Skill Is Not A 4 Letter Word

Hi Griff,
I had a problem with the doggone vid buffering every 10 seconds or so, usually not an issue on my fairly new 'puter. SO.... I went to youtube directly, and it played just fine from beginning thru to the end without the first hitch. Then back to your email, it was still loading/buffering, and not even halfway done STILL. Just FYI, most of your stuff is top drawer. I am enjoying all your emails, even tho I'm a drummer. I do pass them on to my son, a novice picker.
This song is 'Gary Moore's version', it was written WAY before Hendrix, why even mention him? Who did the original? To be sure, it didn't have all that shredding and unnecessary noise. Stuff only a guitar player would appreciate.

Gary was more 'musical' than Hendrix. A great loss to the music world. He always inspired, after listening to him I always thought " I could do that" of course I could not, but he made me try!!

Sad to see him go. He blistered that guitar.

I've been a Gary Moore fan for 25-30 years- even back to 'Thin Lizzy' and before..I've heard his music so many times that It's almost like I know him even though we'd never met {Gary Moore is my all-time favorite musician}. Having him pass away is like I'm in denial...as I'm older that he was..I have used Gary as my mentor in guitar playing as I have played my guitar for (over 40 years)and have gone so far as to call my guitar 'beverly' in memory of a young gal out in South Carolina 20 years ago. Thanks for the info, and I'll keep on playing my Gary Moore CD's and try to immulate the master blues guitar player(thank you gary moore)he was in hopes I can reach for the highest level of guitar playing I can. thanks again, Nick

Hello Griff
Is it possible to cover a few speed building licks. Also it would be nice to cover a few quick lick lead-ins and turn arounds, something that can be inserted between blues vocals, with the proper timing. You know, that Albert Collins, Eric Clapton or Albert King type fills.
I like your teaching style, it is simple and easy to follow.

Best regards,
Walter

Excellence

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The quality of being excellent; state of possessing good qualities in an eminent degree; exalted merit; superiority in virtue.

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An excellent or valuable quality; that by which any one excels or is eminent; a virtue.

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A title of honor or respect; -- more common in the form excellency.

Too Good;Priceless,Muchas Gracias !

pls i want to be a good bass guitarist, i need some material to groom my self

Sorry about my spelling up there. I meant to say that I add "life" to my playing. Then it sounds better

That was beyond exceptional. But I should say that one of the main reasons it sounded so great was because he had superior effects. (I'd sound better too if I had a screaming foot pedal and Marshall amp:) What I do to sound better, and I figured this out recently, is I play notes a certain way. Using a scale in a solo is like saying a word. You have to anunciate correctly. If I just play the scale in a monotonous way it doesn't sound good. But if I stress certain notes, pause between others, and add "life to my playind, then I sound OK. (For some reason, everything I play sounds like blues even if I try to play rock.) Thanks so much Griff for your lessons and excellent video. I owe my success to your efforts.
Stay well and God bless,
Justin

that was truely awsome.

Kudos for the tips, I read somewhere that knowledge is born from experience. With this in hand , I immersed my son into as many Live shows as possible that come our way so he can watch, hear, study the craft of Guitar and the relationship to other instruments including voice. I explained that the guitar will be your friend for life, unconditional love treat it with respect, it will take you on journeys that those of us who don’t play will never take. So at 16 in his seventh year as a guitarist he has seen many of the legends play live. Gained insights, techniques, mannerisms, felt the vibe that cannot be learned from playing in your room. We will soon see BB King to enjoy his timeless music and another milestone in the boy’s journey to becoming a better guitarist.

I just need to comment again, Griff. If I were the guitar player in the house, I'd been honored to have Gary play mine.

Dude! Are his fingers made of fire or cut diamonds? I enjoyed watching him. He loved his guitar. I can't wait to show my husband, and tell a friend of mine about this video clip. Thanks Griff, I see why Gary was a favorite. Sorry he's no longer with us.

Way Cool!
thank you!

Thanks for the link to Gary's version of Red House, it was awesome. Sadly, I didn't even know he had passed away until I got your email. He and Scott Gorham made Thin Lizzy a powerhouse band; (have you ever listened to the Black Rose album?) And of course Gary was a master of sound and technique all on his own. He will be sorely missed. Check out his song 'No reason to cry' on Rhapsody or one of your go-to music sites; the phrasing and attack of his intervals is astounding; I've never heard anything like it. Play on brother!

