Why I Hate Acoustic Solos (and how to fix it)

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My friend ‪@samuraiguitarist‬ came down to the studio to teach me how to play beautiful solos on Acoustic guitar. With a few simple tricks he totally changed my perspective on how to play solos that fit the acoustic guitar.
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[@samuraiguitarist]

Thanks for the hang, good luck to all those looking to learn how to not hate soloing on acoustic!

[@jeremythornton433]

Great to see you here and equally great to actually see a Canadian made Larivee guitar in a video! Cool and thank from an Ontarioan who has 2 Normans and a Simon and Patrick.

[@HarryNicNicholas]

backhanded compliment, i'm not the biggest fan of your channel, but this was a great little video and i'm clearly mistaken.

[@williamharris683]

@samuraiguitarist I think you may just be becoming a bluegrass nerd! I recognize that Big Sciotia in the intermission breaks 😃

[@michaelstorms47]

Good job Steve! LoL

[@UncleDanBand64]

Great tips

[@PlumbingArkansas]

A solo done right on an acoustic is the most beautiful thing ever. So unforgiving.

[@StacheBigote]

Wish You Were Here comes to mind

[@BillNelson-OU812]

David Rawlings is the master of acoustic soloing. Electric soloing technique doesn’t translate very well to acoustic but conversely acoustic soloing techniques work extremely well when applied to electric and are a great way to get out of your personal box and offer more to the listener.

[@Oberkobold]

Absolutely. He's one of my favourite guitarists, period. I love how he weaves notes in his solos. So tasteful!

[@jellofarce]

Also... Kenneth Pattongale!

[@BillNelson-OU812]

@@jellofarce yes!

[@kevinbecker1438]

It’s bluegrass music. Dem boys been doing this for years. Thanks for bringing it up guys.

[@partsmanba]

Exactly!

[@WillyPDX94]

Thank you. I love these guys but this video is embarrassingly naive. They obviously have little familiarity with bluegrass guitar. They should put Tony Rice in their playlist.

[@NickJardine]

That’s what I was thinking.

[@zevolta88]

@@WillyPDX94 i've recently dived into the bluegrass rabbithole after recently buying an acoustic guitar. I hadn't heard of a lot of the artists in the bluegrass genre. It's unfortunately not a widely known genre. It's a shame because a lot of what i've seen so far has been amazing.

[@arlisskowski]

Django is screaming from his grave

[@Fastlane05]

One of the biggest takeaways from this video for me is about not resting your forearm on the guitar and holding the body of the guitar away from your body to allow it to resonate. Wow, that is a huge tip. Been playing acoustic since I was 8 and I am 54 this year and it never dawned on me. I've always been looking to get better acoustic tone. Wow, thank you Rhrett & Steve. Great video!

[@RhettShull]

It blew my mind when I learned it too

[@goswo]

Other, really amazing, acoustic players, will argue that its all about getting a good rest 😀😀

[@abrahamtomahawk]

Celtic guitar also utilises a lot of open strings when playing and soloing, it works really well for the instrument. It also suits more melodic solos in my opinion. Prime example being Lindsay Buckingham's live solo s on the Fleetwood Mac song Landslide.

[@redbirdjazzz]

Also check out some of the traditional Irish fiddle tunes John Doyle plays on guitar.

[@marcflickinger7476]

Clapton Unplugged is a master class in acoustic soloing (slide/nylon/steel). It’s all there, melodic, soulful and serves the song/performance. Tim Reynolds work on Dave Matthews Live at Luther College is also incredible.

[@ultrahighgain412]

I was like, "Wow, is that samuraiguitarist?" It is!

[@beepoz]

Anyone here heard Clapton’s Unplugged? It’s the perfect counter-example of the video’s title. (edit: or Al di Meola / Paco de Lucia / John Mclaughlin's Guitar Trio album... and so many others...)

[@MashaT22]

That could make a great follow up video. What did Clapton do that made that performance one of the best acoustic sets ever? How did he translate his electric playing to acoustic?

