River Man by Nick Drake | Guitar Lesson 

20 years old when he wrote this. Blows me away that a kid could create something so utterly profound and haunting. What a beautiful mind

00:00 Song playthrough 01:48 Introduction, background, hesitation to spoil enjoyment by breaking things down, the joys of Nick Drake fandom, song time (5/4) and tuning (standard, with capo on 3rd fret) 03:15 Justifiable jettisoning/exorcism of supposedly authoritative printed medium 03:20 Recommendation to hone your own ears 03:57 Start of (far from crappy) tutorial; opening chord fingering 04:52 How to establish 5/4 feel 05:03 Thumb pattern to practice 05:21 Thumb pattern with counting 05:45 Adding in 3 more fingers (the pinch) 06:33 The "pinch" pattern with counting 06:42 Adding in accents on the upbeat using the 1st finger on the 4th string 07:25 Explaining how the 3-finger pinch moves at the end of the bar from strings 234 to strings 123 (on the opening chord) 08:04 Close-up of picking hand for entire opening chord pattern 08:25 Playthrough of song introduction using the opening chord pattern (4 bars) 08:36 Shift to A minor shape that opens the 1st verse 09:06 A Minor finger placement for this song 09:23 Alternative ways of fingering A Minor 10:17 Close-up of picking hand for A Minor chord pattern (which does not have the moving pinch) 10:38 Introducing the next chord in the verse: C9 with a G in the bass. 11:35 Introducing F chord (thumb over the top or "normal") 12:16 Chord transition from Amin to C9 with a G in the bass with the open strings sounding out 12:43 Chord transition from C9 w. G to the Fmaj with open strings and bass note run 13:27 An entire verse 13:59 An entire verse with a close-up view of the picking hand 14:34 Get your righteous groove on with staccato chords 15:31 The Instrumental section 15:37 The pulchritudinous dissonant chord (kind of an A7 with a flat 5 in there as well) 16:23 This chord also has the same moving pinch pattern as the opening chord of the song 16:31 Chord progression during solo 16:58 F chord embellishments and chord progression 18:21 Outro discussion; ver. without strings elsewhere on YT 18:38 1st chord of outro 19:28 2nd chord of outro 19:49 The Jamaround section of the outro 21:03 "The Nick Drake Sound" discussion

So happy that you're doing Nick Drake, would love a lesson for Three Hours

I just watched Josh Turner's video Nick Drake's Tone - An In-Depth Look and now you are doing this, amazing and thank you!

That does it - I’m doubling my Patreon amount! I have a small bodied Martin with tired earthwood strings, love this song, love your lessons. Thank you Adrian...

The attention to detail here is incredible. What a teacher you are. And you have great music taste!

Have learnt this song a while ago and really been getting back into learning this in order to remember the structure. The rhythm and chords are just so unique and those two parts are what really make this song in particular stand out! This has to be one of Nick Drake’s best songs that he’s written and it goes to show how much of a genius he really was as a musician and guitarist. Great lesson 👍

Nick Drake, the master of the sublime. Your lessons are always top notch choices.

That is uncanny! A week ago my 16 year old son is playing this song and at first listen I think it's Beck's Round the Bend. I tell him whoever this is has seriously ripped off Beck. He then schools me on Nick Drake and I've been obsessed since. I start trying to search for good lessons on this song, find some good covers but wished there was a good proper tutorial. And then BAM, one of my favorite guitar teachers (Adrian) puts this out today. Makes me really wonder if Adrian has somehow installed some type of computer cookie malware and can tell which songs I want to learn next. ;) Thanks for another great lesson!!!!!

Fantastic lesson as ever, Adrian. I had that book once. I bought it 20 years ago in Denmark Street, and it was awful. Nick Drake is hard enough to learn without dodgy tabs. Thanks for this excellent lesson. Needless to say, you have the best content on RU-vid.

Thanks man. Love anything by Drake.

