Hey. I know you take a lot of the dumb negative comments personally. I just want you to know that you have helped so many of us intermediate and advanced players. Your lessons and demos are well done and I personally wish you and your family the best this coming year.
Thank you for all the years of guitar you have shown us as Privettricker and James James. You are my go to guitarist for any song I want to know about and you still have that wow factor on some of the music you play. Once again thank you and all the best to you and yours.
For mobile users: 1:01 When did you started playing guitar? 2:14 Did you take lessons? And can you read music? 2:47 What was the first song you learned? 3:12 What was your first guitar? 5:03 How many guitars have you owned? 5:41 And are there any favorites you wish you still had? 6:46 Do you have advice on affordable guitars $500 or less? 8:38 Who are the players that influenced you to play? 10:35 How do you learnt to play by ear? 13:38 Do you have a favorite guitar album specifically an album that's good for practicing? 15:24 How often do you practice or how many hours a week do you play? 16:27 Do you have any advice for people who want to get better on the guitar or want to learn by ear?
This video inspired recollections of 43 years of performing, of how I got started, and many wonderful memories of special shows and fun times shared traveling with my brothers in our band. I too was first inspired by my older brother. He took a few lessons. I never did. The first song I learned was House Of The Rising Sun. My first time performing in front of people was at age 14 when my brother let me strum along with his band at a cousins party. My first paying club gig was at age 17. My first gigging guitar was an Aria Pro II TS-400 Thorsound Series. I believe it is a 1981 model. I used it exclusively for 20 years beating the roads gigging two and three nights a week. A saddle finally broke and I bought a G & L Asat Classic. Now my main guitar is a 2018 Music Man Cutlass, the finest electric guitar I've ever owned. I finally spent $180 on new titanium saddles for my Aria, I affectionately call Thelma Lou, and had the frets dressed, the nut replaced, and the neck adjusted. Then a few weeks ago, I replaced the pickups with a set of Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates humbuckers. I'll be taking her out as my backup for a gig this Saturday. My advice for beginners is similar to yours. Start with learning to play open chords, learning the chords of each key, then practicing until you can change quickly and cleanly from chord to chord. Start with the fundamentals. Progress at your speed, but strive to progress. Put in the work. For intermediate to more advanced players, my best advice would be to form a 3 piece band with other musicians who are at or past your level of development. Then push yourself to develop your skills to create full sounding songs, pushing your abilities, thereby learning new techniques, new chords, riffs, and licks. Also developing and improving your ability to multitask and sing lead and harmony vocals. I'm 60 years old, and forming a 3 piece band has caused an old dog to have to learn many new tricks. Thanks for your channel. It is a time saver for me, performing in two 3 piece bands. I find a lot of inspiration and classic songs in your videos that are ones we've never played.
In the day, it was vinyl. So listening over and over lifting the needle and replacing it was labor intensive. Today with computers and tab it is so much easier. Thanks for all your help this is the other way to learn which is actually the best. Just watch James James. I hope your taking some time to enjoy yourself but keep on. So much easier to keep on than starting up.
hey james, 65 slow learner here. Had neck cancer 2015, traeted aug/sept feeding tube removed xmas. I must have been lucky, seems to have got it all. Good luck w/ your followups and Thanks for your excellence. Only song I can play so far is shame on the moon! as I said I'm slow (probably too much pot in the 60's Thanks again . christo
Astonishing. I was going through old cassette tapes to get rid of them, no such luck because I tripped over so many songs I loved, including America Three Roses. I you-tubed, and got sent here, what a great job of figuring out those chords. I also play by ear, and have astonished other people with what I can pick up, mostly Joni Mitchell custom tunings and the custom chords, and then the usual 70's stuff from my teenaged years...I'm good at math too, but always had a hard time interfacing with people...I was diagnosed with ASD when I was 53. That is what makes my mind turn music into an equation I can play on guitar, piano, whatever, I think I am up to 30 instruments.
I want to thank you for making me a much better guitar player. I was someone who stagnated in my playing for many years, but after finding the PT channel, my interest in learning and growing as a guitar player really blossomed because you made songs I would’ve never thought I could play very accessible. And once I started learning a few new “hard” songs, it inspired me to get better and made me more confident in my ability. I can honestly say that I’ve learned more in the last 4 years of playing than I had in the first 15 years I had played. So, again, I just want to say Thank You! Best wishes to you and your family.
Hey all the best in the upcoming year and many thanx for all I've learned from you. I'm 64 years old and I thought I was through with guitar but you showed me and taught me I could play on even through arthritis. still loving every minute of it.
I too, want to personally thank you, both for your "privatetricker" & "JamesJames" library of contributions. I've learned plenty from you, & RU-vid, in general. Your Rolling Stones songs are much appreciated. Your collection of guitars are a sight to behold. Many thanks again, Robin Masters - Rapid City, S. D.
