John Mayer - Player Analysis

A detailed Guitar-based analysis byJoe Turner

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! Table Of Contents

1! ! ! ! ! ! ! Cover Page

2! ! ! ! ! ! ! Table of Contents

3! ! ! ! ! ! ! Introduction and Style & Technique! ! ! ! ! ! !4! ! ! ! ! ! ! Style & Technique (continued)

5! ! ! ! ! ! ! Style & Technique (ctnd.)

6! ! ! ! ! ! ! Style & Technique and Technical ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Considerations

7! ! ! ! ! ! ! Technical Considerations (ctnd.)

8! ! ! ! ! ! ! Technical Considerations (ctnd.)

9! ! ! ! ! ! ! Technical Considerations and ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Selected Discography

10! ! ! ! ! ! ! Selected Discography (ctnd.)

11! ! ! ! ! ! ! Bold As Love (Solo Transcription)

12! ! ! ! ! ! ! Appendices & References

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For this assignment, I will be presenting a detailed analysis of the playing and performing styleʼs of John Mayer. From an early stage into my Guitar playing career, I discovered the works of John Mayer; a Guitarist/singer/songwriter 3whose works quickly became a large influence on my playing style as a musician. His use of intelligent, musical Guitar riffs that lie within his songs (and occasional covers) are an area I find extremely interesting. Personally, I have spent several hours dissecting and learning John Mayer songʼs as a way of enhancing my Guitar playing.

! Style & Technique:

John Mayerʼs Guitar playing style is continuously varied depending on the particular song he is playing. For example, in his song “Slow Dancing In A Burning Room” the main riff (below)(0:00 - 0:15 on Track) executes a finger-picking style which John uses frequently in his recorded tracks in addition to his live performances. Furthermore, he uses his thumb to root chord fragments in his riffs and general playing style/technique; similar to that of Jimi Hendrix, with himself quoting, “who I am as a Guitarist is defined by my failure to become Jimi Hendrix:1”! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (0:00 - 0:15 on supplied track)

Mayer uses both of these techniques throughout his improvising and general playing when writing. Furthermore, Mayer also uses a pick in his playing. This is notably evident in his soloing ideas and less frequent on his general musical ideas. Both of these picking techniques are usually used in his tracks

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1 John Mayer. (2004). Who I am as a Guitarist is defined by my failure to become Jimi Hendrix. Available: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnmayer454672.html. Last accessed 16th November 2013.

and performances. In addition to these branches to John Mayerʼs playing, he has used different tunings for several of his songʼs that enable new possibilities in terms of his creation of Guitar riff/hooks. These tunings vary from: E,B,E,F#,B,E (Esus2), C,A,D,G,B,E, (Standard with a Low C), and Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Bb,Eb (Half a step down) have given him some of his greatest and most memorable Guitar riffs:1. Somethingʼs Missing (taken from Heavier Things album): ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (0:16-0:38 on supplied track)

2.! Neon (taken from the Room For Squares album)(insert track time), the ! Bass clef represents the Low C tuned on the Guitar. This piece also ! utilises the idea of using a thumb to root the lower notes of the riff (the ! bass clef in this notation instance):! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (0:39-0:49 on supplied track)

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In addition to these somewhat minimal, but effective elements, John also has a distinguishable Guitar tone. Within his rig setup, Mayer has a vast choice of Guitarʼs: ranging from numerous Fender Stratocasterʼs, Martin Acousticʼs, an occasional Gibson 335 and more recently Duesenbergʼs that compliment his more recent, country-influenced material. “John gets his tone from his signature Fender Strat2”; choosing different pickup selections for each song to create diverse but distinguishable Guitar parts. These vary, for example the “Somethingʼs Missing,” riff states that the pickup should be in “2nd position,” on a typical Fender Strat to give a true replication on Mayerʼs tone on the recording.

