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PRESENTS
Pla & y
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c i t s u o c A u
revised & upd2a0t17ed
Digital Edition
GreatDigitalMags.com
for
Learn‌ Fingerpicking Altered tunings Latin styles
How to‌ Buy the right guitar Get started on acoustic Sound professional on stage
C on t e n t s
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CONTENTS 8
How we got here
look at the history of the acoustic guitar A and how it has evolved
10 14
Accidental Hero
In praise of the Martin Dreadnought
Techniques: Getting started
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AUDIO
Fingerpicking styles at your fingertips
Techniques: Altered tunings
ry out some classic altered tunings with our T easy-to-follow guide
Anatomy of an acoustic guitar
48
Techniques: Fingerpicking
38
What you need to know to buy the right amp
earn some essential acoustic techniques to L help you get started
How to choose & use an acoustic amp
ot an acoustic gig? Read our tips for great G tone and you can’t go wrong…
AUDIO
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Our guide to capturing great tone
Playing live: Basics
he differences between the most common T acoustic body shapes explained
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Recording: Basics
Shapes of things
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atrick James Eggle shows us the inner P workings of an acoustic guitar
So you want to buy an acoustic? he definitive guide to buying an acoustic T guitar in today’s market, for all budgets
Good wood ob Taylor, co-founder and president of B Taylor Guitars, explains environmental and sustainability issues facing modern makers
C on t e n t s
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Techniques: Acoustic Latin
earn 10 exciting Latin styles – from salsa L and rumba to mambo and bossa nova
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Techniques: Fingerpicking
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Interview: Rodrigo y Gabriela e chat to the sensational Mexican acoustic W duo about technique, and translating rock to acoustic
AUDIO
AUDIO
Classical picking exercises and tuition
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38
Interview: John Williams
he classical maestro talks to us about his T ‘retirement’ and what he’s up to now
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Interview: Martin Simpson
he award-winning UK folk star discusses T fingerstyle artistry and songwriting
106 Interview: Jason Mraz
From budding coffee-shop troubador to multiPlatinum-selling acoustic star
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Interview: Tommy Emmanuel
he dazzling Australian showman explains T his fleet-fingered technique
116
Interview: Thomas Leeb
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Interview: Richard Thompson
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dvanced fingerstyle and extended technique A are all part of this talented Austrian’s style
T he UK folk legend on boozy nights of the 60s and the headache of acoustic amps
122 Interview: Laura Marling
T he talented acoustic player, singer and songwriter on her creative process
126 Interview: Donovan
T he legendary 60s folk star on writing classic songs and teaching the clawhammer to John Lennon
130 Gallery
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F east your eyes on some of the world’s most beautiful acoustic guitars
To download lesson audio, go to: http://bit.ly/BuyAndPlayAcoustic 7
altered Tunings There’s so much music to be discovered simply by retuning your acoustic guitar. Here’s a guide to some great open and alternate tunings – some common, others less so – and a handful of chords to get you started with each one, plus some pointers on where to hear it on record
Drop D The simple act of lowering the pitch of the sixth string by a tone from E to D is an easy way of adding weight to the bass, while simultaneously freeing up your fretting hand to focus on melodic duties. From metal riffing to country blues, dropped D tuning enables instant one-finger power chords, and your trusty open-D chord now sounds huge! When tackling an altered tuning, it’s worth finding out things such as where the basic major and minor triads are, and how you might play a I-IV-V chord progression. Try the starter chords we’ve added with each tuning example. Or just throw caution to the wind and jump right in!
D 0 0 0
Em 0 0 0
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D 5
Hear it here Mr. Tambourine Man Bob Dylan (Bringing It All Back Home, 1965)
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A
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Ge t t i ng Sta rt e d : T u n i ng
Open D The Open D tuning (named as such because, when strummed ‘open’, without fingering any notes with the left hand, the resulting chord corresponds to a D major chord) is a widely used tuning in folk and blues styles. Its open nature makes it a particular favourite with slideguitar players, and the tuning also pushes the guitar’s range closer to that of a piano, for greater expressiveness. Experiment with harmonics in this tuning, barring your finger across the fifth, seventh and 12th fret for some heavenly chordal strums.
