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Acoustic Guitar Hack

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10 pointsjhg13 comments

Andy McKee is better at it IMO and he doesn't make such a big deal about doing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4

I've been a fan of McKee for ages. Everything from his playing to his song construction is really good and getting better as he learns more. His time under Don Ross is really paying off.

Erik Mongraine, while talented, I think really lacks in the cohesive song construction that's necessary for him to take off. His sound is arguably better than McKee, but the songs just never go anywhere.

I also agree, I always feel like McKee is playing the guitar. This guy, in contrast, feels like he is smacking the hell out of it.

In his tapping pieces, Mongrain doesn't sound like he's playing guitar at all, but rather some other, harpischord-like instrument. Of course his effect chain is in part responsible for that, but his polyphonic playing style is IMO more important at that.

Regarding the (lack of) structure, it's worth knowin that both tapping pieces were written as an improvisation framework while he was making a living as a street musician in Europe.

It sounds to me like he is making a lot of use of harmonics. He appears to be doing it percussively (by banging his finger against the fretboard vs. the usual technique of lightly touching the string and picking elsewhere). This is probably what gives him his unique sound.

I prefer Justin King: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh_24DXNy8E

But they are all pretty good.

I agree. Justin King played at my University a while back, he's incredible.

Nice. Thanks for the mention. I saw him 5 or 6 years ago and couldn't remember his name. Mckee was the only one I could bring to mind. It was driving me nuts.

I dunno, they all sounds kind of same to me.

Compare it with Stanley Jordan: he actually makes it sound like there are two guys playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjXN3OLgoqs

Michael Hedges...he's the Eddie Van Halen of this kind of playing with Pierre Bensusan as the Jimi Hendrix of this kind of playing.

I would recommend "Live from the Double Planet" - because your mouth will be agape that it's one guy on stage playing 4+ parts with one instrument.

Juliard bitches.

Never saw any video of him nor a live performance. But way back in college days, I spent part of one break hanging out in a loaner off campus apartment. The fellow had a pretty sweet (I guess the word would be) stereo set up with very good equipment and also with 4 speakers around the listening area. My friend put on a Hedges CD -- I'd never heard him before -- and it was a revelation.

Well worth a listen. Perhaps start with "Breakfast in the Field". "Aerial Boundaries" tries more techniques, but "Breakfast" is just that, a delicious meal in a perfect setting.

http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Field-Michael-Hedges/dp/B000... [link with no referrer huhu]

EDIT: (To parent post) Just noted your "Live" recommendation. I'll have to track that down.

Relevancy hack:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1023863

Seems like Fark material.

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