You may not KNOW The Ventures, but you've DEFINITELY heard them! 

They were the reason I started playing guitar. They spent time in my home town ,Vancouver, Wa. I got to shake Nokies hand and thank him for all he had done . Thank you for this video.

In 1964 I was a 14 year old girl who just got a nice Gibson acoustic guitar. I took a few guitar lessons and this was one of the songs I learned. You made my day Fil.

We hade a great group in Sweden calld The Spotnicks around the same time , they was big in Japan too.

Fil, this song was EVERYWHERE in 1964. I feel so blessed to have been young during the 1960's. I absolutely LOVED it, from The Beatles, through the entire British Invasion, the American groups who came up during that time period...SO MUCH GREAT MUSIC!! It was positively intoxicating, for lack of a better word. Even a group like The Monkees became a source of joy. The entire 1966-67 period was unbelievable. Hard to describe all the feelings the music evoked. Thank you SO much for this great (as always) analysis. Stay safe and sane, etc. Rosemarie ❤️

Fil, musicians that can actually play their instruments, that's rare nowadays

The Ventures where arguably one of the best instrumental bands of all time, cool breakdown on your part Fil, one of your best guitar demonstrations. 😊👍🎸

When I was a "wee lad" (to steal a British phrase) my sister and I had to go to Sam's Tavern to drag our Mom home for dinner. It was a working-class bar where they went after work to have a few drinks. Mom would distract us with a quarter or two (American money) and instruct us to play the jukebox first. At that time it was 6 plays for a quarter and she would always request the first song; after that it was up to us. One of our favorites, to piss off the grumpy old drunks, was "Wipeout" by the Safaris. I will never forget the looks I got while doing my best to imitate the drums on the back of my chair! The old guys weren't gonna beat up a 6 year old kid.

This was an alternate version of the original done by the Ventures in about 1959. They called it "Walk Don't Run '64." They incorporated elements of The Chantay's hit song "Pipeline" into it. Walk Don't Run was a Johnny Smith classic, written and played in 1954, was then covered by Chet Atkins two years later. Nokie Edwards heard the Chet version and loved it. The Ventures (Nokie, Don Wilson, and Bob Bogle) made it into a huge selling rock instrumental classic - TWICE! The Shadows iconic guitarist, Hank Marvin, covered it brilliantly as he did another song from that era -- Jorgen Ingmann's "Apache."

G'day Fil, grew up listening to The Ventures along with The Shadows are other instrumental bands at the time. I love Telstar, The Lonely Bull, Pipeline, Cruel Sea, Tequilla and many more. Great memories.

Surf's up!!! Four notes in and I could picture the waves. My high school was across the sand dunes from the beach. The Ventures were very popular.

I LOVE the ventures!!!

You're right that many people may not have heard of them, especially Brits like me. When I first visited the Philippines in 1991 I was amazed that The Beatles were almost unknown, The Ventures were far more famous and I had never heard of them, then. Needless to say they feature quite strongly in my collection now.

Reminds me of my cousin , Gary, who played Pipeline on his guitar early 60s. It was the first time I saw someone play guitar in person. On tv but never in person. He also taught me to play it. Not very well but I could do the simple melody. Unfortunately he died young. He had polio when baby and it took a toll on his heart. I think of him when I hear the Venturers. 👍🙂👍

Of course I'm aware of the Ventures. I'm from Seattle (Tacoma, where they are from, is just south of Seattle), and actually saw them live many times in those days. My brother was a lead guitar player at the time. And most of the bands were instrumental in the late '50s.

Love them. Wore out a lot of vinyl with The Ventures. ❤❤❤

Was a good match-up between analyzer and the analysis of the uncommon and manic.

Thanks for pointing out palm muting, the picking, and the "sleight of hand". That was funny... a good trick he threw in there. I never would have caught that. Enjoyed it...Rock!

First song I ever learned to play was the Hawaii 5 0 theme song by the Ventures!

