The Guitarist's Survival Guide: 5 Guitar Videos That Changed My Musical Trajectory

I don’t claim these are the most influential videos of all time, I just speak for myself. They don’t even fully define my taste in music now, but each one of them had an effect on my guitar playing. So, in some semblance of an attempted chronological order

1. BYOB System of a Down System Of A Down – "B.Y.O.B." live

I was probably only about 14 at the time. System of a Down had just released Mesmerize and one of my friends, being a big fan and a generous person, took it upon himself to insist that I listen to their music. Ushering me into his bedroom, he played me a live version of the song (the version he showed me I cannot find, the version linked will have to suffice). The intensity! The energy! The crushing guitar riffs. My musical landscape tilted on its axis; my world would be forever changed. The ensuing teenage years became a glorious, headbanging blur defined by an overarching obsession with metal music, with the chaotic brilliance of SOAD firmly entrenched at the top of the pile. I played in bands, eventually got my head around detuned riffs and sweep picking, and had the time of my life, but it all started with this video.

2. John Mayer – "Gravity"

I think in my younger years, a contrarian streak often made me wary of anything too mainstream. Perhaps that's why the early buzz around John Mayer initially failed to capture my attention. However, when at 17 I finally sat down and watched the live performance of "Gravity" from his "Where the Light Is" concert, I was utterly captivated. The sheer beauty of his tone, the deliberate spacing between notes, the incredibly expressive phrasing – it was a masterclass in understated emotion. That performance opened a floodgate. I devoured his music, including, of course, "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" – our generation’s "Stairway to Heaven" – at least according to people who work in guitar shops – and that exploration set me on a trajectory that eventually led me to the complete discographies of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The cumulative effect of this journey was profoundly influential on my own guitar playing, shaping it in ways that still resonate. More than anything, it impacted my rhythm playing, teaching me the subtle art of holding a groove and seamlessly weaving lead lines into the rhythmic fabric, a technique Guthrie Govan has playfully termed "Hendrixian Noodles". I would learn just how much Mayer was indebted to Hendrix and SRV but that video was my first foray into that world.

3. Mark O'Connor, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Mark Schatz and Bela Fleck – "Freeborn Man"

I was 19, and a friend, fresh from the west of Ireland, introduced me to something that would completely rewire my musical brain: a bluegrass video of Mark O'Connor, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Mark Schatz and Bela Fleck tearing through "Freeborn Man". Later I would learn that these were royalty amongst bluegrass musicians but at the time I was instantly, utterly hooked. Like metal, there was that addictive stamina and relentless pace, but this time, it was all acoustic instruments, a whirlwind of strings and wood. The virtuosity was breathtaking, of course, but it was the sheer musicality, the spontaneous, improvised interplay between those incredible musicians, that truly floored me. It felt like witnessing a force of nature. I was beyond impressed. And it began a lifelong obsession with bluegrass, a genre that still holds me in its thrall. I still consider Tony Rice (1951-2020), in particular, a god amongst men, a titan of the acoustic guitar. I could have just as easily picked his instructional "Church Street Blues" video as the catalyst – a video I practically lived with, attempting to absorb the subtle magic of his touch and phrasing. But "Freeborn Man" was the initial spark, the moment the bluegrass flame was ignited.

4. Andy Mckee – "Drifting"

Ah, the early days of the internet. Many of us remember when Andy McKee's "Drifting" went viral, a genuine online sensation. For me, watching one person coax such intricate sounds from a single acoustic guitar was a revelation. It sparked something new, a fascination with the percussive, multi-layered possibilities of the instrument. Artists like McKee, Don Ross, and Antoine Dufour were truly pushing the boundaries of conventional guitar playing, and I was completely captivated. This genre later became somewhat divisive, with some dismissing it as overly showy or lacking soul. But I still maintain that beneath the style, there was real musical substance, and "Drifting" itself was always a beautifully constructed piece. I poured countless hours into trying to learn this song, grappling with the coordination of both hands. The dopamine release when I learned how to play it correctly was powerful! While admittedly it's a genre I haven't kept up with, that period of exploration, driven by the magic of "Drifting", was a significant and beautiful part of my musical journey.

5. Julian Lage – "Ryland" Live 

I was well into my twenties, my ears increasingly attuned to the nuances of jazz, when yet another friend, with that familiar spark of discovery in their eyes, played me Julian Lage's "Ryland" Live. From the very first, sustained bend, a sound that seemed to weep and soar simultaneously, I was utterly and completely hooked. Lage's undisputed, almost preternatural control over his instrument, his instantly recognizable and deeply personal voice on the guitar, and that oh-so-beautiful, warm tone, single-handedly reversed a lifelong suspicion of Telecasters and propelled me headfirst into a jazz obsession I hadn't anticipated. He remains, to this day, probably my favourite guitarist (my most listened-to artist on Spotify last year!). I've absorbed so much from his playing, his phrasing, his melodic choices. I was equally captivated by his video for "Bone Collector", a more acoustic and intimate live performance, but honestly, anything Julian Lage puts his hands on is of profound interest to me. He's also, by all accounts, a genuinely lovely guy! Forgive the blatant fanboying, but if you haven't already, please do yourself a favour and watch these videos. You may yet understand!