British guitarist explains how to play WITHOUT LOOKING!
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- So tonight I started to look at Chris Cain, and ended up explaining something I get asked quite a lot!
Original video - • CHRIS CAIN 25 09 19
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I nearly 60 years old and my grandson is teaching me and it pretty hard but we enjoy it keep rocken thank you
I'm 61 and I started teaching myself to play a guitar two and a half years ago but I've played drums all my life pretty much but don't quit because it only gets easier even for us old folks I'm at the point now where I'm like a sponge and just getting better and better everyday I should have taught myself to play guitar years ago
I admire your appreciation for and knowledge of various genres of music. There is a saying that those who can't, teach and those that can, do. But you certainly do equally well with both!
I think I've heard people misquoting Aristotle in a similar way! He said 'those who know, do, those who understand, teach.' People incorrectly think the quote is something like 'those that can, do, those that cannot, teach.' Which is exactly the opposite so about as wrong as it can get! 😅
@@wingsofpegasus😂🤣
@@wingsofpegasus wow. I learned something today!!!😁
The visual sense is so powerful that if you navigate the fretboard by looking then the other two senses involved, touch and hearing, might decide to take it easy because the sight has it all covered. This might slow the development of touch and hearing skills whereas playing without looking might lead to hightened sense of touch and hearing rather like a blind person gaining sensitivity in other senses because they are being relied on more. Also, if you look at the fretboard habitually and play in the same keys you can get overly dependant on fretboard markers for navigation which is definitly a bad habit. I think its definitly a good idea to practice without looking.
Lol. I don’t have a choice. But learning where my fingers go for one chord is proving quite challenging. Oooh. I’ve got to go listen. Dude is awesome!
I always smile when I see a guitarist that's not staring down at what they're playing. (In the same way that I do when I see a basketball player keeping their eyes trained on the basket, not the ball as it arcs. (Yeah, apologies for entirely veering my contribution to the discussion. LOL)
Thank you, Fil, for this in-depth analysis of how to approach learning to play guitar. Your analogies are helpful, and I think it is the same as typing on a keyboard-I have to look down once to get my reference point. So, the main point is to practice correctly, every day, to get the muscle memory correct. I appreciate this helpful and interesting video.
I've also watched Uncle Ted play many times..his eyes never adorn the fret board and many other great guitarists too...thanks Fil
There's nothing like when Ted Nugent or SRV close their eyes and go full beast mode. Just let the music flow. Or in Nuget's case let the music run wild.
Ted live is a genius . Especially his use of feedback and induced harmonics .
Wonderful analogy with the phone in the PlayStation that’s the mark of a good teacher by the way! Excellent video😎
Oh yeah. It’s much clearer now. But for some reason my phone technique isn’t working on my guitar. I’ve “hey Siri”d myself to death. She’s not listening obviously. I have no problem finding the bloody door though. It doesn’t move. Repeat the slide. Right. Fil, I loved listening to Chris and you. I’ll be happy when my muscle memory will find the correct placement more than twice in a row. Keep up the awesome work!
I just turned on my nephew, Julian Carlson, to your channel. He’s a guitarist and is just graduating from college so kudos to him and I think he will really enjoy your show. I’m telling everyone I know about you.
Thanks!
Thank you for the explanation Fil ! I don't play guitar. I admire you and those that can. I dabbled with it many years ago in high school. I watch your videos. I like to watch you play 🤘
Morning Fil from the USA or afternoon where you are.😊 Love your analysis! I dont't understand all what you say because I don't play the guitar but when I can buy me a beginner electric keyboard(always wanted to play the piano) I feel better. I will probably look at the keys but you know what I just want to learn just for the pure enjoyment. Thanks for clearing up Aristotle too. All my life I heard the wrong thing. Fil there are good teachers and there are bad teachers and you are a "great" teacher! CZcams and your subscribers are mighty lucky to have you! I wished you lived in the USA! I bet there are other music teachers who are listening to you and learning how to teach differently. I could listen to you all day.😍😚💕👏🤗😍
Thanks!
I literally saw this dude last night, great show and great timing on this video!
