I started playing the guitar c. 1964 when I was about 8. Unsurprisingly, the types of video I tend to watch a lot of on YT all have to do with guitar-related stuff. This is among the very best I've seen. Someone knowledgeable, with excellent advice, a clear explanation and presentation. Someone who can actually play really well and knows their stuff, for a change. Congratulations.
Guitar Pilgrim Muscles do not have memory, it’s the motor cortex of the brain, precentral gyrus. You entrain the part of the brain, proprioceptively, that controls a particular area to perform a fine motor function. The map of the body occupying the regions, with area size corresponding to the particular finesse that is required of motor movements needed, is called the homunculus.
I was trying to learn Skunk Baxter's lead to Realin' in the Years when I discovered just what you're talking about. I had to relearn it slowly. Great videos by the way!
YEAH I LOVE THE GUITAR AND YES LITTLE WALTER, MICK JAGGER ARE THE BEST,I'VE EVER SEEN LIVE,ABSOLUTELY LOVE. LIVING IN A GHOST TOWN, MAN I WANT THAT NEW ALBUM, WALTER B,MEMPHIS
He is a great virtuoso of the guitar, but you know, there is so much great music one can play and do justice to, without being Tommy Emmanuel. So why quit the guitar ?
Awesome video. Personally what I like the most about Tommy Emmanuel that so many others lack... Is the fact that he always has this HUGE SMILE on his face while playing. It makes it even way more fun to listen to him!
Well put! That's what it's all about!!!! That smile says: yes!!! All that practice and dedication has paid off!!! I'm having so much fun playing my music and giving other people enjoyment ! Forgetting their troubles for awhile!
Given that you made one on Tommy Emmanuel, I was wondering if you could so a video on Chet Atkins! Mr. Guitar himself was quite an inspiration to Tommy and to all of us in so many ways! Awesome work as always
Tommy Emmanuel is not human, I mean seriously, he is hands down the greatest acoustic guitar player of all time, his Colorado performance in 2006 is only one of the many examples of why he deserve spot N1 in acoustic world Also he's so much humble, he enjoy helping the others, and and give them his time, a signature of a true musician and someone who ignore others the second he smell some fame He one day help a young fan of him "Frano" to get spotlight by inviting and playing with him and even giving him the front line while backing up, no need to dig in to much to understand why people love him, a true legend and I am truly happy that you make a video about him because I think he's in my opinion so underrated among those who don't know him Thanks to this wonderful video Tom PS:if you got an Email by chance with a name similar to mine it's me 😁
it always confuses me whenever I see a "top guitarists" list that doesn't have Tommy (which actually happens a lot). It's like when they make the list, they only take (electric) guitar soloists into consideration, the ones like Steve Vai, Jimi Hendrix or Slash, and acoustic guitarists are somehow always ignored. For me, if there's an absolute list of top guitar players of all time, Tommy must be at least in top 5.
Theory, nay, fact: Tommy Emmanual is never not in the zone. Heard stories about Tommy - he practices upwards of 6 hours a day despite touring with an insane schedule (think I heard an interview where he said he plays about 200 shows a year or something to that manner??)
no denying what Tommy is doing is insanely talented but the slower tempo gives the song a little more life that the fast tempo (while being impressive) takes away imo
Guitar Pilgrim, you have a positive demeanour and are someone who most people would want to learn from. Thanks. A good adage for this lesson would be “Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today”
What I love about tommy emmanuel is that even if you can't play at his speed or even do all his precussive stuff. He has so many great riffs and ideas that you can steal and practice at a slower pace and really make it sound amazing. So dont ever feel down! Tommy does the opposite for me, he makes me inspired! and in all his tutorials he says to practice slowly and build it up. He really wants others to succeed and he loves to teach people how to play his style and songs.
In 1984 I was working as a chauffeur for Jose Feliciano when he came Mexico City to play some shows for Miss Mexico, what a wonderful person. I was 18 years and gave me a great time and tip.
I saw Tommy E live in Kalgoorlie in Western Australia in the 90s and he was amazing. He played an original of his called Initiation that is one of the most incredible things I have seen. The way he used his guitar to make all the sounds in that song was/is amazing. See if you can find it on RU-vid and have a listen.