The 60's had some great instrumentals. This was fun to listen to and I enjoyed your alternate picking demonstration and breakdown of the notes on the guitar. 😊🎸🎵

Glad you explained that the live recording was faster than the original, because I was thinking I don't remember the tune being this fast lol The Tremolos were also a band to add to the confusion lol

I like both versions, but prefer the 1960 one. It sounds more "garage band" like to me. "Walk Don't Run" 1964 is pretty awesome too though.

I always love how Happy you are in these videos. It's infectious.

Surfer music! Lol! Yes, I've heard this before, sounds a lot like "Wipe Out", and the "Hawaii Five O" theme. This was an awesome analysis and I loved your guitar demonstrations too! 🙂

This was written by Johnny Smith, who I had the pleasure of meeting in 2012 just before his death. The Ventures did a great rendition. Thanks for the video.

I love listening to music, particularly from when I was a youth in the 60s and 70s, but from other eras as well. Sadly, I can’t read music. I don’t play an instrument. I couldn’t carry a tune to save my life. I don’t know many of the musical terms you speak of, but I LOVE your channel and am learning things from you!! Thanks Fil, for another, as always fabulous analysis and for sharing your expertise and love of music with us! ❤️

Love the Ventures. Love the Tornados too! My parents had both albums and played them often enough.

OK, THAT was fun! Great way to wrap up the work week. Taking me back in time for sure! 😎

I absolutely loved the ventures as a very young girl and my brother playing their albums! Good memory throwback.😂

This footage is from a travelogue/concert film of the Ventures tour of Japan '65 titled Beloved Invaders. It was only released theatrically in Japan.

Thanks Fil for keeping the classics alive! This was one of the great instrumental bands from the 60's. I had their greatest hits album. Their biggest hit was "Walk, Don't Run". Some of the other songs they did were "Telstar", "Lonely Bull", "Hawaii 5-O theme, "Wipe Out" etc. The group the Surfaris are actually the first ones who recorded "Wipe Out" in 1963. But it was common for groups to play each others songs.

They sounded so cool on my quadraphonic 8-track player!

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE VENTURES

I grew up in Renton, about 20 miles north of Tacoma, their hometown. I was 10 when Walk Don't Run was released and yes, it was the reason I wanted to play guitar! The Ventures, being a local band, were well covered by our area radio stations here in the Pacific Northwest. They were much a part of my early soundtrack growing up. Thanks Fil, great episode!

Definately an alternative version ... The original had Bob Bogle playing lead , but here it seems to be Nokie Edwards , who was a superb country guitarist who played before the Ventures with all the famous country stars . Their "Live "albums might be a bit of an exaggeration as the cover of their live album says recorded in the UK.. They never came here !!! The other thing I think you will find that this has might have been speeded up ....Shame really but they were superb musicians as I found out when I spent some time with them as can be seen on my site.. Just checked .. It was sped up 10 percent ...

Thanks for your great and in-depth analysis of the Venture's performance of "Walk, Don't Run." I took your advice and watched the performance first. I appreciated that you brought your plethora of knowledge of guitar techniques utilized and your thorough approach in your analysis. I loved that you brought your guitar out to demonstrate! Your love of music and dedication is truly appreciated. Many thanks for all you do, Fil! 🎸

Love this song and great group. 👍❤❤❤

I watched a documentary about the guitars they used back when they released this song. I was fortunate to have been alive during the 1960's when the Ventures was topping the charts with this. What a great time for music.

Great analysis Fil 👩🏻‍🏫👏🏻🥰‼️

You seem to be having so much fun doing this analysis. Thanks

Takes me back. For those of us who learned to play the guitar in the 1960s there were three songs that were mandatory to learn, Wipe Out, Pipeline, and Walk Don't Run. What a fun time it was.

Thanks for reviewing them, I remember hearing their songs on the radio as a kid

They played at my college in 1980 at an outdoor festival. They were fantastic! Been a fan since, even though I recognized their music from when I was a kid.

