I just picked up a guitar to learn how to play (down time with COVID-19...LOL) and I love REO. I always wondered why Kevin Cronin played the song like that. I'm stoked to go home and impress my kids with how quickly I've learned to play the guitar (more LOL). Thanks for this lesson!
Thanks mate. Don’t know why this song gives me goosebumps. Can only put it down to the tuning or the intent of the writer. Took him 10 years to write it. One of the best songs I’ve ever heard.
I looked up REO Speedwagon’s performance on the Midnight Special right after I watched this video. It was great to see them in their prime. I would love to see them now, doing an acoustic tour.
Insider tip..... REO Speedwagon play this song live now as shown but everything is tuned down half a step just to help with the vocals. Kevin plays a 12 string Ovation Viper tuned to open C# and thumbs the chords as shown and played as if it was in open D. So if you want to play along with a recent live version from around 2015 onwards you’ll have to tune your guitar to open C#. Nice lesson and demo by the way.
Very cool! LOVE the DB's shirt! My band opened for them one summer evening here in Boston in '87. I remember going to Sox game that afternoon with my GF and Will Rigby and Gene Holder were in the bleachers right behind us. I didn't say a thing to them for fear of looking uncool. Later after sound check we threw baseballs together and hung out in the parking lot of The Rat. Super nice guys! Great memory!
HUGE db's fan. Rigby and Holder were just insanely tight, and Holder wrote phenomenal bass lines for pop tunes. Top three pop player of all time, for sure. And how cool that they love ball. Man, didn't think I could love them more, but now I do.
This is a great way to help a beginner to feel more musical, as they struggle through learning their first chords. Sometimes you gotta have tools to get students through that feeling of being all thumbs. Thanks a lot. 😁
Great Job! It is tough to explain open turnings. However, don't worry when the light bulb goes off, it will be simple. The beautiful thing is the amount of music comes from 3 chords.
I learned so much about open tunings from this channel. You make it so easy to understand. This is really such a great channel playing the best music, just like today! Thank you.
One again, your lessons pull me out of the fire. thx as always!!!!. P.T. and James James. Think its time for your Black Hawks sweater to make another appearance. Thx dude.
@@jamesjames9275 Nice,!! go Red dude, but No more Capitals bro. LOL.. Seriously though dude, your lessons and covers are so friggin helpful!! Thanks again dude.
Whoever designed that t-shirt must have been a devotee of the Chicago Manual of Style. :) On a serious note, would love to know at what point you determine it is an alternative tuning or open tuning. Can you tell on first listen or after you decide you can’t figure it out in standard tuning? I saw the one you did for the Stones tune, but in that one you hypothesized beforehand it was open G because other songs on the album used that tuning. Appreciate you, man
I like playing it with a "sliding e chord" where I play the e chord, then slide the same chord up the fretboard. I'm always tuned a half step down. So it is actually a half step higher than the actual song. My only problem is squeaking strings. The way you (and reo) play it solves that.
I just realized they did it open D when I saw that exact cut. If you play it with normal chords the speed of that rhythm is impossible. I faked it with a Dsus when I did play it. And it was adequate but not correct. Nice video. Confirmed what I saw on the live cuts.
great lesson JJ. I grew up with REO. Always thought Gary Richrath was one of the great guitarists of his era. So melodic, yet brought such power and urgency to his playing. And he was a rock star on stage! Any thoughts on Gary?
He was an outstanding player, particularly before they became a ballad band. He also gave us a lesson on the dangers of alcohol abuse. I can't even watch the videos from his last few years.
James - great info but I want to be clear I am doing this right - when you say tune to open D for this song, are you talking about the standard open D shown in all alternative tuning charts: D A D F# A D?
Just found a great version from 2010; czcams.com/video/lHau0L8ULN4/video.html Done on a 12 string; , Done in an open tuning, but I'm not sure if it's Open D or Open G ? Thumb over the top for the song, but uses some different fingerings for some beautiful chords and notes in a wonderful intro. Highly recommended.
Love how you pick up on sharp and flat variances in tunings. You’ve got some ears on you. Forgive me. That apostrophe on the dBs shirt is incorrect punctuation. I keep staring at it. It’s an affliction I have. Sorry ya’ll. I know the band used the apostrophe too. But it’s wrong. If only the band had referenced Strunk & White’s “The Element of Style!” I also don’t care for, e.g., “90’s” instead of “‘90s.” From obnoxious to obnoxious bragging: I was in a band (on drums) in NC with guys who were in various bands (or one-off gigs) with some of the dBs.
