John Martyn – May You Never

Learn how to play John Martyn – May You Never note-for-note on guitar.
Difficulty level: Advanced
Barre chords: No
Thumb over chords: No
Playing Style: Fingerpicked
Tuning: Drop D
This preview video contains the 1st section of the complete lesson for the song May You Never.
This lesson teaches John’s guitar part from the original studio version.
The complete song lesson contains a lesson video, a performance play thru video, full tabs and chords and lyrics sheet. You’ll receive a link to download the lesson which will download as a zip file of 338 Mb containing all the lesson content.
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You’ll receive at least two videos per song, one lesson and one performance-standard play-through. You’ll receive the chords/lyrics and guitar tabs as PDF files.
The videos are mp4 format and should play on PC’s, Macs and most mobile devices.
They will download as Zip files. If you don’t have a Zip program on your PC you’ll need to install one to open the file.
If you want to download to an iPad or iPhone you’ll need an app to do so, please read here to know more about it.
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Fingerstyle Instrumental pieces
Adrienne says
Jerry, thanks for this great lesson (and so many others!) I have been playing guitar like it was my full-time job over the past few years. It’s been a joy, and I credit your excellent lessons. I can now play many songs I had previously written off as beyond my capabilities. I’m doing my second open mic this weekend, and will be playing this song! Thanks again!
Jerry says
That’s great to hear.
Good luck at the open mic!
Simon Rowe says
Hi Jerry
Please ignore my recent message. I did receive what I needed. Many thanks and sorry to bother you.
Simon Rowe says
Hi Jerry
I’m really enjoying your YouTube tutorials, thank you.
I just paid for the second part of your tutorial for John Martyn”s May You Never but got a link to John Mrtyn’s Finger style instead of the second part of the tutorial. Please could you send me a link to the second part of the song.
Many thanks
Jerry says
Hi Simon
I’ll answer by email.
Brian says
After struggling to play May You Never convincingly for years, Jerry’s lesson made it all seem very straightforward. A week after downloading the lesson I was playing this with confidence in public – and with quite a few compliments. Thanks, Jerry!
Paul Hiscock says
Is slapping with the fingers rather than the thumb on the low D the correct JM way or your way? All other lessons Ive seen use the thumb
Jerry says
He uses fingers. Using the thumb will work too. Here’s a video the shows him hitting those strings with his fingers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZEjxv7E0x4
Neil Burnett says
I have got most of this down apart from the slapping on the signature riff between lines. Do you cover that? If so, which version of Martyn’s have you used?
Jerry says
That slapping technique is such a key part of JM’s style that I’ve covered it in a separate lesson that you get with this video.
The version I’m teaching is the original one on the Solid Air album.