He was doing one-handed hammer-ons and pull-offs. Prince would never in his life fake playing guitar. I promise you

Man, questioning whether Prince was actually playing is damn near sacrilegious!...That man was a MASTER at his craft, and no matter the genre or who you ask - Prince will forever be named one of the best guitarists of ALL TIME!

Sorry guys, that was a 100% live performance not pre-recorded in any way. He insisted on playing it live. The crews were pretty anxious about it too... there was a real risk of electrocution with all the rain coming down. He was arguably one of the best rock guitarists of all time, right up with Hendrix. Most people who play guitar regardless of genre, tend to look up to him.

Im glad almost 4000 comments are educating yous about one of the most talented influential artists of all time. Watch the documentary of the show. It was totally in the rain and he played and sang the whole time. As a guitarist, hes playing every note. No backing tracks or vocals. Its all him and his band. I haven't seen anyone top his halftime show yet, when it comes to talent and preforming and showing us that you can have a football game at a Prince concert. Prince did that. Minnesota's pride and joy. 💜💜💜

Prince is 100% playing that guitar live and killing it. Dude is one of the most talented guitar players in the world.

100% live. Zero chance Prince would agree to faking it. Dude was a legend. A singing, dancing, writing, guitar-ripping, multi-instrumentalist who ALWAYS did his own thing.

Not to mention playing an electric guitar in a thunderstorm. Talk about commitment to a gig, risking electrocution, and moving around that wet stage in those boots. The man was a true professional , and one of the best guitarists ever.

You totally have to look up Prince playing "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" for the 2012 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Legit one of the best guitar players of all time. It's a real moment in music history. Absolutely worth watching.

Prince was famous for absolutely refusing to perform with pre-recorded music. He actively criticized performers who did. Him pulling his hand off the guitar was a demonstration of his ability as a musician, guitarist, and showman. Y'all gotta watch some of his other stuff to understand just how absolutely godly this man was on those strings. He performed "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with a bunch of other legends (including Tom Petty) at the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame, and his solo blew the entire performance out of the water.

Gentlemen, you can play a guitar one-handed. Prince often did - this performance was completely, 100% live on guitar. ✌️

Prince was one of the sickest guitar players to walk this earth, the man was beyond talented. Such a deep thinker, stood on his beliefs and refused to be ruled by the corporate record labels. Seeing him live was one of the very best concerts I've ever been to.

There is an entire show on this performance. They tried to cancel it because of the weather, they knew it was dangerous, but Prince WOULD NOT do it any other way! He knew how impactful WITH the weather this would be! He was a perfectionist! He was one of the BEST, there will never be another!

MOST bands record background tracks BUT Prince did ALL of this live. 100%

As a guitarist of over 15 years, I can confirm Prince was playing that guitar. You guys should watch other videos of Prince playing live. He was a genius instrumentalist.

broke my heart when they said he probably faking it

He can play over 20 instruments!! Prince is the real deal .. he wrote composed and produced his own songs !!

Guitarist here: prince is tapping and hammering on. That is what produces the alternating notes. Plus, as others have pointed out, Prince would always play it live. Insane guitarist, and a legend. Full stop.

You guys need to realize Prince is the G.O.A.T. He can sing, mix, produce, write, and play every single instrument on his records. He is a legend and personally one of my top five favorite guitarists. R.I.P.

Guys the guitar can make noise with no hands on it. They’re still vibrating from when they’re last hit and Prince is a master

You guys need to do your homework If you guys know Prince, he ain't fake nothing. He is skilled, talented, and a protectionist. That's all him❤❤

I’m heartbroken that anyone could EVER question Prince on his guitar and live performances. You guys have no idea lol

Prince was using a technique called tapping. You can still get sounds out of the neck of the guitar by tapping the strings without strumming. The fact that he can get those clear sounds out of it shows just how damn good of a player he was. This was 100% live.

100% best halftime show. Also, he’s definitely playing it all live.

*Fun Fact:* They have yet to come back to admit to their shame, and correct their embarrassing mistake with the Prince/guitar situation.

