Stark 5.Tony Stark 6.Chuck Norris 7.Elon Musk

[@Zorua7777]

Sebastian Elytron Yes.

[@shadowhawk320]

when you made the upstroke the first stroke it suddenly clicked in my head how style seriously effects how a song sounds. Its just such a small and profound difference.

[@mCharly15m]

I really like these ... LEVELS of ... kinda videos, they are fun to watch and make me wanna relearn these riffs, so i can get them right. I actually really hope that you keep making them, because maybe i can learn some new riffs too. :)

[@jamesmartin2740]

Kurt was a genius and an underrated guitar player.

[@insayn7995]

When he starts playing, Me: load up on guns...

[@lamasu8060]

no

[@nakamaka162]

That was really awesome analysis

[@darkzero2260]

Level 8: the drums finally come in

[@sharkyboi3409]

Holy shit I've alwayls wondered where that final high pitched sound was at the end of the riff

[@dictatorrich3412]

I wish I had this lesson 10 years ago. I went absolutely crazy trying to get the exact rhythm down and figure out what he was doing. And it drives me absolutely insane when I hear someone cover this song, and they don't put the open string noise in, ahah

[@ashscott6068]

Yah. Even "good" guitarists seem to play it like it's Wild Thing or Louie Louie. At best they miss the skipped upstroke in the intro and the quick little upstroke before the open strings. I know it's pretty distorted but how can people not hear that? I'm sure I remember seeing Guthrie Govan and Steve Vai jamming it and not playing it properly

[@AspenEmrys]

Kurt was all about those open strings

[@groundedgameplayx]

This is incredibly accurate, thank you for your due diligence to this legendary riff. A prime example of why Nirvana songs can be way harder than people think (to truly learn & try to capture the spirit of the song).

[@screamingtrees9619]

What a cool way of teaching, This dude knows how to make learning fun and engaging.

[@mishaguitar]

Nice! Loving level 7, the up stroke and the sus chords sound really cool. If you are a strong player with solid classical guitar technique, you CAN be creative and get different sounds by playing unconventionally, because your left hand strength will allow you to. Therefore, I wouldn't necessarily encourage bad or wrong technique for the purpose of discovering original chord voicings or strumming techniques, in most cases it will be limiting, rather than enabling

[@projectkonstantine8062]

3:19 I thought I was the only that did it’s great to know there’s somone else

[@archieforde]

same 😂

[@MarcusBiesioroff]

First time I heard that riff at school dancing when I was a teenager in 91' and in one second we all get absolutely crazy about new sound from Seattle. Everyone wanted to play it in ultra-cheap, ultra-shit copies of Stratocaster made in U.S.S.R. block from plastic, there was no internet, no tabs... so you can imagine what was the result ;) Now I found your tutorial, and I'm crazy about a SLTS riff again, great work, muchos gracias gringo! :D That would be perfect if you added diagrams and picking directions on-screen, but... maybe next time ;) Thx! for your effort, wanna more :D

[@ethan.wroblewski]

I'm a pianist, what am i doing here?

[@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT]

@Music Fan276 I don't know about that, can you play 10 simultaneous notes on a guitar?

[@cocoabread13]

Me too but I feel like I'd learn from this on a subconscious level

[@kurtcobain8316]

Finding a reason why not to buy a guitar.

[@lohst1672]

Ethan Wroblewski idk but I’m a bit looking through all your data.

[@notyourtypicalcomicreader4805]

@@SuperballsSupervidsOnYT do you think all guitars are 6 stringed?

[@Belial-jv5tq]

I've always played it like level 5. Even for my first time, but never changed it till this day.

[@jordy45678]

Currently trying level 7. Did not know about level 5. This was nice to learn!

[@MikeGervasi]

Written by Kurt while he was trying to mess around with Boston riffs. It's a blend of Piece Of Mind and More Than a Feeling

[@ashu7pathak]

It gives me immense pleasure to let you know that I used to play at level 3.5 ✌❤✌🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 I.e. I always played with the up strokes included to play at level 4, bu I never realised that I could make a little noise using open strings to connect 2nd and 3rd chords as well as 4th and 1st. Now I do, so now I definitely play at level 4, and I'm fiddling with starting with an up stroke, so as to play at level 8. I'm also trying to use the Kobain chord.