I appreciate your instructional videos and have gained a great deal from them. However, I will have to take issue with one of your points in this video. You suggested that one should get into the habit of listening to the recording and working thing out for yourself. No! You see, I am almost 70. I took up guitar in retirement as a means to stay active and keeps my hands and brain active. If I try to work out how to play things on my own I will die of old age only knowing how to play, maybe, two tunes. I will stick with instructions like yours. If you don’t mind. 😂 I learned to play my first song, Sunflower River Blues, by watching your video. I only play fingerstyle acoustic. More of those please. Thanks for this one!

Hi Adrian, your taste in music , and lessons is/are tremendous!

Only found this song today. Fell in love with it,breathtaking. So glad I found your lesson. Have to learn this .

I really enjoy Nick Drake.. And sincerely enjoyed this lesson. I think all of his tunings are extremely interesting. Thanks for this lesson😊

Adrian...It is always a pleasure to watch your videos. Your lessons are always informative and often not the usual kind of song choices that are uploaded by other guitar tutors. I look forward to all your lessons. Thank you.

YES! More Nick Drake please!!!

Adrian, you make the best song choices. Thanks for posting.

I think your tuition is probably the best out there. I like the choice of tunes you choose which vary from being quite indie combined with amazing classics like Nick Drake and Scotty Moore which certainly appeals to me and the pace of tuition is fab thanks

One of my favorite songs of all time! Thanks for creating this lesson!

would you consider doing any elliott smith ?

Thanks so much. Wonderfully done

As you pointed out there really are some beautiful chord voicings in this, particularly the A with the dissonance. It's going to take some serious dedication to get used the the picking pattern and the unusual timing. You have done a wonderful job in breaking this down and making it as understandable as possible, for which personally I am extremely grateful. 😎🎙🎸✅

Adrian, that is the best Nick Drake tutorial ever. You are a maestro. I'm sure Nick would approve from somewhere under a fruit tree. We all know that he was here now he's gone.

Excellent choice of song and excellent lesson. Nearly forty years after I first heard this wonderful song it's the first time that I have ever seen anyone play it. And it's an awesome sight. Cheers Adrian! Now to grab a guitar and a capo...

Great lesson Adrian and a very under appreciated song. Kudos to you sir.

Love Nick Drake! Thank you for this lesson! Tutorials on his stuff are rather hard to come by

fantastic, thank you Adrian! if you've thought about teaching any my bloody valentine stuff i'd definitely vote yes. your lessons are always spot on and incredibly helpful.

Thanks, Adrian! I love Nick Drake but have never attempted to play any of his songs. Great lesson.

Thanks so much for this one!

One of my favourite songs - thanks Adrian

Eric Haugen, another wonderful guitar teacher on RU-vid just recommended that I check this video out, spookily I was practicing from it at the time

Legend. Thanks so much for this ... incredible song. Great guitar playing and awesome channel.

Thanks a lot for this. If you're planning to do more Nick Drake, please consider doing 'Cello Song'. That intro -- and the whole song actually -- is quite hard to figure out. Thanks!

I love this song and you have done a brilliant job with it.. Request time? Dancing the Night Away by the Motors. That opening riff and guitar solo is just great and has not dated since 1977!! Thanks,even if you dont and keep the channel going. I love it.

You had me at "be gone" !

Great video as ever Adrian. Thanks for sharing, the Patreon-only insights are also excellent (advert over folks).

Good choice. I've always loved this song, along with his entire body of work. It's such a shame he never received his due credit until decades after his passing. Folky singer-songwriter types were a dime a dozen back then, and I think he was unfairly lumped into a category of music that was going out of style when the 60s turned into the 70s as the target demographic was more interested in heavy rock and prog bands. So instead, he labored in obscurity because the record label didn't know how to promote him. His sound was unlike anyone else, though. That voice and guitar style was totally unique.

Brilliant. Thanks very much, Adrian.

