LESSON Acoustic Country

This month Stuart Ryan gets to grips with just one of the styles of an Australian firebrand who’s become a superstar of the acoustic guitar.

ON VIDEO

Tommy Emmanuel, mid-flight and ‘in the moment’ on his Maton guitar

ERIKA GOLDRING/GETTY IMAGES

Regarded as probably the finest acoustic guitar player on the planet, Tommy’s incendiary live shows and breathtaking technique have won him legions of fans across the globe. However, beyond his terrifying chops, Tommy is also a gifted composer, particularly when it comes to slower, melodic material. When discussing Tommy’s style and technique people usually focus on his use of a thumbpick and the Travis picking element of his playing. However, he also frequently uses the pick and fingers technique (hybrid picking) especially when playing slower, ballad style pieces. Although you could play this month’s piece fingerstyle (and you may find it easier this way) it’s worth working on this with a pick for several reasons. First, the pick can give you a crisp, even sound that you may not necessarily get with the fingers – this can be useful if you are recording and you want an even dynamic throughout, or a tone that will cut through the mix. Alternatively you may find yourself strumming with the plectrum and then encounter a passage that has a rapid picked ‘breakdown’ lick.