John has countless ways of using phrasing and rhythmical ideas to structure his playing. This is continuously varied to create every performance and record unique in its own way. John Mayer himself says that he is “a guy whoʼs made pop music but wants to play blues3” and his catalogue of music clearly reflects that (see Discography section). Mayer is repeatedly compared stylistically to some of his “personal heroes Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn4”. As a result of these influences, Mayerʼs scale choice is predominantly with the Blues Minor Pentatonic or using the Major Scale where necessary (see below transcription). In his cover of Jimi Hendrixʼs Bold As Love (taken from the Continuum album), Mayerʼs soloing ideas incorporate stereotypical blues licks (barʼs 6-10) which he frequently executes in his improvisation. These licks are played at different tempos and with different note sub-divisions (usually demi-semi-quavers).

Furthermore, Mayer uses countless grace notes and numerous bends in his soloing ideas. The bends vary from half-note, quarter-note, whole-note and whole-half-note. This is one of Mayerʼs stereotypical improvisational ideas that he continues to use during his playing. He has examples of this on his recorded music in addition to this; the solo in his song The Heart of Life (Taken from the Continuum album) largely consists of whole-note bends:! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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2 Jim Dalrymple . (2008). How to Capture John Mayer's Guitar Tone.Available: http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/how-to-capture-john-mayers-gui.aspx. Last accessed 15th November 2013.3 Alex Mar. (2005). Q&A: John Mayer. Available: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-john-mayer-20051216. Last accessed 15th November 2013.4 Alex Mar. (2005). Q&A: John Mayer. Available: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-john-mayer-20051216. Last accessed 15th November 2013.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (0:15-1:13 on supplied track)

! Technical Considerations

John Mayer has a vast pallet of Guitar techniques that contribute towards his overall sound, in an ensemble and also on his own (whether that be acoustic or an improvised solo). There are several distinguished musical zones that John Mayer has associated himself with; Pop, R&B, Blues and Country. Throughout his playing, Mayer always wants to combine his musical interests into one and when this is possible “thats when Iʼm the happiest.5” With these reasons considered, focusing directly on a particular “sound” that Mayer achieves as a Guitarist is difficult to highlight. His evident Stevie Ray Vaughn, Hendrix and Eric Clapton blues influences contribute towards his overall talent and sound but other influences such as “The Police and Michael Jackson6” bring his music to a halfway battle asking, “where does he stand with his sound?”

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5 OxfordUnion. (2013). Music Was Better In The 80's | John Mayer | Oxford Union. [Online Video]. 01 November. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4KC2BgviNY. [Accessed: 06 November 2013].6 John Mayer. (2002). Elton John - John Mayer Interview. Available: http://www.eltonjohnitaly.com/mayer-interview.html. Last accessed 15th November 2013.

When speaking to Elton John in 2002, Mayer said, “I see the Guitar in a way that I could never articulate to anybody. Everyone has their own theory. You have to have a theory to play the instrument7.”

As an overall guitar player, John is very diverse. He often toʼs and froʼs between electric and acoustic in his songs and live performances. Resultantly, there different technical considerations that must be recognised when analysing his playing style. For example, Stop This Train (taken from the Continuum album)(insert track time) executes a common finger-picking element involving “slapping one string and flicking with his finger, another string.8” This is a technique Mayer has honed upon and made his own:! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (1:15-1:26 on supplied track)

The continuous hit on every backbeat of every bar is another element to John Mayerʼs playing that is evident in his playing. Another addition to this statement is shown below; taken from The Heart Of Life, this is the main riff that flows throughout the song and clearly shows a use of hitting the strings of the guitar on the backbeat to provide a familiar feel to this song:! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

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7 John Mayer. (2002). Elton John - John Mayer Interview. Available: http://www.eltonjohnitaly.com/mayer-interview.html. Last accessed 17th November 2013.8 LickLibrary - Online Guitar Lessons. (2012). John Mayer - Guitar Lessons - Learn To Play DVD With Michael Casswell Licklibrary. [Online Video]. 05 April. Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBHH2i8Gp1I. [Accessed: 02 November 2013].