As a young man coming of age, the Ventures was my first band that I was a fan of. I drove the parents crazy playing the albums over and over on the console stereo. I still have the vinyl.

Oh my, this one takes me back a few years! Your demonstration of how they produced some of their sounds was most interesting! Great analysis, Fil!

I was drummer in a rock band when I was 14 in 1961 and we played all the Ventures tunes. This is nothing like the original version of "Walk Don't Run." What I always liked about this song was the shift to a shuffle beat, hardly detectable, in the bridge. It was hard to hear on a 45 rpm record on a cheap record player, but it's there. Still love this tune.

The drummer's work is also worth to mention.

The Ventures are from my hometown, Tacoma Washington. They were hot hot hot when I was a little kid. They are the reason I started to play guitar. Thanks for giving them their due Fil!!

Good job Fil. I grew up at this time and they were popular but things changed fast!

The first two songs I learned on guitar was Walk Don’t Run and Pipeline. Both from listening to Venture albums over, and over, and over, and over! Picking them out a note at a time.Their live version of Caravan, Wipeout (Mel Taylor’s drumming on these are amazing) and Slaughter On Tenth Avenue is incredible. Noki Edwards is amazing on lead guitar, but listen to Bob Bogle on bass!👍

Walk Don't Run was the first song I learned to play. It still is the tune that I play when I try a new guitar. Much later I learned that this tune was written and played originally by Johnny Smith. The Ventures back then simplified it, just because they couldn't paly Johnny Smith's version. Compared to other guitar tunes, this one is quite simple -- yes, you need to practice the muted strings and the chromatic runs on the A string. Never forget: simple does not equal easy. Thanks, Fil.

the hardest part of the internet for me is seeing all these people I wish I knew in real life. like you my man. keep doing what you are doing. i love it.

Excellent guitar analysis. 👍👍👏👏👏🎸🎼🎵🎶

Admittedly the "songs" are short, but they were all quite similar. The real feat here is remembering were they are in the piece. Personally I quite often tune out on stage and have to use cues like lyrics to remind me where a break or change is coming - not that I take that much interest in a lot of lyrics. I've heard recordings of peoples in ears where they are actually given cues as to when changes are coming, I can't imagine how bands like this pulled it off?

Age 72 the VENTURES inspired me to play guitar. 1962 my Father got me a FENDER JAGUAR and I still have it OF COURSE!!?!

Here they were still playing the Mosrite guitars but when they switched to Fender they were responsible for the sale of millions of strats. In my generation we ALL learned on Ventures albums. Great video

Hearing that after all these years, I hear hints of the Beach Boys! Of course the Ventures come first.

The Ventures made instructional albums back in the 60s to teach you how to play their songs. They were ahead of their time back then. That's how I learned to play guitar (bass, rhythm, lead)

Thank you Fil, your love of music brings joy to me and all Wingers!Many Blessings!

The techniques used here are pretty typical for "surf" music, yes? At least some of the alternate picking techniques are meant to sound like crashing waves. This was imitated a lot in punk rock (esp. early punk like the Ramones, and California punk, e.g. Dead Kennedys), though I don't think the technique for creating the sound in punk was the same. All very cool sounding!

One of the tightest and most underrated bands I've ever heard.

Sure have heard them, they are great, surfing music.

Wouldn't it be nice to have such cheerful music again?

There’s a lot of energy with this band. It reminds me of surfer music popular in the early 60s. My family used to play all those beach bands and surfie dancing. And we lived by the beach. Thanks for posting, really enjoyable picking technique. I love the drummer helping set the tempo.

Great video, Fil! It is so cool you did a video on The Ventures! Wow. Not very many analysis videos on the internet concerning the Ventures, but there sure deserves to be. They were the original guitar heroes.

"You may not KNOW The Ventures..." Stop calling me old! >:-( I was hearing "Walk Don't Run" in my head the moment I read the word "Ventures" ;-) As always, awesome video. Thanks for sharing your take with us.

