Acoustic Nation Lesson: Tommy Emmanuel Teaches His Picking Technique

[@crazydrummer4827]

Been playing guitar for almost 2 years now, but never quite had a goal. Now I discovered Tommy and my path is a lot clearer.

[@groundzer0248]

And been playing guitar for almost 6 years and now i think i am completely a begginer. It's okay to start again 😊 but much clearer goal 😊👌

[@ythandlerandom1278LK]

I've been stagnant for about 10 years - used to play all the time in my early 20s but really haven't improved much after my first 2-3 years - I feel the same way and this is now my goal

[@GeorgeMaddaloni52463]

A lesson from the greatest guitar player that ever lived! How awesome. Thanks Tommy.

[@amazingme1408]

hes definitely top 10

[@njiddy220]

Chet is the teacher of all guitar

[@davidross9095]

thank you TOMMY you are why i am as good as i am and im getting better every day from your lessons you give to us at no cost and you just want us to learn to play so we can enjoy life you are GREAT PERSON and GOD BLESS you for that THANKS AGAIN

[@Daniel-ci7fv]

Ya can't beat Tommy. I've seen him live 8 times and it's an experience, guitarist or not, you'll never forget. He gives it all to his audiences, large or small.

[@jendabekCZ]

Fortunately music is not about beating someone.

[@john-ob7bv]

Been learning this style for 6 months and I can now play fuel by tommy. Amongst other songs. Stick with this man's teachings.

[@perjonsson6392]

Thank you, you are a very good teacher.

[@janeway1111]

What a great man SHARING his knowledge FREELY - thankyou TE

[@ProfessorJM1]

The great thing about Mr. Emmanuel is every time he speaks/you listen to him, you absolutely believe in what he says. I appreciate that from somebody more than anything. God Bless that man, and all of you.

[@jakobgeorgaudio]

this is the nicest man ever

[@peternazareth3352]

Thank you sir. U R a great player. Very difficult to play like you.

[@MsHandydo]

Such a generous humble human being

[@merldesoisa2287]

Excellent God bless you Tommy❤❤❤🙏🙏🙏

[@DeanoPiano]

Hes so right, I've only been playing this style just under a year and I can play chords and melody lines to now, my main instrument is piano but I love to play the guitar for a bit of something different, Tommys right though it does take a little time and practice but it will pay off and don't get frustrated just sleep on it and it will bind together in time, hes such a huge inspiration to me as a musician, wonderful chap to.

[@KeremPARLAKGUMUS-uc4xb]

how useful these videos are, he is spreading a real value. wov

[@realcygnus]

In case any1 didn't know....& since its impossible to tell from this vid alone....TE is an actual living legend !....If it were not for PBS I might not had even ever heard of him....since the few short years that I have....I've prob got more inspiration from him alone, then everyone else combined, in my 30+ years of playing guitar....& I'm not exaggerating.

[@johanottosson2457]

Ive lived for 30 years, and played guitar for 1 year. But my history is the same. Huge inspiration.

[@ramoncrisostomo4477]

Thank you Tommy. You are the BEST !!!!

[@rockinroger2100]

just gotta love this guy! Not only one of most incredible guitar players ever, but just a really nice man!

[@bluehornet6752]

What a fantastic lesson. In 4:41 worth of video, he's given the world YEARS of material. Amazing. Thank you very much, Mr. Emmanuel!

[@stewarth1571]

Its quite funny seeing you play basics like this knowing what a genius you are but all the same thanks we got to start somewhere and thanks for taking the time for us

[@punishr36]

Holy shit I can play all of his stuff now! Thanks Tommy!

[@nicksonthevet]

+Bob Smith how do you play oped D chord with this style?

[@punishr36]

+Dr-Ng'umbi Nickson Hassanally I was kidding! He makes it look so easy, he's a god!

[@jimmccarley9609]

Like you, I've recently started thumb picking after playing guitar for 40 years. A whole new world has opened up, and I can't learn the songs fast enough. Enjoying music again like never before.

