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Chordplay - The Chords Of Mahavishnu Orchestra

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  • čas přidán 3. 08. 2024
  • Here's the next episode of Chordplay with The Chords Of Mahavishnu Orchestra. I've had a number of requests to feature some of John McLaughlin's music, so I figured it would be wise to target some of his extensive chord vocabulary first, while also hitting some classic fusion music by Mahavishnu Orchestra at the same time.
    This lesson centers around an assortment of classic McLaughlin-isms, including lush and interesting chord-based moments from songs such as Birds Of Fire, Meeting Of The Spirits, Sanctuary, Lila's Dance, You Know You Know, and much more!
    There's something artistically free and magical surrounding fusion's early rise in the late 1960s and continued into the 1970s. Along with other early fusion artists/groups such as Return To Forever, King Crimson, Allan Holdsworth, and various others, it was John's distinct style and Mahvishnu's intense musical influence as a band that captured something unique at the time, while also spawning numerous copycats and imitators of John's playing style.
    There are some challenging chord-based moments hiding in this lesson, so be sure to take things slowly until you gain a feel for the unusual and interesting chord shapes and advanced tonalities on display in this lesson.
    Give this episode a view, leave some comments/feedback, and please subscribe to Late Night Lessons - THANK YOU!

Komentáře • 113

  • @richardtoland2624
    @richardtoland2624 Před 9 měsíci +9

    I was fortunate to see the Mahavishnu Orchestra perform Birds of Fire. The word intense comes to mind. This band was my gateway into jazz.

  • @jimdep6542
    @jimdep6542 Před 8 měsíci +7

    Your assessment of the Mahavishnu orchestra is right. It's beyond rock / jazz fusion. I saw the Mahavishnu Orchestra several times in the 70's and there was that huge religious vibe that went along with it. Wherever they played, they turned that venue into a cathedral.....and the evil spirits that normally lingered in those establishments didn't appreciate it much....especially at a place like Winterland in San Francisco. One with an awareness could sense that strong "good vs evil" battle that would take place while they were playing, My group of musician friends always simply referred to John McLaughlin as " Mahavishnu" back then. That was a very unique and special time for music and then faded fast by the late 70's. I never experienced any time period like it since.

  • @Emlizardo
    @Emlizardo Před 3 lety +18

    "Something like that. . ." Proceeds to play it perfectly.

  • @George-yj9zs
    @George-yj9zs Před 3 lety +22

    Cheers for this, just what I was looking for! Once I found John McLaughlin I never looked back.....

  • @Smoke3380
    @Smoke3380 Před 3 lety +6

    For me Mahavisnu, is it. There will never be another, especially in this times.

  • @kevinthornton4495
    @kevinthornton4495 Před rokem +2

    "You know you know" sounded even better played on the 12string of his Gibson double neck when I saw them live ,those open string arppeggiated patterns had a more sonarous affect on the Iner mounting flame stuff & on the Birds of fire album and a few after that.. loveed those two Marshall days, what a beautiful raw tone.

  • @rum_bongo
    @rum_bongo Před 2 lety +8

    Inner mounting flame was the album that made me “get” fusion. Changed my musical life profoundly.

  • @kwgm8578
    @kwgm8578 Před 11 měsíci +3

    I noticed that the cover of Mahavishnu's first album, The Inner Mounting Flame, is hanging on the wall. What a great band. Thanks for this video.

  • @CitizenofMelee
    @CitizenofMelee Před 3 lety +5

    Inner Mounting Flame blew me away. It really changed my playing.

  • @tubemank
    @tubemank Před 2 lety +2

    I can see where John's ears were going, from experimenting with these lush Zawinul-type chords and especially the particular modes he overlaid while soloing, which isn't always the obvious mode unless you're hearing it. The droning and tesselations of notes in the chords is reminiscent of Indian music. It all came together brilliantly. What ears, man! And he practiced 8 - 10 hours a day. It shows.

