ACOUSTIC ISSUE 56 AUGUST 2011

34

SANDI THOM

With a Farida Signature guitar and a new musical direction, Sandi Thom explains to Julian Piper how shes put Tooting behind her and found the blues.

RETUNE YOUR EARS 20 Listen to

something new

40 Ed Gerhard

Dan Merlot Photography

Guitar connoisseurs have long appreciated Eds skill and songwriting. We talk to a man who lets the guitar, not the technique, do the talking.

32 Ben Montague

With airplay on Radio 2 and slots at high pro le festivals and concerts, this is a man to watch.

30 Lauren OConnell

Launched to stardom via YouTube.

We get an update from Martha.

43 Todd Snider 28 Sound of Todd Sniders reputation as The Sirens one of Nashvilles maverick
sons might at times be dangerous, but as he tells Julian Piper, he wouldnt want it any other way.
06 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE AUGUST 2011

Stacie Huckeba

46 Martha Tilston

With their close harmonies, powerful original material, crisp acoustic guitars and a homemade stompbox, stardom surely beckons

Photo by Cerys Rivett

Guitar Techniques

NEW

Gear Reviews
Acoustic keeps you up to date with whats hot and whats not in our gear reviews section.
50 Taylor 914ce
A thing of beauty is a joy forever, so they tell us, and that certainly applies to Taylors top-ofthe-range stunner. David Mead is almost lost for words

CHECK OUT OUR TECHNIQUES SECTION!

With different level specific techniques, whether youre a novice or an expert our columns have something for everyone.
Acoustic Techniques

Biography
Gordon Giltrap is pioneer of acoustic music in the UK. His extensive discography gives evidence of a skilled musician whose expertise lay in composition and arrangement. His pieces have become acoustic standards, played and enjoyed by young and old alike.

NURSERY CHIMES

Techniques Skill Level

Suitable for intermediate to advanced players

A tune from the Giltrap archive that will help you develop and solidify your harping technique

GoRdoN GIlTRAp Instrumental Artist

When I first heard Martin Taylor using a harping technique it just blew me away and I was determined to master it. The most important thing with any technique is to do something constructive and meaningful with it and this, I believe, I have done with this piece. Whenever I lead a workshop I always try to pass on the mechanics of harping, and stress that it took me two years to really get to grips with it and before I felt confident enough to use it in a live situation. I also stress three very important factors when teaching this technique:

1. To have a reasonable thumb nail; 2. The correct gauge of strings makes all the difference. If they are too light, the harmonic wont speak; 3. Getting a good sound is most important. I know this sounds simplistic but its true. I remember a classical teacher telling me that half the battle with the classical guitar, for example, is getting a good sound and I believe that to be true. One only has to listen to the Greats to know the truth in this.

The basis of the harping technique is the use of open strings and harmonics. The harmonics have to be played with the right hand index finger placed over the appropriate fret with the thumb plucking the string. Example: open 4th string (D), harmonic 12th fret 6th string open 3rd string (G), harmonic 12th fret 5th string open 2nd string (B), harmonic 12th fret 4th string open 1st string (E), harmonic 12th fret, 3rd string

harmonic 2nd string 12th fret harmonic 1st string 12th fret. I suggest the use of the third (a) finger to play the open strings. Once you have mastered the above you can then move on to mirroring the shapes, twelve frets apart. "This piece is taken from the publication 'TROUBADOUR' published jointly by Gordon Giltrap and Steve Marsh. Contact stevemarsh@ theguitarstudio.freeserve.co.uk for further details."

NURSERY CHIMES

Acoustic Techniques

Biography
Chris is not only a guitar teacher but also a composer and producer having worked on many orchestrations for television and recordings alike. He has many years of experience both in performance and helping others develop their playing potential to their best.

Djangled: Hot Club Gypsy Jazz

Always wanted to sound like Django? Chris offers up a little piece to brush up on your Gypsy Jazz skills

54 Freshman FA600 DCE and FA600 GA

This is suitable for intermediate

Techniques Skill Level

Composer Skill level: Suitable for all

CHRIS GIBBONS

For this month I have written a performance piece very much in the 'Hot Club de Paris' Django style, so the tempo is brisk and with a swing. Please pay very careful attention to the tab fingering, while giving yourself the freedom to choose an alternative way around the notation if you choose. All guitarists are individuals, those long fingered ones amongst us may prefer to stretch to 'out of position' notes, while less digitally endowed will prefer a series of neat shifts and slides e.g. bar 11 where the 4th finger will extend out for the B at the ninth Djangled
110 acoustic magazine JuLY 2011 24/05/2011 15:10 Gordon Giltrap DPS DPS_BC.indd 110

fret and slide back to the Bb in normal 5th position. Also pay attention to passages which incorporate broken chords, e.g the Bb diminished chord starting at the Bb 2nd note in bar 4; The Bb major 7 starting at the Bb in bar 11; the Dm9, Dm7 and Dm descending arpeggios in bars 21-22. This piece should give you plenty

of scope to work up the performance from a slow rehearsal tempo to a fast jazz swing. Remember though, speed is a bi-product of accuracy, not the other way around! Slow and steady attention to detail always reaps big rewards, so until next month, 'keep on keepin' on' ( Curtis Mayfield).

Maximising your musicality for your hardearned moolah; the new 600 series contains some unique attributes. Will you appreciate them?

All guitarists are individuals, those long fingered ones amongst us may prefer to stretch to 'out of position' notes, while less digitally endowed will prefer a series of neat shifts and slides

60 JC Guitars Amplia Classical

Masters of innovation in our modern world, JC Guitars present a classical guitar, with a twist.

116 acoustic magazine JuLY 2011

64 Kostal Modified Dreadnought

24/05/2011 15:11

Chris Gibbons DPS_BC.indd 114

108 Duck Baker

Learn more slick moves from the ngerstyle master.

114 David Mead

More DADGAD secrets from David.

After an apprenticeship under Ervin Somogyi, Jason Kostal is looking to stamp his own take on an old standard.

110 David Price

More ngerstyle tuition for the beginners.

116 Doyle Dykes

66 Patrick James Eggle Parlour Celtic

This guitar has been one of Mr Eggles longterm projects, which now has come to maturation. The time has arrived for Patricks Parlour picker to perform.

More musings from across the pond.

112 Lin Flanagan

Exploding the myths around guitar playing.

118 Ray Gamble

Get to grips with another tune arranged for the ukulele

70 Carvin Cobalt C250

Can Carvins Cobalt steal a march over other budget brands? Sam Wise nds out

Special Features
18 Michael Sanden Construction Diary
As work continues apace on the guitar Michael discusses how he goes about turning wood into a thing of beauty.

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74 Serious Fourplay
Steven Sproat takes a look at the roots of the ukulele.

81 In Depth
Another vintage close up by Paul Brett

90 Arranging For The Guitarist

Chris Gibbons continues his series on using the guitar as an arranging tool.

A Pack of 4 Timber Tones Plectrums

e very latest in luxury plectrums. ese beautiful picks are made from exotic timbers from around the world, each giving a subtle difference in tone. www.timber-tones.com

96 UK Luthier
This Month: Rob Armstrong

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AUGUST 2011 ACOUSTIC MAGAZINE 07