Why NOBODY Sounds Like John Mayer

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There are so many great players in history that have a sound that is uniquely their own. Sounds that are often imitated, but never quite duplicated. Today we're taking a look at John Mayer's playing to uncover some of the most elusive elements of his sound, and why nobody gets it quite right.

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[maxmunzert]

Rhett! I think it would be awesome if you turned this into a series about your favorite guitar players and what makes them special and what we can learn from their playing and all that!

[sujalgautam]

What actually amazes me is, how he crafts his melodies, his song writing is absolutely masterful.

[Sound_Stable]

In the 2010's I traveled around doing security for damn near every big name artist. Working one of his shows in Northern California was probably the most memorable night of work. There was a disabled kid in the front row with a John Mayer shirt who was super excited to see him, but unfortunately fell asleep half-way through the show. Right at the end of the show, John quickly jumped off stage and went straight to this kid and signed his shirt. We had to immediately form a circle around him because dumbasses were trying to mob him. One chick in particular was pretty out of control(I can still see her face in my head). He left me and this kid with a pretty cool story, when most shows I was left with a pretty negative impression of many artists. Good guy in my book.

[J.D....]

"In Repair" is a serverly underrated song (and solo) and is in my opinion some of Mayers best work.

[leetownsend]

Aside from Mayer's insane guitar playing, his lyrics are utterly brilliant too. Definitely one of the greatest musicians of his generation

[drdoom]

Mayer is a perfect example of taking influences from your heroes, blending it up, and making something new. John Mayer (and a few others) are truly championing blues music for a modern era

[stephonwilliams]

You hit the nail on the head when you said John has a great sense of time and feel. Often why many guitar players can't imitate him.

[RCSmiths]

This is just me, but Mayer's success is proof that the guitar is not dead (not that it ever was) in the realm of pop and commercial music. A talented musician that is talked about a lot indeed!

[gregoryho]

Live versions of "Covered In Rain" - I love it because the solo is so long and it's almost as if it's a song on its own with many different phases, he goes full pelt rock initially and then the next moment he's serenading with a ballad. Also it's freaking JM solo-ing for 5 minutes straight! If you only have 10 minutes left to live, you listen to the solo and then you repeat again.

[Ally.Luscinia]

I've gotta pick one of his most simple solos Edge of Desire, it just blows me away the amount of emotional power expressed through his vibrato. And the accompanying driven chords just sound so damn good.

[cramerfan]

I think you missed an opportunity to talk about how awesome his dynamics are, especially in the Gravity solo. The way he’s able to dig in and then let off to almost nothing in just a couple of notes is, to me, one of the main things that makes that solo so memorable.

[cupcake]

I'm a sucker for Slow Dancing in a Burning Room. Always been a favorite. My favorite version of his solo on it was when I saw him live in Columbus, OH in April of 2017. Just absolutely the most melodic and elegant thing I've ever witnessed.

[pierre-claudemeriot]

I can't believe no one is talking about his "Ain't No Sunshine" live cover.
I love his tone, phrasing and singing so much.

[lilybeejones]

Really loved the Adam Neely reference.

And your explanations! Diving into guitarist techniques is such a cool idea!

[jadeclerc]

“I guess I just feel like” solo has become my favorite solo! The tone is absolutely awesome

[jackprice]

What I love in that solo is how he is switching between minor and major runs and pulls over a very simple progression.

[kmed]

That "changing" solo is such a hidden gem. I find the song itself to be a bit monotonous, so I used to skip out after the 2nd verse but I happened to hear that solo one day and I was blown away.

I definitely think his melodic touch is what makes him unique. His solos sound like a vocal phrase and that makes them super memorable. Plus he has great feel and tone, he's just an incredible player.

[realadamnixon]

The solo on I Guess I Just Feel Like is very Knopfler-esque. Tonally, phrasing, and stylistically it sounds like something that could've come off Knopfler's Sailing to Philadelphia album. But to me, as Knopfler is one of the finest tonesmiths I've ever heard and has gorgeous phrasing, to cop that vibe and feel is extraordinary. Well done Mayer. Playing with restraint, clarity and a strong sense of melody is far more impressive to me than playing fast if the melodic sensibilities suffer. Just my opinion.

[MrPhrygianmaniac]

One of John's many amazing musical abilities is blending blues and pop to perfection. He is so good at that he can make you fall in love with those styles if you werent already a fan. I love your videos Rhett, keep up the great work man !

[stevenpisano]

Rhett! I just saw John Mayer in concert at the Moody Center in Austin, TX four days ago. In listening to his solos during the concert it occurred to me that his genius is that he is a blues player disguised as a pop singer - and I mean that in the best possible way. His simple melodies lure you in, and then you get hit with an amazing piece of playing, and you realize: this guy has studied the greats, and every note or technique has a purpose. This is what you brought out in this video. Strong work. Well done. Sp