On The Beat - Episode 818 - Weekly Guitar Video News Wrap Up August 22, 2025

[TGNeil]

August 22, 2025

Last Saturday we had a fun time with our James Taylor TG Live focused on intros to songs from Sweet Baby James. The videos has been added to the TG Library as well as the Essential James Taylor Pack.

This week I had quite a few students working on their listening skills - figuring out chord progressions by ear. I spent most of this Update on tips for improving this, and hearing different types of chords. I opened up with a short instrumental buried on the fourth Doobie Brothers album that uses unusual combinations of maj7 and m7 chords. I was slightly surprised to find out that it was a Tiran Porter composition, which opened the door for a story about a Santa Cruz Guitar Company guitar he bought from us in 1982.

I also suggested some artists whose songs might be easy to figure out- CCR, Jimmy Buffet, even Bob Dylan.

Neil

[dtaylor]

That move from E to Am7 put me in mind of a song which I couldn't quite place; with the help of ChatGPT suggesting possibilities based on the chord progression, a female vocal, ethereal chill vibe, I found out it was Zero 7 - In The Waiting Line, I'd heard the song many times but never knew who it was by or the title.
The chord progression is:
Emaj7 | Am7 | Dmaj7 | Emaj7
(though it suggests a capo at the 2nd to match the original key).

Here's the original:

[older_wrench]

Thank You dtaylor! I spent the last four hours trying to grow hair to pull out because I know I heard that tune with a female voice.

And Neil, I would welcome a lesson on Flying Clouds. I even promise to play it with fingers.