Dude!!!! I have to say you are the MOST complete, and easy to understand guitar professor on the web. you are even more detailed than Marty. You go thru the WHOLE song, not just the main riffs and i appreciate your explaination of timing thrown in too. Please keep up the great lessons.
WoW !!! I feel like I just won the guitar lesson lottery !!! Hands down the most in depth and clarified lesson I have seen online. Fantastic !! Thank You , Thank You !!!
I like that term. Neil has been criticized too often for what is described as a "one note solo". But clearly, he can do more with one note than most shredders do with a hundred notes played with no creativity, subtlety, tonal sense or soul. And Neil himself has said he doesn't hear one note, he hears a number of notes--by which I think he means that each rendering of the "note" is played with subtle variations in his attack on the strings, volume, rhythm, tone or whatever. The tutorial here properly refers to this as minimalist, but even that doesn't quite convey the complexity of a unique "one note solo" as NY does it. I sometimes call NY a neo-primitive to describe how Neil at his best can use the most rudimentary or primitive techniques to express basic or complex emotions. Instead of trying to show technical skill and use it for expression, which he can do if he wants to, he prefers the more child-like, crude and forceful use of an instrument.
Let me tell you I am 60 years old and I just picked up a guitar for the first time two years ago I've always loved Neil Young and this is a very fun song the way you break it down and explain the different parts of the song is spot-on you make it so easy to learn thank you
I was in on this tour twice, once in Seattle and the next night in Vancouver. Drove up to BC spur of the moment, got a ticket at the front ticket booth and wore my shirt in from the night before. I was able to get around back stage after the show and met Neil, greatest memory, adoration flood zone man 😎👍
Thank you so much for your lesson. And yes, he goes over some small details that other people forget. He isn't into, "Look at how good I can play this," just seems to want to teach. Unusual now days. Thanks again.
Adrian , one of the best lessons I have ever seen on line. You take your time and explain every note, hammer on, up and down stroke s etc. This goes back a long way in Neil's library and remains one of my favorites. Keep up the great work!
I like your cover as well as your teaching. Neil young's music is usually pretty easy to play but he has some unique styles that make his acoustic songs great, plus such a unique voice, I hated his voice years ago, but I've grown to love it and even envy it at times. Anyway, you do a good job.
Adrian, I continue to be impressed with everything you do in teaching these lessons. You speak in a perfect cadence, so that I can catch it the FIRST time. Keep on rocking!!!
I always love in your lessons how you emphasize the organic playing style of musicians like Neil Young and Ron Asheton. these guys played loose and natural, not sloppy but organic and by feel. Your lessons do more justice to these songs than a direct transcription.
I stumbled across this video while I was looking for something else. Very well done. I like the approach of showing people how to play the noted used in the end part, and leave it up to them to do their own thing with it. Very well done.
Concise, excellent instruction. I have been playing guitar for around 50 years, teach flamenco guitar, and play classical and Brazilian (beyond Bossa Nova). My time is better spent watching a video like this than trial and error transcribing. I thank you for the hours I didn't have to spend working out this tune.
Thanks! I've performed this song for years and couldn't figure out the inversions he uses to make the chords sound that way. It's mostly double drop D tuning! You are a fine man indeed. Great job Sir! Now my ending is perfect!
Thank you for a wonderful lesson. Neil Young is one of my favorite artists. I’ve grown up listening to him, and now I’m playing his songs. I’ve tried this on my 12 string. Didn’t work out so well, but for electric, it’s perfect! Thanks again. Your teaching style is easy to follow. I’ve subscribed to your channel also. Kudo’s from across the pond Adrian. I hope that you understand that you have helped so many with their guitar playing. Most don’t leave replies. I think you would be surprised at how many people that you really have helped. Keep up the good work. I know it’s expensive, and it takes up a lot of time to make these videos, but we sure do appreciate them.
Thanks Adrian, Never knew it was in double drop D tuning. Great lesson great teacher keep up the good work I've learned a lot from this lesson and your other lessons again thank you.
This is hands-down the best guitar lesson I've ever seen on RU-vid! I know this song very well -- it's one of my favorites and I did a pretty reasonable analysis of it decades ago. But you have precisely decoded the song! I'm so appreciative!!! I"m going to my guitar right now to use some of your hints!
Thank you for this. Personally this is my all time favorite Neil Young song. I will take my time to learn it well. I'd like to say that I've recently subscribed to your channel and your calm no nonsense approach to teaching is much appreciated. I also enjoy looking at your beautiful collection of guitars too. Cheers
Excellent tutorial! Just knowing the tuning makes all the difference in the world in trying to re-create the vibe of this song. This 63-year-old is also glad to see that some of you young guys are into early Neil Young...