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (1.28-1.39 on supplied track)

As earlier stated in this analysis, John Mayer makes use of his thumb when playing chords very frequently when performing. The previous notated scores (The Heart Of Life {Intro}, Neon, and Slow Dancing In A Burning Room), clearly insinuate that the root of each chord fragment should be fingered with a thumb played at the bottom end. This technique also mutes the A string of the guitar which then gives Mayer further opportunity to develop his ideas. This technique was originally pioneered by Jimi Hendrix, which Mayer has adapted to himself and is now a focal point in his guitar playing/ideas. In addition to these techniques, Mayer also uses the idea of playing “within the chord [...], doing lots of pull-offs and hammer-ons within the chord structure,9” another technique that he has adapted from Hendrix. Considering further techniques as stated earlier, Mayer has a rarity to use a pick when he is playing. He himself says that, “I can be in more places at once on the strings and over the pickups. Itʼs the closest Iʼve managed to come to creating my own sound.10”

John Mayerʼs backline is a mix between various Amps, most notably his signature “Two-Rock head and cab combo and his custom made Dumble

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9 Daniel Eriksson. (2013). Behind the Guitar Style of John Mayer.Available: http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/Behind-the-Guitar-Style-of-John-Mayer.aspx. Last accessed 10th November 2013.

10 Brad Tolinksi. (2010). John Mayer: Battle Star. Available: http://www.guitarworld.com/john-mayer-battle-star?page=0,6. Last accessed 19th November 2013.

Special Amp head11”. Additionally, Johnʼs pedal choice is his largest and most diverse section of his sound and tone production. Not only does he have a somewhat motherboard of effects, Mayer has a select few key pedals that are vital to his tone: a Vintage Ibanez Tube Screamer, Fulltone MOSFET Overdrive/Clean Boost, a Boss BD-2 Blues Driver and finally a Keeley Katana Pre Amp effect. Combined and individually these are a key factor in producing John Mayerʼs somewhat perfect tone.

! Selected Discography

Throughout this analysis, I have been consistently using compositions from John Mayerʼs Continuum album. I feel that this record was his most outstanding in regards to his guitar playing and displaying a true example of his talent:

Slow Dancing In a Burning Room: This song contains one of Mayerʼs renowned riffʼs which referʼs to the style of “playing within the chord.” The slow, relaxed feel of the guitar part in this song enables the listener to appreciate the note choice Mayer makes that compliment the arrangement perfectly. Also the interval that is first presented in the riff is a minor 6th, and this is something that frequently occurʼs in Mayerʼs playing.

Somethingʼs Missing (taken from the Heavier Things album): The somewhat “in-your-face,” guitar riff presented in the opening of this song screams out tone and clarity. The hits that occur on bars 5 and 7 enhance the original chord (C#min7sus4) with the addition of a 9th. This makes the chord into a C#min9sus4 which feels warm and fits perfectly into the track. In addition to this, Mayer uses the “Esus2” tuning to make these particular chord voicingʼs sound open and give the chord/riff time to breathe.

Neon (taken from the Room For Squares album): Neon contains Mayerʼs most intelligent and original idea. The main guitar hook executes: a complicated finger picking style, thumb-rooted chord voicingʼs and an obscure tuning (CADGBE - Standard Tuning with a Dropped C). Combined, these three elementʼs prove that Neon is a very uniquely arranged Guitar part.

The Heart Of Life: The solo in this song is minimal, which is something Mayer does best. He utilises numerous whole-note bends to compliment the

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11 Mick Taylor. (2008). First Call - Interview: Robbie McIntosh. Guitarist Magazine (UK). 306 (1), 50.

chords sitting behind him on the arrangement. Furthermore his use of vibrato in the solo (another finesse element to Mayerʼs playing) allows the notes that he bends to, to reach their pinnacle in terms of length and clarity. Furthermore, the riff idea in this song compliments John Mayerʼs rhythm playing. Whilst keeping a consistent backbeat by hitting the strings, Mayer plays chords (which are again fragmented with his thumb) and uses the 13th of each chord as a target note. This idea is repeated throughout the song.