D X X 0
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Hear it here Babel Mumford & Sons (Babel, 2012)
Open D minor Whether you’re a glass-half-full or half-empty kind of person, exploring the world of open tunings can either be a goldmine of inspiration or a minefield of frustration. Trying the common drop D or DADGAD tunings for the first time, players are struck by the realisation that favourite licks sound fresh and new, simply because the notes have moved. Open D minor tuning – surely the saddest of all tunings – is lesser used than many of the others on this list, but its minor tonality proves very atmospheric – and major chords are a doddle to find, making composition a rewarding experience. Dm 0 0 0 0 0 0
F
Gm
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5
D
Hear it here Hard Time Killing Floor Blues Chris Thomas King (O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack, 2000)
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A
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D
A n at om y O f A n Ac ous t ic
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Soundboard
“In very general terms, the top is the ‘speaker cone’ of the guitar,” explains Eggle. “It’s the thing that responds to the vibration of the strings and beats in and out, which starts the air moving. “When we’re selecting a top, one of the first things that we do is check the stiffness. I’m after tops that are stiff across the grain. With a weaker piece of wood, you’d have to leave it thicker to give it sufficient strength. But that extra thickness would also make it less responsive, meaning it would take longer to react to vibration from the strings. “By contrast, a stiffer, stronger piece of wood can be made into a thinner top, so the response is more immediate and dynamic. What you’re looking for is a ’board that’s perfectly quartersawn; the growth rings will lie at right angles to the top of the guitar. A slab-sawn ’board is often a lot more pretty to look at, with more figure exhibited – but it’s also less stable and won’t have as much strength. Some pieces of wood are just naturally better, acoustically, than others. Generally, if you get a bright, glassy, resonant sound just by tapping it, that will translate into the instrument.”
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Bridgeplate
Underneath the top will be glued a (usually) maple bridgeplate that is there to strengthen and protect the softwood top where it’s drilled to accept the string anchoring pins. Guitar makers have used different materials over the years; size and material drastically affect the tone of the guitar (Martin’s 1970s rosewood bridgeplates are often cited as the ‘bad’ example. The company returned to using maple and continues to use it to this day). This bridge itself is glued to the top, ideally to a section of bare, unfinished soundboard. Its size and material affects tone significantly, in the same way it does for fingerboards (see p44 for more on their make-up).
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Forward shifting
You’ll see this term used to describe where the whole X-brace is shifted forwards, so that the centre of the X is roughly one inch from the edge of the soundhole (instead of two, which is, broadly speaking, ‘standard X-bracing’). In theory, forward shifting enables the top to vibrate more because the bridge isn’t sitting directly above the very strongest part of the X: so it’s louder and bassier. That’s how Martin used to do it on the legendary, muchcoveted pre-War models. It’s very reductionist to talk tonal attributes as a result of measurements in isolation, but this at least explains the term.
4
average bloke – imagine that being supported by a bit of spruce 2.5mm thick for 40 years! That’s a big ask. “I keep coming back to the traditional X-bracing – it works for us. Each brace is tapered: that’s a strong shape. We could leave them square, but that would retain a lot more mass [and deaden the sound] without adding strength; each brace gets its strength from its height, not from its width.”
X-bracing
There are many approaches to top bracing. The most popular for flat-top steel-string guitars is the classic X-brace introduced by Martin in the mid-1800s (classical guitars are usually fan-braced). “The top’s nowhere near strong enough on its own,” explains Eggle, “so it needs bracing. A set of 0.012 strings on a standard-scale acoustic generates around 180lbs of pull. That’s the weight of an
5 40
Tonebars In addition to the main X-brace, most steel-string flat-tops will have two tone bars behind the bridge,
4 3
2
6
5
Please Note This guitar is shown part-way through construction and still features some unfinished parts
to support the back of the top. The position of these and the extent to which they are shaped or scalloped has a considerable influence on the vibration of the top, and therefore the sound of the guitar, just as it does with the other remaining braces.
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Scalloping
An extension of the tapering Eggle describes above, many steel-string flat-tops have carefully scalloped bracing. That’s where meat is removed along the length of the braces: it’s enough to ensure the top is free to vibrate fully, not so much to compromise structural integrity.