Adrian, I have to say that you nailed this one for sure! Thanks so such much for your in-depth tutorial on this amazing song and artist. Growing up in Canada in the early '70s similar sounding songs by Joni Mitchel & Bruce Cockburn were popular on the radio. I believe they had been greatly influenced by Nick Drake.

Just stumbled on this - so cool. I've almost through learning things behind the sun which is also in standard. Subscribed

Great as always. Would be cool if you taught some Elliott Smith

Brilliant thank you

Outstanding 👌👍

Some of those chords! Mahogany was the perfect choice for those sounds ❤

Please do a Hazey Jane 1 lesson. thank you for all your work sir

Great stuff as always!!!

Adrian I have a copy of 'The Nick Drake Song Collection' from Wise Publications. It features a preface by Robert Kirby. It's not a TAB book. It is music notation and chord shapes only. There is a footer on each song title page featuring a copyright notice for '1969 Warlock Music Limited'. 'Island Music Limited'. The tuning for 'River Man' is stated as: C G C F C E. and 5/4 timing as you said.

Thanks so much, a favourite tune of mine that I assumed would be out of my ability range, but not now!

Ohhhh thank you so much

Learned a lot from this, thanks! Looks like we have the same Martin, too 🙆🏼‍♂️

That was beautiful, thank you for helping me learn many new things. I love your channel. Maybe radiohead one of these days? There, there is one in trying to learn but can’t find any in alternate tuning.

Love this. But in a complete 180, Adrian, could you make an attempt at Third Uncle from Brian Eno’s Taking Tiger Mountain (by strategy)? Left & right rhythm parts and bonkers guitar solo halfway through. Thanks.

Gold! 🙏

Thanks so much as usual... Beautiful song. Shame I can't afford a Martin guitar to bring that sound out.

What model of Martin is that ? Lovely sound , nice tutorial

Hey man how many exclusive tracks do you have on your Patreon ? :) What are the names ? (Can't find any)

WOW, thank you sir!

Muchas Gracias!!! :)

Love it, they are nearly always easier than they sound! Do you know the Roddy Frame lp "Surf", maybe you could do a track off that? Or something like Spanish Horses by Aztec Camera. Hope you are well x

Loving the videos and loving that I decided to learn guitar just before lockdown. Back to the old house, Shadowplay and Goo Goo Muck have been my favourite ones to get to grips with. Any chance of looking at any Talking Heads?

Great choice! What is your advice for people whose thumbs just don’t seem shaped for the over-the-top thumb grip? For how many months/years should we keep trying before seeking alternate methods?

Nice one. I miss the beautiful Martin you used in previous videos

I tried to learn some Nick Drake years ago. But I’m crap at finger picking and I realised the tunings were mental. So I gave up. Might give this a shot though. Thanks 👍

Is that a 0015m? Sounds great

Vocals dude... I was waiting :)

3hrs nick drake would be epic

Can you please make a lesson for twist - tones on tail?

The job's a good'n.. Thank you

More Nick Drake please, maybe some John Martyn?

Can you please do a vid on psycho killer - talking heads cos your tutorials are the only ones i find clear apart from marty schwartz

Is that a mahogany 0017 from the 50s?

Where is the emoji with the fluffy bunnies Morris dancing over the surface of a forest lake around a huge throbbing heart under the August full moon when you need it?

Ok now we're getting serious !!

Time for some more Cramps perhaps?

Nice, maybe some sonic youth?

Ha ha, that book is among the worst guitar books ever published. Tremendous to see it being launched as it so richly deserves. Cracking video as always sir!

Nick Drake is bossa nova

3.20 not turning me back on you!

That's definitely it ; he hardly used standard tuning. But riverman was standard with a capo exactly like you show . 100 per cent definitely

Comment # 34. Good one!

chucks crappy book LOL. thanks dude

Great lesson. Now try singing over it. LOL

That F chord 😮