I know this all about guitar playing, but I have to say this: John Lodge of the Moody Blues fascinates the hell out of me with the sheer effortlessness of his bass playing. He never looks and never misses a beat...and it never looks as if he's playing a bass. Just fascinating all round.
Roy Buchanan often stared at what he was playing. I don’t think he needed to do so. It was just a habit. I do something similar, although I sometimes close my eyes. You have to look somewhere whilst playing. I was always too shy to look at the audience. Eeeeeek! Great conversation, awesome topic. Thank You, Dear Fil! ❤️
Look at the blonde in the 1st row.
@@morgenholz 🤣 The blonde in the first row is probably more interested in the drummer.
@@futuredirected She needs to get the bass player that sleeps on her sofa out of her house first.
@@morgenholz It’s funny because it’s true! 🤣
I've watched a bunch of videos on how to play without looking at your fretboard, and this is the best explanation I've seen. It boils down to this: (1) Identify your ground-floor fret, the one your 1st position minor pent starts on. (2) know how to slide up or down to the 2nd or 5th position. (3) practice a lot without looking at your guitar.
FIL, P.S. I LOVE WHEN YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR DURING A VIDEO, A SUPER PLUS, KEEP ON DOING THIS, IT WILL MAKE PEOPLE WANT TO PLAY THIER GUITAR MORE THAN THEY DO, YOU ROCK, COUSIN FIGEL
wow, what a great guitarist. Never saw him before. Great catch, Thanks for another good one.
Great post, Fil. It is fascinating to hear you explain music to the non-musicians like me. It makes me wish I had learned to play the guitar! You rock.
Chris Cain use to be a regular player here in Silicon Valley (San Jose, CA). Since he's gone nationally, he plays only 3-4 gigs here now.
I'll break my neck getting to the door in the dark 😂😂 This was great, Fil 💙
FIL, A GREAT VIDEO, AND YOUR GREAT COMMENTS, WHEN YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK, YOU LEARN THE NECK OF A GUITAR, YOU DON;T REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT IT, THIS TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF PLAYING, A FRIEND OF MINE ONCE TOLD ME PLAY YOUR GUITAR IN A DARK ROOM, YOU WILL SCREW UP, BUT IF YOU DO IT LONG ENOUGH, YOU WILL GET IT DONE, HE WAS RIGHT, GREAT STUFF HERE, ROCK ON, COUSIN FIGEL
Ohhhhh, nice .......
I needed that,lol. Still unpacking, , grooving to music. 👍
It doesn’t matter how much or how hard we work , music gets us through it. Muscle memory is so important. Haha I found that out , moving into my new house , carrying boxes up 18 stairs , also reminded me of muscle memory,my legs feel like noodles lol.
Thanks for sharing that Fil .
Great demonstration, thanks.👍🎸
Awesome lesson Fil thanks for everything
My teacher, Mr Rodger Filiberto, taught me to play without looking by...
1) Putting sheet music in front of me
2) Smacking me in the head when my eyes wondered
😂🤣
We don't have the same approach 😅
Fortunately, the stentorian disciplinarians are a dying breed. In the 70s, when I was at school we had a headmaster who turned into a ball of fury whenever one of us kids didn't have our school blazer on or our tie was crooked. After him, we had a headmistress shrew who would coarsen your insides if you got on the wrong side of her. Good riddance to that! 😊
@@tullfan7872 One of my classmates had the audacity to turn up without the school badge on his blazer so he was sent home immediately and told to return displaying the school badge. This he did by returning a couple of hours later with the school badge sewn on the back pocket of his jeans.
NuclearGrizzly , my piano playing was so good that my 90 year old piano teacher fell asleep.. I thought she was dying the first time she did this. Lord Have Mercy...
Very good job of demonstrating technique that crosses over to all stringed instruments. I think folks in the classical guitar area tend to look at the fretboard more than other styles of guitar playing, "imo". Thanks for bringing another artist I've never heard of, his playing was lyrical!
Gotta find a place for us older blues enthusiasts here in Austin. And young ones, too.. Company’s coming. Yay. Great teaching video.. now I will be able to play like you. 🤣
The lead dots on the top of the fretboard are the reference point as well. I used to teach and that's how to tell a newbie from someone who has been playing awhile. Newbies are always looking at the fretboard instead of the lead dots because they haven't acquired that reference point or muscle memory yet.