I love everything about Tommy Emmanuel. Have seen so many of his videos and love them all. How he treats other guitar players, beginner to pro and treats them all as equals
You inspire me...Am a long time fan of Tommy, live concerts, tapes, U-tube: your insight regarding practicing is a slap on the forehead moments for me. LOL about lightening speed. i'll keep watching THX>
I had the privilege of seeing TE live in 1996 in Pattaya, Thailand at the first Thailand International Jazz Festival. I then attended his workshop in Bangkok, my home at time. His guitar still had all of its finish...
Love your channel. You make amazing videos. But could I suggest just one thing? Many of your videos could definitely be considered family friendly, which might get ya more views. But if ya put curse words in the thumbnail, I’m guessing it’ll instantly flag as not family friendly. Something to consider! Cheers and keep up the amazing work!
Mr Emmanuel is one of the greatest virtuoso alive... but also he is a Good Soul - very positive giving people a lot of joy Amazing especially during such gloomy times... your work is the same - giving positive spirit thru guitar playing and teaching :) thumbs up ! greetings from Rheinland Pflaz Germany :)
Absolutely! He's one of the most genuinely authentic and nicest people you'll ever meet. The amount of time he gives to his fans before and after shows is amazing. He loves music and loves spreading his knowledge and love of music even more. There's not a mean bone in that guy's body.
If you haven't seen him, check out Phil Keaggy. There are plenty of RU-vid videos of him playing Fields of Green. Like Tommy, you can see that he truly enjoys what he is doing. They're both obvious masters that are so humble when you talk to them...
Soooo helpful. We should apply that wisdom to everything we do. BTW....you’ve got the best guitar channel on YT. Only a matter of time until you hit the tipping point.
I sat about 10-15 feet in front of Tommy Emmanuel for a few hours. He is incredible to say the least. When I got home I decided it was time to take my playing to the next level, it was so inspiring.
You are undoubtedly the best sensible player with perfect synchronicity between, feel, left and right hand and full body. Totally natural, which I have never encountered before on youtube ever.. A miracle
I have seen Tommy live a couple of times and was lucky enough to meet him - I was introduced to him as a fellow guitar player (i’ve played in loads of pub bands); i felt a little inadequate - in my opinion he is the best guitar player in the world - all i could manage to say was ‘your guitar seems to have more notes than mine.....’ he’s a really nice genuine man and an incredible talent.
Who can forget "The whiz Phil Emmanuel" . Listening to Gold Rush - Live at last, from the early 80s with Tommy on drums and Phil on lead guitar. He is amazing to listen to.
Tommy Emmanuel is an undisputed genius but sometimes I think the music takes second place to his virtuosity. I think you put the music first in this piece and played it beautifully.
Excellent video!! What you say about practicing slow- and especially the astute explanation regarding muscle memory goes with ANY instrument. I play keyboard (piano, mostly), and I found that, through nothing more than sheer laziness, I had learned one or two pieces that I have played for YEARS not all that well- every time, screwing up the fast parts, because I'd not had the patience to really just slow down, and get them right. So, finally, I "bit the bullet", and practiced it over and over again, SLOWLY speeding it up- never by more than I could without starting to screw it up. FINALLY, the error-free version got etched into my motor memory (i.e., it moves from the cerebrum to the much simpler and, hence FASTER cerebellum -where complex "automatic" motor direction is stored-). Now, since I no longer need to be CONSCIOUS of what my fingers are doing, it goes nice and fast without error.
After watching a kazillion videos about guitar playing, someone elucidates why practicing slowly is important (something I've never done, by the way). Makes perfect sense that you are "programming" mistakes when you try to practice too fast. That is an incredible point I wished I had learned much earlier.
As always excellent. Tommy is an amazing guitar player and, most important, an amazing an kind human being. You are also really good. I,ll go very slow to try to catch you 😉
What you’re pointing out regarding practicing at a slow tempo here is an absolute game changing fact. It’s not only valid for music but also for the everyday life we live and our wish fulfillment. As our subconscious is a recording machine, if it’s fed it with the wrong messages and strategies (playing at a fast tempo) it will lead us to frustration and unsatisfying feelings... Thanks for making this!