Prince REFUSED to preform over a pre recording. They all do a pre recording just in case of emergencies. But there was no emergency. It's PRINCE!!! THE GOAT!!

Taj is correct!! He is playing live, and yes, you can make the guitar play from both ends of the strings.

Prince is forever a legend! 💜 Not just the doves cried when Prince died, we all cried. R.I.P 🙏🕊

The prerequisite to Prince performing at Superbowl was that it was NOT to be pre recorded. This performance was 100% live with electric guitars and high heels on a wet slippery stage. Prince was a genius and there will never be another like him. Also, playing on the neck soley is possible by hammering the strings

It breaks my heart so many young people don't know Prince or his music. He is, without questions, one of the most gifted, brilliant musicians (and song writers) of the 20th and 21st centuries. He's playing the guitar, one handed up on the frets. Watch Purple Rain.

Prince playing so well they literally can't believe it 😂 you can 100% make sound with only your left hand. Hammer ons and pull offs, also maybe some tapping. Prince is one of the best to ever play. 100% live!

Prince, in my opinion was one of the best composers, writers, performer and musician in the last 60 years. His gitarplaying is up there with the best. I'm 60 years old and seen a lot, and this guy is a musical genius. And yes, he could play lefthanded only. Look at the George Harrison tribute.

No other performer like Prince! God allowed rain to happen, and he never stopped playing. Ultimate performer and none of his concerts were the same. All original.

Remember that time Prince did a concert in the pouring rain and had a football game as guests? Yes, 100% the best halftime show ever!

No lip sync, auto tune or six hundred stage dancers…..yes. He is playing that guitar. A complete artist. He wrote his songs, composed the music. Played the instruments. Yes….he could play many instruments.

This was magnificent. The best ever. I cry every time I see it. And everything I have read says it was live. Prince refused to pre-record.

Prince is one of the greatest guitar players of all time. That performance was most definitely live, and the rain was real.

Guys he was absolutely playing that live. I’ve been playing guitar for 27 years and Prince was an amazing musician, songwriter and highly skilled guitar player

also, fun fact: at 7:56 he starts his cover of “best of you” by the foo fighters. Dave Grohl wrote in his recent book that he cried watching Prince perform his song, and Dave called it “without a doubt my proudest musical achievement.” when Prince called him one night and asked him to come over for a jam session, Dave said he was “desperately trying to keep my cool… in the presence of greatness.” that’s the kind of guitar player Prince was 😉

Thanks for covering Prince. He is an EPIC musician!!!!!🎸🎸🎸 And he WAS playing live!!!!

I'll never forget this incredible half time show. Prince ruled Super Bowl halftime in the pouring rain, especially while performing Purple Rain. They almost canceled the show because of the weather. Prince wasn't faking playing with one hand.

You don’t have to strum. Fingering on the board also makes sound. I play the guitar and I do it all the time. If you bump the guitar it will make noise. He played a 100 percent of this. Probably the most underrated guitar player ever. He is a top five guitar player. That half time show was magic. Trust me the NFL ain’t telling Prince what to do. That dude wouldn’t let famous musicians help him with his first album at 17 years of age. I guarantee you he designed that entire performance himself. The dudes a genius. Best halftime show ever.

This was not pre-recorded. They actually wanted him to stop because of the rain (they were worried he would get electrocuted) but he refused. He said he came to play and that's what he was going to do. By far, the best half time ever. There's also a wammy bar on his guitar that keeps the sound going.

Prince would never agree to prerecording a live show! And Prince live, was beyond incredible, and far beyond anything he would record!

I saw prime Prince 2004 Musicology Tour, please don't ever claim he wasn't playing live. He is one of the most gifted Maestros to ever pick up a guitar along with 26 other instruments. The man was a GENIUS. His brilliance was unmatched! He was our Royal Purple Highness Prince Rogers Nelson!! 💜🕊🌂☂️☔️☮️💔

You can absolutely play with the left hand alone, which is what Prince was doing here. Incredible guitarist, the guitar is live.

