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Category Archives: Fingerstyle Guitar

Fingerstyle Guitarist Christoffer Brandsborg Shares His Journey



Chris performing his song entitled “Hope”:

Podcast: Download

My Journey as a Fingerstyle Guitarist

When I was just a little boy I wanted to play the guitar, and when I was 10-11 or something I got my first guitar. A very cheap classical guitar with nylon strings. I took some lessons, but at that age I was very impatient. After a few lessons I just quit. The only thing that I learned at that age was to switch chords etc… no difficult techniques. Then after a year I bought my first “steel strings” acoustic guitar. Not a very expensive one, but good enough that I began playing again. This time I learned by myself, and by watching tutorials on YouTube.

At first I played only “strumming”, and then I began playing a little bit fingerstyle too. Songs like “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica, “Stairway to Heaven” etc… I was into rock songs, so I bought a cheap el-guitar. But after only a month playing the el-guitar I quit playing el-guitar, and I haven’t played el-guitar since that. At the age 12-13 I felt like I never became any better, so I quit the playing for a long time. I didn’t play anything until my confirmation in September 2010 (at the age of 15). I played guitar with a band in the church, and I felt really good about it, so I decided to spend all my “confirmation” money on a really good acoustic guitar.

So I spent 20,000 Norwegian kroners (approximately 3600 dollars) on a Taylor 414-CE acoustic guitar. After that long “pause” it was almost like I was back in the beginning again. I began watching Sungha Jung playing on YouTube, and I studied his technique, and learned a lot of his songs, and I saw that I improved a lot in a short time. Sungha Jung is my main “inspiration” for fingerstyle guitar, but then in February 2011 I saw a video of Andy Mckee, his song “Drifting”.

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Preston Reed To Tour West Coast in September

Guitar virtuoso Preston Reed will be returning to the U.S. for a West Coast tour starting on September 28. The tour will take in 14 shows across Oregon and California.

His critically acclaimed, energy-packed shows delivered with a genial manner and wry sense of
humour, continue to entertain and uplift audiences everywhere he plays.

Armed with a new signature guitar designed by Preston and built-in Scotland by luthier Mark Bailey, Reed’s shows will include new compositions from his upcoming album due for release early next year.

Show Dates

    • Wednesday, September 28, The Alberta Rose Theatre Portland, OR
    • Thursday, September 29, Granary Pizza and Nightclub Eugene, OR
    • Friday, September 30, Culture Works Ashland, OR
    • Sunday, October 02, The Caspar Inn Caspar CA
    • Thursday, October 06, Soho Restaurant and Music Club Santa Barbara, CA
    • Friday, October 07, The Coffee Gallery Backstage Altadena, CA
    • Saturday, October 08, Boulevard Music Culver City, CA
    • Tuesday, October 11, Orange Blossom Junction Exeter, CA
    • Friday, October 14, Mission City Coffee Roasting Company Santa Clara, CA
    • Saturday, October 15, Pacifica Performances Pacifica, CA

    For more on Preston Reed, the tour, and his music, visit:
    PrestonReed.com
    Facebook
    Youtube

Interview with Renown Guitarist Muriel Anderson

Chet Atkins has said that she is a good friend and a great guitarist deserving of national recognition. A quote from the late, great Les Paul … “Just one hell of a great player … a great personality and what I like is the touch that Muriel has on the guitar, the way she plays it like we all wish to play.” With praise like that from such guitar icons and pioneers, I just had to find out more about Muriel and her music.

She is one of the premier fingerstyle and harp-guitarists and the first woman to win the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. Her playing styles include classical, bluegrass, folk, jazz, and flamenco. She was kind enough take some time from touring the USA and Internationally to answer some questions …

1. What is it about Classical music that drew you to study it at DePaul University after playing jazz, folk, bluegrass, etc?

Actually, initially classical was the only way to study guitar at college. I was really more interested in Bluegrass and other styles at the time, but then I heard the music of Christopher Parkening on the radio and couldn’t believe how beautiful was his tone and phrasing. I sought out DePaul because the guitar instructor Leon Borkowski had studied with Parkening and could give me insight on how to capture that sound. I discovered a wealth of detail in shaping the tone and phrasing, especially in the chamber music class.

2. How did you get to meet and play with Les Paul?

I was playing on the Steve and Johnnie live radio show on WGN Chicago when they told me “You have a caller on line one. It’s Les Paul.” At first I thought it was a friend playing a joke until he came on live radio and said he enjoyed my music and invited me to guest on his show if I was ever in NY on a Monday night. I did several times and later presented an All Star Guitar Night® in his honor at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. We co-hosted the show and it was great fun!

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Preston Reed – Most Gifted Guitarist

I came across a press release about and interview with guitarist Preston Reed. Admittedly, I have not known of Preston, and was just blown away with two handed pickin’ and slappin’ in “Tractor Pull”. Total Guitar has suggested him to be the “Most Gifted Guitarist”.

It’s a great interview by Patrick Strother, CEO and chief creative officer of Strother Communications Group (SCG). Evidently, Patrick has know Preston for quite a while and even took lessons from him at one point. In the interview, Preston about the lessons and insights he shares about creativity, practice and dedication through his musical journey. He also reveals how his playing evolved, his practice schedule and the best advice he’s ever received.

Read the interview here.

Press Release

Classical Guitar Strings with Increased Range


Rotosound just released their new Superia Classical guitar strings.
They consist of silver wound basses and nylon trebles. These are ideal where a crisp bright tone is required.

Available as:-

CL1 NN 1, 2, 3 – Trebles and NNC 4, 5, 6 – Basses (Ball End)
CL2 NR 1, 2, 3 – Trebles and NNR 4, 5, 6 – Basses (Tie On)

Now added to the Classical Guitar range are a series of grade 1 professional strings:-

The Superia Pro (CL3 RRP £8.95) – these wound strings are silver-plated copper on a nylon core with the plain strings being high quality rectified nylon.
The Black n’ Silver (CL4 RRP £8.95) – are as the Superia Pro, with plain strings in high quality black rectified nylon.
The Silk n’ Steel (CL5 RRP £8.95) – these wound strings are silver plated copper on a nylon and steel core with plain stings of high quality plated steel.

The new strings are available as:-

CL3 NRH 1, 2, 3 – High quality rectified nylon and NRH 4, 5, 6 – Silver plated copper/nylon core
CL4 BS 1, 2, 3 – High quality rectified black nylon and BS 4, 5, 6 – Silver plated copper/nylon core
CL5 SS 1, 2, 3 – High quality plated steel and SS 4, 5, 6 – Silver plated copper/nylon & steel core

Visit Rotosound.com for more information.