Hey Griff,
I don't know if you can help me or not.
I've been playing guitar for many years (rhythm), I'm actually a vocalist so I never really worried about lead (let someone else take care of that). Recently I decided to take a shot at lead and if I do say so I'm not half bad but I have one immense problem, I find that I'm missing the string that I aim for and it seems the harder I try the worse it gets (maybe the rhythm thing hasn't left me) I'm fine when I look at the guitar and find the strings I'm aiming for but that's not always easy when you're singing as well, excersises don't seem to help......Any suggestions?

interesting,,, I know exactly what you mean. dog barking, wife talking to me, missed that note; damn, I'll get it, stay in the groove, concentrate!
So sad about Gary, very sad, he was way to young.
I work on my playing skills so that what I REALLY want to hear becomes second nature, so no matter who walks in the room, I don't miss that note, I hear what my wife is saying, I am in the groove, I am playing the right note at the right time. Next is singing along.

Oh, Griff.......Thank you for that. I'd never heard him before. He was just wonderful.

Yeah man, thanks for this eye opener into this great talent; better late than never. Reyff

OK,,now that you got me interested, then hooked me , then netted me, give me more of Gary Moore, then I promise to practice Moore, I mean more :] He Lives.......

That was absolutily one of the best in your "OWN ZONE" songs I have heard in a long time. Thats proof great music will play in heaven.

As a musician, I've always heard of that mystical place where a player arrives upon so mastering his/her instrument that the instrument becomes an extension of the player and truly speaks as the voice of its master. Gary Moore was one of those master musicians. Thanks, Griff . . . and Thanks, Gary. May you rest in peace.

Griff, I can strum and sing, because I've done both for over 40 years, and as you point out (and as I tell anyone that thinks they can't sing and play), You have to be able to do both with minimal brain participation. You nailed it on the head. Autopilot is the perfect analogy. When a pilot has his plane in autopilot, it doesn't mean that he's not still spending brain cycles watching what's going on, just that it all gets easier with a few less things to worry about. SO, how do you get there? Practice, Practice, Practice.

Wow !! Thanks Griff ! One day I wish I could play like Gary......hope that's my last dying breath day....what a way to go out !!

We will all miss him very much,,

Totaly awsome wish i was there,, Into it 100%

Holey s;;; he is triffic, wish Gary was still with us and I know I am not alone.

I shall miss him also. Thanks for sending this Griff.

I did not know that Gary Moore died. When and how did he die?

That was awesome dude .I gotta long way to go now.

COOL BEANS.... There's a red house somewhere,, always....

Wow! I wanna do that!Really nice.Thanks for sharing that Griff.

Wow! I wanna do that!Really nice.Thanks for sharing that.

†his is what The blues to me is all about....i willl miss jimi and gary

WOW!! HE WAS IN THE ZONE!! I CAN SEE WHY HE IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITES AND SUCH AN INSPIRATION. THANKS FOR THAT ONE GRIFF.

Thanks ,he is a guy with his own particular style,shame he has moved on

Bah! Perfection! I could only hope to get 1/1000th of that down!
THANKS! Very Inspiring ... ( : - D

Good blog.
I did a gig the other day and I realised that my sound is just too hit or miss. I've been playing for...well, er since 1972. I have a 1971 Marshall 50 combo which is just great when it is set up right but I can't predict when it is going to be right. Sometimes it is fantastic and sometimes I spend all gig fiddling with it to get it to work. I've been thinking for some time that I need to take lessons on how to play an amp. I have a friend who is a brilliant sound engineer and I need to get some time with him to show me how to get that sound everytime. Better late than never.

now thats real talent!!!!!

Thanks, Griff. This was the first time that I had the rare pleasure of hearing
Gary Moore play. Truly, he has expressed the energy and the phenomenal dynamics
of Jimi Hendrix. They are both greatly missed, but have left some of the best guitar playing ever.

awsome video ! Gary's perfect bends and vibrato's are a signature in his playing, u can tell he plays from the heart ! thanks for posting, sad to have lost another great guitarist ! Mark

Fantastic!Something like that is a gift!

Pure garbage. After being in this type of business for 47 years, I've seen too many wannabees.