  • @greg77hot
    @greg77hot Před 3 lety +10

    Unbelievable guitarist... I loved how he threw a blues riff in there .thank you David

  • @genepozniak
    @genepozniak Před 2 lety +2

    I have this great memory of playing the first part of "Dance of Maya" on an acoustic guitar while my 7-yo Godson played a zombie video game that was so scary for him that he didn't want to play it if I wasn't in the room with him; but he LOVED how "Dance of Maya" was enhancing the scariness in a way he could still handle (as long as I was in the room). 😱🎃👹🧟‍♂💚🧟‍♀🎶🎵

  • @absolutebeginner2733
    @absolutebeginner2733 Před 3 lety +7

    thank you for making this difficult, fascinating art of guitar a bit more accessible to us mortals

  • @kennethwashington5207
    @kennethwashington5207 Před 23 dny

    You’ve nailed Birds of Fire, no.. all of John’s songs perfectly. Best I’ve ever heard outside of the original. Deep Heaviness!!

  • @charles2383
    @charles2383 Před měsícem

    I was so thrilled to be going to a Mahavishnu orchestra concert at my college one night in the early seventies that I didn’t pay close attention to the poster which if I had I would have seen that it clearly said The Hahavishnu Orchestra. Imagine my altered experience

  • @jamessator5564
    @jamessator5564 Před 3 lety +3

    Great episode!! Gary Richrath, I know I’m not the only one that would see your take on his playing, I was born in the Midwest, he’s the reason I hold a Les Paul in my hands 😎
    Thanks Dave for all you do !

  • @jimdep6542
    @jimdep6542 Před 8 měsíci +1

    Well done ! First time I've heard somebody playing these chords..besides McLauglin. Brings back those great memories and feelings when I first heard this material back in the 70's. The phase shifter is set just right too.

  • @simondavies6270
    @simondavies6270 Před rokem +1

    Thank you for making this video giving an insight into John McLaughlin's chord playing. I too became enthralled by it when in the late eighties I took up the guitar discovering those fusion players of a decade earlier. You are right it is not quiet jazz nor rock or blues which I love but something other worldly and I loved it. This video was a real treat to watch waking up this Easter morning reminiscing my youth.Thanks

  • @SwamiOrchestra
    @SwamiOrchestra Před měsícem +1

    John played the Meeting of the Spirits-Chords with the thumb on the bass notes. Nice to see on older Videos.

  • @pobinr
    @pobinr Před měsícem

    Reminds me how wonderful John's chordal compositions are I've been listening to for 50 years!
    Lilas dance especially. Takes me to another place.
    Well done. Tabs would be nice, just being cheeky 😊

  • @MikeCindyWhite
    @MikeCindyWhite Před 3 lety +3

    Awesome Dave, I have listened to John McLaughlin but never the Mahavishnu Orchestra, New music day for my wife and me! As always thanks for the lesson bro 🎸🎸👍

  • @shirleymental4189
    @shirleymental4189 Před rokem +1

    This is not easy music but you play and teach it very well. Thank you.

  • @STRAT62
    @STRAT62 Před 3 lety +1

    I was an army bandsman (guitar) in the early eighties. Besides having to audition to be accepted as a player, all players from all branches of service had to attend and graduate the school of music (six months of intense study and practice), located in Norfolk, VA. This was after you successfully completed basic training. Anyway, on the percussion instructor's door were copies of Billy Cobham's progress reports...all A's. (I believe he was in the Navy)You already had to have some chops and musical experience before you were even given the chance to audition. It had been a long time since his attendance and my attendance, yet to those of us in the know, it was super cool!

  • @tomasmarques1851
    @tomasmarques1851 Před 3 lety +4

    Wonderful, thank you 🙏

  • @jovianfusion
    @jovianfusion Před 2 lety +4

    Love your playing first of all. Secondly, very informative as I am a huge fan of JM. Those Chords are indeed challenging, but instantly they take you into another haunting place.

  • @alphonsomartinez8235
    @alphonsomartinez8235 Před 3 lety +4

    I've listened to this music a million times and he's spot on Bravo to him

  • @MadamOst
    @MadamOst Před 2 lety +2

    I love and adore John Mclaughlin and his music.

