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In a nutshell, the challenge this month was to play something badly, then see if you can play it better after 6 months. EP178 has always been something I’ve wished I could play better, but there are a couple of difficult licks that I just can’t get past. If you’ve worked on the lesson, you know what I’m talking about. I can’t wait to hear what I sound like 6 months from now…..
Sunjamr Steve
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You know Steve,
I think you are on the right path. Take that one lick and if you can’t play exactly as Brian does, or as it is written, do the best you can and or make it your own. I have a handful of tunes, one in particular that I cannot play. I was going to use it for this lesson, but at the last minute chickened out. Rather, I just outside of my zone. Coming form an old teacher and coach: Perfect practice makes perfect. Good luck. Sounds good already. -
Hi Steve, watching your technique I can tell that you need to practice scales until your fingers bleed. Muscle memory will kick in and all your problems will dissolve. You are playing in your head and transmitting to your fingers. What you are playing is good though.
I practiced (still do – not as long though) major scales for 4 hours a day until I could do it it my sleep. That pattern holds all the secrets you seek. Trust me – there is no short cut.Wish You Were Here
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You have indeed chosen one of the most difficult songs with extreme tremolos and rhythmically complicated bendings. It often happens to me in such things that I develop a real love-hate relationship and simply have to take a longer break until the ambition takes hold of me again. If necessary, I then play a simpler version if it doesn’t work at all. With your skills and guitaristic routine I am convinced that you will easily take this hurdle in half a year. The great song is worth the effort in any case.
Dieter
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Brilliant mate! You got this. Even this tricky piece is no match for your analysis and determination.
The cool thing is it’s such an addictive groove you’ll hopefully enjoy nailing it.
I’d say end of April 👍
Be kind to yourself (especially when you're trying to play this instrument!)
Brian Clough“Got a lotta sinful ideas but they seem kinda sensible” Jim Casy the ex-preacher in The Grapes Of Wrath
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Quite the challenge Steve. I’m sure by July you’ll have it relatively close to tempo with minimal hiccups if not spot on. Look forward to seeing your progress.
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It’s good to have an insight as to how you approach Brian’s lessons and comforting to realise that I’m not the only individual to scrawl all over Brian’s tab sheets with a highlighter pen! I’ve never been a great Santana fan so this is a lesson that I would not have spent any time on, nonetheless I do recognise the technical difficulties that this lesson presents and admire your determination to improve your performance. I just read Craig’s advice about practising scales until your fingers bleed but I just can’t be that dedicated if it seems like hard work. I suppose that, in the end, we will all follow paths that suit our outlooks on things.Best of luck Steve with your quest.
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Steve,
As best as I’ve ever been able to figure out, tremolo picking is a totally different beast. I think you have to lock your wrist and all movement, counterintuitively, comes from the elbow. Also, the pick movement is so minimal it never loses contact with either side of the string. That requires you to really have a relaxed grip on the pick. Good luck, it’s not an easy one.
John -
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Perfectly bad Steve. I think this exactly what Brian envisioned us to do for this challenge. Great video and presentation. I’m no good at that fast picking either. Makes me think of that part in Link Wray’s Rumble, which might also be good to practice. Looking forward to hear the results!
JFL
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Oh Steve, I sure do know how difficult this one is to play.
I absolutely love this lesson but it is very fast and he throws in those bends with some quick runs that take some doing to do smoothly. No matter how hard I tried I could not do Brian’s speed. I got so frustrated with the bends I dropped my strings down from 11 to 9 guage and that helped.
Interesting approach you are taking slicing out the bits so you can play them over and over again. Fortunately for me, I read music because it is possible to ‘slice and dice’ the music score in precisely the manner you are doing. (On the lesson music score you can literally highlight the start and end slice you want to play and it will do a loop for you) Actually works really well and I didn’t need any extra software to do it. You can also slow it down and speed it up – very handy.
To inclrease speed with classical guitar you sit down with a metronome and play scales (minor and major) gradually increasing the metronome speed over time. Personally, I am lazy and I could never do that consistently. Speed is a brain hand wiring thing and I honestly think we can all improve speed to a point but there are people, like Santana or Eddie Van Halen, who just have it naturally. Personally, I accept am never going to be that fast.
All the best on your journey with this Steve. I wish I could play Santana.
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Steve, you have already gone miles with this lesson! I like the way you approach your goal to play with technical accuracy and speed. Your vids are always helpful and entertaining.
If you don’t get Brian’s speed until July, just speed up on your DAW😁😆.
DeniseMore Blues!
