This is the niche nerd content I visit KZfaq for. Thanks for all your research!

Me listening to sommeliers talking about minor details of wine: "that's all horse shit" Me listening to this video: "Yes, precisely. Indeed, remarkable."

25 years ago my brother and i laboured for months and months working out all his songs by ear and then basically played and listened to nothing else for the next 5 years.... Watching you play these and talk about his sound has given me a super warm fuzzy feeling. Spot on - you sound just like him. Thanks!

Thanks. Somewhere... there's a warm summer afternoon, that never ends. In a slow bend in the River Thames there's a pub with a lovely lawn that slopes down to the river. Underneath an old oak tree there's a wooden table with fresh bread, english cheese and real ale. Nick Drake is sitting there, talking and lightly strumming his guitar. Then John Martyn joins in the musical conversation. Bert Jansch smiles and sips his beer. David Crosby interupts, he's the new boy at the bend int the river, and says that his tuning for Guinevere is really something.

I think you omitted the humidity of the room and the wind direction.

I honestly couldn't tell if the beginning of this video was the Nick Drake recording or you playing. When it faded up from black I was shocked. Your tone is pretty perfect.

At 62 I’m so happy Nick Drake has the respect & listening audience he always wanted. A whole new generation of to pass on his talent . Thank you for your insight into Nicks playing, I have shared it with my son who also loves Nick Drake.

Brilliant Josh. I've been listening to Nick Drake since the late 60's when he was virtually unknown. You capture Nicks tone perfectly. All I can say is I would find it difficult to tell if it's you or Nick in a blind listening. I can pay you no greater compliment.

You’re a nerd and we love it. Thanks for this

The depth of your nerdery is epic. Very inspiring!

I appreciate you doing this more than you'll ever know! Impressive all around!

This is as close to the sound I’ve ever heard. You should be working in a studio and getting paid serious money if you aren’t already. You are a prince

This is the holy grail of ND playing. You don’t even realize you actually unlocked the secret to his tuning and chords, tone notwithstanding. Thank you!

I think Nick's troubled soul may rest a little easier knowing his music carries on like this.

Hi Josh. I'm a 54 year old guitar player. You have no idea how grateful, and I'm sure I speak for lots of other guitarists, that you care enough about your fans to share your ideas on music to talk about fingerstyle techniques and to try to help those of us with less talent to step it up a notch. Thank you man for being so real!

I cannot get over how incredibly accurate your tone is! I don’t play an instrument, I am a vocalist, but I have been a huge Nick drake fan for 20 years and I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve listen to every single one of his pieces. And tears flowed when you would demonstrate all the elements together and play the passage of each piece. Thank you for this. I really needed it today.

I don’t know anything about guitar playing but I’m captivated by this

I met Joe Boyd, Nick Drake's producer/mentor when I first moved to London, and we've stayed in touch - in fact he booked my band the Good Honeys to play at the Chelsea Arts Club a few years ago. I also know Nick's sister Gabrielle; she and Joe Boyd were good friends of one of my closest friends, Christopher Logue. I could ask them, if you like, whether they have any further information about Nick's guitar style and tunings.

This might be one of the most important guitar tutorial videos on KZfaq.

one of the best videos on youtube. The accuracy of his tone is unbelievable

I almost fell out of my chair when you launched into 'Hazey Jane I" (6:12). It was as if Nick Drake had come alive! Great videos - you are extremely talented.

The fact that you have considered all of this so thoroughly is absolutely heartwarming... cheers...

Dude as a Drake fan you nailed it, Nick would be proud of you..

I've waited 20+ years to see some insight like this. You are spot on, I think. Thank you! More!

I must say "Things behind the sun" sounded absolutely fantastic there!!!

A 9min video that spawned one of the most insightfull, indepth, informative and interesting conversations i've heard in 40 years of listening and playing (trying to perfect) Nicks music. You're a genius Josh, made me feel like a teenager again, that 'lookin forward to puttin different strings on my guitar' feeling all over again, try a new sound. The ability to instill that in so many ppl is a gift. Fine musician too. Thankyou so much my man, and dont stop doing it.👍

One of the biggest reasons why nick drake was so depressing and sad is because he was promised that he is going to be a star but nobody heard of him as he expected. he barely sold his music... if he would still be with us today, I'm sure that he would be more than happy to see how of an appreciated artist he became... he was such a sensitive young man and a gentle soul. ahh such a loss to the world.

