How to Play Ambient Guitar #19 - Using Acoustic Guitar

Acoustic guitar - the most primal of all ambient guitar tools! Check out some ideas for leveraging wood and strings in your ambient guitar music.
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Altered Tunings and Capos Playlist:
• Capos and Altered Tunings
Equipment used:
Lowden O35 acoustic guitar (spruce on koa)
Naiant Studio omni microphones
Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 firewire audio interface
Apple Logic Pro X
chords of orion - ambient/post-rock guitar music for the mind and heart.
bill vencil - guitars
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[@ronshaw80]

..'there can be a lot of space in the music'... So true. The spaces make the sounds stand out.

[@Theweeze100]

Having played bass and guitar in bands since I was a teenager , now that I am a grandfather, I find myself exclusively relating to acoustic guitar with this ambient style. I really never knew how to describe it, but your Technique, tips and musicianship are first class and very inspiring, thank you so much.

[@chordsoforion]

From one grandfather to another: Thanks for the encouraging words! :-)

[@TimothyPage06]

Holy shit! I'm only 3 minutes into that video but I just had to pause it to tell you that guitar sounds INCREDIBLE.

[@chordsoforion]

Why yes. Yes it does. :-) I really LOVE my Lowden!! Check back tomorrow. I am posting a follow on video of just a performance using the techniques and tuning in this video. Sounds really nice!!

[@greeneking77]

My Lowden O came with a clear pickguard, did you take it off? I thought about it. I have found that when standing up my gut pressed on the back dampens the sustain and overtones though.

[@Coynkydynk]

Amazing content and fantastic production values (7 years later, still sounds awesome). Hat is off to you, Bill.

[@calummilligan9185]

I dont know you, but I trust you

[@lionsdenblog]

Ah... a Lowden. Just a beautiful sound.

[@blablamccain4986]

This channel is so chill. You really have a way of sharing your your viewers' love of guitars.

[@carlodevivomusicontent2138]

that guitar is fantastic, what a tone. love lowden guitars

[@silverjaw138]

Man, I just found your YT channel. I’m absolutely floored. Amazing playing, amazing music and teaching. Thank you!

[@paulandreas7955]

this guitar sounds absolutly awsome

[@jeanenviedapprendre]

Going for an acoustic can make you focus on the way you play instead of tweaking your equipment. I think acoustic playing can improve your electric playing for this reason. Focus on being an artist first and a gear-guru second, plus you'll be more well rounded.

[@chordsoforion]

Good advice!

[@KevinQualls]

Love it, Bill! Thanks for the exceptional content!

[@GSunNo]

Sounds beautiful!

[@howareyouiamlilei]

I love the lowden sound！

[@SteveJAbraham]

That guitar sounds priceless! Amazing job on the tips and it's wonderful to see you enjoy what you're playing! Keep it up! 😄

[@chordsoforion]

Thanks very much for the encouraging comment!

[@lightnintrucker]

Very Informative! Thanx fer sharin'. I really like this. Might just refer back to this fer some ideas. I have an acoustic-electric guitar. 3 as a matter of fact. I like to be able to plug in my acoustic-electric and play through various effects pedals, especially reverb, delay, and chorus. I love usin' those particular effects with acoustic-electric. And anything I learn to play on electric guitar I like applyin' it to acoustic too. Keep up the good work!

[@stoner_bois9583]

amazing and amusing thanks for the video

[@thedankswordsmantm]

I find even in variations of drop tuning: D, Dflat, C you can get some ambient sound scapes. I like a lot ambient music that switches from a section with spaced out notes and builds into somethig that fills the gaps made and then rolls back down to spaced out.

[@brwhyon]

Thanks for the great tips. I've been trying to get into ambient guitar sounds for some time now and have been using nothing but electrics ( Strat, Tele, Gretsch hollow body, even an old Epiphone Dot) with pedal combinations and still can't find the right sound I'm looking for, until now. Again, thanks so much for making these videos, they are such a big help.

[@chordsoforion]

I really appreciate you letting me know you like the video. It's very encouraging! Keep on working with it, and eventually you will find "your" sound. It took me years to get to the kind of lead / distortion tone that I like...