Great lesson Fil! Really appreciate it and you! And yup, I got my new guitar out and had to pause the video about a million times playing along. Definitely still watching my fingers, lol. Maybe in a few thousand more hours of practice...
Seeing with ears and finger fingers. Amazing player/performer with lots and lots of feeling and soul. Chris is one of the best of the best.
I taught myself to play without looking by playing, standing only, while in a dark room. Not on purpose, I just like dark rooms (don't judge me). I ended up, however, with an unexpected problem. I few years back I finally decided to finally bite the bullet and spend the $$$ on a proper Ibanez Jem. The filigree work up and down the fretboard absolutely screwed me up. I tried to look at the side markers but still couldn't figure out where I was most of the time. I would be in eighth position instead of seventh and so on. Finally, I had to just stop looking at my left hand and I was fine. Live and learn.
👍
One word "Dynamics".
So important and yet so many bands have no clue how to use it to their advantage. Great video once again Fil
A pleasure to see and hear
My guess is that you put on a great live show by yourself, I have no way of knowing for sure of course. My grandfather left me his self-built "one mand band" after he passed away. It allowed him to have accompaniment from many different instruments when he played live by himself (percussion and brass instruments connected to a wearable pole of sorts). It is an amazing thing, and I treasure it. The technology that people now have to do the same thing is absolutely amazing, but that doesn't mean it is easy. I am incredibly impressed when I see someone using MIDI loopers and Mu.Mi gloves and all the other things that are available, but it also makes me wish I was born when my grandfather played, because what he did must have been a sight to see.
I remember seeing a video of Clarence Carter putting a capo on his guitar. I was watching and he was feeling.
Very interesting. Not all of us are musicians we just know what we like. So it is good to have it explained to us. Thanks
Practice makes sense, thanks for the tips 🙏
1st It's not long winded at all..
It's great knowledge..
2nd he's a great lead player..
3rd i love your sliding up/ down 2 frets... 3 octaves .. Extended shapes... Absolutely love it....
4th I'm wrapping myself around my guitar ... I watch where I'm going ...
I need work... Nice help on tapping i definitely need help on tapping...
Thanks teach... Brotherrrrrrr
P.s. love you Brotherrrrr 💘
Jeff Healey is the ultimate example of playing without looking because he was blind. It's about knowing where the notes and chord shapes are; feeling the guitar. The more you know the less you think about it. It's when, "what you have learned becomes instinctual."
Its like you said Fil, "its muscle memory and familiarity."
Thank you!! The demonstration and explanation couldn’t have come at a better time relating to my personal learning to play! And clearing up about looking or not looking actually makes me feel better ! This whole video is just well perfect! Thanks so much!!
And his playing is crazy good!!
It comes from years of practice to play without looking. Thanks for another great analysis video. Cheers, Fil!
You are never long winded Fil. always enjoy your demonstrations. a lot can be said for muscle memory, just look at blind musicians like (Jose Feliciano, Ray Charles) just to name a few. as You know play their instrument by feel and muscle memory. this was one of your best! thanks teacher Fil.
You're a great teacher.
Thanks!
Usually, my head is just pointed down, and I'm not really seeing anything. It just looks as if I'm fretboard gazing. When I'm deep-down in the groove, I'm not aware of much else than the music. But, sometimes, I just LIKE watching my hands when I play. Beautiful Strat, by the way!
wow what a great player! thanks for the introduction to him!
Well there is the trick to playing guitar Fil.
1) Give it a good look the day you buy it.
2) Buy your guitars tuned.
3) Buy a lot of them.
4) The strings go on the outside.
5) You should be famous within 3 minutes.
6) if you're not signed by the time you're 24 years old it's time to hang it up.
7) What determines whether or not you achieve any success is your TSL- Time Spent Listening.
a lot of people never really understand advertising, marketing, format, and programming.
Billboard Magazine- the world needs good farmers. Bring your shovel and bring your hairline.
We build muscle memory.
