You Don't Need Speed to Gain Confidence & Musicality

For publisher-quality tabs & backing tracks of this lesson:

Sound Tools Used in This Vid:

[cg-]

I feel like most guitar teachers on Youtube (try to) teach you to play guitar. Eric teaches you how to be a musician. Love your work man, crazy how every video you post these days is exactly what I need. I appreciate the frequency with which you upload as well. I'm gonna buy one of your courses these days when I have more free time to practice!

[smelltheglove]

Playing the right note is always better than playing a lot of notes fast.

[matroid]

The more I study CCR and Johns solo career, the more I'm in awe of his song writing. Such simple ideas executed absolutely perfectly. 99% of CCR can be played by a beginner, but they arent dumbed down garbage like a lot of 'campfire' acoustic songs.

[gthrockstar]

I was eight years old, for Christmas I got a nylon string guitar, the 'Chronicle' album and the chord book to go along with it. It taught me cowboy chords, rhythm, I IV V, everything.

[plastic_mylar]

These thumbnails have been really great lately, Eric!

[netron]

Ive been playing for 6 years and literally never figured out a simple song by ear, I really need to start with this

[scottjones]

I am certainly not a beginner BUT THIS VIDEO has made me such a better "not beginner" !!! Man laughs at self and appreciates Eric!

[schmalanko]

Probably the most easy to comprehend lessons about how to learn by ear. Definitely going to try with the method you’ve presented here

[konradthoegersen]

My playing has developed more in the last 3-4 since discovering Eric, than the 12 years that came before!

[CMHobbies]

I’ve played guitar more than 20 years. In recent years I’ve accepted that I’m not a fast player. I have rather clumsy fingers and I think I have to work extra hard. But I do have feel and a good ear.

This is the most useful lesson I’ve ever seen.

[rdcoastnyucka]

You are my favorite guitar channel on YouTube. The focus is on feel, which is so much cooler to me than flash.

Speaking of feel, I saw Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin recently. The guitar was very much like your style—fun and understated.

[hardyshmardy]

So clean in the sound, so clear in communicating the why. I love it. And one of my very favorite songs. Thanks!

[dylancole]

I've never seen a better thumbnail

[Tinkerguitars]

As always Eric, you bring music to an easier understanding for the learner and player. You, sir, have a rare gift.

[MatthewJBell]

This is a fantastic lesson. If only I had started with this approach when I picked up the instrument 36 years ago.

[jeffpowers]

Nice to know the “play and see what sounds right” method to figure out the key is valid, I’ve been using that for a while.

Also any time I see someone talking down the capo, I remember David Rawlings uses one more often than not.

[mrbigg]

Great stuff as usual man.
Love CCR. John’s leads have always inspired me and I’ve always wanted to be able to do his type of leads. I’m going to work on it now that you’ve given me the template on how to do it.

[charliemike]

Love your teaching style. I'm currently using your Caged series on truefire. Much appreciation!

[piotrstefanowski]

After watching this video, I decided not to follow my routine and just improvise to a random yt backing track, but instead I opened my spotify 'liked songs' playlist, put it on shuffle and just tried to play along with the records, figuring out the keys, melodies and simply having a good time. Honestly, it was the most fun I had during 'practice routine' in a long while. Also, being this intermediate player who 'can play a lot, but is still nowhere near the great ones', I had this thought that a few years ago I wasn't able to figure out even simple melodies being played, while now I can easily go along with the record and even add something extra to it - just appreciating what I can do instead of constantly thinking about what I lack of.

As it's my first comment on this channel, I want to thank you, Eric, for many fantastic lessons I've seen here! The thing that makes me wanna watch more and more of your videos is not only how even complex topics become simple while you teach them, but also this laid back The Dude-like attitude you have which makes watching these videos a relaxing experience. :)

[NOLAOwl]

Really been enjoying your videos, Eric! I started out not wanting to learn other people's songs because i was trying to write my own. While i did write a bunch of stuff, i am now figuring out that my initial approach closed me off to a lot of learning opportunities and fluidity. It's also nice to see a guy who has similar musical tastes to my own.