Closest I've heard anyone come to replicating Nick Drake's guitar sound. Excellent work man.

I'm only 6 mins in and I had to stop and comment that this is the best video on the internet. amazing work. thanks!!

Regarding the Guild guitar did he or didn't he? I was a member of a club at 49 Greek St Soho called Les Cousins from about 1967 and for about 5 years. All the greats played there as it was THE foremost London folk club and I was lucky enough to see most of them. Cousins, as it was called, used to have all night sessions and I remember one night in about 1969 or 70, during a John Martyn set, John introduced Nick Drake as a guest during the break and we sat spellbound as he sang five or six of his beautiful songs, mostly from his forthcoming album Bryter Layter, and played that wonderful style. Yes! I was lucky enough to see Nick Drake play live in a small venue and can confirm that he played the very same Guild guitar and, believe it or not, he also had on the very same bumpers [sneaker type shoes] that appear on Bryter Latyter, which was released shortly after. Nick was very tall and extremely shy and sat on a stool hunched over his guitar with his head bowed and his hair hanging over the mike and his face, and did not look at the audience and spoke very quietly and did not a communicate much other than through his beautiful music, With regard to what you suggest are dead sounding strings I would put that down to the dry sound of the all mahogany bodied guitar rather than dead strings. Mahogany is well known for it's dry woody tone and, of course, I could be wrong on the strings issue, and you have studied Nicks style for a long time so i'm not knocking your knowledge, just presenting the view that strings will differ in sound depending on the guitar they are played on as well as their age. You capture Nicks tone and his sound in your playing extremely well however another persons physicality can and will affect their ability to produce nicks sound, and for some it would be impossible, even knowing exactly how he did it. That's why I suggest that it's better to find your own style rather than copy someone else. I Know! iv'e done it myself. Great stuff though! and thanks for putting it out there. It brings back great memories of the 60s folk scene.

i’d say you nailed it bro. each note you’re just idling about on is so spot on.

I legit thought the intro was from the album. Incredible work.

"timbrally" God I love you so much.

The Late Great Nick Drake. I always knew Nick was gifted but you have just taken my admiration for his playing,and yours for that matter, to another level. Thank you Josh for this insightful and informative tutorial. ✌🏾

This is absolutely amazing. You have an astoundingly articulate ear. Thank you for posting this!

Josh, this was brilliant! I and I’m sure many many others would instantly buy an album made by you of covers of Nick Drake, or simply playing guitar in Nick Drake’s style, etc. This was a beautiful homage to ND, good on you. Merry Christmas to you!

I have never left a comment on KZfaq before, but all I can say is I’m flabbergasted! I was just curious about his tuning, but you broke down his whole style and approach. Bravo!

Nice one Josh glad to see Nick is continuing to influence. His music is timeless and could have been recorded yesterday you've nailed the tone

Remarkable. Hearing you play actually brought chills to me. A very well thought- out dissertation and thank you!

Excellent! The more I hear Nick’s music the more amazing it gets - I’ve been listening for over 30 years and it’s always a new and fantastic experience. A unique artist indeed.

Dude this video is fantastic... The depth of your ~obsession~ analysis is amazing. Thanks!!!

I am extremely impressed!!! This is a labor of love that brought me to tears (literally). The result of your work is astonishing, in a blind test I would barely recognize the original! I hope you will release other covers of the wonderful Nick Drake!

That's really great. I'm so glad you've put the time and thought into this. Certainly, the sound of Nick's playing is one of the things that makes him so captivating -- but I never realized that so much went into it! Makes me realize how much I still have to learn about playing guitar, even after all these years.

So good to see someone so young with such an obvious interest in, and respect for, Nick and his music. And your playing is right on the nail. Bravo!

I've listened to a ton of Nick Drake over the years, and watching you play these songs was just so dead on. If I focused on just your guitar I could totally see Nick sat there playing it. Amazing.

This is TREMENDOUS!!! Great work man!

I've been mesmerized by Nick Drake's playing. I love how you break it down to all the uniqueness of his sound. Your playing sounds so close to his style. Thank you for your research.