Prince’s first album was all him. He played every instrument, did background vocals. Everything. He was 17 years old at the time. He was by far one of the most talented people on this earth.

He was also one of the most prolific and talented song writers of our generation..he wrote so many songs for other artists we were in the car listening to a tribute after he passed playing all the songs he wrote and after 6.5 hours we still weren’t through all of them!!

Can't really blame them, seeing this live of Prince's for the first time is quite shocking to be honest with you. This man makes it look so easy it makes them feel like it's fake. Raw talent and real hard work energy. Still jamming to this day🕺

the general public won’t stand for slander of one of the greatest guitar players to ever live, myself included. as others have said, he always plays live. he was a phenomenal musician and performer. still love y’all though 💜

Love you guys but like everyone else has said Prince is playing live and hearing you guys think he wasn't was just painful. Prince was one of the best guitar players to ever live. He could do more with his left hand than most players could do with two.

No matter what genre of music you prefer, you have to admit that he OWNED the stage. And like other ones have said you don't have to strum to produce sounds.

With the downpour of rain, the crew told him that he shouldn't plug in and play due to the chance of getting zapped. Prince plugged in and went out and played anyway! LEGEND!!!

Someone asked Eric Clapton "what does it feel like to be the world's best guitarist?" He answered, "I don't know. Ask Prince."

The sound of a guitar, particularly an electric guitar, does not stop as soon as you stop strumming. It continues to resonate, and what he is doing with his left hand is playing the notes through that continuing sound. Prince is one of the most talented artists there have ever been. He did it all, played all the instruments, the song writing, the dance moves back when he was younger. He was a one of a kind, and so much swag and attitude. A real showman. And I’m not just saying that because I used to live down the road from him. He was also very spiritual, and became a Jahovah’s Witness, and gave back to the community he lived in without announcing it publicly. He was a very private person when not performing, which is why he kept his home and studio in the smaller town of Chanhassen, MN, because people left him alone there. On occasion he would have free performances for his fans at his studio, where he would just play and sing for hours. A few times he would decide at the last minute to take everyone to see a movie, and buy out the theater lol. It wasn’t unheard of to see other celebrities go to see him at these fan shows. Madonna was often there, and Lenny Kravitz, because they were friends. A friend of ours is a super fan and often went to these shows. He was real, he didn’t fake any of his performances. The main reason the NFL requires a recording is a backup in case the sound system/microphones fail during the performance. It is live tv after all. There are lots of examples out there of how good he was on a guitar, but your next Prince experience definitely needs to be the cover of the Beatles song While My Guitar Gently Weeps at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He steals the show is such an awesome way.

When Jimi passed, part of his soul went into Prince and made something unmatched in history. You'll never see anything like them again.

Your commentary makes me blessed and happy that I grew up in a household where all types of music was played and that there was a musician in my family ( my brother). I would suggest you’ll come out of your comfort zone and sample all forms/ types of music because it helps broaden your musical palette/ prospective. Prince was a real musician and always performed live. FYI…He wouldn’t have it any other way.

The accidental Prince disrespect is insane with his video. And it shows you how great of a guitarist he is that they thought it was impossible for him so to do that with one hand - and he was singing live the whole time

Prince was legit playing the guitar. You can 💯 make sound on the frets with pull offs and hammers. It's not easy, but Prince was so incredibly talented.

This is what happens when NON musicians try to critique a master. YOU CAN PLAY WITH ONE HAND.

The NFL also required media interviews - Prince didn't do interviews. He did a mini concert instead at the press conference. Prince hated lip-syncing and refused to do prerecord performances. All 4 of his guitars were live - they were afraid he would get electrocuted. The documentary about the performance mentions this. As someone who's been to 5 of his concerts, the prerecord comments are insulting. He used the neck of the guitar to extend chord vibration after strumming. It's his signature sound. BTW - Prince and MJ never had beef. That was media hype. They both respected each other. #princefriend4life

Prince’s singing and playing is live. Those are called hammer-ons. He’s absolutely doing that live. There may be recorded tracks to keep things on schedule, but Prince is live.

