Tricky guitar lick from Brothers in Arms (Night in London)

[PKnopf]

I've spent some time with this wonderful version and I reckon this is its most difficult lick.

[2manyguitars]

Speaking from a teaching perspective its not that difficult a lick, but with Marks playing that's very often the case anyway. Its not what's played its how its played.

[PKnopf]

Speaking from a teaching perspective its not that difficult a lick, but with Marks playing that's very often the case anyway. Its not what's played its how its played.

I agree, but, as you wrote, that's the case with pretty much all of his licks. Yet, almost everybody seem to miss some notes here and there.

I remember seeing Phil Emmanuel saying on one video that: "Knopfler plays this simple lick in Calling Elvis". But then he misses some notes in his execution.

Many people think it's an easier task than it actually is. That's the case, for instance, of the famous MfN riff. Everybody say it's easy, but almost everybody play it wrong.

I also thought this would be an easy one, but it took me a couple of hours to figure it out correctly. Ok, I'm no pro musician, and even though there are some similarities to other licks that he plays, I still find that this is one of the most difficult ones to spot right.

Anyway, the purpose was to play it in slow motion so it becomes easier to spot for those who want to learn it.

 

[2manyguitars]

Speaking from a teaching perspective its not that difficult a lick, but with Marks playing that's very often the case anyway. Its not what's played its how its played.

I agree, but, as you wrote, that's the case with pretty much all of his licks. Yet, almost everybody seem to miss some notes here and there.

I remember seeing Phil Emmanuel saying on one video that: "Knopfler plays this simple lick in Calling Elvis". But then he misses some notes in his execution.

Many people think it's an easier task than it actually is. That's the case, for instance, of the famous MfN riff. Everybody say it's easy, but almost everybody play it wrong.

I also thought this would be an easy one, but it took me a couple of hours to figure it out correctly. Ok, I'm no pro musician, and even though there are some similarities to other licks that he plays, I still find that this is one of the most difficult ones to spot right.

Anyway, the purpose was to play it in slow motion so it becomes easier to spot for those who want to learn it.

 

MFN is a great example actually, all about that touch.

Personally I stopped trying to imitate MK a long time ago to turn my focus literally on how my fingers touch the strings. Its still fun to blast out the odd 15 minutes of TR occasionally though 😉

[PKnopf]

Speaking from a teaching perspective its not that difficult a lick, but with Marks playing that's very often the case anyway. Its not what's played its how its played.

I agree, but, as you wrote, that's the case with pretty much all of his licks. Yet, almost everybody seem to miss some notes here and there.

I remember seeing Phil Emmanuel saying on one video that: "Knopfler plays this simple lick in Calling Elvis". But then he misses some notes in his execution.

Many people think it's an easier task than it actually is. That's the case, for instance, of the famous MfN riff. Everybody say it's easy, but almost everybody play it wrong.

I also thought this would be an easy one, but it took me a couple of hours to figure it out correctly. Ok, I'm no pro musician, and even though there are some similarities to other licks that he plays, I still find that this is one of the most difficult ones to spot right.

Anyway, the purpose was to play it in slow motion so it becomes easier to spot for those who want to learn it.

 

MFN is a great example actually, all about that touch.

Personally I stopped trying to imitate MK a long time ago to turn my focus literally on how my fingers touch the strings. Its still fun to blast out the odd 15 minutes of TR occasionally though 😉

You're absolutely right.

I think his tone is also hard to match in a satisfactory way.

When it comes to touch, Brothers in Arms may as well be the best song to refine it. This Night in London video shows how gently he touches the strings with his right hand, and how well he mutes the strings to get one string sound at a time.

I also need vast improvements in this muting strings technique.