7 Guitar Skills That Pay Off Forever 

Which Skills Are Hard and Worthwhile? 🙂 Here's how to get started with one: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zH4uQYgDotM.html

Great point about reading music. When I started reading sheet music for piano, it felt like I was “typing” out the notes as you described. But over time, I started to hear the music on the page before I touched the keys. I think this is an under utilized tool for ear training. Now, before I read anything, I will imagine what the music I want to sound like before I strike the keys.

one benefit I have found with reading music on guitar is it really forces you to learn the fretboard. Meaning the process of learning to read music with guitar forces you to make choices and figure out where you are going to play efficiently, as opposed to just relying on tabs that tell you what position to play in, and what frets. Those choice also lets you play in different positions which in a band or a mix can sound better or more interesting. This does tie into music theory as well as you can see how the musical notes fit together within a key (or not).

I agree with all of these. I transcribed Charlie Parker solos in high school, the only thing is I thought the tempos were half as fast as they really were, so I had a lot of 16th and 32nd notes in my notation, haha. Sight reading is something I use every single day as session guitarist in Los Angeles, I can read on pretty much any stringed instrument in any tuning, a skill that sets me apart from the thousands of guitarists here trying to make a living.

Jens, you are one of the best music teachers on the internet. Thank you for the hard work you put into this.

My late father was a professional musician in New Orleans and had played all the ‘high spots’ in the French Quarter. He played piano and accordion at the ‘piano bar, playing both at the same time, and people would flock to hear him😊 he played totally by ear.

I like Jens' video before I even watch them. He is the master of making jazz accessible. All of these suggestions are gold. Thanks for everything Jens Jazz Warrior.

Looking at your list, I'm pairing complementary skills: 1 Learn by Ear & 5 Read Music 2 Self Evaluate & 7 Play With Others 3 Know the Fretboard & 4 Know Theory Excellent list. Lifelong practice is equally important in all of them to build, maintain, strengthen and expand a lifelong base. Current focus on whatever skills will improve ability to contribute in whatever opportunities presently arise triggers growth spurts even decades in, and keeps it all fresh. Thank you!

About listening skills: it is my experience as a guitarteacher that it helps students who try to identify chords to not just listen to the stack of tones but be aware of the FUNCTION of the chord in context of a progression. It helps recognition of the chord type when you hear a tonic, subdominant or dominant function.

One way I improve is by just learning and playing a ton of songs, which almost always introduce you to some kind of chord (or chord voicing) you've never seen before, not to mention the different rhythms, cadences, swings, timings, etc. that you get from them. Your brain will start to make connections about new things that you never thought possible. I picked up a Beatles song book the other day and was surprised at the sheer number of chords they used in many of their compositions (some of them have 12 or more unique chords per song, many of them bar chords).

Jens, you're the kind of teacher I am happy to listen to because I feel like you give useful information applicable to real life while also emphasizing the fun of making music! Content with substance - det er skidegodt!

I liked that little pentatonic example. Hearing it three times but only one of those times sounding like music was clever. It quickly illustrates how important phrasing and bothering to compose a compelling melody are. Good example for anyone who needs to understand the difference between music and just mechanically stacking notes.

Recording yourself is quite an essential habit you should practice not only in music but in many occupations; oh! and not just audio recording but video recording as well. You might be dancing, giving a speech or snowboarding or playing an instrument, just see yourself performing, it will tell you more than thousands of words. I admit it is a kind of wall to be overcome. But sooner the better. I appreciate Jens' channel. Full of wisdom. Thank you

Very very good video. You explain all the essence of the different styles so well and respectfully

As a person who uses tabs and scores, scores are way superior: it gives way more information than just the positions and it's just about taking 10mn each day and reading with the bonus of being able to analyse the best composers and non guitarist musicians and you can do in the bus going to work or in bed before sleeping.

Great Tips! 1) Learn by Ear/Transcribe 2) Video record self for self reflection 3) Fretboard knowledge (relate it to what you play/learn) 4) Make theory applicable 5) Read Music (useful info from rhythm/ pitch etc...) 6) Guitar Maintenance 7) Play Music with Others!

2:04 "Fret 78 on 6th string" 😂😂😂joking apart, very good suggestions in this video!