Ten years ago I worked as a compere at a guitar festival in Scotland and shared accommodation with Tommy. After his performance. he kept playing, in the green room, in a church hall nearby and back at the house where local people gave the participants hospitality. Over dinner, a plate of shepherd's pie (Keith Richards favourite), I savoured it for a moment and said 'You can really taste the shepherd.' Sitting opposite me, it was a wonder Tommy didn't choke on a portion, such was the laughter at the table. It became the catch-phrase for the festival. Tommy laughs a lot and so do I. He is a lovely guy. I gave him my Australia rugby shirt and wished him all the best. It is really nice to see him held in such high esteem. Wherever he is right now, he will be playing and laughing.
I found your channel from your ccr cotton fields lesson and I kept watching more videos of yours mostly about different guitarists and I learned so much new stuff from you like new guitarists I inspired from. Thank you so much. You're doing a great job!!! Also I liked this video a lot you put more commedy in and i had more fun watching it.
I tried to click the like button 50 times but it just keeps going on & off.😁 I do love Tommy, but the likes are for your teaching, passion, production & humor. Already a Patreon. Keep it up. Love your stuff! BTW you nailed one of my problems ...playing too fast too soon. "Ludicrous speed"...Lol...When I heard that I knew where you were going. You did NOT disappoint!😂
You nailed me. It seems that every time I go to play a newer, difficult thing that I’m learning, I go way too fast (excitement? nerves?) I fall all over myself and it sounds like shit. Thanks for the reminder to ease up a bit. A lot.
I saw TE perform in Key West a couple of months ago. In the middle of the performance, he explained, while using "Lady Madonna" as an example, that to learn a difficult piece, you should practice it SLOWLY and gradually build up your speed.
The advice I needed at the perfect timing: It's been 3 weeks I'm learning Canto de Xango (this version: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fsE-qvjTzxU.html) at speed but making these "invisible" mistakes all the time. I won't play it fast until I freaking I master anti-ludicrous speed perfectly. ThanksGuitar Pilgrim and don't retire!!
I Love TMs playing but DO NOT LIKE the tricks he does like using the guitar as a drum, pulling on the neck etc. He's be GREATER if he lost that stuff. Also, his guitar sounds out of tune in that clip
@@kingrobert1st Hey there. If you want to think that the guitar is a percussion instrument there's no law that says you can't. I am simply stating my sincere opinion. I know of no other top guitar player who does these tricks with the guitar and feel they are a distraction and in no a positive contribution to GUITAR playing. If you like it or love it that's your business. You are certainly entitled to think what you like. But again, have you ever seen this kind of trick from Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughn or Clapton or Santana or BB King or anyone? I just think its corny
Well done. Tommy practices for hours so he can show off. The correct muscle memory is one of the differences between amateurs and professionals. Discipline, practice, all that boring stuff. But, sometimes it's fun to rip through stuff making mistakes. Sometimes it comes out as new sounds .... :)
Thank God you didn’t retire because I love watching you I play a lot of Tommy Emmanuel songs and yes it is hard but I already know the chords and then playing chat Atkins music for a long time
Great video again, especially your message to have fun and not compare yourself with the best players in the world like Tommy Emmanuel. You have a great technique yourself. Greetings from Holland
I saw a prog with Chet Atkinson and Mark Knoffler about 25 years ago. It was wonderful and I didn’t touch my guitar for nearly a year, what’s the point?!!! Now I’ve matured a bit I don’t compete but have fun by making music. Aroogah peeps xx
Hello Pls try to watch Alip Ba Ta's guitar playing ... amazing finger style guitarist (hybrid picker as well, who can produce various amazing sound from hia guitar) from Indonesia with close to 6 mio subs at his RU-vid channel and more than 1 mio for every of his video ... You could be addicted watching his playing & analized his amazing talent + skills 😊❤
Practice slow. My music teacher only said it once and it stuck in my memory forever, "Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect" Great video!