Well, it depends on which style guide you use. According to the Chicago Manual of Style: "Capital letters used as words, numerals used as nouns, and abbreviations usually form the plural by adding s. To aid comprehension, lowercase letters form the plural with an apostrophe and an s." A t-shirt saying "the dbs" would leave people wondering what D.B.S stands for. If it's necessary for comprehension, you can use an apostrophe to make it plural, with "do's and don'ts" being the classic example.
Perhaps, but don’t get me started on that uppercase S on the t-shirt! And the d is would never be upper case in this case. : p Early dBs band meeting: “Agreed. So we’ll be the dBs.” “Wait. According the Strunk and White there should be no apostrophe.” “Yeah, but the Chicago Manual of Style says....”
Just a thought -- if you're going to spend three minutes talking about an Open D tuning, spend thirty seconds telling noobs what key to tune each string, or at least tell them what Open D means.
I just picked up a guitar to learn how to play (down time with COVID-19...LOL) and I love REO. I always wondered why Kevin Cronin played the song like that. I'm stoked to go home and impress my kids with how quickly I've learned to play the guitar (more LOL). Thanks for this lesson!
Thanks mate. Don’t know why this song gives me goosebumps. Can only put it down to the tuning or the intent of the writer. Took him 10 years to write it. One of the best songs I’ve ever heard.
Open tuning really brings out that cannon of a guitar.
Thank you. I love this song. Now I can play it. Big thanks.
The tuning makes it so .... simple... it's just brilliant!! Thanks for the vid
I looked up REO Speedwagon’s performance on the Midnight Special right after I watched this video. It was great to see them in their prime. I would love to see them now, doing an acoustic tour.
Insider tip..... REO Speedwagon play this song live now as shown but everything is tuned down half a step just to help with the vocals. Kevin plays a 12 string Ovation Viper tuned to open C# and thumbs the chords as shown and played as if it was in open D. So if you want to play along with a recent live version from around 2015 onwards you’ll have to tune your guitar to open C#. Nice lesson and demo by the way.
That was Great Lesson. Saw REO last night. Great Show. Thank You So Much 😊
This was a great lesson man
Thanks this and all your vids. I really appreciate the effort you put into these and thank you for sharing. This song is fantastic, too!
Fantastic lesson. Fantastic tee.
Thank you! I couldn’t figure out how to get that perfect sound match.... now I got it.... thanks for posting
Very cool! LOVE the DB's shirt! My band opened for them one summer evening here in Boston in '87. I remember going to Sox game that afternoon with my GF and Will Rigby and Gene Holder were in the bleachers right behind us. I didn't say a thing to them for fear of looking uncool. Later after sound check we threw baseballs together and hung out in the parking lot of The Rat. Super nice guys! Great memory!
HUGE db's fan. Rigby and Holder were just insanely tight, and Holder wrote phenomenal bass lines for pop tunes. Top three pop player of all time, for sure. And how cool that they love ball. Man, didn't think I could love them more, but now I do.
Excellent job on an awesome song
This is a great way to help a beginner to feel more musical, as they struggle through learning their first chords. Sometimes you gotta have tools to get students through that feeling of being all thumbs. Thanks a lot. 😁
So stoked for this one. I've been playing it since "Grown Ups" came out. Looking forward to improving my style based on your techniques. Thanks JJ!
Love that tshirt, and the way you teach with the chord and tuning options.
Great discussion on open tunings.
Outstanding, TY
pretty groovy right there. Nice job!
Beautiful
Great Job! It is tough to explain open turnings. However, don't worry when the light bulb goes off, it will be simple. The beautiful thing is the amount of music comes from 3 chords.
Anyone know when Kevin actually went from chords back in the 80's to the thumb intro?
Always wondered why Kevin played this with his thumb over the top. Mystery answered, thx.
Same. it DOES look weird, doesn't it?
check out his camp cronin channel. he tells the story about it.
Well done.
Sweet thanks
Was watching an old REO live video and I thought he was just "Showing Off" with the thumb thing. LOL
privettricker
!! :)
So Nice to see you again.
miss you man
I learned so much about open tunings from this channel. You make it so easy to understand. This is really such a great channel playing the best music, just like today! Thank you.
Nice 🙂👍
One again, your lessons pull me out of the fire. thx as always!!!!. P.T. and James James. Think its time for your Black Hawks sweater to make another appearance. Thx dude.
