John Mayer Playing Exercises

michaelb14 · Unread post by **michaelb14** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 2:48 pm

I've been trying to learn to play neon by john mayer. I downloaded him playing it on last call with carson daily and it appears he is doing some kind of wierd fingerpicking strum. Does anyone know any rhythm exercies to help learn that style of playing? It looks near impossible.

stln · Unread post by **stln** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 6:52 pm

the cool thing is - it really IS impossible.

take a look at this and you will understand http://www3.sympatico.ca/g403z/gif/neontab.gif

...but it's still impossible...

and...I'm new here...so hi to you all - and GREAT site...thanx a lot

michaelb14 · Unread post by **michaelb14** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 7:10 pm

yeah that's the tab site I got my tabs for neon from. I was just wondering a way to practice that right hand technique he uses. The guy must have mutant thumbs though, I mean I have big hands but that wrap around thing feels like it dislocates my thumb.

gravedigger · Unread post by **gravedigger** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 7:20 pm

michaelb14 wrote:yeah that's the tab site I got my tabs for neon from. I was just wondering a way to practice that right hand technique he uses. The guy must have mutant thumbs though, I mean I have big hands but that wrap around thing feels like it dislocates my thumb.

you should learn Your Body is A Wonderland first because it also uses the right hand technique only that its a million times easier than Neon. It's good practice to get your right hand thumb and fingers callused up. It'll hurt for awhile just like your left and fingertips hurt for awhile when you first started.

good luck man
peace,
Ken

hey my 1000th post. do I get a medal or something? :wink:

michaelb14 · Unread post by **michaelb14** » Sun Jan 26, 2003 9:19 pm

I think I'm starting to get it. Now I gotta speed it up about 20 times. lol

stln · Unread post by **stln** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 10:48 am

there is a video of him playing neon (solo) on last call (carson) that may help you

dl it form kazaa...

dustin · Unread post by **dustin** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 12:32 pm

that video has his hands going a 100miles per second to heh so its can of hard to see it using that i think

ddv · Unread post by **ddv** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 3:28 pm

when I was learning it I slowed it down alot. Some media players allow you to slow a song down and maintain the pitch. It took me quite a while and pissed alot of people off. I play with my thumb fretting whatever is on the E string tuned down to C, but i have seen people play it with "bar"ish type chords. Personally I think that if you use your thumb it will be easier in the long run. I also know that most of the tabs are wrong, or there is just one floating around that is wrong. The last chord is different... If i can find the that I used I will post it.

Xoosh · Unread post by **Xoosh** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 3:45 pm

That image is the right tab, john mayer wrote it out himself

/x

gravedigger · Unread post by **gravedigger** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 4:12 pm

Xoosh wrote:That image is the right tab, john mayer wrote it out himself

/x

I believe that tab has flaws, and is why they put a corrected version of the tab up on that site.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/g403z/txt/neon2.txt

michaelb14 · Unread post by **michaelb14** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 4:45 pm

ddv wrote

when I was learning it I slowed it down alot. Some media players allow you to slow a song down and maintain the pitch. It took me quite a while and pissed alot of people off. I play with my thumb fretting whatever is on the E string tuned down to C, but i have seen people play it with "bar"ish type chords. Personally I think that if you use your thumb it will be easier in the long run. I also know that most of the tabs are wrong, or there is just one floating around that is wrong. The last chord is different... If i can find the that I used I will post it.

Does it get any easier to do over time with the thumb method. I mean I have big hands(enough to handle any dave stretch I've yet encountered) but the third chord in that song(the one on the 5th fret) makes my thumb feel like it's gonna pop out of it's socket. I dunno I play an old alvarez and the action is pretty high so maybe that's why it hurts. Is the tab u used the one grave digger posted, because that's the one I've been going by. Not the image one the revised one.

ddv · Unread post by **ddv** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 7:44 pm

I would say that it gets easier as you get used to it. It's almost like I am pinching the E sting (C in this case) to the fret board with the side of my thumb's knuckle. Also i think that in this song you only have to get that thump from the E string and not worry too much about the sustain, so you can let off the thumb alittle to make the stretch.

johntherevelator · Unread post by **johntherevelator** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 10:39 pm

DAMN JOHN MAYER AND HIS GIGANTIC THUMBS!!!!

ticohans · Unread post by **ticohans** » Mon Jan 27, 2003 11:11 pm

I know what chord you're talking about ddv, and that's the only one that gives me a little problem. I can play it alright if I take time to set it up, but I don't know about changing in and out of it quickly, so I just don't use my thumb there. I use my ring finger to play what the thumb normally does, and everything falls into place nicely after that.

stln · Unread post by **stln** » Tue Jan 28, 2003 5:52 am

but isn't the problem really the right hand? the tab says something about slapping the base with the thumb and then use your index finger for the rest...but is he only using his indexfinger? or what? and how the.........can he do it so fast?? any ideas?

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John Mayer Playing Exercises

John Mayer Playing Exercises

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