Thanks for all the time you've invested both in exploring Nick's unique and amazing tone! And thanks for sharing it here as well ~

God damn man. I legit thought it was the recording in the very beginning. Spot on to my ears. I'll have to give his tuning a try sometime.

Brilliant! Brilliant Brilliant! For so long I have invested my intellectual efforts and time in pursuit of Nick Drake tone, feel and passion. So glad to have discovered your channel. Thank you for giving me inspiration to continue my efforts to sound authentic and true to Nick’s voice.

So well done, Josh. Absolutely fascinating to watch - as close as it's possible to get to seeing Nick Drake live.

You have nailed his tone so precisely that I cannot tell the difference between your playing and Nick's. Nick Drake would have been so proud of you, especially since his style and tuning is so unique and challenging. Thank you for all your research. I really enjoyed watching this many times.

This might be my fave video yet. Thank you!

i could watch him play "a horn and things by the sun" intro, in an infinite loop. thanks josh, for this meticulous study

Just stumbled across your video. Having seen Nick Drake live ...yes there are a few of us still here, I was compelled to say what a thoughtful and engaging piece it is. Beautifully presented and obviously researched with love and devotion. A joy. Thank you.

Wow! I’ve been listening and attempting to play Nick Drake for almost 30 years. I have seen many tribute artists play live performances over the years. This is on another level. Thank you for posting and sharing this fascinating information.

Thank you Josh for taking the time to deconstruct Nick's sound and sharing. He had a style of playing and singing that was haunting and filled with soul. Keep up the good work and sharing of your own excellent talent.

Nick Drake's music means the world to me. And seeing you bring his music to life brought tears to my eyes. You're incredible.

Gorgeous playing! I am not even a guitarist, but I love that the music that is holy to me for over 25 years now, still puzzles and inspires musicians. Marvellous work! Thank you.

This was beautiful. The subtle differences in the fingering styles is extraordinary!

Perfect cherry on the top there, with Things behind the sun. What a gift that was to hear after the build up. Thank you!

After watching this, I have to change my opinion about who I'd want to sit next to on a transatlantic flight. Josh has amazing talent, but he's also smart and articulate and funny -- and generous in sharing his knowledge. Sometimes, not often enough, people find what they're meant to do in life while the rest, like me, are perpetually restless and sadly content to lead lives of quiet desperation. Love this channel.

WoW, I'm geeking out right now! You really nailed it. So good at recreating his sound and so well played, fantastic. now to go and check out the rest of your content

The sheer amount of effort and research that went into this… amazing effort well done ✅

Thanks, Josh. I have no hope of ever playing like Nick Drake, but this is fascinating, and you've done some brilliant detective work.

Excellent work, I think you've pretty much nailed it. Great video and superb playing as well.

This is the coolest thing I have seen in a long time. Well done, my dude!

Pretty amazing stuff, young man. I went to KZfaq to look for some Nick Drake on stage footage, can’t find any, but I found this incredible tutorial. Now you turned me onto some new strings I’ve never even heard of, and I have been playing 200 shows a year for over 25 years, I have gone through so many strings. I think I’ll take a look into these strings you talked about, and thanks so much for giving us the tuning! I hit the subscribe button to show some love.

Do more videos of you playing Nick Drake!

Thanks gor making this! Nick Drake is massively underrated and really influential artist. For instance, everyone just assumes that The Tallest Man On Earth's greatest inspiration is Bob Dylan, but Nick Drake is really at the root of The Tallest Man's own style

Beautiful. Nick's been the most influential artist in my life now ever since I discovered him in 2006. What a gift he was..is! You've nailed his sound buddy and your obsession to do so is really something. I can't think of a better musician to go to such detail on to reproduce.

This is trully great my friend! Congrats for the dedication to put on this using your own experience! A lot of us appreciate it!

Hi..You have done intensive work on our dear Nick's approach..Bless you for that..Well done for letting his music live on..

This is really helpful and "Things Behind the Sun" sounded fantastic.

So many goosebumps throughout the video. Loved it. Thank you so much for this. You're the best!

Wow. You are the real deal. Fantastic presentation of some of the great tones of Nick’s. I couldn’t stop watching. You nailed it!!congrats

Pink Moon & Time of No Reply are so beautiful. For finger picking, Elliott Smith is incredible as well. Lyrics are poetry and filled w too much wisdom considering his age when he died.