Jens - your content has always been the same high quality that I've enjoyed and learned from for several years now, but I want to mention how skilled your video editing has become recently, not that it was ever bad. I see your video lessons becoming more succinct and direct in how you explain to your audience something that can be daunting like jazz theory.. reconciling that w/ the whole youtube meta is no small feat; you've really come into your element. That Kenny G was a nice touch. I think it's really cool and love seeing how you've grown your channel since I found it a few years ago - you've helped spread the beauty & importance of jazz guitar to millions of people and you've only gotten better at communicating your message - thank you for being such a legend! Quick Q: I agree that being able to play by ear is the way, but the way you talk about reading intrigues me. I learned how to read music a playing violin and sax when I was a kid, but haven't ever considered it on guitar - I do detest tabs; I just need to know the chord changes, but that's also dubious and can trick your ear depending on inversions, omitting notes, and how many ways you can voice or imply a chord on guitar. Do you have any content on how to practice sight reading? For most pitches of a given note on the guitar there's at least more than 1 spot you can play the same thing - how do you know where on the neck to play a note you read on the staff? On a keyboard everything is linear and when you see a note on the staff it can only be one thing, but I see what you're saying in the value of reading sheet music as a way to speed up the process of playing what you hear/feel. Also - playing w/ other people is invaluable, great point, what other art form is as collaborative!? And setting up your own instrument gets you so much closer to it... tho it's good to have a professional you can call on.. a guitar is never really in tune anyway, this complex system of tension. You ever notice how the pitch changes if you tune it laying flat or how once the friction from your fingers warms up the strings it goes out of tune?

Jens, you've kept it 100 in this vid. This video is 'REAL TALK'! Ive been recording myself practicing and playing for quite some time now. It is massively important.

Thanks Jens, your channel and lessons have helped me in so many ways and I really enjoy your material. All the best mate!

1:05 🤩 Languedoc! 🐟❤️

Jens, I think I will try to do the recording. Reading music is a definite plus. Thank you for this lesson

I totally agree with all the Points 👌🙏🙏👍 great advice

Great video. I'm glad you mentioned doing set ups. I've been doing my own set ups for a long time. I've added to my skill set in this regard over the years. I still take my guitar to a luthier for fret work and new nuts. The next frontier from me is the guitar electronics. If you can get a great setup on your guitar as a starting point, the only thing you'll have to mess with most of the time on the road or for seasonal changes is the truss rod adjustment. I think it's a must for guitar players t know how to do this, for the reasons you mentioned.

Thanks So very much for this Video....For me there has always been a disconnect between Ear players and readers of musical notation...I am an ear player and for me it really has been a wonderful journey to play with some really great musicians...I never understood why people would want to learn a song that they have never listened to..? I really enjoy the “ Wrong “ notes against The chord progressions it is so refreshing after years of playing 1-4-5 pieces of music I did really play any Jazz until I was about 40 years old...When the Female vocalist wanted the Band to play “ Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend “ And the Saxophonist came To Practice with “ Harlem Nocturne “ Lots of practice for me but the chord progressions were really awesome...Mr. Larsen please Know You are a Tremendous Blessing to my musical life and I know what You mean by setups...How,ever I have been lucky that I am an Aircraft Propeller Blade Technician and so mechanical things have come pretty easy for me...God Bless You and Your Family Always...

Lots of good information and terrific production values in your videos... you keep it entertaining!

Great advice! Thanks for sharing

With regard to music theory and reading music: I started keeping a small notebook. The notebook allows me to experiment with writing notation and is also a place for me to externalise theory (i.e. try and write down what I already know). As well as the notebook, I also have a bottle of Tipp-Ex, because I make lots of mistakes that need to be corrected. But that's all part of the process!

Thank you for this post. It really took me back to my roots and made me reconsider my own musical life as well as how I teach.

Love the video 🤘🤘 What resonates with me is the listening part! It's a great point & what I've notice about most musicians (including myself) is that we don't listen to enough music (especially other genres outside of the ones we like) Great job 🙏🤘🤘🙏🙏

Everyone agrees, Jens: you have the most thoughtful and practical advice. But it is your humanity and humility that make your instruction so meaningful. Thank you.

Great advice. Practical, Level headed, and experience-based. Thank you!

Great video yet agin, Jens. I feel fortunate to having grown up in the eighties, and unless Guitar Player magazine had transcribed your lick for a lesson, or your hero had their own Hot Licks video VHS series, then everything was by ear. Also, I had to learn to read for piano lessons and middle school band, two things I am very grateful for that also aren't really a thing anymore ( in the US) - imagine - we had many generations of US kids, many of whom knew how to read music and play an instrument. Both of those are super rare now. :-(

Thank You Jens for all You do! Flow and Melody grab the listener. Love starting simple

Thanks for another great lesson, Jens! I find your channel very valuable!!