Stop This Train: Mayer uses an acoustic on this track and again it highlights his use of playing a backbeat with his strumming hand; hitting the strings and flicking with his finger at the same time. This piece was chosen to show that not only does Mayer play an Electric Guitar with original ideas, he takes an Acoustic and makes it into his own also.

! With all of these elements of John Mayerʼs playing discussed, I felt that the final and most important piece of Mayerʼs music to display is the solo in his cover of Bold As Love (Hendrix). This displays his true Blues Rock roots and shows the listener his true skill on the guitar! !

! This transcription demonstrates a further techniqueʼs regarding John Mayerʼs guitar playing. When improvising and soloing, he has a very common use of vibrato; which is sometimeʼs used to dirty the sound of the note and strum hard across a number of string. This contrasts to the stereotypical use of Vibrato in guitar playing (using your hand and fingers to prolong a note length with absolute clarity). Finally, Mayer has a tendency to use triplets in his rhythm playing when soloing but using different phrases to create diversity when improvising:

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" " " " " " " " (1:40-2:35 on supplied track)

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! Appendices & References

1 - “Who I am as a Guitarist is defined by my failure to become Jimi Hendrix.”

! This is a quote originally taken from an article that John Mayer wrote for Rolling Stone Magazine (US) titled: 100 Greatest Artists. Mayer speaks about the diversity that Hendrix managed to obtain through his music and how he has influenced Mayer and several Guitarists in their playing. The paragraph containing this quote reads:

“Hendrix has the allure of the tragic figure: We all wish we were genius enough to die before we're 28. People want to paint him as this lonely, shy figure who managed

to let himself open up on the stage and play straight colors through the crowd. There's something heroic about it, but there's nothing human about it. Everybody is so caught up in his otherworldliness. I prefer to think about his human side. He was

a man who had a Social Security number, not an alien. The merchandising companies put Jimi Hendrix's face on a tie-dyed T-shirt, and somehow that's what

he became. But when I listen to Hendrix, I just hear a man, and that's when it's most beautiful — when you remember that another human being was capable of what he achieved. Who I am as a guitarist is defined by my failure to become Jimi Hendrix.

However far you stop on your climb to be like him, that's who you are.”

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/jimi-hendrix-20110420#ixzz2lNsAYX6G -

! ! ! ! ! ! n.b. (quote included in Analysis taken from WiKi quote: A library of memorable quotations from recognised people across the globe)

2 - “John gets his tone from signature Fender Strat.”

! Jim Dalrymple, a writer for Gibson.com constructed a series of “step-by-step guides to home recording” articles for Guitarists. This particular article featured John Mayer and how to achieve his tone. Jim talks of his fondness of Mayerʼs music and Guitar playing ability. He writes that a key element to his tone comes from his Signature Fender Stratocaster in addition to his vast amp selection:

“John Mayer is somewhat of a phenom in recent years, riding his bluesy guitar playing to superstardom. Along the way, Mayer has put together some great songs

and an enviable tone. [...] Mayer attended Bostonʼs Berklee College of Music and

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has played with blues greats like B.B. King, Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy. Itʼs obvious he has no shortage of experience and respect from some of the greats.

John gets his tone from his signature Fender Strat, although he also plays a signature Stevie Ray Vaughn Strat as well. [...] He gets a lot of his tone from his Two

Rock amp heads, a collection of Fender amps, Leslie cabinets and Two Rock 2×12 guitar cabinets.”

http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/how-to-capture-john-mayers-gui.aspx

3 - “A guy whoʼs made pop music but wants to play blues.”

! Alex Mar, has a one-to-one Q&A session with Mayer for Rolling Stone Magazine (US). They discuss his recent success and partnershipʼs with Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino (John Mayer Trio) and then discuss John Mayerʼs opportunities to share the stage with Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and B.B. King:

“Mayer: I just think of the music that I can still go back to, like Ray Charles or Jimi Hendrix or Buddy Guy or Eric Clapton. These are guys who just dug into the

ground, you know? And I think of the music I loved two years ago, and I don't love it anymore but I revisit it and go, "Wow, that was fun two years ago." So I'm just

investigating [that difference].