[@palecharm]

it sounds great

[@MikhailMedvedev]

Love the sound of the guitar! I would personly like to hear more acoustic ambient from you)... good tut!

[@chordsoforion]

Thanks Mikhail! I will likely do some more acoustic stuff in 2017.

[@NiekRuttendeNinja]

This guy is like guitar Bob Ross, Love it! Great video and great advice.

[@horstsack2]

Great sounding guitar. Good ideas. Thanks!

[@chordsoforion]

And thank you for commenting!!

[@williamr1453]

I have written acoustic guitar music off and on most of my life, and never knew quite what to do with it until discovering your channel. The ambient palette is what much of my music has been searching for all these years. Absolutely brilliant. I'm inspired to now learn all I can about this platform and perhaps one day record some of my own music. Thank you for sharing what you know with the world.

[@chordsoforion]

That's great!! Acoustic guitar is probably somewhat under utilized for ambient styles of music and I think there's real opportunity for development there. Question for you: would a few videos focused on recording ambient acoustic guitar be helpful?

[@williamr1453]

@@chordsoforion I'm bit slow to reply lol but yes, the recording aspect is where I still have most of my questions. Specifically, how to handle effects. None of my acoustics have pickups so they must be mic'd. My home recording budget will require me to use an entry level mic preamp/interface, and at this price point none if the options have an effects loop for pedals that I've seen. So how do I loop in hard effects in that scenario? Or am I just stuck being limited to only using effects in the recording software? You have produced a ton of content since your reply here but I still have not seen this specific issue addressed. If you see this I'd be very interested in your advice.

[@chordsoforion]

@@williamr1453 If you don't have budget for pedals, you will be just fine using software effects in your DAW. There are tons of great sounding options that are low cost or even free. Many of my acoustic recordings were done by recording a dry pickup tone or microphone. Here's a walkthrough video of one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4fFnmd_lLaVfLc

[@sergiomayorga5188]

Now I can play along to the music in red dead redemption thanks

[@davidsams63]

just came across your channel and absolutely love it :) thank you so much

[@chordsoforion]

And thanks to you for letting me know. I really appreciate it!!

[@Cowberg]

Thank you for this! :)

[@tommyvoong7122]

thank you ! i'm learning this now

[@chordsoforion]

Great!

[@HillsSilent]

Everything is going nineteen... excellent video as always.

[@andresmontero7481]

awesome. subbed

[@danielbrunner5878]

That is a damn good sounding guitar

[@eeeejcicjn]

Beauty !!!

[@robsgirl6465]

Magnificent.

[@angkit216]

Thanks bro

[@matheus230692]

I have no idea what ambient music is, but just watched two videos and your music sound awesome. subscribed.

[@chordsoforion]

Thanks very much for subscribing! Ambient music in a way is "background music", but with the purpose of creating a mood or atmosphere. The concept actually goes back to Eric Satie with his idea of "furniture music". Here's a great article on the topic: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambient_music.

[@matheus230692]

Thank you for the information and the awesome videos. Because of one of them I am thinking about getting a baritone guitar. I like this concept of music.

[@BlakeFoster050]

I've always described ambient music as an over exaggeration of consonance, or pleasant sounding music thats not dissonant.

[@johnmaigua7471]

Excellentthanks

[@maxwellc13]

Man,that Lowden sounds so good it's sick!Kudos.

[@chordsoforion]

Must be something about the weather in Downpatrick... :-)

[@maxwellc13]

-or the drinking water...

[@arnabbanik6403]

Who knew Sir Davos Seaworth from GOT played guitar. 😂

[@errilonghin7872]

great lesson!! another door open thanks bill

[@chordsoforion]

You are welcome!

[@fritzmcgillacuddy2240]

Harold Budd and Clive Wright sent me here. Good old KZbin recommendations.

[@chordsoforion]

That's incredible! I am very honored to have been a suggestion with those 2!

[@mfw4900]

Subscribed, loving the use of acoustic for ambient sounds! With me as a beginner, do you have recommended videos/lessons for song compostion?

[@chordsoforion]

I would recommend learning some celtic style guitar. I think it lends itself well to more spacey ambient-like playing, in particular if you slow the tempo down. There are a lots and lots of tutorials here on KZbin, so you would have many resources to choose from. Hope this helps!