The best way to learn is to listen!!! I am a late starter and never had the opportunity but now I do. Thanks you for this Griff!! I would love to take the course by Steve Vai at Berklee but I do not have enough of the pre reqs.. Maybe soon!!!
Watch and listen while you are young and then it all seeps in by osmosis and pretty soon you are playing this stuff and then improv!!!

Where have all the flowers gone? Gary thanks for the music, the world won't be the same without you.

HEY GRIF , WHATS UP ? LOVED THE GARY MOORE VID, IT WAS GREAT ! I THINK YOUR BUDDY CLAUDE J SENT THIS OUT THE WEEK THAT GARY PASSED , ITS STILL GOOD TO SEE THE MAN SHRED LIKE HE DOES! ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO I GOT TO SEE ALVIN LEE OR TEN YEARS AFTER , THEN HE CALLED HIS BAND TEN YEARS LATER , IN A SMALL MOVIE THEATRE CALLED THE MARIETTA STRAND , IT HELD ABOUT 300 PEOPLE , WHAT A KILLER SHOW THAT MAN PUTS ON ! IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN HIM YOU MISSED A TRUE GENIOUS ON GUITAR , HE NEVER USED ANY SPECIAL AFFECTS EXCEPT AMPS AND HIS GUITAR , CHECK HIM OUT ON YOU TUBE ! THANKS AGAIN ,AND THANKS FOR ALL YOU INFO ! KEEP ON ROCK'IN GREG

taught i had seen it all, but i got into it na, lets say it got into me. thanks

That's a real tribute to master Hendrix, Thank You for this post.

That was a great posting. Thanks for sharing it Griff, Gary was a great guitar player.

Did you mean "cue the drummer"? Not "queue the drummer".

Great guitar playing of classic Hendrix tune. Gary put his heart and soul into playing his guitar. Thanks for posting this video!!!

Wow! Thanks Griff! The skill thing is sort of like - right now I'm teaching my daughter to drive. She has to concentrate on every little thing: turn signal, speed, stop and starts, turns, mirrors, everything. BUT - I know there will come a day when most of that stuff will be "second nature" to her" and she will be able to enjoy driving safely without spending all her "brain power" on the fundementals. Peace!

FANTASTIC! That is the type of true emotional outpouring through guitar that I have always aimed for in my playing. Gary will be missed. Thanks!

Simply put "WOW"... will miss Gary...

When did Gary die, how? He will be missed.

Great post. It takes a great deal of practice to play automatically, and subconsciously.

The less you have to think about while delivering on stage, the better!
The more you practice, keep up with your equipment, and take care of your guitar, when it is time for you to play in-the-spotlight, delivery is all that you have to give.
Mind-body memory from diligent practicing helps over-come any, if not all, worries.

Thanks, Griff, for the fine video of Gary.
RIP Gary Moore~!

Excellent!

Hi Griff,
thanks for all the good things you send our way. It's great! I am in China at the moment and no YOU TUBE here. So couldn't see the video.
We will all miss Gary. Least we can do in tribute is continue to learn, improve and most of all, play & have fun!
Cheers,
Mich

This was great, I love good blues, I don't care who it is, and man that guy smoked it, but because I'm a soundman it was hard to focus on his playing with his mic not being on when he went to speak, I have seen this kind of thing to many times, and don't understand what the soundguy is doing at the time, well not his job I'll tell you that. Anyway thank you for the video it was cool.

Thanks, JohnnySoundMan

i'm in my fifties and practice guitar daily. i'm conditioning my fingers coz i believe if my fingers fingers are not ready then i can not do those fast notes. the gary moore video is awesome. thanks for letting me view it. more videos like it would be greatly appreciated.who is the bass player?

Thanks for the clip Griff; I've seen it a number of times and never tire of it. Just sensational!
While I was watching it, a dim lightbulb ignited; I paused the clip, picked up my guitar and strung a handful of notes together that actually sounded half sensible.
During this, I began to ponder (yes, 2 things at once - only 5 to go) what happens to all that talent? I think, in some part, it's spread to all of us. We see someone inspirational and, by definition, a small measure of it rubs off.
What an amazing guitarist!

i'm in my fifties and practice guitar daily. i'm conditioning my fingers coz i believe if my fingers fingers are not ready then i can not do those fast notes. the gary moore video is awesome. thanks for letting me view it. more videos like it would be greatly appreciated.