[@gibsonsg333]

Thanks for the inspiration you bring . I love you mr Emmanuel

[@mauricetamata7567]

Thanks Tommy for your teaching, it looks so easy when you play, i know it's not easy it's a matter of practice, i don't have a thumb pick when I get one i will practice and thanks for the video

[@theomiller7182]

Thumb pick isn’t necessary if you don’t mind effing up your thumb

[@theomiller7182]

A thumb pick will change the tone of your groove but you don’t need one to practice his technique necessarily

[@28drafting]

Thank you so much for passing along your gift and talent!

[@douglasmcintyre3297]

Thanks Tommy, for giving all of us the benefit of your wisdom and showing us the keys to thumb and finger style on the guitar. I learned a lot of these techniques through a lot of trial and error over the years. It would have been very helpful had someone like yourself given me this information when I was a young guitarist. Such is the beauty of KZbin. Best wishes from Vancouver BC, where's you'll be playing a show with Frank and Vinny in May of 2015!

[@andreaboaretto4060]

tank's Tommy...really you are fantastic fingerpicking guirarrist!!! tank you very very very much for your music and lessons. greetings from Italy

[@TheWhisleblower]

Been trying this and I didn't realise how important it is to dampen the low strings to get the pop sound then it works because I can hear it now, there is no stopping me now, Cheers

[@jimmccarley9609]

Hey Dave, ain't it cool? I feel like a kid again. Thanks Tommy.

[@sandisloan7003]

Love freight train....thanks for sharing I'll keep plugging away

[@glouismusic]

Love you Tommy thank you for all of your practical advice and encouragement.

[@amosatunitec]

Amazing. Seen him in concert twice. Mind blowing! And generous!

[@yansendelacuesta555]

MY FAVOURED GUITAR PLAYER IN THIS WHOLE WORLD. KINDA SAD SEEING HIM NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER..I HOPE HE WE WOULD KEEP PLAYING AN AMAZE US.. HAIL!MAESTRO!🙏🙏🙏

[@asiphaartist5981]

Thank you so much Mr. Tommy. I have been searching for this genre of lessons online for so long. Now I've found it! I am learning from your lessons now.

[@jameschant2740]

You the man Tommy. Great lesson !

[@debdipmishra3913]

Thank You Uncle Tommy. It helps.

[@kentlofgren]

Such a nice fellow. Pedagogic, kind, and easy going.

[@pablobagtas2815]

Nice teacher...

[@danliu8717]

Great!! How awesome. Thanks Tommy!!!!!

[@hammill444]

I've been "practicing it up till it sounds like music"---- 30 years and counting. Nothing yet.

[@hammill444]

Right. I'm talking about complete thumb and finger independence. Oh, why bother.

[@hammill444]

Already did. Some people can learn thumb finger independence--- some cannot. I'm the latter.

[@hammill444]

Well, you are indeed fortunate.

[@Deliquescentinsight]

No, don't give up mate - just stick with going slowly - stop expecting instant results :) But honestly-no shame in that - I have been playing since 1971 and I have problems with this technique!

[@thedudeaars8527]

lol that made me laugh

[@maxwellfan55]

Thank you for sharing your time and wisdom. Greatness comes from tiny acorns.

[@michaelfrompolin]

This is one of those valuable videos, where the rewinding frame by frame (on yt with keys '') turns out to be very useful. ;-) I'd like to thank Tommy for spending this minute to learn us all some guitar playing techniques and this extra Freight Train basics (which starts at 2:48). Awesome stuff! Thank you Tommy!

[@viennapalace]

And thank YOU for teaching me how to go frame by frame on KZbin!

[@byemould2553]

I have been playing fingerstyle for a while but only got a thumb pick last weekend. Wow, it makes such a difference and Tommy's style is what I am arranging and practising with now as the alternating bass really gives the songs a push. I got Tommy's Milestones lesson on Truefire and I think that if you find the above lesson difficult get the Truefire lesson as Tommy takes you through the process step by step. The lesson ends with a few nice tunes which I am practising now For the price of a lesson or two with a local teacher the Truefire lesson will teach you much more (and make your playing sound great) plus you'll be giving a little something to Tommy himself which he deserves. :-)

[@bryandunn8967]

+ByeMould I bought a Truefire Lesson from him, cant get it to work on my PC

[@byemould2553]

+Bryan Dunn That sounds strange as I can watch all my Truefire vids on my pc no problem. I'd say contact Truefire for a technical answer. I have Windows 8 and it works fine.