[@left0verture]

Sweet. Love the sound you get here - the guitar yes, but your technique and whatever mics you’re using are impeccable. You could use effects here, but why tamper with the sound? It’s already exquisite. Very Phil Keaggy’ish at his acoustic best. I could just immerse myself in the sound for hours.

[@chordsoforion]

Thanks very much!

[@Maynard0504]

Your videos are a dream come true! Do you have any essentials albums for inspiration in terms of ambiental guitar music? Oh and what do you think about Popol Vuh's Hosianna Mantra?

[@chordsoforion]

I think that Robert Fripp's "Frippertronics" albums are key to ambient music on guitar. He was a pioneer, along with Brian Eno, and many of his concepts and techniques have come into many modern post-rock / ambient groups, sometimes without them being aware of the influence. Hosianna Mantra = kind of nice. reminds me of a blend of Pink Floyd, Aphrodite's Child and the Moody Blues.

[@glennselwitz6949]

The Lowden sounds beautiful Bill......

[@chordsoforion]

I have to agree. When I bought it, I auditioned 4-5 Lowdens, and this one was the best sounding and playing. Something about the koa back and sides I think.

[@TheTimeMachine67]

I use V picks, with water based acrylic, and each is about 2mm at least. I do find that sometimes I get more pick noise but in a really nice resonating type of way.

[@chordsoforion]

I have one of the original V-picks. They last a lonnnnngggg time!

[@leapsplashafrog]

Hi, enjoying your videos. Please advise a beginner, can one use the wampler compression, strymon timeline and boss did 500 delay with an acoustic like this? Thanks

[@cfibanez]

Dear Bill, which delay and reverb pedal(s) would you recommend for ambient acoustic guitar? I have a new guitar being made for me with two pickups connected to a stereo output jack, so I am looking for stereo pedals. Do you think a Strymon Timeline would be too much? I m thinking that it could do bot the delay and reverb as well as looping, all in one. Thanks!

[@matjagger]

Do you have any videos on how to place microphones for ambient guitar? Thanks.

[@tommurphy3188]

Sounds lovey, have you ever tried the tonewood amp for acoustic? Mines coming in the mail /and I’m looking forward to it

[@chordsoforion]

I have not, but it's always looked like it would be really fun to try out.

[@maeb9131]

Your chordal structures are beautiful! Were you playing in Dorian mode?

[@chordsoforion]

The minor stuff is Aeolian IIRC, and the major stuff is Mixolydian (flat 7). Thanks so much!!

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

Hey Bill. When did you get your Lowden? I grew up in the town in Northern Ireland where the original factory was located. My friend's father was a Luthier at Lowdens for a long time. Don't see many around. A beautiful looking and sounding instrument. Cheers and thanks for the great lesson. I really want to explore that double capo effect.

[@chordsoforion]

I got the Lowden in 2005. It was made in late 2004 in the current Downpatrick shop (one of the first ones made there). If I ever get to Northern Ireland, I definitely to tour the shop! Also, regarding capos, if you have not already seen, I did a video on using capos and cover the partial capo that I used on this piece. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3zXhWR_eKiClas

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

I bought a "DADGAD" capo yesterday. Just took it out of the packet. I look forward to having a go with it later when the kids are in bed. I love using drop D and DADGAD, and while drop D is pretty easy to tune to DADGAD is a bit of a hassle so this is going to be perfect. Cheers from New Zealand.

[@Sora-o]

You should so this same video but with classical guitar.

[@chordsoforion]

I like that idea! Now - to get a classical guitar... :-) Maybe someday!

[@GaveMeGrace1]

Thank w

[@HarryFullerCT]

Another great lesson thanks Bill!. I picked up the partial capo after watching your Capo video. So great to get into DADGAD quickly. It's a lot of fun experimenting with it at different spots on the neck. My acoustic is usually my go to when the rest of the house is asleep in the wee hours of the morning.

[@chordsoforion]

Excellent! I use partial capos a lot given their flexibility.

[@TheModernHermeticist]

and for the first time in my life... i witnessed dual capos

[@chordsoforion]

Cool! If you are interested, I did a full video on using capos and I include a section on the use of partial capos (used in this vid). kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3zXhWR_eKiClas

[@alejandrocampollo]

wondering how swells sound in acoustic

[@armindo5825]

turtle shell picks have been discontinued long ago right? awesome video mate!