Best general advice I've seen on RU-vid so far! Great video.

Great video. Good info and encouraging

Great advice as ever. In recent years of listening to jazz I have been making more of an effort to listen to the ensemble as a whole rather than just the lines of the soloist and I think that's something similar to what you're saying in point 7

Singing Notes...you might enjoy the cutting edge of awareness: "The Solfeggio Tradition" 2020 What Barry Harris is to BeBop scales....Baragwanath is to hexachordal foundations of western harmony, and historic improvisation. Great video, thank you.

I find your video refreshing, for a few reasons. One is, you invited us to comment on what we thought is essential to learning or improving, in comparison to your suggestions. I have literally had my comments deleted repeatedly and have been blocked, due to putting my two cents into the comments of videos, where someone is intent on selling someone a course and their goal to make money obviously outweighs their goal to see people improve, one way or another. I find there are different learning styles and different teaching styles. and we all need something different, as a student or a teacher. I am the type of person that likes to break down things to their most elemental parts, so it is easier to understand them. I feel others do exactly the opposite, or start somewhere, arbitrarily in between. I find that there are two aspects to playing guitar. One is the musicianship side of it and the other is the technical side of it. Every guitar player is better at one or the other. A way to look at it is, a great musician will be able to express it many ways. A great guitarist will likely not be so impressive, as soon as you get them away from the guitar, even may get a lot of criticism, for their songs not being that good, or their inability to write great original songs. A great musician, who isn't great on any particular instrument, will get praise for their music or credit for their contribution to songs. So, how does that relate to what you were sharing? Another to look at this is, there is a good bet that your favorite guitar player is likely both a really good musician, as well as uses amazing technique to display it. David Gilmore isn't the most technical guitarist, but he does a great job of blending technique with musicianship. Reb Beech is another guitarist who blends technique, with great musicianship. He is more technical than David Gilmore, but still a very good musician, even if his material doesn't have the fanfare of Pink Floyd. You may not even know Reb, but one you realize what he has written or had a hand in, you would see that he has been a part of music people really like, no matter who he is playing with, whether it was his original material or not. Mark Knopfler and Eric Clapton are both good musicians and really good guitar players also. Bob Dylan is an example of someone who isn't all that great of a technical guitar player, or singer for that matter, as compared with many other vocalists, but his musicianship is undeniable. His songs made it to the radio, and he has had bands remake them. First and foremost, the ear training is essential to be a really good musician and ideally useful in the playing of any instrument. If you can perform and technique on the guitar, but can only play from tabs or sheet music, you are typing as you said. I struggle with it, lost quite often in the harmonies and overdubs of modern music. Sometimes I thinks I should go ahead and spend time learning some of the 20's-50's music, since it was so much simpler, before all of our modern cheats. This for me is a gift, if you didn't have to practice it or go through a bunch of complicated exercises to improve it. I recognize some things and remember some things, just not well enough or fast enough to suit myself, and most likely not many others either. When it comes to technique, I see that there are basically three ways to play guitar, apart from what I call tricks (hammer ons, pull offs, whammy dives, pinch harmonics, trills, etc.) or the use of effects to create rhythm (ex. echo plex), tone, texture, etc. You can strum chords, or you can pick the notes of the chords in patterns, or you can pick notes at various speeds that aren't in chords, regardless of whether you play them from scales, modes, or create your own riffs, which may include pieces of chords, picked as more or less individual notes or sweep picked, which is the equivalent of basically getting as close as you can to strumming a scale or parts of scales put together, which may be part of chords that are blended with parts of scales, or referred to as double or triple stops, etc. I am absolutely terrible at sweep picking, arpeggios, or playing scales. It starts to feel mechanical, and I struggle to be what I feel is being musical. Perhaps this is more so since it is more difficult to be rhythmic while attempting to get proficient at it. Part of that is that I go from playing chords in some capacity, where I am absolutely familiar with its contents and confines, to suddenly having no boundaries, where to suddenly avoiding the mine field of bad notes, my brain can't keep up with the speed at which the piece needs to maintain, for continuity. Eddie Van Halen called this weak knowledge of the finger board. I can look at the finger board and tell you the note names, but I do it by sight and then thought, and not by feel or by ear. I find the only way to be a sight-oriented player is to figure out what you want to play in advance and practice it to death. To suggest this idea has no place in music or guitar playing isn't true. David Gilmore, for all his talent and improvisational skills, used a very in-depth scheme of planning to create his Comfortable Numb solos. It didn't all come out in a single improvisation session, nor did it come to him in his head, in one continuous piece, that he suddenly replicated aloud in one take. He used a rating system for the licks he improvised over the rhythm track, while playing to it for extended periods of time and them worked out how he could put them together in phrases, where they were able to be played cleanly and rhythmically, while switching from one to another. In fact, I would be willing to bet that some of the greatest things we have ever heard have come from some degree of planning and practice and didn't happen in 5 minutes, that just came to them. Ozzy Osbourne said of Randy Rhoades, he would lock himself in a room all night, while everyone else was partying, so he could work out all of his guitar parts. Some painters throw buckets of paint on the wall in 2 minutes and call it art. Others spend decades, planning every brushstroke and color they'll use. I find guitar playing is like that. I find part of teaching someone or learning guitar yourself involves teaching them or learning how to think, not just what to do. Hopefully eventually, once you've put the right amount of thought into it, you'll be able to do whatever you want, without thinking about it. I hope my thoughts are appreciated and useful to someone who is trying to learn or seriously breaking down how they would teach someone. Thanks for your time.