Blues Guitar at it's very best.....used the entire fretboard with easy flow....yes, Jimi would be pleased with that. Thank you,really enjoyed the treat......

Hi Griff, I have been watching you and you're posts for quite a long time now, I would only aspire to the level you have achieved. I also watch and listen to some great guitarists on the web, my only regret is that you do not play enough while imparting the great tips to playing. Sometimes It's inspiring just to listen to great players. I can get a buzz from that. I also rate Garry SRV and Mr Clapton as being the greats. Please show what inspires you when you play. Keep up the good work. Joe .

Love the video... Gary is a blast...

Thanks for these tidbits of advice... I find them very motivational and helpful in my pursuit of the blues. Thanks for all your help with the lessons and the forum. It's the best package deal around!

bx

wow . enjoying this.
Griff, first up. thank you. your emails and instruction i rate highly.
i wish you great karma.
singing and playing?
why cant i seem to do it and its alway stops. almost straight away. i;m playing finger style, pick a note theme of the song i'm playing.
Been practicing my blues/scales endless song. (and loving it 99)
But try to sing. my brain turns off. i've got a mental block on hearing my own voice. figured that out. ok so i couldnt handle that my voice broke during my regular church solo. Got that far. but still?....

wow what can u say ??? another 6 stringer gone BUT not forgotten. cheers Griff. y dont u post something about my fav guitarists Joe Bonamassa , man that guy is a freak (nicest way) Thanks mate .......Grahame

Good stuf,Man! Thank you for the "Treat"! I'am a stret lover,Trying desperatly to find a "Maple Neck" (when I can afford it)! Alos am a seriouse fan of Stephy Ray Vaughn> (Hope I spelled that correctly),as well as Rodger Water's>
Perhap's you can help me find a nice Strat,O(On a thght budget)?
Alos please check my F.B. and find a photo of my (Dearly departed good frieng) Gary. The gug put a Strat neck on a Les Paul Body!! Back in 1973!!!!

hot n heavy!

You Bet . Actually Stevie was the only white guy who could not only play this but sing it too. Gary is , or was a superior player . Its just hard to recreate a moment where it all works . Epic Landmark covers are almost impossible . You sometimes become stressful listening as your holding your breath praying he doesn't hit any clams. Great to see & hear this , brings back memories . Gary Moore , one of the Worlds foremost Guitar players of his time.

Great video Griff !!! Still amazed by the power of the brain !!, I am really looking forward to reading your technique to improve brain skills on the guitar.

Thanks again

YD

I have noticed that when I'm playing guitar and singing that the quality of my singing voice is not as good. BUT if I concentrate harder on my singing and keep the guitaring simple the total presentation is better but not better enough. It's interesting.

I've heard it called time slicing. The brain shifts attention and manages to keep all of the body activities appearing simultaneous.

I have to learn to package my guitar playing better so that I don't drift mentally as much. 1) Change the keys of songs to familiar ones to me? Perhaps only two.

Lee

Hi Griff.
Great post. But you left one thing off the list of things a guy needs to think about. We've all come across it at some time I think. I have and I think the mayor of Hiroshima was onto it as well back in about 1945. It's the one that makes you go: "WHAT THE FUK WAS THAT"? Anyway, I've been in and out of bands for years. Rock maunly, did some folk going right back, a little country rock. But I put the thing down for about 20 years on and off. When I got back into it (and Gary Moore is to blame), I needed Moore speed. Is there some kind of drill I can do or a special "Speed" exercise technique? You know, one that works overnight? ha... Great clip of My Hero too. You included it in one of your emails before I think. But I like watching it. Moore on Hendrix. Great stuff. What actually happened?? I knew nothing about it untill I read it in your email. Nothing on the news. I didn't even know he was sick. We'll all miss him. Serious loss...

Again Great post. Great program. I haven't bought anything yet. I'm dealing with some major fraud. It's cost me my wife, my business, house, etc. etc. But I'm climbing back out. Anyway I love the your program, I have all the emails going right back So bear with me.

Before I go, Was there any tribute or anything to Gary? I've actually seen or heard nothing. I can't believe it. Nothing at all.

Regards.
Rickotez

Gary was an extremely talented guiterist and a great performer. thanks for the video Griff !!