  • @augustwest2002
    @augustwest2002 Před 10 měsíci +1

    I just found out about that Gmaj13#11 after seeing Shakti last month. He played the Lila's Dance intro and I was determined to finally figure out how to play it. Great video and channel! Your chords of Steely Dan vid was awesome, too.

  • @kennybeckett
    @kennybeckett Před rokem +1

    Love the mahavishnu orchestra Riffs your playing so well,the right tempo as well bravo also love the inner moulting flame framed album cover on the wall 😢🎸

  • @PetraKann
    @PetraKann Před 3 lety +3

    Carlos Santana said John McLaughlin was a rare guitarist that could play fast but still retain melody

  • @victorwong9622
    @victorwong9622 Před 2 lety +1

    Thanks for mentioning Robert Fripp!!

  • @elbecko7969
    @elbecko7969 Před 3 lety +3

    I've had Apocalypse playing in my car pretty much since January

    • @Smoke3380
      @Smoke3380 Před 3 lety +1

      The beginning of vision is a naked sword, truly changed my life, it's like I was deaf, then all of a sudden that sound.

  • @TheHumbuckerboy
    @TheHumbuckerboy Před 3 lety +1

    " Spooky and mysterious" ... absolutely .

  • @drax13
    @drax13 Před 3 lety +1

    The first time you hear 'The Noonward Race', it'll blow your hair back.

  • @radewar
    @radewar Před 3 lety +4

    We need a Robert Fripp/King Crimson video!

  • @LarsonGuitarPlayer
    @LarsonGuitarPlayer Před 3 lety +1

    Great chordplay! Had those albums when I was young. Have never thought it could be played. It’s a different universe for me. Loved the Shakti years.

  • @WindsOfNeptune
    @WindsOfNeptune Před 3 lety +5

    Amazing to see/hear someone playing these mesmerizing guitar parts I've been listening to for years! Who writes parts like these? It's like music from another dimension. Btw 'Lila's Dance' is pronounced "LEELA"

  • @arturoromero8585
    @arturoromero8585 Před 3 lety +1

    Bird of fire blew my mind first time i listen to it🙉🎸👌

  • @chrismonteleone9953
    @chrismonteleone9953 Před 3 lety +4

    Did you know there are recordings of Jimi Hendrix and John Mclaughlin jamming! Great stuff. How doing a Alvin Lee segment now.

  • @deke61sg
    @deke61sg Před 3 lety +1

    How is it possible? Only 57,000 followers? Love this channel! Keep it coming.

    • @mervynhowell7784
      @mervynhowell7784 Před 3 lety

      Yeah, completely agree. There isn`t much, if anything, this fella can`t do on guitar. Always impressive.

  • @ivonsmith4255
    @ivonsmith4255 Před 2 lety +1

    Utterly fantastic! Love your work!!

  • @renedewael9703
    @renedewael9703 Před rokem +1

    Hi ! Great demo, since I’m struggling with the thumb technique, witch is unusual for me 🥵, and saw lot of time how easy JM play like this.
    Also, one stunning chord arpeggio progression is on Apocalypse, after the orchestra storm. Very tricky. Fast, patterns like Dance of Maya, incredible ambiance !

  • @MrTubularBalls
    @MrTubularBalls Před 3 lety

    Anything with McLaughlin in it gets an instant thumbs up from me!

  • @TheHumbuckerboy
    @TheHumbuckerboy Před 3 lety +1

    The chords and indeed the music of the classic M O are pure genius ... mind blowing and wonderful !

  • @VALINOR24
    @VALINOR24 Před 3 lety +2

    Great lesson David and thank you. Exactly the kind of lesson I hoped to see. If you don't mind, check out Pierre Bensusan, he plays in DADGAD tuning and I'd enjoy a lesson on his chordal work. Once again, thank you for the John McLaughlin lesson. Wonderfully done!!