I like the tempo you played that song. As much as I love Tommy Emmanuel I actually thinks he plays it too aggressively but what do I know, I dont even play guitar. I just prefer it played more delicately and you do a great job.
Yes, Tommy is extraterrestrial. But....find some film of Django Reinhardt, jazz genius from the 30's/40's, who did impossible things with only two (2) fingers on his left hand. An accident when he was a teenage prodigy had robbed him of the rest of his left hand. He didn't give up. He played....beyond phenomenally with the Hot Club du Paris. Immortal. Hendrix was a beginner.
Good video. I'm in the right place to watch it and learn. I practice all the time with a metronome at very slow tempos. I try to play it well enough slowly that I can feel the beat, then I slowly crank up the tempo and pause at the tempo until I can play it clean. I usually begin learning at 50 bpm and get to 65 within an hour or so. Practice it a week and I can get to 75-80. My problem is I'm really trying to get to 120! I can't play anything clean faster than 85-90. I think I just need to spend more time at 75 - maybe forever? I'll go subscribe at your Patreon site and learn this tune. I practice bluegrass leads on guitar which is a rare thing for a guitarist in my town. We have plenty of fiddles, mandolins, and banjos. Very few lead-playing guitars.
what Tommy is doing is brilliance personified. he interprets music in remarkable ways that the original writer had no idea about. THINK about the immortal Ella Fitzgerald. she interpreted the words of other writers, hundreds upon hundreds of times, turning those words into critically acclaimed masterpieces. Ray Charles did this on multiple occasions. frank Sinatra did this on hundreds upon hundreds of occasions. elvis presley did this on hundreds of occasions in multiple genres of music. the songwriters had NO IDEA about the direction there song was going, UNTIL the artist took it into the recording studio, and a masterpiece became the result. the songwriter of "fly me to the moon" had NO clue where frank Sinatra would take his lyrics. it's a critically acclaimed masterpiece. the songwriter had ZERO clue where Ray charles would take "America the beautiful", it's a critically acclaimed masterpiece. the songwriter didn't have a clue where Ella Fitzgerald would take "love for sale", it's a critically acclaimed masterpiece. the songwriter of "Heartbreak hotel" had absolutely ZERO clue about elvis's critically acclaimed 1956 studio recording, it's pure perfection, a masterpiece. what tommy does with this classic by Jose, is truly remarkable.
This is funnyyyy!! hehehehe, hahaha, jajajaja. I am waiting for you to do Andres Segovia, Django Reinhart, Les Paul, Roy Clark , Chet Atkins, and Pete Drake. It wouldn't hurt for you to talk about Nile Rodgers and Steve Lukather either.
I discovered him in 2007 when came to Hatteras island, I missed him first time but my daughter bought “Only” album for me, he taught the audience to buy thumbprint in order to finger pic! I’d played for 35 years could never finger pic. I bought one that fit and learned all his songs on that album on a 12 string ,still working out miss steps but advanced my playing 5 times. Finally met him last year at Merle fest while playing with my sons band , my favorite musician next to Mcartney
Billy Strings is out there, Thom. The cleanliness of his touch is unbelievable. Found him through Tommy E. And found the latter through you! Thanks man. Oh, and about making faces: Billy Strings! playing with TE
Thanks for this video. I really only watch TE in homeopathic doses, but I do like some of his recent videos where he plays jam session with other guitarists. Not that I don't think he's great, itŝ just that I don't find it's what I enjoy. I did see José Feliciano in Minnesota in the 1980's, an amazing concert, Very talented, and also underrated. But I like your approach to playing, since I like melody above speed. I really never got into 1980s guitar gods. Call me an old fuddy duddy, or even a duddy fuddy.
Chet Atkins played lead, rhythm and bass at the same time. Tommy Emmanuel added percussion. Plays an electric with anybody as well. And puts on the most entertaining one-man show you’ll ever see. Don’t miss any chance to see him play. His brother Phil died couple years ago but he could play an electric guitar with anybody on the planet. Search RU-vid for Tommy and Phil Emmanuel-Terra Firma for proof positive on both. Tommy might be Australia’s greatest export.