Alex Mar: And you've actually had the chance to play with a lot of those people at this point. Has that been a part of it, that thrill?

Mayer: Yeah. It's been a part of everything. The greatest thing that's happened in my life is for people like Eric or Buddy or B.B. to do something very rare, which is to

accept me, to accept a younger guy, a guy who's made pop music but wants to play blues. To be accepted like that is all I need. You know, Albert Collins used to say at

the end of a show, "Thank you for accepting me." And I thought that was such a brilliant way to say it. And that's really all it comes down to.”

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-john-mayer-20051216#ixzz2lNwghcoo

4 - “Personal heroes Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn.”

! Alex Mar, with the same article/interview. This quote is used in the introduction of the article. Mar is discussing John Mayerʼs decision to work as a trio with Steve Jordan and Pino Palladino, referring to his (Mayerʼs) heroes, who have done this in the past:

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“But Mayer, now twenty-nine, is shaking up his image -- and letting loose his guitar chops -- with his high-octane blues outfit, the John Mayer Trio. Taking a cue from

the trio efforts of personal heroes Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Mayer reached out to drummer Steve Jordan (Bruce Springsteen, the

Rolling Stones) and bassist Pino Palladino (the Who, Jeff Beck). With great chemistry but little rehearsal time, the group hit the road, and the result is the new

live album, Try! -- and a new sound that has been shaking up the making of Mayer's next solo record.”

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/q-a-john-mayer-20051216#ixzz2lNzUi2jA

5 - “Thats when Iʼm the happiest.”

! Oxford University Student Union had John Mayer visit as a speaker; discussing Music and other topics to the University studentʼs. Some of the questions and responses were filmed and posted online to YouTube. This quote in particular is taken from a discussion involving “Music in the 80ʼs.” Mayer compares artists such as The Police (Stewart Copeland) and Genesis (Phil Collins) and how they composed songs in the 80ʼs. He begins to argue how if they were releasing music contemporarily today, the listener may feel intimidates by their musicality.

“There was a strain of musicality of heritage R&B and blues. There was a strong presence there. Then when i picked up the blues, thatʼs what sort of became the

quest of my life; and the answer is to put them both together. Thatʼs when Iʼm the happiest”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4KC2BgviNY

6 - “The Police and Michael Jackson”

! In 2002, the early stages of Mayerʼs career, he was interviewed by Elton John. Their conversation spoke largely of songwriting and how they view the musicality of bands and musicians today. This quote relates to the first question asked at the interview:

“ELTON JOHN: The first thing that struck me when I heard your album [Room For Squares] was the musicianship involved in it. Your guitar playing, and the high quality of all the musicians’ work on the album, immediately endeared me to it,

because I feel as far as musician-ship goes, it’s kind of gone out the window of late. Your playing seems to be influenced by so many different people. Who were they?

JOHN MAYER: When I was a kid I was influenced by whoever was on the radio – Michael Jackson and the Police and bands like that. Until I picked up a tape of

Stevie Ray Vaughn’s music. There was something resonating in it that I still can’t describe. My life was different once I heard that. I didn’t know what it was, but I

wanted to do it. I remember saying to my dad, “Can I go to blues lessons? Do they have blues lessons down the street?””

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http://www.eltonjohnitaly.com/mayer-interview.html

7 - “I see the Guitar in a way that I could never articulate to anybody. Everyone has their own theory. You have to have a theory to play the instrument”

! This is a further answer in the interview with Elton John. They are discussing their instrumentʼs and Mayerʼs background/opinion on the guitar:

“EJ: And when did you start playing the guitar?

JM: I was 13. I remember the first night I got my guitar, trying to figure it out for myself – and it didn’t take long to figure out a chord. I had the guitar two weeks

before I took lessons, and I feel like that’s the best thing you can ever do for yourself.