Well done Fil. Great refresher course!
I learned to do it by practice. I paid for 4 guitar lessons but the last one it was raining to hard to make my the lesson. I had to walk about 3 miles to get there and I didn't have a guitar case. I've had 3 guitar lessons after that I was self trained. I also had 3 karate lessons about the same time. Due to that I told people I played a kick ass guitar
We like this style of analysis video where you add a little more detailed and advanced information. Thanks Fil! 🤘
Typing without looking at the keys is a good example.
Absolutely! I'm a writer, spending an ungodly amount of time at my keyboard, and I'm SO glad I broke the awful habit back at the beginning of my career.
That's exactly what I was thinking! Learned to type in high school and have never forgotten.
Wasn't allowed to look down in high school 😊
Computers have made it possible to fake it a bit as well since you don't have to be as careful as with the paper and possibly a carbon copy under it. ;)
First thing taught in typing class was to find "HOME".
Fil , you have a uniquely effective way of decomposing ! OK , I'll be serious and say that I learn more from your videos than any other source . Thanks !
Gotta love the blues, especially raw blues like this. And that was a good explanation, you always keep them interesting even for us non-musicians.
The result of many decades of hard work, on top of talent. Great stuff!
The Blues.... I like it ! 😉
Cool a free guitar lesson 😆
I look at my Fender Strat every day,for 20+ years now & I still haven't learned a note ! ( Well really I bought it for my son but he lost intrest & I said well I always wanted to play..... & 20 years later no dice )
I need a swift kick in the azz 😲
Thank-you Fil... well done as always mate ! Keep rockin' 😎🎸
Request:
Now that we got my request for The Band out of the way....
With Levon Helm ( R.I.P) an awesome drummer - Singer
it's time for another one with Don Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad ~
We're An American Band [promo film]
Great explanation for non players Fil, and even a tidbit or two for those of us that do. Enjoyed it as always Fil.
Thanks, Fil. Excellent explanation and description! As per usual, wonderful information about playing!
Wow!!!!! The Blues is beautiful and great music🎸🎸🎸👏👏👏👏exellent note congratulations⚘⚘⚘
What a coincidence, Ive just come from watching Chris Cain jamming "Cross Cut Saw" at Norms Vintage Guitars, so two channels I subscribe to featuring the same guy on the same day. Great video Fil, Chris is a great blues man.
love watching and hearing you play!! you should do it more. you arr so talented, i think you are as talented as these people you analyze.
sorry should have been more often
Thanks!
I Remember playing in my room with the lights off and the blinds down when I was a youngster trying to learn the fretboard without looking! Mum would ask me what all the noise was in the early days lol! But I got better and actual received a few nice compliments from her! Really great analysis Fil! Cheers Mario!😀🤘👌
I saw Jerry Douglas playing his dobro and he is watching his left hand a lot. Sometimes he is not. I would think since on the dobro the strings are about 5/16 inch above the fret and never touch the fret he has not tactile feedback that the bar is over the fret. So I think this necessitates the dobro players have to look at their bar hand to ensure they are directly over the fret.
This was great! I loved quiet tones when he was playing up the neck. Loud and searing it would be good too, but bringing down the dynamics made me appreciate it more. I learned with just chords then some scales or shapes, butt I never got comfortable enough to stay in the same part of the neck. Clean barre chords were a challenge so I used the capo.
Fabulous playing! And fabulous Fil's playing, yeah, what more could you ask for!
Thanks Paula!
@@wingsofpegasus You're welcome,Darlin'.....
Muscle memory..finger memory, you are exactly right of course.
Damn, great analogy Fil, with the phone and game control pad and guitar fretboard. I would have never come up with that way to explain it to a non guitarist, even though it seems so simple now.
I use the Bob Ross method of not looking at the guitar, which is to say there are no wrong notes, just happy little accidents. A LOT of happy little accidents in my case.
We should get together LOL :-)
"It’s not the note you play that’s wrong. It's the note you play afterwards that makes it right or wrong." - Miles Davis
@@randybare Little story relating to that. I saw Miles Davis with Mike Stern on guitar. Mike played a chord so dissonant and out of key that it was obvious, instantly, just from the grimace on Mike's face. Miles blew one note, and everything resolved right back to where it should be. Mike looked at Miles and the expression of amazement/gratitude on his face was funny as hell
I allow myself the occasional glance at the fretboard.
