I watched this 3 yrs ago, went down the Derek gripper rabbit hole. Now I can't stop playing

Hi Derek, As a guitarist playing for 56 years, about 30 years I moved to the nylon string guitar and unusual tunings and lots of capos. I was at a festival near Exeter UK and I met a young Tata Dindin a kora player from the Jaobarti (spelling) family and I suggested we have a play. Anyway we got on well and we were still friends until his untimely death recently. He was very famous in The Gambia. Unlike u I did not learn to play like the Kora but to accompany it. I ended up playing in a trio and sometimes more with kora guitar and tabla. I use DADGAD and DADAAD mainly. Tata was always inviting me to The Gambia to show how I played. I never went, civil war and life etc. I now play music that has that circular feel and as much as I can play jazz etc I love the improvised aural way of playing. I love what u have done. Your bass string technique reminds me of the Chet Atkins thing that Tommy Emanuel has taken to new levels. Inspiring thanks.

That teaching is Perfectly paced. Thank for sharing these beautiful simple melodies.

Mr Gripper is expanding the guitar repertoire with the music of West Africa. A wonderful contribution to the instrument.

Probably the best guitar lesson I have seen and have taken pleasure to practice Thank you

I grew up in West Africa listening to this music and never took the time to learn then...I will now. Thank you so much for sharing.

I know this is an older video, but I just found it this morning. This is the first time anyone has tried to explain this in a way that I understand - & also without dumbing it down to the point that it's only half of an idea.

love how you explain it, so simple, slow and beautiful, thank you

superb, as always, and great teaching. Such a great musician, congratulation !

Love it...mali has some incredible musicians

What a fantastic progression! Thank you for breaking it down so clearly!

Thank you! I can't wait to try it.

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart 🙏 it's a blessing to find tutorials for this kind of music 🙏🙌

what a great masterpiece !!

Thank you Derek, the first time I heard you playing that song, I decided to undust my spanish guitar, a marvelous song, Gracias.

Fantastic lesson. Cosmic sound. Thank you!

fantastic lesson, can't believe I found this... thank you

Excellent teaching. I was able to follow right away.

Perfect video. Thanks so much for making this.

great teaching! thanks Derek!!

finally can learn this thanks Derek

Great lesson, amazing teacher.

Man, thanks for the lesson! Step by step until the intermediate level. Just perfect. Please keep doing for other Mali songs. Regards!

Thanks you!!!! A blessed lesson!!

Thank you so much, this video was just what i was looking for, simply well teached introduction to this mali rythim

so interesting. thank you

Excellent lesson! Thank you!

Great lesson, thanks!!!

Amazing!

thank you-working on it now!

Brilliant teaching. Thank you :)

Ooo perfect video🎉

Thank you so much, that was a super tutorial!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much!!!!

sweet - nice one. I learned something.

Really cool to see South Africans doing their thing. Big ups from the eastern cape brother

very cool thanks

very cool

thanks to you i can now play like im from the old continent thank you so much for showing me this THANKS FROM THE U.S.A

Gracias

wearing Birkenstocks for a youtube video ... what a boss

I've been studying these lessons for several days. I appreciate the clarity and concision of the instruction regarding the form, harmonic, and melodic content of the composition. However, I have zero idea of what the song Jarabi means, who composed it, and why it is culturally important. I feel that I'm learning it as a fetish, like learning the "blues scale" without understanding why Blues music was created. Which is exactly how Mel Bay taught my suburban ass "the blues." Please give references to more African musicians.

Rep South Africa ♥️🌍

super

thanks you man 😁😂😍

Do you have this in sheet music? Or a website where I can purchase, and learn this style of music?

Excellent tutorial. You’re a wonderful teacher. I love West n North African music. 2 questions: do you have TAB for your lessons? Also Can u recommendation a specific band that uses the exact style u just taught? Thanks!

Is this in standard tuning, or an altered form? Very nice, either way (:

I am lost at 8:06 , this swing thing is confusing... helpppp

Milonga

I struggle with rhythm in general but I’m really lost here. I can’t tell how many beats to the bar in this figure. Can anyone enlighten this ejit! 🤡Thanks

I am a bit confused between what you say and what you play. You say the swing is made out of a long, short,short,long pattern. And as the pattern is made out of 3/3/2 the swing goes from one block of repetition over the other. Accordingly the first block of 3/3/2 would be played differently than the second. In the first, the base plays always the long note and when you continue the swing this shifts, so that instead of the "p-finger" the "i-finger" plays the long note. However, you don't play it that way. You repeat each block of 3/3/2 from beginning by modifying it so that you actually have a long,short,short,long,short,short,short,short, sequence. This way you are able to begin with a long note on the base again in the second block. It took me quite some time to play it the way you said and maintain the swing over the two blocks and it sound very different from yours. I wonder if you could comment on that or even try to play the swing throughout the two blocks. Much appreciated your video. Great vibe and great skills. You got me into something here. Thanks!