  • @mikedodge7012
    @mikedodge7012 Před 3 lety +2

    For the second part of You Know You Know, the Em is from the 7th fret, the D from the 5th, and then the Bm A and Em are the same as the beginning. So it’s a straight shot down the fretboard on the A string...7 5 2 open and the down to the E string.
    I don’t mean this negative at all, I love how you are bringing these tunes to your fans (which I am one) and your delivery is always excellent.
    Another note for influence...JM is Jeff Beck’s biggest modern influences. There a many articles and interviews with Jeff where he details how JM the MO influenced his playing as the future of guitar and music, leading him right into the recording the Blow by Blow album. For Wired Nawarda who drummed with the MO plays and wrote most of the album, and Jam Hammer played and wrote on it too of course. As a matter of fact, one of Jeff’s biggest tributes to the MO is, Jeff starts almost every single concert with a Mahavishnu tune. It’s like every tour he picks one of two JM tunes to open his shows.

  • @rvanstar
    @rvanstar Před 3 lety

    Brilliant .. more please!

  • @azstanp
    @azstanp Před 3 lety +1

    Superb! Bravo for choosing such an excellent--if sadly obscure--group of musical artists.

  • @HarlanHarvey76
    @HarlanHarvey76 Před 3 lety

    That last passage is just too cool sounding!

  • @jboughtin7522
    @jboughtin7522 Před 3 lety

    Thx. Liked this lesson. I am a long time fan of this band.

  • @teresathomley3703
    @teresathomley3703 Před 3 lety

    Meeting of the spirits....great video!!

  • @johnhoward2687
    @johnhoward2687 Před 3 lety

    Very interesting and very cool lesson. I will have to listen to these guys. Thanks Dave.

  • @noahbryanmccutcheon7625

    Different and interesting, thanks!

  • @cfibanez
    @cfibanez Před 3 lety +1

    Nice video. Thanks. Speaking of that time in the 70s when fusion came up, Larry Coryell's 11th House must be mentioned.

  • @parithrush7921
    @parithrush7921 Před 3 lety

    Excellent post.

  • @timjohnson3877
    @timjohnson3877 Před 3 lety

    Great stuff -- not enough people know about this history!

  • @EarthAltar
    @EarthAltar Před 3 lety +1

    Ha! As soon as I saw the thumbnail I said he's going to do Birds of Fire.

  • @gil84rs
    @gil84rs Před 3 lety

    Great lesson, thank you for sharing your knowledge

  • @VixCrush
    @VixCrush Před 3 lety

    I saw him play with Dave Brubeck. Sick show....

  • @odyssey99999
    @odyssey99999 Před 3 lety

    YES!

  • @armonepaiomar6243
    @armonepaiomar6243 Před 3 lety +4

    Chords of Larry Coryell in the future?

  • @Kevin-the-Just
    @Kevin-the-Just Před 3 lety

    My first experience of John McLaughlin and Mahavishnu Orchestra was actually Inner Mounting Flame, from where some of your selections originated. Very intimidating guitar parts for a novice player as I was back in the 70s. Jazz-Fusion was interesting to me for a while back then in the 70s-80s. I really enjoyed Scofield, DiMeola, Clarke and Corea et all, but I find that style can be a challenging listen now. I must have spent too long in the pentatonics.

  • @FunkadelicPancho
    @FunkadelicPancho Před 3 lety

    Meeting of the spirits. Phrygian awesomeness

  • @azstanp
    @azstanp Před 3 lety +1

    I would love to see you do a Fripp/Eno video featuring some material from "Here come the Warm Jets."

  • @HarlanHarvey76
    @HarlanHarvey76 Před 3 lety +3

    Did you do a Zappa Chordplay yet??

  • @pomod
    @pomod Před 2 lety +1

    Thanks for this. Love John McLaughlin's playing. Would there be a 3-Licks vid in the future? ;p
    I'm obsessed with the record he did with Santana in '73 lately. (Love, Supreme Surrender) - it's so great.