You should read Nick Drake Remembered, it actually has all this information, so not on the internet but in a book haha. They actually have receipts of the guitar strings he bought (Marlin medium), his guitar was a Levin bought in 1966 for 63 pounds and the he talks about belonged to Eric Clapton who left it at the photographers house. Amazing book!

Fantastic job! Been a Nick Drake fan for many, many years and you’ve nailed it.

I am back again to this and again: my hat is off to you, so far I haven't find another video so accurate about Nick Drake guitar sound! 👏👏👏👏👏

Wow. Just had this recommended to me. Your playing literally gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes... wow. You make me want to get a small body guitar, some nickel strings and start practicing Nick Drake... It's been a while.

The book "Nick Drake: Remembered for a While" actually shows his main Martin guitar which was a Martin 000-28.

Beautiful vid man. Love Nick's music, thanks for taking the time to make this!

Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video and share your experience and knowledge. So very much appreciated. ✌️

Nick Drake was overlooked and under-appreciated.Thanks for exploring his sound.👨‍🌾

What a great video. I can’t play an instrument to save my life but I’ve loved Nick Drake since 1985 and found this video fascinating. Well done.

This is just marvelous, well done and thank you for taking the time. There’s something so deeply emotive about the way his guitar sounded especially accompanied by his super unique almost ethereal tone of voice. Everything you talk about here really seems to add up, it sounds so familiar but like nothing else at the same time. I’ve read that Nick Drake grew up in a musical family and when he started to learn guitar he would sometimes play all day long, and I kinda know what that feels like, when I made the move from piano to guitar there were a couple years where the only thing that mattered in my life was getting home and playing guitar, or better said, figuring out the guitar. I’m certainly nowhere near his or your level of talent and dedication, but the reason I bring it up is because to me, a lot of his songs sound like they were born out of just sitting and picking and playing and getting lost in the sounds of the guitar, almost like a meditative practice. What do you think? Does that make any sense at all? I could be completely wrong, but I just don’t feel like I can see him sitting down and writing like E-G-Eb…with lyrics above the chords. He doesn’t feel that structured or produced to me, more searching and longing. As someone who has devoted a lot of time and energy and thought into how Nick Drake played and composed tunes, do you think any of that jives with what you’ve learned through your deep dive into his musical world? Thank you so much for the video again, it’s just wonderful.

What a fantastic analysis. This is a labor of love. Thank you so muchJosh, your playing is beautiful!

You are the best. I often find myself watching your videos for hours and hours! keep it up!

This was mind-blowing. Thank you!

Many thanks, Josh. This is brilliant and supremely artistic in its own right. Your talent & willingness to share keeps these songs alive. I’m very grateful. Nick certainly was a singular talent.

Absolutely brilliant. I haven't dared tackle Nick Drake's finger picking, so to hear you playing it so well AND with his tone is ridiculously special.

I am not a musician so I have a little of intelligence to contribute to this conversation. However, I find Nick Drake’s music deeply moving and your renditions are moving as well. Well done. Thanks for your contribution to our understanding of this incredible artist.

Thanks for this - an overlooked genius who, sadly, went to his grave before being recognized for his brilliance. You captured the sound and feel remarkably well.

Incredible analysis. The best I have ever seen. Thanks for this.

Awesome video, Josh! I’m just finding your channel now and I’m impressed. I love that you put out your opinions (quite informed opinions at that), but simultaneously pay respect to this mysterious and genius composer. Excellent work, I’ll be diving into more of your videos! Logan

i don't play the guitar and feel like something of an imposter watching this. but you've mastered the sound, and since there's no way to see Nick play, this is fascinating to watch. well done!

Wow. I can really hear how NIck Drake played, with you. I’ve never heard anyone do another guitarist this well . Your right in there . Thanks I hope you’ll do more

Hearing you play Things behind the sun just gave me goosebumps in the best possible way. Really really great sound and playing, thank you!

Thank you Josh for making this video... unbelievable sound and almost makes up for there being no cine footage of Nick playing. It was lovely to watch the guitar bring this to life for a moment. Obviously your talent has a lot to do with it too 😉