[@matwhite57]

I think you are absolutely bang on. The unplugged album encouraged me to play solos and riffs more. Not that I would in any way compare my playing to these guys but anyone that says they hate acoustic solos is just talking nonsense.

[@alexlubinski7795]

I recently saw Al di Meola live. Worst show I have endured in my life, the piezo sound of an acoustic guitar doesn't really suit his music, in my opinion. Enduring it for almost two hours straight gave me a massive headache. Don't get me wrong, he's a musical prodigy and a genius, but the sound of an acoustic guitar, with all those transients jumping for your attention, I found listening to it for a prolonged period of time very unpleasant.

[@pieteytrenton2747]

​@@MashaT22I first listened to that album before I turned 10, the old love solo still blows me away. Personally? You want a solo to sound good on accoustic? Get rid of the pick, dig your fingers in, and pluck them outwardly... There's countless examples of ppl sounding good without doing that, but it sure as hell works for me

[@russellcameronthomas2116]

the di Meola / de Lucia /McLaughlin trio album was, and is, magic and majesty ! Highest level of artistry and skill on acoustic guitar.

[@Durmomo0]

"What is this, a crossover episode?" Cool to see 2 channels I like collaborating

[@travisshaw3866]

This was fun to watch. Well done you guys!

[@thetruevineproductions]

Lovely stuff, guys. Getting big Dave Rawlings vibes. Rhett: do a feature on Dave Rawlings! One of the only guitarists I've seen live who gets gasps during solos and rapturous applause every time he finishes one! That concept of creating a story out of your solo is huge, and, Dave is a master of it. Keep up the great work: big fan of you both. Awesome collab!

[@bauerma4]

For having to fall to a backup plan, your basement studio looks great in these shots.

[@jeffhatcher6778]

Tony Rice: Backwaters...the entire album. You can definitely solo with authority on an acoustic guitar.,

[@garywhitt98]

Thank you. Tony Rice. Bryan Sutton. Tommy Emmanuel, Glen Campbell, Paco de Lucia, John McGlothlin, Jerry Reed and on and on and on. But Tony Rice. Yes.

[@jeffhatcher6778]

@@garywhitt98 The list can go on quite a ways...

[@georgedavis5003]

It's so good to see Sammy G on the channel! Awesome seeing a collaboration with you both, as you guys have helped my musical journey in a huge way the past couple years. Much love and support!

[@MichaelMcMonagle-zq5lz]

Really hope you guys go down in history. Some of the most beautiful picking I've ever heard! Thank you. 🙏

[@stewartaubel3842]

That was so informative! I had never seen that technique demonstrated before. Really helpful.

[@kingbryn1692]

Epic stuff fellas! Thanks!! As someone who enjoys both the electric and acoustic side this was great info to think about and focus on doing in each soloing

[@seanbaines]

Two of my faves in the same spot. Perfect! Good video gents.

[@stonemedicine]

Excellent content. Thank you both.🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@mikewolfe4222]

Great playing, great content. This becoming my go to guitar channel.

[@nicholasdecaluwe706]

Great work guys!

[@dalejones4322]

To call me a novice would be giving me far more credit then I deserve. Two profound things I learned from this video were how much more the open strings ring out than the fretted strings. The other was when Sam played and pressed his finger against the guitar and let off. I never would have thought I would be able to hear a difference. I'm sure most real guitarist know these things but I found it fascinating. Thanks Rhett for a great video

[@rick49]

Wow, this is great.

[@RRW276]

The tone on that slope shoulder is throaty and rich! I love it, very nice.

[@JJgeetarisst]

Always treat watching Rhett’s videos with headphones on

[@JudsonBylerMusic]

Great video!

[@shun146]

Honestly I love the combination of SammyG and Rhett haha

[@yeknommonkey]

Matthew Scott ‘where you been’ has got an awesome acoustic solo in the middle of a mostly electric guitar song. Second only to Turin brakes Underdog. Oh and maybe the goat more than words with the longer outro. Nuno always the man.