[@talmid103005070]

yeah, of course i like to do the key change. but my fingers don't care about what i like

[@steinderbush]

Tommy is one of the best!! He can play anything! even gipsy jazz!! great guitarplayer!

[@CCuriring]

Thank you Tommy!

[@sujayanarula3913]

I had watched this Video just when I had started, had no clue what you were playing, who you were or even what you were saying, just felt like it's the hardest thing to play like you! So I thought I'd pretend as if I don't know who you are and I dont like your playing😄that helped me learn to play little bit, now when I watch I want to listen to every word carefully and follow it! Thanks Mr. Emmanuel😄👏

[@eddiet2]

Just got his Fingerstyle Milestones tutorial. After that, I'm going to purchase his Fingerstyle Breakthroughs. He's the man!

[@EYECOMEINPEACE]

TE - So helpful, thank you. Coming from almost 30 years of picking/shredding/strumming, this is opening up a new world. Feel like I'm new at this lol, but hoping to "pick" it up fairly quickly. Funny how, at first my right hand/fingers are like "wha, whoa, whats this"

[@Innuband]

He's the one and only, even when he loses his voice. What a genius!

[@klauswhitedreamer]

you are the best, thank you for the lesson , Master Tommy , God bless you ! ... :)

[@MarcGaerlan]

I'd rather watch instructional videos like this from TE than *any* "shredder". This man knows what the guitar is all about (and he can also shred when he wants)

[@777dyl777]

Thanks for sharing this Tommy!

[@mickcolton6147]

Great stuff tommy

[@joshua7122]

Greatest guitar player...

[@enzorb]

A truly master!

[@m00seman645]

Thanks Tommy, this helps a bunch!

[@martinspencer366]

Reminds me of Chet Atkins and Jerry Reed, brilliant players and brilliant human beings.

[@adamcrew2596]

Great advice!

[@MarkPimenta1979]

Tommy for president!

[@manuelafurtado9213]

belissimo ...

[@charleshoernemann8661]

Thanks Tommy! Very useful!

[@CarlosYounes]

Grate! Thank You very much Best regards

[@andyrudi]

Great man!

[@gdfggggg]

You impress me tommy. Only just found out about you. KZbin is a wonderful thing!

[@soulvaccination8679]

dude is a magician..

[@mattlott8766]

Amazing

[@MarcelRGuimond]

I cut my teeth on Chet Atkins... so it is no wonder that I am enchanted by Tommy. I should point out that he also keeps things nicely "under control" by his intuitive mastery of selective muting of strings with his right palm. It prevents things from blending into a blur of dissonance !

[@christopherdunn9488]

He starts with a C chord-adds the bass- then some melody and rhythm-a key change-and I am already lost. Well I only have 40 years of playing in- I will keep at- maybe in a 1000 years I may get the hang of it!

[@richardblackledge7402]

Best player in the world no doubt.

[@gidori6256]

UR'ight. He to the bone deserves winnie the world best, 'cause he got the last two premises; the zeal in craving for the better (admiring forebearer, chet atkins, I guess,) and the zeal for next generation.

[@michaelcraig9449]

I am just starting fingerpicking...so, do you have the videos in order? Thanks for posting these up, definitely.

[@AtitsogbuiPatrickKeli]

useful tommy thanks

[@coolworl]

AWESOME!!

[@sigerator]

The short intro song sounds very nice to me. Does anybody know him and want to tell me?

[@Alex-st8de]

This is like super slow motion for Tommy

[@Unctahdew]

As I was watching the video I started to think "dude, this is so easy. I'm ready to start playing like Tommy for sure." Then 3:30 happened......

[@kipponi]

Yeah, he plays up the tempo. But practice so slow first that you cannot do any mistakes. Of course know your fingerings even eyes closed.

[@AndyBigDaddyWilkinson]

and you fall to your knees and scream " Im NOt WORTHY" ahahahah.. I saw him in San Diego about 4 or 5 years ago...fantastic...check out his song ..Halfway Home....youll go half crazy trying to pull that one off..