Hello got to say thank you for many yrs. of PT and now this JamesJames. Great and you have help me to elevate my skills to where i can go out have people enjoy my playing as a solo singer song writer.I don't do other tunes except when i am following you. I like to write my own. Anyway thank and i hope you will be around i dig learning a lot of the songs you do.I wrote a time ago asking why Gibson guitars.I still don't get it but that's what makes us all different.You rock is the bottom line .Many thanks for many years.
Awesome video as always. Just wanted to tell you how grateful I am for you and your videos. I’ve learned so much from watching you and its helped me progress really quickly. I started playing January of this year and I had some natural talent to begin with but after watching your videos and other guitar guys videos (majority yours) alongside several hours a day of practice I can now play rhythm for pretty much any song I want, I’m decent with lead chops and I’m playing for my church band all the time. Thank you so much for your videos and guitar knowledge. You’re the man.
So glad you are better... You have saved me so much time with your awesome videos. I play in a Classic Rock band here in LA and you are always my go to guy. Thank you and God Bless!
I’m really happy to see that you’re getting better! Thanks so much for just being there for all of us wanna be guitar hero’s. Frohe Weihnacht und gute Rutsch! Translated means Merry Christmas and happy new year. Greetings from Germany!
When I discovered your youtube channel I started to practice more and of course you are one of my inspirations for playing guitar. I have to thank you for all the cool songs that I added to my playlist because of you, keep on rockin' 🤟 man!
Hey JJ!! Thank you for sharing all your time and knowledge with all of us. It’s been a great year learning from you. Have a safe and happy new year buddy!!!
Happy to see you’re doing better. Thank you for taking the time sharing these awesome lessons. You are not only a great musician but an incredible teacher!!!! Wishing you good health and the best this New Years!! Eddy
Hey JJ, hope you had a great Christmas and even better New Year's. Glad to hear you're recovering, and looking forward to a bigger and better 2019 for you.
Thoughts and prayers for your full recovery! Thank you for your videos! It’s obvious yours are the best guitarist tutorials. I’m 59 and started teaching myself at 15. I can’t read music and don’t really care to. I can honestly say that My playing has improved more in the last year with your videos than in the previous 34! Thank you JJ! Looking forward to the rest of 2019 now! Best wishes to you and your lovely assistant!
I’m very glad you’re continuing to feel better. You’ve been awfully kind to share many great lessons and your time and as you can see, you have many very appreciative and thankful viewers who have taken your generosity of spirit to heart , myself very much included. Very best wishes to you and your family for a happy and HEALTHY New Year. Best, Charlie.
While I follow a few other guitar teachers here on YT, you remain my first and favorite and just know how much you've helped so many people derive enjoyment from music and guitar playing. Continue to get well, so glad you found that in time.
Thank you for all you do. You are a great inspiration to me and I'm sure others as well. Glad to see you are coming along and feeling better. "Gotta feeling 21' is gonna be a good year." Hopefully 19 will be too. Rock on!
I am happy you are on the road to recovery.Thanks for channel and the numerous songs I have learned from you.I am on the same page as you as far as music.Be well and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
here's to a speedy recovery, man! cheers, Happy New Year & i'll add my set of strings to the rack w/ others) thanks for your effort(s) along the way; very appreciated indeed.
Thank you for all the great videos over this past year as well as all the year prior. I'm 65 and turning 66 tomorrow 1/1/2019. I want you to know, you have been a great inspiration for me over the years. I do take private lessons from a really great instructor. I like to throw your videos in his face every once and a while, just to get a rise out of him. LOL!!! May your health issues be as minor as possible and 2019 be your best year ever. God bless you and your family always.
You’re the best, sir. I’ve practiced along with you for a few years now, and the approach, attitude, and style has had as much of an impact on my playing as anyone in my almost 40 years of messing around on the guitar Thank you, I truly and deeply appreciate it!
Very glad to hear yo are on the mend! Wish you a full recovery! Your playing and instruction are so, so valuable! I have learned so much from your demonstrations and lessons!
Hey,so glad your feeling better,happy new year, your the person that I can truly say that I have learned the most from,just watching what you do has been a big help for me,playing guitar is now so fun,can't thank you enough......
So glad to hear that you are on the mend. Look forward to your covers/lessons in the coming days as they are always inspiring. Thanks to you (and your assistant!) for this Q&A session.
God Bless You. Happy that you are feeling better. You are the best guitarist and guitar teacher I have come across. And I love your recognition of Buffalo area sports teams college and pro.
Glad to hear that you are feeling better! Agree with your comment on John Lennon. When I first heard his rhythm part on All My Loving, around age 10, I knew somehow I had to learn to play guitar. That's what planted the seed in me. Music is a journey, not a destination. Have a Happy New Year!
