What do they say it is?
Now Play It is a new and exciting way to learn and play your favorite songs. This unique video service features real music and real artists all backed by real learning techniques. It has been developed to help offer a more instant and direct way of learning, for every range of musician. ‘Now Play It’ aims to get people as close to the artist and songs they love as simply as possible. If you want to play a song, there is no better way to learn than from the artist who wrote or performs it…welcome to ‘Now Play It’.
What do we say it is?
Genius.
I mean… Paul McCartney teaches you how to play the guitar, bass and drums on his latest song. Graham Coxon shows you why he plays an A chord with only one finger (so the others can make mischief over the fretboard). KT Tunstall gives you her ‘bit of wood on the floor’ secret tip…
Awesome…
What’s great about it?
Everything. Even the free previews of the videos give you enough to carry on with. There are several levels of tutorial – from the in-house tutor who’s currently helping me learn ‘Fake Plastic Trees‘ to the artists themselves talking you through their own hints and tips for playing the song.
Best of all, when you play through the whole thing, the bar chords are superimposed over the original music video. You can get just that bit as a ‘Lite’ tutorial.
What could be better?
The price, I guess. I bought a 15-minute tutorial for £3. It was a high quality video, and I’ve already watched it half a dozen times, so I don’t regret the spend. But the price is a barrier for mass downloading.
That said, there’s a 3-hour ‘Best Of’ DVD coming out at the end of this month, and that’s already on the Xmas wishlist.
Oh – and Alex James should sit up straight, put that cigarette out and learn the names of the notes.
How can I use this?
Well, you can learn to play songs that you can’t already play. You can model performance techniques from your favourite artists (assuming they’re included) and you can improve on your instrument.
Better yet, you can (and should) steal this idea. Teach your own fans how to play your songs. It’s really engaging, builds fandom, and it makes even a completely remedial guitarist like me feel like I’m improving.
Should I pay it any attention?
Absolutely. Just try and tear yourself away. It’s dead cool.