James Taylor - online guitar lessons

Subject: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 12:33 AM

I've not explored this in any detail, but I happened to visit James Taylor's website today and noted that he's offering some online guitar lessons. There are a few videos posted and apparently more to come if you sign up. Among the few available on the site is one about how to reinforce your fingernails. :-)

~ Becky in Long Beach

Subject: RE: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 05:44 AM

poor sod! I used to do that when there weren'tany gigs.

Subject: RE: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 06:14 AM

Don Mclean could use some lessons on tuning.

Dave H

Subject: RE: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: GUEST,Rachel
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 06:44 AM

hee hee

Subject: RE: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: Will Fly
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 06:52 AM

Just looked at the "Country Roads" lesson. It's very short and shows you the fingering on both hands - including a shot of his right hand from inside the guitar! No tab, dots or music though and, as is often the case with these things, not slowed down to make it easier to catch - which is an alternative to providing tab.

Subject: RE: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: Nick
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 07:33 AM

Interesting way he plays D. Interesting how some of his fills work so much easier with that fingering than the 'normal' one.

He is not enormously prolific and definitiely does a lot more gigs than he does lessons! I think he has done 4 lessons in about 2 years. But hey something for nothing and I learned something from them

Slowing down is so easy with freebie software nowadays that I'm not sure how important it is especially as I think he isn't pitching his lessons at beginners as to how to play guitar, rather guitarists who are beginners playing like James Taylor - if that makes sense?

I think he is an astounding acoustic guitarist and has a style that is instantly recognisable. There are loads of albums where I can hear a guitar and go 'oh, James Taylor' even if it's far down the mix. Very distinctive and I know of noone else who plays plays quite in his style.

Also not too sure I can think of too many other acoustic guitarists who are that distinctive - John Martyn, Nic Jones, Martin Carthy, Richard Thompson (perhaps), John Doyle, John Renbourn, Bert Jansch - that I would recognise their playing on the background of someone else's CD accompanying so easily and instantly.

Lead players do evolve distinctive styles but quite a knack to be a really distinctive acoustic accompanists

Subject: RE: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: Will Fly
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 12:43 PM

I don't believe in using software to slow down video - better, IMO, to play slowly. It's not at all necessary to play slowly - if you have tab/music - and it's not necessary to have tab/music - if there's a nice slow version to watch. It's the lack of either that throws some people - even non-beginners.

As for fingering the D chord with the first finger on the 1st string/F#, there may be a use for it but I don't think it makes the hammer-on/pull-off significantly easier.

Each to his own, though...

Subject: RE: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: catspaw49
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 04:04 PM

If you find yourself napping as you watch, you may have caught a dose of boredom from James Taylor. If so, don't forget that at the Neil Young Center for the Terminally Screwed all 'Catters are openly and freely admitted with no charge whatsoever. Never forget that almost 10 years ago we added the special wing which houses the James Taylor Catatonic Blandness Rehab Clinic where you will regain at least a bit of your previous vigor.


Spaw

Subject: RE: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 04:17 PM

I agree, Will Fly

Subject: RE: James Taylor - online guitar lessons
From: Nick
Date: 23 Apr 12 - 05:00 PM

I like James Taylor, Art Pepper, Mahler's 10th, William Byrd, Robert Johnson, Robben Ford and my son playing stuff like this - stuff amongst many others.

Choice is great. Blinkers only work for horses.

No loss from my end if James Taylor puts you to sleep.