  • @alexguitarfan6447
    @alexguitarfan6447 Před 3 lety +1

    Cool lesson Dave, i think i can hear Johns lead guitar influence on Eric Johnson and i think i might of heard Eric say it himself in an interview:) Please do a chordplay on Mike Landau?.. many thanks, alex

  • @jimhagler3716
    @jimhagler3716 Před 3 lety

    saw them live twice. once with Jerry Goodman and once with Jean Luc Ponty. saw the one truth band later.

  • @daniellerussell9876
    @daniellerussell9876 Před rokem +1

    I would love to learn more about the chord progression on the song "Resolution."

  • @rodiebobwilliams1330
    @rodiebobwilliams1330 Před 3 lety

    Wow.. Ive never heard any. I did hear the violin player once but that was with the Dixie Dregs in Fort Worth in 1991.. Great show.
    Huge Dregs fan as well< I still think Steve Morse is way underated guitar player, at least by the public unless you been going to deep purple concerts..lol

  • @mikedodge7012
    @mikedodge7012 Před 3 lety +1

    Love this stuff, I’m a huge JM fan. John plays Meeting of the Spirits with his thumb on the first chord. He also keeps the open G string ringing through both chords. So the only thing that changes is the bass note.

    • @renedewael9703
      @renedewael9703 Před rokem

      Sorry but no. On the second chord G string ringing go to B fourth fret same string, with the pinky.

  • @ivonsmith3095
    @ivonsmith3095 Před 3 lety

    John uses his thumb most of the time in chords as in MotS, Lila. Beautiful work tho. Thanks for putting it up. Some of the best guitar music ever written

  • @ashevilleguitar
    @ashevilleguitar Před 3 lety +2

    Nice video but one thing I noticed is you played “Sanctuary” straight, I think it has more of a swing triplet feel if I remember correctly ? :) 👍

  • @gokberkmusic6865
    @gokberkmusic6865 Před 3 lety +2

    Chords of pat metheny...

  • @mvjonsson
    @mvjonsson Před 3 lety

    Meeting with the spirits.

  • @getransistor
    @getransistor Před 3 lety

    Really?! How awsome are you?! Are you my spirit animal????

  • @dripstein6130
    @dripstein6130 Před 3 lety +1

    PLEASE do Jason Becker, he deserves it

  • @watchingyoutube7330
    @watchingyoutube7330 Před 9 měsíci +1

    The Mahavishnu period was and is so unique. Do you have the TABS for those pieces? Thanks.

  • @Scottocaster6668
    @Scottocaster6668 Před 3 lety

    Speaking of 60s-70s era guitarists, how about a WOODSTOCK chordplay with Alvin Lee, CSNY, Canned Heat, Arlo Guthrie, etc.
    Thanks B🐓!

  • @jackcockburn8259
    @jackcockburn8259 Před 3 lety

    Birds of Fire-so that’s what guitar can be when one knows how the heck to really play guitar
    Thank you all

  • @guntherdoblies4357
    @guntherdoblies4357 Před 2 lety +1

    Thank you for all this! One comment: I'm rather sure, that concerning You Know You Know there is something lacking in your chords. The first chord (Em79/B) has both notes: f-sharp (4th string) AND g (open 3rd g-string) TOGETHER. Analog for the B-Part: the first chord (Am79/E) has both notes: c (string 3) AND b (open 2nd b-string). What is your opinion? 🙂 Guenther Doblies from Switzerland

  • @singsang9460
    @singsang9460 Před 3 lety +2

    12:00 ! please play G# the major third, not G . Apart from that ,thank you for the excellent video.

  • @samchase1295
    @samchase1295 Před 3 lety

    another stellar lesson! Did I miss the explanation of the new playing position?

  • @gsandell
    @gsandell Před 6 měsíci +1

    Would help with some form of music notation, at the very least tabs with chord symbols, but music notation even better. The most characteristic chord of McLaughlin’s is a major chord with a bass a half-step below the chord’s root…I was surprised that you didn’t mention it.