[@chordsoforion]

Oh yeah, long long ago. That's why mine was made out of an old hairbrush!

[@armindo5825]

Chords Of Orion pretty cool :D

[@holysmokes4493]

Any ambient acoustic guitar albums you'd recommend? I've listened to some Will Ackerman and have explored some of the Windham Hill catalogue and artists but I'm looking for some more stuff like what you played. It's so beautiful. All the best and thanks in advance.

[@chordsoforion]

How about some recommendations of acoustic players that influenced me? Michael Hedges, Martin Simpson, Norman Blake (bluegrass), Leo Kottke, Peter Lang, John Renbourn, John Fahey, early Jethro Tull acoustic stuff, Joni Mitchell (for her alternate tunings and odd meters).

[@chordsoforion]

In addition to the artist recommendations, one specific album changed my world forever - Michael Hedges "Aerial Boundaries".

[@holysmokes4493]

Great list and I have to say, Michael Hedges was absolutely phenomenal. Thanks again.

[@educostanzo]

Old comment I know, but let me add Alex de Grassi to this list. His album Turning, Turning Back is absolutely phenomenal. And also a guy called Glenn Jones, check his album Against Which the Sea Continually Beats.

[@eelalien]

@@chordsoforion - What??!! No mention of Richard Thompson's acoustic offerings...? I hear it it in there, especially at the beginning with the DADGAD tuning. Also - why TWO capos? Only the second one is going to determine the pitch...

[@rickc2102]

Hey, nice bluegrass picking! Have you ever mixed this within an ambient song? I'm thinking in terms of soundtrack music, but I can't think of any examples offhand.

[@chordsoforion]

Full on fast bluegrass picking, no, however, I do play ambient pieces on acoustic guitar that use flatpicking techniques.

[@rickc2102]

Cool, cool. Well, I'm feeling inspired, thanks for another great lesson!

[@danielgrenier2417]

Excellent video. Congrats! Well done! BUT! Where are all the pedals?? No reverb? No delay? No volume pedal? Just curious where all the pedals you usually use with electric guitars might fit here with the acoustic|?

[@chordsoforion]

You don't always need pedals to play ambient music... :-)

[@robsgirl6465]

Daniel Grenier :: Have you seen Joan of Heart? I found her by accident. She's a huge fan of Bill's, but a true master in her own right. She plays ambient music using an 8-string uke. That gave me an idea. Next month I'm buying a Guild 12-string f-2512, and plan to use it with the same set-up that I use with my Riviera. I'm curious as to how those results will sound. But yes, use the effects or not, it's completely up to you and your own personal taste. And check out Joan's music. You won't be disappointed.

[@songoku2300]

Moving your head side to side means you are enjoying it like hell xD

[@chordsoforion]

I can't help it! But yes - I really love to play!

[@thedankswordsmantm]

+Chords of Orion What tuning are you using under those capos? And how does the dual capos affect your shapes?

[@chordsoforion]

The tuning under the capos is standard tuning. Here's a video I did on altered tunings and capos that describe the use of the full and split capos in more detail: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lX7LXpyLeL6AqJo As far as fingering goes, it's basically the same as standard fingering with a few DADGAD style fingerings (to account for the capoed intervals).

[@tzonicookie7250]

i d Iike to know wich pedaIs you r using.and thank you 4 the Iesson.is chorus and deIay?onIy?

[@chordsoforion]

I am not using any pedals on this video. Just recorded the guitar with the 2 mics.

[@AnthonyMonaghan]

one other question Bill. What tuning are you using here? Thanks

[@chordsoforion]

The tuning is standard. Then with the capos, it becomes a sort "DADGAD" style tuning.

[@Achilleion]

What kind of capo do you use when you only capo partial areas like the bottom 4 strings? My Kyser and Planet Waves have a short bottom clamp so I have to capo all the way across the frets.

[@chordsoforion]

The partial capo is a Shubb C7B. amzn.to/2pRVdTU. The full capo (like yours) is a Planet Waves. Thanks!

[@Achilleion]

Thanks a bunch! Great playing by the way, very inspirational and very useful tips.

