Tommy Emmanuel Lesson

Tommy Emmanuel / Amazing Grace Style

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  • Hello my GMC friends..

    Today we'll talk about fingerpicking style.
    Of course, who would be better able to present this style but Tommy Emmanuel.

    Tommy has said that even at a young age he was fascinated by Chet Atkins’musical style– of playing bass with the thumb and melody parts with the first two or three fingers at the same time- "Travis Picking"-. This technique became the basis of Tommy's guitar style.

    While Tommy has never had formal music training, his playing ability has won him fans from all over the world. T.E. is known to play percussion parts on the body of his guitar. As a solo performer he never plays to a set list and uses a minimum of effects.Usually completes recordings in one take.
    He frequently uses his left thumb to fret bass notes on the 5th and 6th strings as well as playing chords such as Am and E with just two fingers. He uses a thumb pick mostly, a flat pick or just fingers.

    Ok,let's say something about the song- "Amazing grace"..


    "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn written by English poet and clergyman John Newton (1725–1807), published in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God, "Amazing Grace" is one of the most recognizable songs in the English-speaking world. (Wikipedia)

    Combination of these two pearls brings pleasure in a beautiful melody and wonderful arrangement of Tommy Emmanuel!

    Let's start now..

    Looking at the video, you'll probably be afraid of these hieroglyphs (read: chords),but I assure you that they are much easier than you think, and this time I tried to, as much as possible, to simplify part of this arrangement..
    Why?..
    Visually try to remember the position of your fingers, and maybe later will be easier to get into the deeper analysis of this way of playing !

    Tommy Emmanuel in most of its arrangements in the first place puts the internal filing, compared to the rhythm, so it is very difficult to insert a certain progression in a rhythmic structure, in this case - 6/8 .

    Happily exercise !!!

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