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WHO CAN PLAY THIS WILKO RIFF


catscurlyear

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Hi there, after looking at a couple of Wilko Johnson licks today, i came across this one it sounds simple and straight forward but this has got to be one of the hardest riffs i`ve attempted ,it`s probably because ideally your hand should be big enough to do it, mine is probably a tad too short for this but ...wow that hurts the thumb.It`s the first 12 seconds of the intro i am talking abouthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV0yYcN9QnE

for an exact explanation on how to play this lick check this video at 2.50

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The thing that makes the riff unique is the free flowing strumming pattern. Nothing complicated about what he's doing from a technical standpoint, but, the feel is hard to duplicate.

 

Don't worry about your thumb. You can fake it by muting with your strumming hand. I have short fingers, too, so I have to fake a lot of stuff that other people with long fingers take for granted.

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The thing that makes the riff unique is the free flowing strumming pattern. Nothing complicated about what he's doing from a technical standpoint, but, the feel is hard to duplicate.

 

Don't worry about your thumb. You can fake it by muting with your strumming hand. I have short fingers, too, so I have to fake a lot of stuff that other people with long fingers take for granted.

if you don`t do the thumb part you lose half the riff .the hard thing about this for me is keeping the pinky on the top two strings at fret five while doing the thumb riff at fret 2 ,while the first finger is forming an A chord on fret 2 ,while doing the other riff on the A string at fret 3&4 with the 2nd & 3rd finger ,anyway i can do it now ,it was a bit of an head scrambler .i bet my hand will hurt tomorrow

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My country failed certification for the first video;

 

Dont underestimate this. I think this is a 6 minute masterclass.

 

What I don't is 'understand this'

 

I got something about Englebert Humperdink liking the up down thing with the licks -or something.

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My country failed certification for the first video;

 

 

 

What I don't is 'understand this'

 

I got something about Englebert Humperdink liking the up down thing with the licks -or something.

 

Really?

what I got was a succinct explanation and demonstration of how to play rhythm and lead at the same time. :confused2:

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Really?

what I got was a succinct explanation and demonstration of how to play rhythm and lead at the same time. :confused2:

 

Yeah I know. Strange delivery to me. It is kinda funny though that his explanation parodies the technique with key words (the strumming) connected with the mumbly stuff (the licks).

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My country failed certification for the first video;

try this ,if you can watch it ,on the info under the video press show more and click on "track 2 " "Going Home" it is at 2:46. it`s just the first 12 seconds of the intro i`m talking about.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdFcTg2eQWM

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try this ,if you can watch it ,on the info under the video press show more and click on "track 2 " "Going Home" it is at 2:46. it`s just the first 12 seconds of the intro i`m talking about.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdFcTg2eQWM

 

Thanks that works. I haven't checked on guitar but it sounds like:

janga janga janga janga | jang jang jang jang

 

Where the jangas are the high strings and 4 single jangs are the middle and lower strings.

 

This is nothing like the demo up there ^ . Where he fingers the lick as he maintains the one strum thing.

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Thanks that works. I haven't checked on guitar but it sounds like:

janga janga janga janga | jang jang jang jang

 

Where the jangas are the high strings and 4 single jangs are the middle and lower strings.

 

This is nothing like the demo up there ^ . Where he fingers the lick as he maintains the one strum thing.

yes it is exactly the same, just a 40 year interval ,between the two versions.

 

Oh, and the melodic movement is just electric bass.

no the melodic movement on the intro is the low E and A string .

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yes it is exactly the same, just a 40 year interval ,between the two versions.

 

 

no the melodic movement on the intro is the low E and A string .

 

I meant the second video with masterclass guy vs the one you posted that works in the US.

Anyway, you're right a bass makes a distinct entrance after the part in question.

I have fairly small hands but can finger the bass line if,

 

Bar open A with index and bar the high E and A on the 5th fret with the pinky.

You can now thumb the bass line and strum the top strings with 2,3,and 4.

 

Down strum with the tops of your fingernails should get that janga sound.

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I meant the second video with masterclass guy vs the one you posted that works in the US.

.

They are the same guy ,i haven`t posted anybody else .the guy doing the "masterclasss" in the library is Wilko Johnson as he is now 2014 .the other thing i posted is Wilko Johnson with is band Dr Feelgood back in 1975 .

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K whatever. The thing you wanted to know and the demo he gives are two different things.

 

no they aren`t .and i don`t need to know anything i know how to play it ,i just asked if anybody else could play it, that`s all, sorry mate i feel like i`m having a dumb and dumber moment ,only on my part though .

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Ok he doesn't play that bit till 2:50 into the demo. The bass part is clearer on the album though. Stands out like it was overdubbed or played with thumb. Anyway you said the grip or something was too hard. Finger picking while not authentic at least works.

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I don't post video or audio. Anyway the problem is the thumb over the neck. If you can't make the stretches, ( I cant and apparently neither can the OP) then thumb picking the bottom line works. With the fret hand thumb behind the neck, you can finger the line with the index and next two fingers.There are coordination and new muting issues but that's what practice is for.

The result is not as forceful as the original but can be played as aggressively and only trivia fanatics would notice.

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Both the OP and Masterclass guy are probably better than me.

Allow me to explain : :)

Wilko in the 1970s

071221_135514_drfeelgoodredf1.jpg

 

Wilko today

_74814302_wilkopa.jpg

 

 

Same guy in both vids!

I do appreciate that this is a very British thing a bit bewildering to Americans and that Dr Feelgood were not big in the US. What makes their music interesting to me is the "raw edginess" of their gigs which although R&B in many way presaged punk which was to follow 5 or so years after. Look at it that way and you can maybe see their influence this side of the pond

The classic album is "Down by the Jetty" and I would venture my favorite song as "Milk and Alcohol"

 

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the problem is the thumb over the neck. If you can't make the stretches, ( I cant and apparently neither can the OP).
i can make the stretch but it does hurt my thumb enough to make it uncomfortable ,i think my problem is the radius of my guitar necks ,my necks all have a flattish radius of about 12" apart from my jaguar and one of my strats which are at someone else`s house at the min ,i think if the radius was rounder maybe 7" it would probably make the stretch easier and feel more comfortable ,Wilko`s Tele necks would have probably had a rounder radius to favor the thumb over job

 

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Allow me to explain : :)

Wilko in the 1970s

071221_135514_drfeelgoodredf1.jpg

 

Wilko today

_74814302_wilkopa.jpg

 

 

Same guy in both vids!

I do appreciate that this is a very British thing a bit bewildering to Americans and that Dr Feelgood were not big in the US. What makes their music interesting to me is the "raw edginess" of their gigs which although R&B in many way presaged punk which was to follow 5 or so years after. Look at it that way and you can maybe see their influence this side of the pond

The classic album is "Down by the Jetty" and I would venture my favorite song as "Milk and Alcohol"

 

Yes I know. I mean Wilko and Catscurlyear, the OP. I can't get the original clip in the states but since you posted the pic, notice the big ole hangin' thumb and listen to the remade version per curlyear's instructions.

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i can make the stretch but it does hurt my thumb enough to make it uncomfortable ,i think my problem is the radius of my guitar necks ,my necks all have a flattish radius of about 12" apart from my jaguar and one of my strats which are at someone else`s house at the min ,i think if the radius was rounder maybe 7" it would probably make the stretch easier and feel more comfortable ,Wilko`s Tele necks would have probably had a rounder radius to favor the thumb over job

 

Radius and holding the guitar low seems to help. I have so much difficulty with thumb over the neck I wont even try those grips.

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