The Sufaris, the Chantays, the Shadows, the Ventures, all I would listen to, loved them all. Then one day a friend played an album he had just bought by some group called Led Zeppelin, my musical intrest changed forever.

I grew up wth the Ventures which got me playing the guitar. The Ventures got me playing all their hits. The 50 s & 60s were the best times of my life. Play in a band, got my drivers license & got married. All this in the 60s.

I love the Ventures! Yes I'm old 😬😂

Great to hear the melodic ELECTRIC guitar pioneers Fil. A vast palette of expressive music bits fell into the hands of eager melodymakers and performers. Pivotal breakthrough days for that generation of active music lovers 🤸‍♀️🎵🏋‍♀️😅 Thanks for sharing some tricks from those pre-rock days 💫

I'm in my 60s and got my first inspiration from the Ventures, the Monkees, the Rolling Stones and of course the Beatles, and Peter Paul and Mary.

One of my favorites...back when I bought their golden hits album...still plays well

When I was a kid, my older brother had a couple Ventures albums and I loved listening to them. Plus I grew up on those surfer movies as a kid in the 60's, Beach Blanket Bingo and the like. Loved Annette Funicello

Great Job Fil. Not only did the ventures bring us great music they brought us cool Mosrite guitars too. And I will say that as a bassist I feel that Mel Taylor is one of the most overlooked and underrated drummers from that era. I also want those guitars and especially those blonde fender showman amps! Which I did own at one time decades ago but stupidly sold. So there's my regret decision. .

Hey Nil, They are playing "Walk Don't Run '64". This was an enhanced surf version of the 1960 recording. This was one of my favorite songs they did in those early years. Great video!

Like usual Fil playing with his toys here I so so love when you react like you do this is a pure moment of happiness for me I really enjoy every moments I pass looking at your analysis and this one reminds me my brother Jean-Luc who was a big fan of The Ventures thank you so much for that Jean-luc celebrated his 75th birthday on October 21st .Much love to you and \m/ ROCK...

Love this one ! Great 🎵 song, great group ! 👍 ❤❤

I love how easily you can figure these techniques out. It’s fun watching your mind work it out! You definitely do not have a poker face!!

Thank you Fil. Love the Ventures! I am far from any kind of expert, but their guitar playing reminds me of 3 people singing harmony, only on guitars. You can recognize their music anywhere. So fun to listen to you sometimes forget about their technique.

After The Ventures - Wipe Out, all kids started to learn how to play drums. The Shadows was (and still is) my favorite instrumental group.

Thank you so much for taking a look at The Ventures. I have loved their music since they started playing. So much talent.

I learned this song in early 2023. My mind is blown by how much fun it is to play.

This is one of the first songs me and a couple friends learned to play in its entirety except our version lasted about an hour and a half lol. We also loved Pipeline and blasted that for a while too. I remember we all wanted a Mosrite guitar (well out of our price range) to say the least. Anyhow it was fun for a bunch of 13yr olds. Thanks for filling in the blanks we couldn't figure out Fil and rock on.

Fil, glad you’re doing some classics like this, the Ventures had many Great songs and truly was an inspiration to us young guitar beginners back then. Thank you.

Perfect explanation of this type of playing and the importance of relevance to the piece. Great choice! Love this! 👍❤️

Love your stuff Fil, thanks for including he Ventures. I cut my teeth on their music, picking it out from their records in the 60's. I even got a 1965 Candy Apple Red Mosrite, which they are playing here (white though). Basically a Fender group, they had a Mosrite deal from about 63 to 68. But Bob and Don basically played their Jazzmasters, Nokie his Telecaster. In later years Nokie had a Signature "Hitchhiker" which resembled the Mosrite and Bob's Son came out with the "Wilson Brothers" Ventures Model. So many great players owe their playing to the Ventures. As mentioned earlier this is an updated version "Walk Don't Run '64". Nokie does not mute the first time through the riff. Gerry McGee replaced Nokie at various times in their 50 plus years playing his Stratocaster. And there is even a video with Bob missing and Gerry basically playing Bass with Nokie on lead, and Nokie and Gerry do an acoustic set together. Gerry was a great sessions player with Elvis, Kris Kristofferson, the Wrecking Crew, where he is famous for the first chords on "Hey, Hey, We're the Monkees". In many of their concerts they use an electric Sitar for songs like "Paint It Black".