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Hey Steve. Great choice (hadn’t heard of this lesson before) and this would be a challenge with a capital C for any player after seeing and hearing the snippets from Brian. Speed is a skill I also find challenging but I definitely subscribe to your theory near the end: emphasising the first note of the bar and in this case playing them as triplets (emphasis on the 1st and 4th). Looking forward to hearing this again in July. You’ve got this for sure. All the best!
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Well, minutes ago I said that EP392 was the most difficult piece in the AM’s catalog, but now I can tell this one is even tougher! Really liked your video and your approach in learning, very instructive and inspiring. I’m sure for July you’ll totally have the piece under your fingers and it will be an amazing rendition!
Guido
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Very interesting submission Steve! I’ve enjoyed your explanation, and your playing too which is already very good!
If I wasn't making mistakes I wouldn't be the kind of player I want to be. Perfection is dangerous.
It's all about taking risks, sometimes you get to some place, sometimes you get to a different place. (Brian May) -
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Great insight in your practicing process, Steve. Inspiring for me. And the task you give yourself, to master this fast runs, is not so easy. For me nearly unreachable. Looking forward, what you come up with in July.
Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
The next Meetup will be on February 28, 2026For more information click here
I look forward to meet you.
Manfred -
This is a very interesting analysis of the difficulties presented by this piece, Steve. I look forward to seeing the progress you will have made by July. I haven’t really worked on this lesson, but I assume the most difficult part is the tremolo picking passage. I am probably saying what is already clear to you, but the way I would tackle this passage, for what it’s worth, would be to move the pick to a very acute angle to the string (a fairly shallow angle of attack is usually what works best for me in “normal” circumstances), with only a very small part of the pick beyond the thumb and forefinger. I’m sure you know what’s likely to work best for you!
P.S I have just noticed John’s (Charjo) comments above, which sound right to me, and seem compatible with this.
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Great choice and explanation Steve of this amazing lesson and your plan of attack! Slow and even at first will pay huge dividends for July. John C. is doing Sampa Pa Ti – loving the Santana influences for our AM peeps! I agree about the 6 notes per beat in that one lick. Once that is burned into your brain and fingers, you will get it up to speed. Good luck Steve and looking forward to July’s project! Bob
Bob U. (aka Bobby Ut)
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Awesome, Steve!
I must have practiced that EP178 10,000 times. I got that Anytune program at your suggestion and it’s the best thing I’ve every bought. I’ve had my A and B bars set exactly where you have them for this tough region. You played this perfectly for that on your video (from 3:05-3:17)!! Where you shake your head around 3:22 it’s tough to come in perfectly in time from the 3:05 – 3:17 region, probably because the tempo used is so slow, I think, and it might sound funny even if it is in time. I would recommend moving your B bar to 3:29 when you practice this area repetitively (so 3:05 – 3:29 is whole area covered). I would also definitely recommend turning the tempo to 100% very frequently even if you think you’re not ready. Brian once said in one of his videos as a tip that it’s sometimes helps to try and play things faster than what is required or what you think you are capable of.
Larry -
Hi Steve , I like the way you’ve analysed this and worked out the solution rather than accepting you can’t play the difficult bits , counting it out is definitely the way to go and understanding the structure will yield the result your after , look forward to your progress with this I’m sure you will nail it .
Martin
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I always enjoy your analyses, Steve, and this presentation is one of your best! You have this cool scientific approach to learning music and a very clear and organized way of explaining it. But you sure picked a difficult – yet popular – lesson, I can just imagine how your fingers will hurt before they get used to those bends! Ouch! 🥴 They only thing you didn’t manage was to play it “poorly”, I think your playing sounded good already 🙂
🎸JoLa
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Great challenge choice Steve. Liked hearing you’re breakdown on this. I’ve stolen some licks from this but never tried the whole lesson because of the very barrier you describe. I think you’re bang on with counting that fast part out and playing it methodically, slowly and really concentrating on pick direction. I’m sure thats the key to playing things consistently and fast(er in my case!).
Going to look forward to seeing how you get on. -
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Steve, You didn’t play this badly, quite the contrary but It’s hard to compete with “our guru”. I just think once your more comfortable and relaxed with it you will crush it. looking forward to the summer to hear it again.
Rgds,
PaddyboyALL IT TAKES TO WRITE A SONG IS........3 CHORDS AND THE TRUTH!
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Hi Steve,
I did my early morning workout to Santana today but I don’t thing this one was on the playlist. A great, typical Santana sound however and I do believe you’ve got the recipe and expertise to master this one by July or sooner!
I don’t have any delusions about ever “playing” a Santana tune but am so glad others take up that challenge! Such exciting, energetic music! See ya in July for the finale!“Laissez les bon temps rouler“
Marie Jarreau -
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