Excellent tutorial and commentary. I agree with you that this is one of the great guitar playing achievements in rock history. So much is conveyed with fairly simple notes and chords played with incredible creativity and force despite the seeming simplicity including the infamous "one note" solo that is actually much more subtle and expressive than many critics want us to believe. Clearly, he can do more with one note than most shredders do with a hundred notes played with no creativity, subtlety, tonal sense or soul. And Neil himself has said he doesn't hear one note, he hears a number of notes--by which I think he means that each rendering of the "note" in a sequence is played with subtle variations in his attack on the strings, volume, rhythm, tone or whatever. The tutorial here properly refers to this as minimalist, but even that doesn't quite convey the complexity of a unique "one note solo" as NY does it. I sometimes call NY a neo-primitive to describe how Neil at his best can use the most rudimentary or primitive techniques to express basic or complex emotions. Instead of trying to showcase technical skill and use it for expression, which he can do if he wants to, he prefers the more child-like, crude and forceful use of an instrument.
Yes, but he seems too nice. Soft spoken, unassuming, impeccable taste in fashion..... it's too perfect a package, as if one were to design the perfect guitar teacher. And Why would one do such a thing? To keep dark secrets hidden Of Course! He strikes me as a bloke with multiple skeletons in multiple closets. Possibly one for every note on a diatonic scale.... hmmmm Is it a circle of fifths? or a circle of Evil?
You might be right but it's over the internet where not at his home it's the teaching that counts I have learned some good stuff and also it is not easy to have your own youtube channel and to present you tutorials.
By far the best description of how to play this I've seen. Missing none of why it's great, namely the looseness and freedom of Neil's style. I've heard most of the live versions Neil did and they are never quite the same, purposely. The power chords and tuning allow you to get just a little "sloppy" and stay in the spirit of the original. Adrian knocks this lesson out of the park.
Thank you so much for this. You have illuminated one of Neil's classic songs. I also really appreciate the fact that you are using a guitar similar to Neil's all time fav instrument, complete with heavy duty whammy bar! Fantastic!
Adrian, with out question you’re a good teacher and yes so much better than Marty. I don’t see how some teachers on you tube get that many views, because there not better than you. Thanks for you’re all your work.
I wish I played but never have..love watching you play and learning , Interesting knowing what Neil is actually playing when I listen to him play Cinnamon Girl ..Thank you San Diego, CA
Just as the description says; in depth and accurate. Excellent! Really enjoyed your comments on the style and mood of the tune. Couldn't agree more about Neil's solo; there is something really powerful with such a simple assembly of notes.
I first discovered your site by googling "Cinnamon Girl guitar lesson" quite some time ago and landing on this lesson. I didn't come near mastering it at the time but just returned to it. Very nice, and not as hard as when I tried it the first time....
Adrian even has his own Old Black for this video! Great song, great lesson. I agree with others here - I've gone through several tabs and explanations, and this one is the most complete. Well done.
I'm a HUGE Neil Young die hard and have been finally learning to play guitar all of his music and riff's. I was stuck a bit on this song and looking around for guidance stumbled upon your video. Excellent instruction and I appreciate your doing this. I'm good to go now. BTW: got a good chuckle at around 19:55 on the "woodily-woop" comment. I totally agree with the genius comment as well. Simple notes just like Buddy Guy or BB King would do and sustain. Cheers
I remember using this song to torture my guitar teacher when I was a kid. I hated playing scales and I said Neil Young doesn't do scales and when my teacher disagreed I played him this song! He still didn't let me get out of practicing my scales but he did smile when I played the "solo" perfectly! 😆
And I agree 100% that Neil's one note solo has much more punch than many shredding solos that rely on speed. The blues guys get it. It is the spacing between notes that constitutes the soul. Not to take anything away from EVH or other great technical players, but those just starting to learn the craft ought to realize how much the silence between notes is as important as the noise.
Absolutely brilliant. I grew up with this song and have been tasked to learn it to play with a group of friends live this summer. You took me through the whole thing easily . Thank you so very much!
Nice work, Adrian!! LOVE this song. Just started playing it this week. The solo.......D.....and more DDDDDDDDDD. All good! Drop D tuning too. WOW. This ROCKS!!!
I always find your explanations instructive and entertaining. I manage to blag my way through this in normal tuning but it seems to work. I missed using the hammer on Am during the verse so thanks for that. As for the end bit it may be interesting to note that as part of the final ad lib bit I also threw in young George's lick from Norwegian Wood and lo and behold one day I watched Neil Young do exactly that. :)