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Ac ous t ic Bu y e r ’s Gu i de
Guild F-130CE £778 Guitarist says Desirable mid-size all-rounder electro that’s sure to attract many takers
Yamaha APX1000 £798 Reviewed: Issue 350 Type: OM-style electro-acoustic Top: Solid spruce Back/sides: Solid mahogany Nut/scale: 44.5/650
Guitarist says This sets a value challenge for other guitar makers offering microphone-imaging technology
Larrivée L-02 £799 Guitarist says How can you look a gift horse in the mouth? Time to flash the cash on this classy acoustic
Yamaha LL16D ARE £804 Reviewed: Issue 347 Type: Grand Auditorium-sized Top: Solid Sitka spruce Back/sides: Solid sapele Nut/scale: 44.5/648
Guitarist says Poshed-up version of the LL16 offering stunning spec for very sensible money
Yamaha AC3R £872 Guitarist says This grade-A concert picker emphasises the all-round high standard of Yamaha’s A-Series models
Reviewed: Issue 343 Type: Medium-bodied electro Top: Solid spruce Back/sides: Laminated maple Nut/scale: 43/650
Reviewed: Issue 381 Type: Dreadnought electroacoustic Top: Solid Sitka spruce Back/sides: Solid rosewood Nut/scale: 44.5/650
Alvarez MG75SCE £879 Reviewed: Issue 348 Type: Concert-size electro-acoustic Top: Solid Sitka spruce Back/sides: Solid rosewood Nut/scale: 43/650
Guitarist says Tidily made, goodsounding – what’s not to like?
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Reviewed: Issue 377 Type: Grand auditorium-sized cutaway electro-acoustic Top: Solid cedar Back/sides: Solid rosewood Nut/scale: 43.4/648
Ac ous t ic Bu y e r ’s Gu i de
Alvarez MP70E £879 Guitarist says Fingerstyle-friendly belter: yet more proof that small is the new big! Track one down
Reviewed: Issue 377 Type: 12-fret parlour electro-acoustic Top: Solid Sitka spruce Back/sides: Solid rosewood Nut/scale: 45.6/610
Tanglewood TW15H-E £899 Guitarist says A picker-friendly dreadnought with winning sounds and high-end looks to match
Reviewed: Issue 351 Type: Dreadnought electro acoustic Top: Solid spruce Back/sides: Solid mahogany Nut/scale: 44.5/650
Honourable mention
Gibson Gibson acoustics are notable by their absence in this guide. This is because Guitarist magazine – from which all these guitar choices are taken – has not reviewed any Gibson acoustics in the last few years, as there’s been little that’s genuinely ‘new’ during that time. We’re sure this will change soon, however, as Gibson Montana (the company’s acoustic division) is on the charge, with a slew of new models and upgrades that we’re awaiting eagerly. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that Gibson’s classic designs – notably the J-45 slope-shoulder dreadnought, J-200 jumbo and Hummingbird dreadnought especially – should be right up there on your must-try list if you’re thinking of buying a quality acoustic guitar. They’re all handmade using solid tonewoods in Bozeman, Montana. There are all manner of vintage-styled dream pieces in the company’s line, and we also like the look of the recent, well-priced J-35 (£1,199).
Larrivée P-03 £949 Guitarist says We dare you not to be enticed by this quality of sound and spec at such an unbelievable price
Reviewed: Issue 372 Type: Parlour-sized acoustic Top: Solid spruce Back/sides: Solid Peruvian walnut Nut/scale: 44.5/610
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T e c h n iqu e s
Merengue The merengue style originated in the Dominican Republic. The style is upbeat and the lyrics and dance styles are often sexually suggestive. One of the most popular styles of
merengue is named after the brothel in which it is said to have started (perico ripiao). There are three different types of merengue played in the Dominican Republic today.
PIECE 7: Merengue the fingering and picking patterns slowly and then build the This merengue piece is great fun to play but also pretty parts up to tempo. challenging due to the fast tempo, so it’s well worth examining the suggested fingerings in the notation. Practise GUITAR TECHNIQUES MAGAZINE 2 1 0 John Bishop's GO LATIN - PIECE 7 – MERENGUE Nylon string acoustic guitar with fingers
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Bachata Like merengue, bachata is another style that comes from the Dominican Republic, which combines African elements with Latin and Caribbean rhythms. Over
time the music has developed to include electric guitar and this electric-style version of bachata has become increasingly popular.