[@DJBiermann]

Does anyone have the link to this article cached as GW has taken over Acoustic Nation?

[@zewill87]

while you can easily find a tab for the first section of the song, a tab would really help for the key chase and the more complicated parts... I tried practicing with the video without success.. but once I had a tab for the first section it was much easier ! has anyone got a tab for the complete song and not only the start? thanks!

[@xzysyndrome]

Followed this lesson to the T...still sounds like Smoke on the Water.

[@DIRT2021]

I bought a thumb pick, had already been using my thumb like this.....but I really didnt think the thumb pick helped anything, and I actually prefer the mellower attack sound of the side flesh of my thumb. The only time I preferred the thumb pick is when I held it and used it like a regular pic for flatpicking. I now can alternate 'pick' with either the side of my thumb, or the very tip of my 1st finger. I also do not use any nails on my right hand, cutting them down as far as I can. I will occasionaly down stroke with the flat front of my nails though... I still have the Blue Chip thumb pick, and will break it out occasionaly...then I realize I hate the sound, and go back to my real thumb ;)

[@STRAT62]

The master...😉

[@rikirex2162]

big applause!

[@markopolo2224]

he sounds sick

[@strangescribe1]

I believe he was recovering from ill health at this time. He looks a lot better now. Of course, he always plays incredibly awesomely!!

[@nelsonnh4612]

I Have a question !! He mute the top strings with his right hand or with the chords in the left hand ? : ) By the whey wonderfull technique it give the guitar a more rich beatifull sound , hope one day i can master it !

[@michaelfrompolin]

Both! ;-)

[@thegratefulbrad3072]

Elizabeth Cotton herself taught me this song in the basement of the Sweetwater when I was a kid.

[@amazingme1408]

sure

[@MCalla-jw8vh]

dude how old are you?? ...does the nursing home know you have a computer, old-timer?

[@Wistbacka]

The way he just evolved fright train and changed keys was like... "Well guitar... you go into the fire place tonight..."

[@ralex3697]

Don’t give up, he is gifted. As is Joe Robinson Still they worked hard but it paid off

[@shink3760]

"and then you can do a key change." *goes from 0 to 60

[@mftran]

YAY!

[@johndelaney2957]

Look up Tommys brother Phil Emmanuel playing Lighting Rod.

[@snurbu073]

what is the name of the song at the beginning?

[@stratsamelting]

But you do make it look so easy sir............

[@carlosreis2317]

What chord is 3:37?

[@hirokifujisawa9173]

What are his fingers going when changes the key? What chord is that? It is complex.

[@BonAmi32]

Break it down into multiple lesson. Start with the "Boom-Chick-Boom-Chick", then move on to the chord shapes/voicing etc. I had some classical lessons years ago so the right hand technique came quickly and easily to me, but if you look at this as multiple lessons, you'll get it. If he can do it, you can do it. Remember how to eat and Elephant? 1 bite at a time.

[@OloloshSlavenok]

Mate how did you get arpeggiating right? For me, chords seem really easy, but i can't figure out how to pluck strings separately with every finger while keeping the bass going

[@pulostv5074]

What song in 3:28

[@kevc-69-]

i must admit I'm jealous, I've been playing the guitar for 30 years and i could never get my voice so raspy.

[@BaiangkuRSangma]

wow.....

[@JohannesLabusch]

One thing you can learn from this video is how great an acoustic guitar can sound through a humble Shure SM57. Burn your piezos, kids.

[@SaccoBelmonte]

so hard tommy, so hard....you make it look all easy xD

[@bryandunn8967]

+Sacco Belmonte I said those EXACT same words in 05 to his face now 2016, I finally got it, results will very depending on how much " work" you put into this concept and this only. Im so ADD , It took a while. I started with even easier stuff , Dust in the Wind, Landslide, Blackbird, ect.. Good Luck. work steady, stay focused.

[@yvespierrelasserre1206]

Bryan Dunn

[@TheRocky62]

what is the name the song, that plays at the beginning?

[@blues_power]

Chet's Ramble

[@TheRocky62]

Thank you very much!!

[@grfulsted]

I need to be Tommy's Roadie for a year.

[@NoobtuberFan]

Chet's Ramble Is the Name of the Song