Another great video. Thank you!

Hey! Great pieces of advice! Thanks for sharing!!!

I was surprised you mentioned " She's Funny That Way" not a very well known tune. I found a nice Barry Galbraith version, showing that a beautiful chord/melody arrangement need not be complicated. Thanks, Jens

Top stuff as always Jens!!! You rock (ahem, jazz)

One of the best advice I got from my teacher (Jackie King) playing with others is ' my job is to make the others sound as best as possible' it's not all about me. The other thing I've learned is there's each instrument and the collective sound to listen total sound try to make that good... Always so much to learn and reading and theory are very helpful...

This is some of the best advice I've ever seen regarding playing any instrument.

I love this video. I am a typist (guitar player who only reads). I can type 185 words a minute. I have played guitar for 50 years, for me. I love guitar playing. I have over 900 songs in my repertoire. I can read music (well) and understand enough theory to fall asleep. Thank you for the great videos!!!

Very very solid advice Jens. I agree with everything you said. Another advantage of learning to doing your own set ups is that a luthier cannot read your mind and will often not get the setup exactly how you like it even if they got it right in theory, or for the way THEY like it. A good luthier should always be able to do a good setup but only you will be able to get a guitar set up great - for you. It is an essential skill and most of the important stuff (truss rod, action, etc. ) is easy to learn and you can get great at it with a little bit of practice. It’s well worth the effort.

Even though there are tabs or videos out there for most songs i still mostly resist the sheet and say no I'll learn this by listening to the song like in the old days and getting out the piece of paper and writing it down myself - i also tend to remember better in the long run as it is slower to learn by ear than sheet music so slow learning is better for it staying with you. I also think it helps your sense of relative pitch for intervals whether melody or harmony because you're working it out and the relative mistakes let you know when you are right when you get it right. Also i think a good way to start learning by ear is to start with bass guitar to get those important root note changes that underwrite the song.

Jens, great video! I completely agree with you on the topic of learning to read standard music notation. It’s really the only good way to communicate intelligently with other musicians. I am the sole guitarist in a big band and I have to be able to read to know what the composer or arranger had in mind. Also, I have to understand what messages are being conveyed when our director gives instructions to the other sections. Yes, I play a lot of quarter note jazz chords a la Freddy Green, but there are a number of tunes where the guitar is playing triads and the inversions and voice leading are critical. Learning the entire fret board is intimidating for some, but it is critical to accomplish. A little every day, at ever practice session, bit by bit, gets the job done. This can be included with the practice of diatonic triads or tetrads, one of my favorite exercises you recommend. I’m surprised you didn’t talk about using a metronome (if you did, I missed it). Thanks for your wonderful teaching!

Lots of good points! I know reading music seems to scare a lot of guitarists, and it is harder on guitar than piano, but it can be REALLY useful, especially since it helps fingerboard knowledge, is more rhythmically precise, AND you can learn to read piano, sax, violin, bass, and other instrument's parts too, very utilitarian..

Thanks Jens ! You're a musicle jeenyus !

