Stuart Ryan examines four approaches to the acoustic guitar, from singer-songwriter fingerstyle, to open-tuned Celtic and modal 70s rock, plus plectrum strummed and single-note bluegrass.
With so much emphasis on electric guitar playing in popular music history, it’s tempting to view the acoustic as the rhythmic tool to add foundation to the track, staying out of the way while the soloist goes for glory. However, the acoustic guitar is a hugely versatile instrument that has shaped music history for much longer than its electric brothers.
Go back to the 1930s and before and you’ll hear acoustic guitars driving bluegrass, jazz, and blues. Jump to the ’60s and ’70s and you’ll hear pop royalty The Beatles and rock gods such as Jimmy Page or Pete Townshend making acoustic guitars the core of their sound. There is so much you can study from acoustic guitar styles so in this special feature we’re going to examine it from four different angles: the ‘modal’ sound of ’70s rock and blues; the singer-songwriter approach of artists like James Taylor and Paul Simon; the classic American bluegrass sound; and finally the evocative tones of solo DADGAD guitar drawing on the Celtic music traditions of Ireland, Scotland and beyond.
One of the main things to consider when using acoustic guitars is which technique you are going to employ – pick, pick and fingers or all-out fingerpicking? All of this, of course, depends on context but part of the fun of acoustic guitar playing is getting out of your comfort zone, ditching the pick and embracing the fingerpicking approach that can make the instrument a multi-voiced tool of rolling arpeggios and piano-like textures.
Bu hikaye Guitar Techniques dergisinin September 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Guitar Techniques dergisinin September 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
THE MOODY BLUES
This month Stuart Ryan delves into the picking style of this British prog legend whose acoustic guitar has powered many a Moody Blues song.
WAYNE KRANTZ
This issue Nick Mellor provides an insight into this brilliant jazz stylist, focusing on his approach to improvising over static chords.
OPEN G TUNING
Open tunings are great fun and can help create exciting new ideas. Simon Barnard shows how to incorporate open G tuning into your playing.
RODRIGO GOUVEIA
Last month we featured Mateus Asato, and mentioned the importance of the neo-soul style in his playing. Here we turn to his fellow Brazilian, the master of neo-soul fusion.
MARK KNOPFLER
Our topic this month is a master craftsman as both guitar player and songwriter. His style is unique and his influence spreads far and wide.
U2
Martin Cooper checks out the chiming pedal delay tones of this stadium-filling band from Dublin, Ireland, and guitarist The Edge.
LUTHER ALLISON
It’s blues with a touch of soul this month, as David Gerrish explores the dynamic, expressive style of an often overlooked Chicago bluesman.
JOHANN KASPAR MERTZ Capriccio
This month Declan Zapala explores the music of Austria at the turn of the Romantic period with a fiery caprice to level up your fingers and unlock your inner virtuoso.
THE CROSSROADS Michael Landau
John Wheatcroft explores the playing of a session ace _ and blazing blues-rock maestro who graces the top-flight m band of singer-songwriting legend, James Taylor.
VIDEO MASTERCLASS Troy Redfern
This month GT welcomes this slide guitar virtuoso. If you've been wanting to take your slide playing to the next level then this is one's for you. With Jon Bishop.