Shocks me to do this day when ppl say they don’t really know Prince. He was a musical genius! He was special on the guitar. He made it speak! A true musical legend that will live on!!

Prince was Multi-talented. He can sing, dance, entertain, self taught all instruments. He even said he doesn't lip sing. He was true to his craft. We don't have this type of Music genius now. Prince will forever be missed.

As a person who grew up in the era Prince gained fame, Prince always played his instruments live. He never pre recorded. On his Musicology tour, he never played the same songs the same. He changed the way he played the sets every time. And yes, you can play an electric guitar without strumming. It is called hammer-ons. This is probably the best guitarist you will ever see outside of Jimi Hendrix. Look up guitar technique videos and you will see. He was a brilliant musician who loved his craft and would never jeopardize his art/craft by relying on a pre-recorded, fake performance. He was never that type of performer. He hated that type of stuff.

You can play the guitar without strumming. Electric guitars give such feedback when plugged into an amp that even touching the string would create a sound. Prince made a special point to make his performance all live if I’m not mistaken. RIP one of the greats

Prince ALWAYS performed LIVE. He would never agree to a fake. Legendary performer.

As a Prince fan, he and his band was playing live. He was a great musician and artist . He never pretended to play; those guitar riffs are real !!

I saw Prince six times live in London. You think that half-time show was good. Imagine what a two-hour concert with him was like! He was an unbelievably talented musical genius.

Prince was a true music genius. He NEVER faked a performance. The guitar player behind him was a bass guitar. Prince was one of the best guitar players of all time. He played guitar on this entire performance and does whatever he wants on stage. Music will never be the same without his genius.

Oh damn you have NO idea... Prince has one of the biggest catalogues in history. More songs written than most even know. He is a divine and unique talent and SO much diversity in sound. He also MADE the careers of so many stars.

I'm coming to this video 11 months late. Glad everyone else schooled you on his capabilities. Some recommended the rock and roll hall of fame performance. I also recommend his concert performance when he does Play That Funky Music White Boy. You'll see his one handed guitar playing live there too.

The most influential artist in my teen years. Love this man. He is self taught. Never had lessons. As for the guitar.... he would never fake it.

Prince never faked it. Now watch him on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! Superbowl may require pre-tape NOW. But not in 2007!...Prince always did what he wanted. I was so lucky to see him live in concert 5 times, beyond incredible. Look up some videos of his live performances...greatest performer, singer, musician, composer, arranger, producer ever. You need to see this performance on a big screen to understand how dangerous and hard it was. Walking around a soaking wet and slippery stage in high heels, his dancers were so worried they were going to fall. The superbowl producers were afraid Prince was going to get electrocuted because he insisted on playing live. He asked them if they could make it rain harder when they asked him if he needed anything!

You have to see Prince’s solo at the rock and roll hall of fame.It’s absolutely amazing. One of the best solo’s ever… “while my guitar gently weeps”…

Prince was actually playing the guitar live no prerecorded. It’s insulting to Prince to know that someone thought he was faking it. He is a real musician. The guitar trick he was doing isn’t new. He has some kind of effect on the sound at certain parts where it’s holding notes so that he can play with one hand. He plays LIVE!!

The logo is for Prince. He had his name changed to a symbol a long time ago to protest the music industry claiming artists’ names

Sweethearts Prince is playing that 100%. Prince is an icon, he made an impact in the music industry. Check out his live performances.

Someone once asked Eric Clapton what it was like being the world’s greatest guitar player, His response was “I don’t know, you should ask Prince!” Absolutely amazing!

I’m ashamed to say this is the first time watching Prince performing at the Super Bowl as well with you guys and I am gobsmacked. One of if not the best live performances I’ve ever seen. Rip Prince

Trust me.. . He was PLAYING THE STRINGS OFF THAT JOINT ❤❤ RIP MY GUY

Prince is doing something called "legato", if you tap the fingers of your left hand on a string, you can make a note without using the pick, Eddie van Halen does it in a lot of his solos. He is playing this all live 100%, Prince is one of the best guitarists of all time haha

Prince played 27 instruments, all his performances were live! No pre-recording he was just that good.