Finding other players patient enough to tolerate my playing is by far the biggest challenge. I need a group willing to put up with mistakes, fumbling, etc. Hard to find, in my experience…

Good list Jens. I relate to the set up stuff - I had a very fiddly guitar that always seemed to need something, so I gained some confidence adjusting action, truss rod, frets, etc... then I got another guitar that barely even gets out of tune and is so stable that I barely have to do anything. The finish chips easy though, so I got into minor refinishing.

Great video Jens!

Love that Joe Pass Satin Doll intro you put in there, amazing performance for all the players (love the bass vibrato). And Joe drops his pick and doesn't lose the beat. Also the drummer is the father of many Toto members

Mr. Larsen you are a great teacher.

Excellent advice

Thankyou Jens .

Good that the regular videos are back 👍🤘 ! (And not the reels) Well done 👏🏻

Ear training is really hard. It is so easy to hear what a single note is, and can be easily figured out even when you cannot play it right at first moment. But it becomes much more complex for hearing chords, especially when the chord is not in the key, or it is inversion chord (together with complex chord with 7/9/11 and inversion). As a self-taught guitar learner this is probably my nightmare.

I enjoy your music …. And your humor.😀

👉Excellent video Jens! I love how you're putting videos together now, with added humour, important text, great images, all contributing to and complementing your amazing teaching.👌

I love your humour Jens... Great video 😎

learning by ear is obviously very valuable skill to have but if u wanna step it up a notch try learning from memory that is also really fun because when you compare u can hear the difference from what your brain heard(or wanted to hear) and how the song actually is

THANK YOU soooooooo much 👌👌🙏🙏👍

Brilliant !

I went to school for classical guitar performance and I actually think that sheet music is much better for understanding the music, even when tabs have rhythm, tabs tell you 'exactly' what the player did whereas sheet music allows you to play the same music in a way that fits your playing.

Another great lesson

Thank you ; I think you did not forget no point at all.

Great Video Jens! Curious to how you go about manually focusing on the guitar when you are recording playing??

Great list. I didn't expect to agree with each, having considered such a title to be clickbait, but it's all solid stuff. Good point about sheet music, and actually this answers an earlier complaint I had about how charts from "Samba de uma nota só" will show all these elaborate chords in a sequence, but you really only need to spend 1 minute to see the melody line playing this repeating note (D or Re at first) over the first cluster of chords to understand that it's just basically like a suspended note hanging out over all the chords, which are normal 7th chords (if you want them to be) underneath.... the melody line is in the sheet music. also good point about rhythm not being shown in tablature, although the ORIGINAL tablature, such as what Bach would have written for lute, DOES have rudimentary rhythmic notation over the tabs.

Burst out laughing at 4:21 to 4:24 😂. Thank you for the informative and useful videos! Best Regards and Best Wishes!

Thank you for this. I am, on the one hand, dying to play with other people, and on the other, scared to death of it. Encouragement would be welcome.

You can put steems on Tabb for timing

Rick Graham in a Jens Larsen video? That’s a win! Man, great insights all around. I have the same weakness with #6 setting up the guitar. I usually leave most setting up to people I trust, but really should get in there, get my hands dirty, and get more into the guitar gear nerd kind of stuff. I’m more of a theory nerd. Thanks for sharing, Jens!

Thanks-nothing has helped me as much as learning to read music.

The biggest dig people have against learning theory is that many programs insist on starting with 18th Century voice leading and solving figured bass. It’s not useless knowledge, but it doesn’t connect with students who connect emotionally with more modern forms of music.

I gotta memorize the notes on the fretboard to utilize the circle of fifths well🤞

A I totally agree with all your saying . Then, again there are many examples of wonderful musicians who couldn't even read music let alone know any. Theory..

Excellent video. And don’t forget people skills when you’re in a band. (If you are comfortable with a slower pace/less ”action” with text and sound fx I think that your high class content would shine even brighter. Thanx again!)

I prefer standard sheet music, because I can't figure out rhythms from guitar tabs only. I learned to read from William Leavitt's Berklee books. Since then, not a single gig I did required reading skills. They never were high paying jobs either... But they did require good ear training skills (no written music). I've seen outstanding players who can't read a single note.

::::::BRAVO::::::

Thanks Jens. I have a question. Fear example, if I am learning a new song and I have the sheet music and the recording, should I learn the tune from the sheet music and use the recording to verify I am playing it right or the opposite, try to figure it out by ear and use the sheet music if I get stuck? Thanks.

Kakkoii sensei desu!!!