  • @gktde9874
    @gktde9874 Před 3 lety

    Ironically, guitar players like Jeff Beck and Chris Poland `re more influenced by Mahavishnu`s keyboard wizard Jan Hammer. His Minimoog-solo style like the bendings and the major pentatonic with the minor seventh runs was a huge influence (for me too)!

  • @Cordmichael
    @Cordmichael Před 9 měsíci +1

    Can you possibly show us what these chords look like a bit closer up? Immhaving trouble seing what you ar doing exactly.Thank You.

  • @jefft.7937
    @jefft.7937 Před 3 lety

    Chords of SHAKTI next :-P

  • @trabrex7697
    @trabrex7697 Před 4 měsíci +1

    What are you going through? What is Your set up? Talk about your guitar and amp set up please

  • @samwisegamgee4659
    @samwisegamgee4659 Před 3 lety +1

    You Know You Know....Count it: 9(Chords)+15(Silence) = 24/4?

  • @straightshooter8662
    @straightshooter8662 Před 3 lety

    Hi do you do any stretches etc for your hands either before you play or in general and if so can you share please thanks

  • @NoLegalPlunder
    @NoLegalPlunder Před 3 lety

    The beginning stuff does sound similar to Rush's No One At the Bridge.

  • @guntherdoblies4357
    @guntherdoblies4357 Před 2 lety

    Sorry: First chord (part A) is of course Bm7(b13), and the first chord from part B is Em(b13)

  • @wulfenii64
    @wulfenii64 Před 3 lety

    Thank you man. There's very little info on John on YT.

    • @wulfenii64
      @wulfenii64 Před 3 lety

      There is a video of him somewhere where he's talking about harmony and he plays 2nds, 3rds, 4ths and 5ths to demonstrate. His playing is so fluid when he does it. I can't find it anymore.

  • @ivonsmith3095
    @ivonsmith3095 Před 3 lety

    Please include another demo of MO’s Trilogy part 1 at least. That’s be awesome. Eternity’s Breath?? Miles Beyond.

  • @waynegram8907
    @waynegram8907 Před 3 lety

    They have vault tapes of Jimi Hendrix with John Mclaughlins jams and going to make an album. That is somewhat sad that people don't know who is Mahavishnu Orchestra is but it doesn't surprise me because most of the new generation doesn't even know who is Richie Havens or CSNY and half the bands at Woodstock. David Crosby first solo album has a bunch of people on that album that the new generation wouldn't even know who they are or which bands they are from, let alone all the weird chords David Crosby was doing and Joni Mitchell chord voices and guitar tunings back then. To me its very sad that all those chord voicing and chords used not many people notice or look into because those bands and albums are 50years ago now that people don't get into because its a big gap now. Those weird chords from John McLaughlin are nothing what David Crosby, Richie Havens and Joni Mitchell were doing 10years earlier and that is just naming a few from that era.

  • @dadduorp
    @dadduorp Před 23 dny

    Geez. Trying to figure out the fingering to the G13#11 on Lilas' Dance is tough, and online has variations that are digit twisters or just don't sound right. What's your recommendation on proper fingering?

  • @manjay49
    @manjay49 Před 2 lety +1

    Great chanel. Thanks so much for featuring JM and MO. So important in the developement of modern music. I saw JM with Tony Williams 3 times in 1970 and also MO original lineup in July 1972. They are my favourite band of all time. Here is a clip with JM's fingering choices on Meeting of the Spirits. The use of his thumb for the low G makes things a bit less challenging. m.czcams.com/video/gGBY4hmNamM/video.html. For me, a lot of the dissonant chords and use of open strings comes from his very early love of, and devotion to, flamenco. But he used tremolo picking with a plectrum instead of finger style. To me, this seems much more difficult. Thanks again.

  • @francinebacone1455
    @francinebacone1455 Před 3 lety

    by the way, if you could check out the chords of bands like Martyr, Gorguts/Negativa, and Cynic that would be awesome

  • @inkve1979
    @inkve1979 Před 3 lety

    Dave...Is this a top mount bridge on your prs...??

  • @williamdillard8330
    @williamdillard8330 Před rokem +1

    Could you call off the notes in the chords please?