[@floatyjam]

I think I found myself using the Cobain Chords a lot

[@iliasliakos6692]

love the seven levels, hope its a thing :)

[@donaldmack2307]

My advice to anyone beginning guitar and might be watching this video for a lesson on how to play SLTS... DO NOT try to emulate the “Cobain” chord with your ring finger barring the power chord. There really is no point. Its “wrong” technique and it wont sound any different than if you just use your pinky playing a power chord. There are some “wrong” techniques that work and open other paths to do different things, like the “Hendrix” claw hand thing using your thumb. The “Cobain” chord isnt like that.

[@abhikori5707]

true that I guess, its easy by just taking a normal power chord and muting the strings in next stroke

[@jordanpetersonon200mgdiaze3]

@@davidschlotterback8374 because Kurt wasnt just a junkie rockstar. He was an artist. That is how i remember him.

[@byanymeansnecessary398]

@guinness4life Hendrix was a sloppy guitar player. 😂😂😂 Dumbest comment ever.

[@globalnova]

good thing it wasn't called Smells Like Unagi Teen Spirits..

[@samyeomans6710]

I learned this song 10 months ago to win a $50 bet with my mates. 10 months later I own 2 guitars and am getting pretty good. I just learned the sweet child o mine solo. But smells like teen spirit was the first song I learned and I thought I learned it perfectly (I thought) I never knew about the open chord change thing. I always did the ‘scratchy’. But if it weren’t for how cool this riff sounded and the $50 bet I would’ve never found this interest in guitar that has actually improved my mental health.

[@SlightlyUnderAverage]

I keep having to play the drums in my head...

[@kaustubhbajpai12]

Level 69 : Play Smoke On The Water simultaneously.

[@TheScarletInfector]

This is super interesting. As a bass player I did the same thing to the bassline because every tab every where just has the 4 notes but there are also the open notes like on the guitar and a small slide over C on the A string back up to F to restart the riff.

[@cristianandrade9987]

You forgot that he hits a lot of accidental natural harmonics whilst left hand muting by slightly lifting the hand around the sweet spots here and there

[@imsorrydave9000]

That was more in the distorted part

[@AspenEmrys]

I knew this, yet somehow it didn't come to mind. ON TO LEVEL 8

[@peterheinzelmann3335]

I also would add that goes into more funky, very fast played rhythm pattern during the distortion part

[@TheBriggs13]

its natural I dothat but cant teach it its like strokeing ur self you know how you not need be taght its natural you just go with the fealing at the time and then always remember how it works songs I can play with this same power chord using my own tecneek are heveans door rockinroll girls5 nirvana songs gliserin by bush when I come around green day courtiny hole elo reo speedwagon cars many pixies cheaptrick smashing pumkins inxs list gos on with out a lesson or vidio

[@aasniffer8822]

Damon Briggs did you learn to read and write from an animal because you can't spell worth shit

[@thear1s]

Makes me think of the joke where the band leader gives a load of strange instructions to the drummer and guitarist, how to skip that beat, go a tone and half down on the last bar of the chorus etc. The singer then asks what she should do. "Do exactly like you did it the last time, it's perfect!". I'm ok with level4, maybe level5 since it adds a nice color to the sound.

[@bruhspahgehtti8544]

Hey dude thank you so much you really helped me get better at this, I was playing it really shity, now it sounds great

[@kadenbednard6908]

There’s something so calming about his voice

[@fred64000]

Indeed !! Kurt plays it exactly this way, with these 7 levels

[@france.the_bastard]

i don’t know if i’ve commented this before but i just wanna say that this is the video that started me on my guitar journey almost exactly three years ago now and i haven’t looked back since. thank you Mike 🙏

[@TheArtofGuitar]

This just made my day!

[@france.the_bastard]

@@TheArtofGuitar I didn't say it earlier but it was also my introduction to the world of rock and roll too!

[@officialdinodoestuff]

You should do Master of Puppets next because a lot of people play it wrong

[@skinny_sam]

DinoDoesStuff yessss!

[@bradyward2177]

Love these videos, shows how much there really is to these songs that everybody calls super simple.

[@ReedemedServantOfChristJesus]

This helped me learn 10x faster then any other channel or video. Thanks dude!

[@willwalch9573]

I just noticed that when I turn my built in overdrive on and bring my phone so it’s touching the strings of the guitar it amplifies you voice out of the amp wow!!!!!!

[@bud9269]

^this is what playing guitar is all about

[@kevindoran9389]

So if someones talking and you put it by the strings you can hear them? Wow😯 Edit: 2 year old comment, you've probably long since died but your descendants are making the world a better place. We have horseless carriages and moving pictures and flameless lights.