Tommu tl

Emmahuel
Chet Atkins described Australiab acoustic
virtuoso as "one of the greatest players on the
planet". Total Guitar met up with Tommy
Emmanuel to find out why...
owardtthe end of ast yedi s his latesr release and h s t'rst
stories of a new g!ilar p ayer soo acousti. record ne sorvth.
o. the LIK a.o!sti. s.ene di8ta re.order n roq TG met up
kpt dr ft ig inro T6.ntra with thc now LrK residentro see
Astound ng aud ences wherever he horv good th.
man realy is
lvcnt. ths pcker evcn had one of ''Myeutar s a Maton. an
T63 favoLrte a.oust c p aye6 N.k Ausra idn made euitar that3 all
Hdrpci rav ng about him. maple but wth a deepersolfd
_sometimes peopie
tel me. That\ than mape BuitaE. expa fs
t lm gvfg upihe glirdr or Thar 'nost
lbmmy "ts tlre gutarthat useon
\tas realy nspiring sa d Harper "i the newa blm luse norha
tholght thdt when rsaw Tommy tuning buttun ttoA.r.14. s ghtry
Inmanuel t\ fot often tsee
someone and hdvc to get thir CD Sowhat nspired him n tallyto
mmed atly. but rdid rvth him pi.k upthcg!ltar? rstarted off
A househod name in Australa p aying 5hadows. Vent!rs and
Ior yars. Tommy Efrhanuels Dlaie Eldy tufes butwhn lwas
.arecr spans rour decdd.s rv th seven Chet Atkins was on the radio
faur platrum and rhree 3od and hejlst bew my mind l.oLld
albums Orly{revewed lasr issuel hearthat he was pay ng thc bass
pa( rhythm part and melody part
a lal rhc same time. was Lod thdt
rt\ias a,e.ordiiA tri.k but r\!as
int-"nt on warkinB t out Fgs I
and 2 are a.oLp e of b les p e.es
that demonstrate Tomhy! skil at
comb nlng bass noles chordsand
One part.u ar y lmpressive
aspectol lommys payirg 5 hs
masreryofhde harmon.s (Figs J
and 4). rhs technique originnly
.omesfrom Chet \!ho f EtLsed it
on a tlne ca le.l ahindtown Mf
ChrrdroL!, n 1947 raGo tstened
to Lenny Brn! whowas a ral
master at il. lts bas caiy a
.ombinat on of altenrat iB
ha.mor.s with open nots The
tl
prln. ple k to get your harmonks
soundingthe same vo umc as the
opn notand v.e ve6a sothy
just blend into ea.h othef Forthe Fe2
bst sound. the ky is to get your
thumbpick or p ectrum as farback
as you.an lrom the f fger that
youre ftett ng thc harmon. w th.'
And what of his phenomenal
f ngerstye? Piece ttogtherlikea
j starv puzz e rhethuhb has to be
.omplete y indepenrlent and make
a good soufd on t5 own befo.
you play anvthing lse Then
Cradual y add the .hords and then
the me ody overthe top rl!
diificult but keep.t it. sore fnge6
dnd al lts.ha ln8ng. sur blt

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