Jens, I've got to ask if you like Phish... That guitar graphic at 1:05 is Trey Anastasio's custom Paul Languedoc guitar. Is that intentional? Love all your work, sir!

I primarily play to backing tracks. I have a nasty habit of playing as I drink a couple of beers. I find I play so much better after a couple and have recorded myself to prove it. I don't like this as it makes me reliant on something, but it helps me relax and approach the fretboard from what I hear as opposed to what I know, and also is quite the inspiration to play for some reason. As primarily an ear player I have developed 'relative pitch' that will allow me to play in whatever key just by hearing a few notes to determine where I'm at. Once you learn a ton of scales the rest is just learning melodic phrasing and not being obnoxious, two things which are as difficult as anything else. Theory helps a ton as playing guitar doesn't make you a musician. Writing music from a logical perspective does. (cue hate here)

In a way this is very "advanced" material - yet it seems so obvious. Duh. You have got it exactly right. #1 Learn to play by ear. I always make my students do this from the first lesson. None of them come to the first lesson already doing this. And they are all mystified by it. It is either some kind of magic, or unreasonably difficult. Back in the day (...haha), there was no YT, no tab (except for acoustic folk stuff in open tunings), and no audio playback at half speed. If you wanted to learn something, you had to do it by ear off of vinyl. This is not just nostalgia; it provides a basic foundation for _making_ sounds (and for #7 Playing with others). I almost always end up in a conversation with my students something like "Why would you want to be able to play something that you can't hear?" #4 and #5 Learn "theory" and learn to read traditional notation. For the reasons you give. There is some kind of mythology that theory kills creativity. I think it was started by the tab industry... ;-) In any other endeavor that requires expertise, if someone showed you a useful tool you wouldn't say "Oh, that's too difficult!" or "That is going to ruin my rock climbing, or my carpentry, or my painting...!" You may be able to build an incredible house without a hammer, but it is a nonsensical argument that knowing how to use a hammer would not make you make you a better carpenter. Some might say "I just want to be able to play a couple of songs." or "I just want to get in front of an audience and do my thing." There is nothing wrong with that. But I would argue that that is a different goal than wanting to be a musician. # Play music with other people. Yes... but I've ranted enough for one post.

Jens, thanks for another great one. You are doing lots and lots of them recently! Good. It may (or may not) surprise you that a beginner, who really can't quite follow you, can still gain much from your vids too. I just stop worrying about it, listen to the words and look at the graphics, etc. And a bit sinks in. I believe so anyway. You're such a smart guy, but also an intellectually scrupulous one! Hahaha... great presenter, speaker/talker too of course. But it's demanding stuff (not this particular one, but others and in general), especially for a beginner. Still motivating! If you even decide to revisit addressing us in the even earlier stages would be great. For example, you mentioned those shell voicing as a great way to pick out a tune. But I didn't see a detailed real-world demo of how to chose a shelling voicing for an individual note in a melody. (unless I missed that). That's just a random idea. (being selfish here) But excellent advice in this vid. Thanks again!

You have triggered me successfully. Bach, Kenny G and Cleyderman in one list... That is something I never hope to see again!

most guitarists that I meet lack these two: music theory and ear training. I would also add fingerstyle playing to the list.

1. Show up on time 2. Have your gear together 3. Play in tune. 4. Don't noodle between songs 5. Rehearse at home, practice with the band 6. Play the right gig. Leave the Marshall stack at home for the coffee house gig 7. Learn to play with great time first. If your time sucks, it doesn't matter what you play.

Might be going some but, this is probably the most useful music post on RU-vid.\

Buenas tardes, podrían habilitar subtítulos en castellano? gracias!!

Music is music. Much more stuff in common than dissimilar.

I agree with what you point out about the advantages of standard notation. But guitar tabs aren't that bad anymore, unlike the tabs you show in the video. I use guitar pro (not even the newest edition). When showing notation and tabs, the rhythm will only be shown in the standard notation. If you turn off the standard notation it shows tabs with rhythm notation. The tabs will even show left hand fingerings if you want to.

Was the "guitarist confronted with real sheet music",reading out of the Kenny G book?

I like the Yamaha Sg in the background

Amen

Jens stresses listening, and I can't think of a more important skill when playing with others. Learning to listen will make your playing better and increase other musicians enjoyment when playiing along with you. Everyone has jammed with the guitar player who doesn't listen. It is not fun. One of the things that makes a great jam musician is the ability to hear what others are doing as you play along with them. Put simply, if you don't listen, you don't hear.