Saw him in concert also. Never had I'd seen a man play guitar and dance in platform shoes across a stage like he did and was effortly done in style. He was a great artist.

Guys I have seen Prince play the guitar and he is really great at it, he is probably one of the greatest guitarist ever lived just watch his performance with Tom Petty playing a song from Beatles "Guitar Gently Wheeps". It is a great performance and Prince rocked on the guitar solo. Thanks for sharing and I appreciate it because Prince was my favorite performer and I have met him a few times back stage at First Avenue.

Those are hammer-ons hes’ doing dudes. You don’t need to strum or pick the strings when doing hammer-ons. He’s playing everything live. AND he’s actually singing live. GOAT stuff.

The pouring rain, a slippery stage, Prince & his dancers in high heels and no one fell!! This truly was the greatest Super Bowl halftime performance ever!!!

Just watched this again. Prince was amazing!! I heard you guys say you were not that familiar with Prince. Go back and find what you can about him and his music (and why he changed his name to a symbol). He was a genius and one of the greatest guitar players & musicians in the world. Trust me, he played live that night in the pouring rain. You guys need to watch the movie Purple Rain 💜💜

This man could play more than 10 instruments, destroyed Charlie Murphy in a basketball game, and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (His performance of My Guitar Gently Weeps at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is incredible). There’s no way in hell he would ever fake a performance. The backup recording is for pop singers and other performers that don’t have live instruments, or in case something happens to the wire for the instruments

So painful to watch them debating if he’s really playing the guitar… Prince was a legit musician who was clearly playing it live… killing me

They may have had background music but he is 100% playing. His manager was talking about how scared he was because it was monsoon raining and he was playing on 3 different electric guitars. You're pretty amazing and iconic when you don't even have to sing at the end of Purple Rain because 100,000 fans are doing it for you!

Prince was the best live performer ever, and when he did live it was live. In my opinion the best guitar player ever.

Prince is ranked as one of the best guitarists ever. He is definitely playing that guitar

Guys this is definitely live. Touching the fretboard (neck) of an electric guitar will still produce sounds without strumming. All the greats do this. Prince was so anti fake recording and all the other nonsense he would turn in his grave to hear you question his authenticity. The man was 100% real music!!! He risked electrocution that night to be authentic. Prince one of the greats ❤

That's 100% Live bro's. Just watch Prince or any guitarists play and they manipulate sounds from both ends of the guitar. Fact: because of the storm they asked Prince before if he wanted to cancel, he said "can you make it rain harder?" He was a legend and he wouldn't fake anything because he doesn't need to.

Holy buckets! He would never let anyone play for him. Best guitarist ever!

Don’t be disrespecting Prince by saying he’s faking his guitar playing. Prince was one of the greatest musicians of all time, especially as a guitarist. As other commenters have already mentioned, he was doing a “hammer-on,” meaning he moved up or down on the string plucked but not plucking each of the notes. This is an age old guitar technique and even a feature used in GUITAR HERO. Come on guys, don’t speak “truth” on something you know nothing about.

Dude . . . which one of you guys play electric guitar? Please give us a show. 😅 Prince is a multi-instrumentalist and legitimately one of the best guitar players ever. He played ALL of the instruments on his debut album. He was a musical genius. We lost a lot when he passed away. RIP Prince.

Hands down greatest half time show EVER!!! Pouring rain and he gave it 💯. Prince was completely live. He was never about being fake which made this even more fantastic.

You Brothers Need to watch My Guitar Gently weeps with Prince playing..U can use 1 hand when u have Mad Skillz.

It may seem hard to believe that level of excellence existed, but Prince was all of that. He played live, in the rain - during one of the biggest performances of his life. His mic was ON...his guitar was live..and people behind the scenes were scared to death about that. There is a whole backstory on this performance, that makes it even more amazing.