PIECE 8: Bachata concentrate on keeping the feel and tone consistent. The This emotive guitar part is relatively easy to play but you correct fingering of the chords is essential if the transitions should find it extremely effective and rewarding. The between them are to be smooth. constant quaver rhythm evokes a hypnotic sound, so GUITAR TECHNIQUES MAGAZINE 2 1 0 John Bishop's GO LATIN - PIECE 8 – BACHATA Nylon string acoustic guitar with fingers
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D onova n I n t e rv i e w
Donovan Pioneering folk-fusioneer Donovan sat down with Guitarist in 2015 to chat about penning classic songs, influencing The Beatles and sidling up in the studio with Jimmy Page… Words Matt Frost Portraits Rob Monk
hen you start chatting to Donovan – arguably one of the greatest singersongwriters this country has ever produced – you instantly pick up on the passion, fervour and musical intelligence that have helped guide him through five decades of ever-evolving songs. His compilation album Donovan Retrospective is an anthology covering the first five years of his career – 1965 to 1969 – where his effortless genre-hopping and thirst for sonic fusion and experimentation shout out loud and proud. Acoustic folk, blues, psychedelia, heavy-edged rock, eastern-tinged balladeering, West Indian grooves, funk, soul, baroque pop, fuzzed-up garage – Donovan was dabbling in it all from almost the first moment he stepped into the 60s pop limelight. From a guitar perspective, he’s definitely underrated. Just listen to his fingerpicking on Summer Day Reflection Song or the Bert Jansch-esque Oh Deed I Do and you’ll start to at least get a feel for Donovan’s six-string prowess. This is, after all, the guy who taught The Beatles the clawhammer. On top of all that, what do Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Rod Stewart, Danny Thompson, Big Jim Sullivan, Aynsley Dunbar, Jack Bruce and John Bonham all have in common? Yep, that’s right, they’ve all played (or sang) on a Donovan recording session. That’s some backing band.
Absorbing everything The final song on the first CD of Donovan Retrospective is a brand new bounding reggae-pop composition, One English Summer, cut in Kingston, Jamaica with producer and old friend Wayne Jobson. Now 50 years on from his debut single, Catch The Wind, has Donovan’s general approach to songwriting changed in any significant way? “Basically, I use the same things I’d learned by the age of 18 or 19,” he explains. “I’d mastered a certain set of musical forms, a set of chords and a set of rhythms and a set of tempos. The original forms of traditional ballad are every songwriter’s roots so when you master the traditional four line stanza and you play them enough, it will become second nature. I did it, Dylan did it,
Joni Mitchell did it, Leonard Cohen did it and The Beatles did it when they were a skiffle band. My dad and my mum and the family in Glasgow spoon-fed me these Irish and Scots ballads but then there was Frank Sinatra – my mammy called him ‘My Frankie’ – and I was absorbing his phrasing. Then, my father gave me Billie Holiday, so there was jazz too, and then there was all the other styles. “All these things were going in. By 17, I was absorbing and practising bossa nova, Latin, Greek, Gypsy, American country blues, city blues, New Orleans jazz, 1920s and 1930s big band, modern jazz, calypso, 50s and 60s pop songs, rock, bluebeat, ska and even fado, that Portuguese kind of blues. “I absorbed all those forms and I’ve got them all in me. So, has my songwriting changed and developed? Yeah – but I use all the same forms and, when I pick up the guitar, the song kind of tells me what phrase I should use and what chunky style I should use for my guitar playing.”
Roots manoeuvres At the age of 10, Donovan’s family moved from Glasgow to Hatfield in Hertfordshire and it was here that the budding jazz fan’s musical aspirations began… as a drummer. But, by the age of 14, the guitar had taken over and he acquired a Zenith archtop from a mate’s girlfriend. But his initial dalliances with Gene Krupa drum patterns would still come in handy once he hit the beatnik road. “She never got that Zenith back!” Donovan enthuses. “It had f-holes, a removable bridge and it was really worn out and really scratchy. It was like the early country blues players had and I loved it! I actually recently saw that McCartney’s first was the same one. When I hitchhiked away with Gypsy Dave [guitarist, friend and future tour manager Gyp Mills] at 16, the guitar was perfect and I realised later that those patterns I’d learned as a drummer made my guitar tempo patterns as steady as a rock. I realised I was able to play all the needs of a band in those six strings. Inside the guitar was my band. I was damping, picking, hammering on and off with the left hand, and then playing patterns and styles with the right. A drummer does the same. In the left hand, you’ve got the one stick and, in the right hand,
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