The question is, do I go with the red, the black, or the white? :)
@@jamesjames9275 Nice,!! go Red dude, but No more Capitals bro. LOL.. Seriously though dude, your lessons and covers are so friggin helpful!! Thanks again dude.
How do we do the strumming? down,down,up,down? i love this song and how easy it is the way you show how to play it
Whoever designed that t-shirt must have been a devotee of the Chicago Manual of Style. :) On a serious note, would love to know at what point you determine it is an alternative tuning or open tuning. Can you tell on first listen or after you decide you can’t figure it out in standard tuning? I saw the one you did for the Stones tune, but in that one you hypothesized beforehand it was open G because other songs on the album used that tuning. Appreciate you, man
I like playing it with a "sliding e chord" where I play the e chord, then slide the same chord up the fretboard. I'm always tuned a half step down. So it is actually a half step higher than the actual song. My only problem is squeaking strings. The way you (and reo) play it solves that.
Ever try fretting like that on a 12 string? Great lesson, many thanks!
FINALLY SOMEONE DID IT RIGHT !!
learned it in standard, was obvious open.. but I didn't waste time b/c the electric guitar backing and solo are in standard... nice job.
I just realized they did it open D when I saw that exact cut. If you play it with normal chords the speed of that rhythm is impossible. I faked it with a Dsus when I did play it. And it was adequate but not correct.
Nice video. Confirmed what I saw on the live cuts.
great lesson JJ. I grew up with REO. Always thought Gary Richrath was one of the great guitarists of his era. So melodic, yet brought such power and urgency to his playing. And he was a rock star on stage! Any thoughts on Gary?
He was an outstanding player, particularly before they became a ballad band. He also gave us a lesson on the dangers of alcohol abuse. I can't even watch the videos from his last few years.
James - great info but I want to be clear I am doing this right - when you say tune to open D for this song, are you talking about the standard open D shown in all alternative tuning charts: D A D F# A D?
Give or take a semi-tone, yes.
@@bikersoncall He already has the tuning, but it's in the cracks, which I told him. I think he understands, even if you don't.
👍🏾
Just found a great version from 2010; czcams.com/video/lHau0L8ULN4/video.html Done on a 12 string; , Done in an open tuning, but I'm not sure if it's Open D or Open G ? Thumb over the top for the song, but uses some different fingerings for some beautiful chords and notes in a wonderful intro. Highly recommended.
freakin awesome
Can you tell me the notes for each open string? Your lessons are great!
Open D from the lowest to the highest string it is: D, A, D, F#, A, D but this song needs a bit of adjustment.
Lou Songs DADF#AD
Try this....Open D tuning notes - D A D F♯ A D
Lou Songs D, A, D, F#, A, D
D A D F# A D
Cheap Trick or REO?
Cheap Trick!
Love how you pick up on sharp and flat variances in tunings. You’ve got some ears on you.
Forgive me. That apostrophe on the dBs shirt is incorrect punctuation. I keep staring at it. It’s an affliction I have. Sorry ya’ll. I know the band used the apostrophe too. But it’s wrong. If only the band had referenced Strunk & White’s “The Element of Style!”
I also don’t care for, e.g., “90’s” instead of “‘90s.”
From obnoxious to obnoxious bragging: I was in a band (on drums) in NC with guys who were in various bands (or one-off gigs) with some of the dBs.
Well, it depends on which style guide you use. According to the Chicago Manual of Style: "Capital letters used as words, numerals used as nouns, and abbreviations usually form the plural by adding s. To aid comprehension, lowercase letters form the plural with an apostrophe and an s." A t-shirt saying "the dbs" would leave people wondering what D.B.S stands for. If it's necessary for comprehension, you can use an apostrophe to make it plural, with "do's and don'ts" being the classic example.
Perhaps, but don’t get me started on that uppercase S on the t-shirt! And the d is would never be upper case in this case. : p
Early dBs band meeting:
“Agreed. So we’ll be the dBs.”
“Wait. According the Strunk and White there should be no apostrophe.”
“Yeah, but the Chicago Manual of Style says....”
Sounds like you know more than just guitar/music theory!
Just a thought -- if you're going to spend three minutes talking about an Open D tuning, spend thirty seconds telling noobs what key to tune each string, or at least tell them what Open D means.
Just a thought - I’ve said a thousand times that my videos aren’t for noobs.
You make things way to complicated
Maybe. But I can spell. So I’ve got that going for me.