Eye contact is important. It allows you to engage with the crowd. Plus, +, you can see that they LIKE you! Find one friendly face and soon they're all smiling.
By the time I learn how to play guitar, I would be too old to learn how to play without looking. But interesting video Fil. 🤘
It is the same as a dancer pointing their feet in a straddle leap or always dotting “i” in your signature even though no one can tell there’s a i. My father puts a large spike at the beginning of the “H” in his signature and if he has to sign the top of a page he often runs off the top of the paper.
That made my brain hurt.😩 However, great instructive information!😁 Thanks, Fil!
Really enjoyed this Lesson Fil, Chris Cain is a great player and seems like a nice person, have seen him in Normans Rare Guitars videos hamming it up, Jeff in LA USA
Muscle memory allows you to play guitar without looking. I need help touch typing my computer keyboard though. I can spend ages typing but when I look up, jeeeeez, that was not what I thought I'd typed.
This is quite interesting. I try hard to keep it in mind that it was not one person the made the final decision on guitar design. The design was done over some years by agreement (something like how algebra was designed). I can reach the game controllers buttons a lot easier (using only my thumbs) than I can some of these strings and shapes. One thing not really mentioned was "finger identity". It is easy to simply look at you hand palm up and move the finger desired. Wrap that hand around a guitar neck and put pressure down with those fingers and it is not so easy any more to operate the correct finger (something like having pressure down with three fingers and then only wanting to move one finger to a different string), this gets difficult but it really helps to move as few fingers as possible). The poor pinky "little finger" it does not get used in life for much but you really need that pinky when playing guitar. I mentioned that I play outside (well really it is "practice outside"). The place I picked to practice is visible by the public and it is common for people to just walk over. If you come over to visit please have more to add than "your guitar needs tuning' and I would rather loan you my speedo swimsuit for the summer than let you "borrow" my guitar for a few minutes. Thanks Fil.
Fil, I am out practicing my current DCG progression (which I really should be doing as CDG, more songs to pick from, but so easy to move from D to C) and I am thinking "how the heck am I going to get "Cherry Cherry" out of this (my pick for "first song"), just was not right. "Cherry Cherry" is a EAD progression (both verse and chorus) still pretty easy after practice. I really like the sound(s) of those 6 chords. They all have a personality. I am doing this for fun so my progress can deviate from technical skill practice to having fun very easily. Thanks Fil.
What a coincidence. I watched Chris Cain at Norm's Rare Guitars earlier today. Hate to admit but wasn't familiar with him before but now I am. What a great blues voice and awesome playing.
I played basketball in my youth and we used to practice dribbling never looking and in the dark until you got to the point where you didn’t think about it. Muscle memory. Similar thing I imagine. Obviously there are blind virtuoso players like Jose Feliciano and Jeff Healey so it’s clear you don’t ever need to look. Anyway, great video. Didn’t know of Chris Cain, now I do! Thanks, Fil!
Thank you for this informational video. I found this very insightful. By the way, Fil, I love the sound of your playing that Strat. It "sings", if that makes sense.
Thanks!
Aw man , I'm screwed . I can use a flip phone by feel , but a touchscreen I not only have to look , but use a stylus .
I have to check this guy out! Nice dynamics. Very clean too. I used to keep my eyes closed but missed out on a lot going on around me, sometimes pretty crazy stuff too. If you check out the May 2014 live version of the Allman Brothers doing Whipping Post that band is not just NOT looking at their instruments, but even looking at each other most of the time. With the many dynamic changes it is amazing!
Fil you are really good at finding a lot of different ways of explaining things. - It surprised me that anyone would judge a players ability based on looking at the instrument or not. That's silly at best. - I only look for a reference occasionally and I don't even think much about scales or shapes.- Now I'm worried because I don't know how I'm doing it! : ) Like you said, just repetition I guess. and now that I think about it.. maybe just having a pretty good idea how far apart the notes I want to hear are might have something to do with it.. like with singing I guess.