You are my first go-to guy for guitarists on RU-vid! I've learned so much from you and your teaching format is fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing your great gift! All the best to you and yours! Cheers - Luther
This is great! I hope you'll do these from time to time... Your comments and insights are helpful and thought provoking. Your answer to the question about advice for people who want to get better on guitar got me thinking: I didn't even try to learn to play guitar until I was 56 years old, and then only because I had a big scare with my health and a friend said it's now or never, took me to a guitar store and basically forced me to pick out a functional $125 acoustic. (That's a great friend!) Much to my surprise, it was fun right from the beginning. That's what I never realized - it's even fun to suck! Just the sound of a D chord is amazing. I wish someone had told me that when I was 12 years old. Now just today I learned how to play the Beatles song Rain from your PT video lesson. It's been a wonderful journey to follow your lessons. I sure hope your recovery continues to go well and wish you and yours a splendid, prolific new year.
Greetings and many thanks from Russia JJ! Glad to hear you're recovering and coming back and I'm glad you can't read music, I can't too and it gives me a hope! I accidentally saw your playing and was absolutely fascinated and learned a few songs using your lessons and was awarded an interested look from my granddaughter(10y.old)! She even asked me to show her a chord and now she can play E minor! Thank you very much, man! It was 31.12.2018, two hours to the New Year, thank you again, best wishes!
JJ. Great to hear you're doing better! Thanks to you and your videos my guitar playing has improved immensely! But not only that. It has been a godsend in the fact that I've learned to slow down, have more patience with myself and more importantly with my friends and family. As we get older it seems that we forget that we were once young and had certain dreams and aspirations. But life sometimes gets in the way! But, thanks to you, you've made me appreciate playing music once again.
Thanks James for all that you do. Sometimes I watch your videos to learn something and sometimes I watch just to see you play. Either way I enjoy what you do. All the best in the new year!
To me you are a legend man! Been watching your videos for years, for learning and just to see you play. Hope you get back to full health in no time ^_^
Thx James for sharing your wealth of guitar knowledge. So happy that your getting better. You have made me a better guitar player. Wishing you and yours a happy and safe 2019. CANADA
I have been falling in and out of love with practicing my guitar for a few years now. One might say I’m in that proverbial “rut” and no longer progressing. However, your vids are a major source of inspiration and always entice me to play. Thank you for the hundreds of hours of practice you gave us in 2018. Looking forward to your continued good health and your awesome gifts in 2019. God bless.
I'm glad you're doing better brother. I'm 59 and have been playing for 45 years. You teach me something new every time I watch you. I'm thankful for the message you have and your heart felt concern for your fellow man. What your going through is terrifying but the strength you show by over coming this obstacle and reaching out to others is the mark of an angel. You and Tone DR are my go to guys. Keep spreading the message and keep playing. I fought along side my wife as she fought for 5 years. I see in you, the same strength and determination as she had. You've helped so many through the years. It's our turn now. My never ending prayers for you and your family. I'll be learning from you for years. Stray dogs and alley cats, lonesome river band. Thank you brother.
Happy New Year sir! Very happy to hear you're feeling/doing better. I am a big fan of you and what you do. Your videos have been a immense help to my playing and my confidence in playing. Thank you. All the best to you.
First and foremost so glad to see you're on the mend and continued success in that aspect of things. Secondly I would just like to give you a personal thank you were and still are my inspiration to pick up the guitar after a bad accident left me with just 3/4 of my pointer finger on my cord hand and for 10 years kind of thought my guitar days were over and never touched one again until I stumbled upon your video early in your privatetricker years don't know exactly what it was but my inspiration to adapt and overcome came from you can't tell you exactly why because I don't know but I digress I am just here to say glad you're back look forward to many more inspirational I Videos. To you and yours I wish a happy healthy new year and many more to come
Glad to hear you're doing better and your wife sounds lovely, good for you -- you mentioned Keith - you're playing has taught me countless Stones songs and I thank God for it -- Happy new year and get well soon
Hey man - thanks for all you do! My guitar playing has improved big time since i found PT and now JJ. Which, I think, is one of the main reasons you do what you do. Glad you are feeling better - looking forward to seeing/hearing you play soon. Happy New Year!!!!!!
So glad to hear you are doing well! I turned 50 this year as well and had my colonoscopy a couple of weeks ago. You're such a great teacher and give lots of fab advice. Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. Bobby Keys didn't know how to read music either, so you are in good company! All the best in 2019.
thank you for taking to time to answers questions. I have not asked any, but you answered quite a few I had. Thank you and glad to hear you are feeling better.
Thanks for the video James. Have learnt much from you so was very interested to hear about your guitaring background. Thanks for taking the time and glad to see you are on the way to recovery. Best wishes for 2019. Pete from London.