EJ: I agree with you. I kind of learned by ear and then I had lessons later on and it really helped me, just picking things up myself. I think you form your own style that

way.

JM: Yeah, I see the guitar in a way that I could never articulate to anybody. Everyone has their own theory. You have to have a theory to play the instrument, but for the

most part-

EJ: -It’s all about your own soul coming through. I’m sure you hold your guitar sacred, right?

JM: Absolutely. It’s the biggest joy. It’s like this firework in your gut. It’s the closest thing to being able to make things appear and disappear, it’s almost magic.”

8 - “Slapping one string and flicking with his finger, another string.”

! Michael Casswell constructed a LickLibrary DVD focusing on John Mayer and his playing. The DVD features how to play a number of his songs. A shortened version was uploaded onto the official LickLibrary YouTube channel and it was here that Casswell explained some of the techniqueʼs that John Mayer uses on the chosen tracks:

“Each song has something you can learn from it. Stop This Train has that special picking technique where heʼs slapping one string and flicking with his finger,

another string. Itʼs an interesting technique and once youʼve got that technique, you can apply it to your own songwriting”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBHH2i8Gp1I

9 - “Within the chord [...], doing lots of pull-offs and hammer-ons within the chord structure.”

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! Daniel Eriksson, another writer for Gibson.com has recently constructed an article depicting the Guitar Style of John Mayer. It goes into detail about Mayerʼs techniques, Guitarʼs, tone and other topics such as string gauge and picking styles:

“Mayer is a Jimi Hendrix fan, always incorporating covers of the late musician in his setlists. Most notably perhaps “Bold As Love.” So it's not surprising that Mayer has

adopted the same style of playing “within” the chord as Hendrix did, doing lot's of pull-offs and hammer-ons within the current chord structure. Mayer also tends to

play barre chords in the same style as Hendrix, using the thumb to fret the base note and mute the A-string of the guitar. This way, his remaining four fingers can

easier do fills and small licks.”

10 - “I can be in more places at once on the strings and over the pickups. Itʼs the closest Iʼve managed to come to creating my own sound.”

! Brad Tolinksi, a writer for Guitarworld.com, had the opportunity to interview Mayer in 2010, during the release of his album “Battle Studies.” The Q&A session covers numerous areas such as: Mayerʼs success, collaborations, social media, guitar techniques, guitar rig and setup. This section of the interview was a more serious discussion regarding John Mayerʼs picking style:

“GW: Youʼve often played with your fingers, but Iʼve noticed youʼve stopped using a pick altogether. Why?

MAYER: I can be in more places at once on the strings and over the pickups. Itʼs the closest Iʼve managed to come to creating my own sound. Iʼm really interested in

creating a place to stand as a guitar player. Iʼm not where I want to be yet, but Iʼm starting to get my chops back. Half the people reading your magazine are getting

bored with their playing, and half the people reading your magazine are just starting to get excited again. Itʼs just the ebb and flow of it all.”

11 - “Two-Rock head and cab combo and his custom made Dumble Special Amp head”

In summer 2008, John Mayer was the cover story for Guitarist Magazine (UK). In this article, Mayer develops the story behind his guitar rig and what he plays to Guitarist and following this, there is an interview with Robbie McIntosh; Mayer’s at-the-time touring guitarist. They discussed Mayer’s gear and his own. This quote was taken from this secondary interview:

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“‘He’s great; incredibly tasteful, but very powerful too,’ explains McIntosh, ‘He belts it, a very muscular player, and he really works on his tone and searches it out, and he’s always fiddling about with all sorts of different combinations. He’s just getting

better and better.’

What about equipment, how does one go about choosing amps to sit alongside Mayer’s huge rig?

‘Yeah, John’s got the Two-Rocks and the Dumble, so he’s quite loud! I’m relatively quiet - Im just using some reliable old gear. My old Marshall 20-watt head and 1 x 12 cab and also my Matchless DC-30 - one of the orifinal ones - and I’m getting a good

tone.’”

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