Hi Fil! Just sitting here listening tonight! Wow..he is quite good! Must say you know how to get the best at their craft! Reminds me of the music I heard in New Orleans! Hugs to you!✌️
Thanks Fil. The same muscle memory is used for typists. You can feel a mistake as you make it. Playing finger style helps me get more sensory input as to where fingers are in relation to strings. Really enjoyed your explanations. Rock!
Usually I find pentatonic blues stuff pretty easy to play without looking. I just got to know the key of the song. But anything with complex scales, I will still have to look at the fretboard for a while till I learn it, which can take some time depending how difficult the song is.
You remain the man Fil
I’m sending this to my Grandson. He is learning, to play guitar 🎸.
Cool!
Play guitar without looking at the fretboard!! I can’t even sing without looking at my mouth🤪😂
I look forward to seeing you analyze "Whipping Post" by, The Allman Brothers Band, ...or, "It's Not My Cross to Bear." Also, "I Miss the Misery" by, Halestorm. #mindblowntoo
Another great demo! Good stuff.
I think if you play long enough, your muscle memory will kick in, and you don't have to look at the fretboard any more. You just feel it.
Wow... a lot of great information here Fil! You hit on a lot of key points concerning muscle memory. People subconsciously retain muscle memory without even realizing it. Your example of the phone is a good one. Watching your fingers dial a phone number helps you to memorize the number. Same is true for a locker combination, you remember when to spin the combination lock left or right. ** Some drummers never look at their drums either. Max Weinberg (sometimes of Bruce Springsteen's band) never seems to look at his drums. It's actually kind of annoying in a weird way lol. But he's a great drummer.
I've got a cryptic password to log in to my IT system at work. I have completely internalised it by constant repetition, so much so that when I actually think consciously about what I'm typing, I stuff up the password.
What's up, Fil, is that a Fender you're playing on the video?
I know absolutely nothing about guitar models, so you can correct me if i'm wrong.
Forget it, that was a dumb question...
Yes a Fender Stratocaster ☺
Nice lesson!😉 Scales,... ^5. 🤘Rock!
Jazzy-blues sound with the organ reminds me of many Steely Dan songs.
Somewhat inspired by Blind Lemon Jefferson, I used to regularly practice playing guitar in almost total darkness. At first it was difficult, and I often hit wrong notes, usually due to shifting my hand into the wrong fret position. But slowly my accuracy improved. In a way, I think the hours of practicing in the dark has made me a better player... helping me to develop a sense for where the notes are on the fret board just by feel.
This video analysis....is all about feel ....and experience....just think of Jose Feliciano....who's blind..and I made this comment before "you switched off the light in the room" something I do on a regular basis !
Excellent. Love that. Please do more of showing examples.
I was recently given an accordion. Not the best of shape but fun anyway. My right hand is fine because of a little bit of piano playing. But what to do with all those buttons which I can't see. I googled and found out about the middle C button with an indentation to help me find it just with touch. I think that maybe it's like the reference point you mentioned with guitar. I may never really get good at playing music but I love learning. So nice to listen to you talk about music and learning something from it . Thank you !
Kismet, Karmic, KickAss ness, Chris Cain playing my fave track from Cain Does King.
man, Norms just yesterday. had to find that disc. Old stereo even worked ;)
Win win.
joke used to be Get a picture of glens face. One I was scared half to death in the early '80s and later, all about nailing the parts..
" ... once you reach a particular level......"
Yeah...... I'm not there yet.
😂😂😂
@Obi-Wan Kenobi Lack of practice is my main problem. Like , I should be practicing now instead of answering CZcams replies LOL
@Obi-Wan Kenobi That'd be nice. This chip lets you play like Hendrix. This chip makes you play like Stevie Ray. This chip makes you Django Reinhardt... :-)
It’s much easier to play blues in the pentatonic scale and find your finger positions without looking
if you start playing other forms of music where you have to go all over the fretboard there is a good chance you’re going to have to glance down once in a while to find your original position
Wings of Pegasus' Filly Page... Is Jimmy's secret son! You Rock Fil!