Iconic! I love how they showcase that drummer on the side and he's fantastic! This is one of my favorite tunes by these guys and yes i love the guitar playing too

This is the first song my dad ever taught me on guitar. When I was 6. 100,000 years ago. 💙

Always Fabulous Ventures - Classic -Iconic ❤️

The Ventures were so popular when I was in high school! They were such a geat band. Thanks for your analysis!

I know the Ventures !!! believe me. My father was a massive Fan and has every release , including their whole Japanese catalogue. When I went to Tokyo 5 years ago I got the latest CD for him. The drummer played the "Hawaii 5-0" drums (original 70's series) check it out

I think the first instrumental I learned was Rumble by Link Wray. When this came out I got the album, but the first song I learned off the album was "Perfidia". I didn’t know until many years later it was a Mexican song from 1939. Another instrumental group I liked back then was "Johnny and the Hurricanes".

Ahh yes! Played the that song many times myself back in the mid sixties on my white body, Fender Mustang. I thought I was pretty good at the time. But now that you explained all the the details that made up that song, I see why I decided to make jewelery rather than music for a living.

My highschool marching band used to play Walk Don't Run in the stands all the time, of course written for an entire woodwind and brass band. It was fun to play.

I definitely know their music! Great music from the 60’s. Great memories and analysis. Such good times”back in the day!”

When I was 14 or 15 years old in the early 60s I started playing my $15.00 strat on a toy amp really. Then, I met very passionate Ventures enthusiast playing lead on his Hagstrom. He had six LPs of the Ventures’ best-known songs on which each guitar part was missing. You could practice any guitar part with the actual Ventures. He taught me bar chords and had me playing rhythm until my fingers bled. Our little band genuinely resembled a Venture Clone ensemble warming up crowds mostly. What fun! Thanks for the video Fil, I enjoyed it!

Many thanks, FIL, for this video analysis of The Ventures. I was (and remain) a fan of The Ventures and Hank Marvin and The Shadows. Surf guitar instrumentals have always been a big part of my years as a player (bass or six-string). My favourite "newer" Surf bands are The Aquavelvets and The Delstroyers. Here's one from The Ventures for Halloween 2023 >>> "He Never Came Back" -- The Ventures. Cheers -- W

What I like about this analysis and many of your other ones is that all this guitar stuff is related. I've heard modern Death Metal bands play alternate dampened notes but with distortion on. I once was at a German rock festival with a punk band called Red London some time in the 90's and one of the other bands were from the US. They had a unique sort of space age sound - lots of experimentation and they were using guitars that were manufactured and connected with the Ventures.

Hi Fil, Lots of good guitar stuff going on here! …LOL… thank you for the great demonstrations and breakdown of the techniques. A really cool classic 60s infused sounding track. I heard bits and pieces of surfer, and various rock genre sounds going on all rolled into one song. Pretty fascinating and what amazed me the most was not only their playing ability but the intense focus and concentration this must have taken to pull this off live. But that is was makes these guys great! Love how the audience was so calmly seated during the performance! I think they were all mesmerized… a fun analysis for all to enjoy! Great job… ROCK, Debbie☮️

Great stream Fil. Thank you for this oldie but goldie. I was 9 years old when this came out. Blast from the past.

My Mom bought me the album Play Guitar with the Ventures when I was about 12. Pipeline, Wipeout, Out of Limits, Let's Go. Pipeline is still one of my favorites