Mark Knopfler told me how to play "Redbud Tree" right!

In this lesson, we'll learn how to play the beautiful Redbud Tree by Mark Knopfler on guitar. This is the first track on his Privateering album, and apart from being an incredible song, it also has cool hidden tricks like alternating time signatures - but they are almost invisible! The time signatures seamlessly flow together, thanks to Mark Knopfler's awesome musicianship. This makes it tricky to play, but don't worry - we cover all the details in this lesson.

🙏 Thank you, Mark Knopfler! I wasn't sure if the acoustic guitar was played in the open position or with a capo on the 5th fret, but Mark Knopfler was very generous and emailed me the secrets to get Redbud Tree right. You won't find these details anywhere else. :)

The guitar parts on Redbug Tree are sublime. We'll learn the main acoustic part, the electric lead solo, and how to make it sound like the original.

💡 Learn faster with JustinGuitarTabs. Get tabs, chords and lyrics for Redbud Tree and loads more songs, including some classic Dire Straits tunes! :)

Now let's get started and learn how to play Redbud Tree. We'll start with the acoustic guitar tutorial and then explore the solo on the electric guitar.

Redbud Tree by Mark Knopfler: Acoustic Guitar

We play Redbud Tree with a capo on 3, and all the chords are relative to the capo. For example, when I say Bm, I mean a minor barre chord two frets above the capo. :)

🤩 It took me a while to find the right capo position, but luckily Mark Knopfler helped me out! ;) I transcribed it without a capo, then put a capo on 5, but I wasn't sure which was right, so I emailed my friend Richard Bennett, who is Mark Knopfler's rhythm guitar player, and the outcome was better than I thought! Mark Knopfler emailed me the original guitar takes and shared his secrets, which we're about to uncover.

Intro Chords & Rhythm

The intro chords are simple - you need four bars of Bm. The key part is the rhythm, and the intro pattern is handy for the rest of Redbud Tree. Play with your fingers if you want to copy Mark Knopfler's sound.

Head to the Acoustic: Intro & Main Framework video lesson chapter for the exact pattern Mark Knopfler played. It's syncopated, and switching thumb and finger 1 takes some practice. The good news is that the intro is in 4:4 - no time changes.

Spend time on this pattern and learn it well. It'll make it much easier to play the rest of the song. :)

💡 Practice the basics, then build it up! This authentic Redbud Tree pattern has several variations in the song, like most rhythm patterns. Think of this pattern as a framework you can use to explore the others. Get it solid first, then it'll be a lot easier to build on it and stay in time.

Let's check out the verse.

Verse Chords Section 1

The verse is |Bm A |, G, |D C |, Bm. Here's where it gets tricky - the first two bars are in 3:4 time, while the other two are in 4:4. ;) The melody is so strong and smooth that you've probably never heard the time change!

You'll notice two bars have multiple chords. In both cases, we switch to the second chord on beat 3, but the time signatures for each bar differ, meaning we spend one beat on A and two on C.

For the bars of 4:4, we stick with the main pattern and use an adapted version for the bars of 3:4. If you need a hand, head to the chapter Acoustic: Verse Part 1.

🧐 One-Finger G: I use an unusual grip for G to get the authentic sound. It's like the G Chord Hack except string 1 is silent and only finger 2 is involved! Use it to fret the note on string 6 and mute strings 5 and 1 so that only four notes ring out. :)

Here's a fine detail that you won't find anywhere else. I didn't hear them in the recording - Mark Knopfler himself shared them with me. He sometimes plays Bm/F#, D/A, and C/G rather than regular Bm, D, and C. This is one ingredient of the secret sauce - more to come! ;)

But don't obsess over these slash chords unless you want to be precise. They're pretty subtle, and the regular grips sound good, so experiment with them and see what sounds you like. I think they work best in the chorus. :)

Verse Section 2

After section 1, one rep of the above progression, things change: the first bar is in 4:4, while the bar of G stays in 3:4! This means we have two beats on A rather than one.

This needs a bit of practice and close attention. Jam with me in the video to check you've got it right. :)

Here's a tip: sing the melody in your mind as you play, and you'll likely stay in time. The chords and time fit together perfectly with it. It's way easier than trying to count the changes! Be aware that the time signature moves around, but rely on feel and melody more than maths. :)

Redbud Tree by Mark Knopfler: Chorus

The chorus progression is two reps of:

D, Em, B
|G6  A | B.

Careful: Em is a bar of 2:2, and we play two bars of B after A on the second rep!

The G6 sounds awesome here, and Mark Knopfler helped me figure out exactly what was happening. I play this like the verse G but with finger 1 on the 6th. Let the open E string ring out if you like - it's part of the G6 chord. As for the B chord, play it as an A-shape Major barre chord. :)

🤔 Unusual Key Change: The song is heavily Bm in the verses, but the B Major chord changes that. Because we play B at the end of the progression, we switch from B to Bm as we transition to the verse. I can't believe this works, but it does!

Pay attention to the bass notes if you want to nail the chorus. They move around in a subtle and beautiful way. Mark Knopfler also switches the B chord for B/A in later choruses! Check out the video lesson for the exact details. :)

Let's look at how to master the rhythm guitar for Redbud Tree.

Acoustic Playing & Learning Tips

The order and count are tricky, so work on them before playing Redbud Tree in a band. The rhythm guitar must be spot on so the solo player can target the right notes. :)

🎧 Soak up the original! Listen to the original track to learn the arrangement and absorb the relaxed, laid-back groove. It won't sound right if you play it all jerky and tense. The key is to practice until you can automatically mimic the feel - you'll sound great without trying. :)

As for the order, start with the intro and work on the rhythm pattern, then learn the verse and make sure you've nailed the time, then go for the chorus. After this, combine the three sections and play them repeatedly - that's what I did!

Finally, listen to Redbud Tree and make notes on the arrangement so you can perform the whole thing. And, of course, jam with the original recording lots. :)

Ready to learn the lead solo? Let's go!

Redbud Tree by Mark Knopfler: Electric Guitar Solo

The key to getting this guitar solo right is your touch and feel. It's not difficult from a technical point of view, and this tutorial explores riff by riff. But before we get started, let's take a look at the best electric guitar setup to play Redbud Tree.

Electric Guitar Setup

If you've got a Strat-type guitar, turning on the neck and middle pickups will help it sound authentic. I also use my first finger to pick all the notes because it sounds closest to the original solo, but it's no problem if you prefer a pick.

I also suggest you put the amp up loud but play the solo softly. That's what Mark Knopfler tends to do. I used the Kemper profiler with the Michael Britt Fender Deluxe 2 patch with my speakers really loud to force me to play soft, mute unused strings, and be precise with my picking. :)

The Solo: Tips & Tones

Mark Knopfler plays chord tones a lot, which explains why his guitar solos sound so melodic. Redbud Tree is no exception, meaning it's a perfect song for harmonic analysis.

In the video, we analyze the notes over the capo-less version of the chords. Without a capo, the chord names all move up a minor third - for example, Bm becomes Dm, and D becomes F.

👂 Listen & Mimic: We need 16th notes to count this solo accurately, and it'd be super tricky for me to explain it and for you to understand it. It's best you listen to this solo a bunch of times to get it into your musical imagination, then try to mimic it.

Start by learning the notes and rhythm, then jam with the Mark Knopfler original. At that point, you can pay attention to the fine details, like which notes use hammer-ons and which are picked.

📲 I'd love to see your covers of Redbud Tree! Post it and tag me on social media or the JustinGuitar Community!