John Mayer shows you how to play his most difficult song on guitar

John Mayer
(Image credit: Robert Knight Archive/Redferns)

John Mayer joined TikTok this week, but the real story is he's used it to give us insider tips on how to play his most difficult song – Neon. 

Anyone who's ever tried to grapple with this cut from his 2001 album Room For Squares will know the riff is a real finger twister. Even guitar YouTube king Paul Davids finds it hard. But Mayer's tip on approaching it should help players approach it in the right percussive way.

"It's one smooth roll," says John, illustrating his percussive right hand technique to use the thumb and index finger on what looks like his signature Martin OMJM acoustic guitar

@johnmayer

Guitar tip: Neon #guitar #guitarist #guitartok

♬ original sound - johnmayer
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John Mayer

(Image credit: Paras Griffin / Getty)

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We hope this is going to be the first of many tips from Mayer, a star player who seems more in touch with paying it forwards to other players than most, as he proved on Instagram Live in the past. Maybe there will be more insanely catchy comedy songs too. 

He's even giving you the chance to trade licks with him and his PRS Silver Sky (in the new Lunar Ice finish) in the new clip below. 

@johnmayer

Get your guitar, let’s gooooo #guitar #guitartok #beats #music

♬ original sound - johnmayer
Rob Laing
Guitars Editor, MusicRadar

I'm the Guitars Editor for MusicRadar, handling news, reviews, features, tuition, advice for the strings side of the site and everything in between. Before MusicRadar I worked on guitar magazines for 15 years, including Editor of Total Guitar in the UK. When I'm not rejigging pedalboards I'm usually thinking about rejigging pedalboards.