[@hoguemusic9706]

Have you ever tryed using effect pedals with an acoustic?

[@chordsoforion]

Occasionally, however, I prefer to mic my guitars as opposed to using a pickup. As a matter of fact, I own only one guitar with a pickup. Thus running the guitar through an effects pedalboard is not so feasible. That being said, I frequently use effects on recorded acoustic guitar tracks during the mix process.

[@hoguemusic9706]

Thanks for the reply. Sounds incredible!

[@auroratranceaudio7465]

omg its ser davos

[@DiamondLifer]

Start by tuning to DADGAD. Then add reverb and delay. Have fun gents.

[@hakimgrogan1466]

Is ambient music similar to classical..i may be wrong.By the way..you are a great teacher

[@chordsoforion]

There are certainly classical pieces that I consider to be "ambient" (Satie Furniture music, Ives 3 Places in New England, etc.). In addition, modern minimalist music is sometimes ambient in nature (Phillip Glass, etc.). But, ambient is definitely it's own thing and has many variations.

[@andrewm7903]

What brand of strings and what size do you use?

[@chordsoforion]

For standard acoustic guitar, I use Elixir phosphor bronze, medium gauge.

[@montazownianr1]

So what is ambient in here?

[@maxcuthbert100]

Bill, how does this beast compare to your Tacoma ?

[@chordsoforion]

The Lowden? It is a lovely angelic musical being that creates stunning, painfully beautiful sounds. The build quality is perfect. Sometimes, I just look in the sound hole to admire the inner construction of the guitar. Very often, when I play it out, people will come up to me and let me know how good it sounds. It also cost me a bunch of $$ :-) Oh yes - it is not a baritone. The Tacoma was a relatively inexpensive purchase. I got it used with a repaired crack in the back. For the money I paid, it is a fantastic baritone. The neck is ruler straight and very comfortable for the 29" scale lenght. The low end is profound. The tone is a little uneven as you play up the neck, but very good for the money. My real baritone goal is a Lowden baritone. Yes - I could die happy with that. :-)

[@maxcuthbert100]

Ooooops! I'd been watching the vid with the Taylor baritone! Sorry for the glitch-methinks the autoplay is not always a good idea....Lowden sounds wonderful.

[@alvarg]

the whole point of ambient playing is because it creates a mood/feel not a rhythm or something complicated, when your listening to it you don't feel like your listening to a song or a beat, strumming or even to many notes can kill the ambient feel.

[@Krzych542]

Guy from "Don't Breathe"???

[@cheese1067]

Why use a pick at all?

[@DavidBrown-it1fo]

This reminded me of Game of Thrones-esque acoustic guitar, and he even looks like Ser Davos.

[@user-oj3gb8nh2q]

Who disliked this? I'm going to find you..

[@rickc2102]

I bet it was Chad. It's always fucking Chad.

[@mister-chad]

Agustin Faro 😉

[@MarkBraxton-hh2eg]

Be a lot better without the microphones in the way of the fretboard bro ...kinda annoying and closer to the camera would have helped too ..otherwise great instruction as usual 😊

[@pixelnazgul]

To bring a televisor.

[@ronshaw80]

Some of the licks you demonstrate keep reminding me of this song 'The Collection of Marie Claire' by Daniel Lanois, especially the end part of the song. kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4jLaq1-jMhop80

[@chordsoforion]

I can see why you made the connection!

[@cowboy19750]

2 kapos ?

[@chordsoforion]

Yes. Please check out this tutorial: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z3zXhWR_eKiClas

[@pushpaksharma2078]

Didn't know Ser Davos Seaworth played guitar

[@chordsoforion]

Yep! :-)

[@Theweeze100]

16 thumbs down????

[@NotOrdinaryInGames]

OR, be like Steven King, and be able to play anything without a capo.

[@MauroPerasso]

You look like a baked Brian Cranston....

[@MauroPerasso]

I know, I saw that video. Still looks like baked Brian Cranston... and that's awesome. This guy is the shit.

[@ronbaker3677]

Walter White for Drug Czar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@guitawrizt]

Appears to be Major Stoner.

[@benjamintedsy1727]

Sir Davos, where is Jon snow?😂😂😂😂😂