Gary Moore's playing is brilliant.
Jimi would be pleased with his playing of his song.
Thanks for posting this video.
Sincerely, Jd

Amen!!!

Hi,
This blog was great. And useful too.
I wanna know about Steve Vai and his techniques of playing Guitar solo's. Not to forget Frank Zappa. I wanna know some the techniques which he employed. If you know any please share it with us.
Kindly reply
Thanks a lot.
:-/

Thank you so much for that.

RIP

HOT,HOT,HOT......... Gary is one of those Guitar God's that truly will be missed!!
Love his tone!! I thank he was one of the GREAT Showman to. R.I.P. Blues Man!!!!

This is a great post. I never could get the hang of singing and playing together that well. The best I could do was to actually learn to play and sing the song simultaneously. If I knew the song and could sing it, learning to play it also was difficult. I had to start all over again learning the song. If I could play the song but didn't know the lyrics, that was even tougher! Starting over as if I never knew the song is the only way I could do it and I realized also that my playing or my singing suffered some either way.

Hello Griff,

Thanks for all the emails you send me, I have learned a few things from you and also learned a few different ways of thinking about the guitar. Thanks much for this video, Gary Moore will be truly missed, what a great guitar player.

Thanks again

Ralph

It was wonderful such passion. Raw emotion.The unity of manifesting your heart through those fingers was amazing!

I Pl;ay a little but Not Like that Beautiful Thks

well griff way down in new zealand were we have had it rough lately with our earth quake so a special mention would be appreciated to christchurch people thanks kev

Listened to Jimi do this back in the 60's, one of my favorites (yea, I'm that old).
Seems like the good ones move on too soon.
Have played guitar on and off for 45+ years.
Me and my Martin...

I really dig this video Grif, thanks for sending it. I was unaware of this artist as I'm mainly concentrating on Robin Trower, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Jimi Hendrix. I really need to research Gary Moore for more great videos. He was truly a great blues player and singer. I've played in bands, (rock, country) and understand that a lot goes thru your mind while playing. I can sing but I can't remember lyrics any tips on remembering lyrics? It's a simple problem but very frustrating to someone who really would like to sing but is held back by this problem. Thanks, and keep up the great work! John.

one of my all time blues favourites done beautifully.
r.i.p. Gary

very nice stuff to die for

Awesome, didn't know Gary Moore was such a M'F__r!! Put a smile on my face.:)

Thanks Griff

Hey Griff,
The post was great that's what i like about you right to the point and you
don't pull any punches. The video was great if i could only play half the speed
Gary was playing that my problem. I have short fingers with a wide palm 96%
of the women i know their fingers are longer than mine and it's killing me. But i
really enjoyed your Blog and the video you always surprise me good job Griff.

I like his style...

WOW!! Thanks for sending this incredible version of Red House. Not many can cover Jimi like that, love it and speechless!

it looks so easy..... i feel very good

I wasn't able to list to the Gary Moore video cause my wi-fi can think & process video at the same time. My question is this, 'cause all I play is a harmonica, can I develop that skill level? Is a every person born with an equal amount & so are able to develop and some are not put in the right circumstance. I think we all have the capability but we don't get the opportunity. My experience is from my youth. I always played sports. I never was a super player. When I was in the Army playing baseball, a guy, being funny, sent a line drive at my head while I was talking to the pitcher. by sheer accident, I saw it coming, put my glove up & caught it. For the next two years I was the MVP at 3rd base for the Fort's baseball league.
If I was never giving the "opportunity" I would never had known I could. How do we push the next gen into those opportunities? If we don't, will we slide down the scale and never have another Gary Moore?

Jimmy Thackery does the best cover of "Red House" EVER.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gdbm0mAlFU
Check it out...

Griff,
Thankx for posting this. I could probulby write the same thing about the Late Willie Pine Top Perkins who pased away today. He was my favorite blues piano player.
Gary Moore was one of a kind that will be trully missed by many. The thing that really impressed me was his ablity to improvise at the drop of a hat. I think he got better as in his later days playing blues..
To improve my skill I try to listen to as many players as possible. My goal is to keep improving on my solo. I know that you put out a lesson on that some time ago. The other thing that I need to do is get out and play at local jams, but like many folks my age it's hard to do when you have to get up and go to work.
Keep up the great work, you inspire me to keep playing and learning everyday!

that was incredible