[@jasonperry2385]

Mad respect for these two guys.

[@grene1955]

It's just a joy watching two great guitar players trade techniques on acoustic guitars!

[@natedanaste]

Hey that was great man, thanks!

[@MichaTulik]

0:28 main reason for the "plinky" sound is the right hand technique. If you want more "body" and attack it's worth to practice "rest stroke" technique, very often used in gypsy jazz. A friend of mine showed me the difference it makes in sound, and it was almost like he was playing a different instrument. Joscho Stephan is one of the greatest in that realm.

[@richardking7137]

I agree 100 per cent….rest strokes help a lot to get a full sound.

[@michaelschmidt6548]

Good stuff!

[@MrXyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Great advice here. It brings out the music in the acoustic guitar.

[@dennismcquoid9751]

Justin Johnson does it pretty good.

[@investingingeorgia8853]

Just to be the next to be with you was pretty epic. Especially that low e pop!

[@MeeshGuitar]

Great video Guys!

[@albikes8484]

Thanks For Having SamG on. Love your channel and Samuris channel. Its great to see you together.

[@RhettShull]

He’s the best

[@offdutyjie]

I Love Sammy G! So glad he was coming through and you guys got a good video together lol! Would love to see more collabs of you all! He should of came down for that Bike Festival to jam with Josh Scott lol!!

[@jrpipik]

One thing that I find key to soloing on an acoustic is landing phrases on the beat. You can noodle around more freely on an electric, but for an acoustic where you don't have that kind of volume and sustain, it helps to have the support of the rhythm section especially when you hit a first or last note of a phrase. (It's pretty good on electric solos, too.)

[@jcwear89]

Found this really useful - thanks!

[@NOPE.S.P.]

Two of my favorite guitarists of all time are Michael Hedges and Tim Reynolds. The 1st time I heard each of their music, I was in as much awe as when anyone heard Eddie play "Eruption" before everyone else started copying him. It's kinda bittersweet that they never caught on as much as VH did.

[@jeriboxx4331]

Brilliant needed this…been struggling with acoustic solos and chasing electric sounds…

[@actionjacksondan]

Great topic👍

[@cutittaierau3128]

Love it 😊

[@me734]

Great stuff there Axemen

[@s.lander1751]

Your electric playing will transfer over to acoustic if you restring it with electric guitar strings (11's). Also drill holes into the side of the body to get the "boominess" out of them. The midrange introduced from the side sound holes will completely change the instrument's sound profile making it more percussive and tight.

[@arthurfrayn7619]

Great info, many electric players also allow too much string noise when playing acoustic. The open string emphasis helps a lot with that.

[@bryanvickers]

Leo Kottke...nuff said

[@NinerFourWhiskey]

Great video. One of my favorites in the genre is the acoustic solos in Pure Prairie League Amie. I think a good example of "how to".

[@dougcrowe1226]

More please❤

[@jkrause365]

Thanks for mentioning what I thought was the obvious; when in doubt, play the melody. That has always been my fall back strategy. Good video.

[@msspi764]

Cool! Glad you did this. I had this aha moment when I moved to Kentucky and sought out a jam. Someone starts something like Big Sciota. Then they each take 16 bar (NO MORE!) breaks improvising around the basic tune. They weren’t anything but everyday folk, maybe the occasional musician from Nashville, but just folks with good ears and hands. Watch some videos of these folks. Go to the local Bluegrass jam. There is a lot to learn. $20 sounds a bargain

[@srenlumholtz6242]

Listen to the solo in Taste I'm moving on. Sounds awesome. 😄

[@randallhacker]

Great video, and i dig watching you both quite a bit! Do have to agree there may be a bit of naivete, but I wonder have you guys started on electric? Im mostly totally an acoustic player and have my whole concept of soloing rought from acoustic. Funny thing is, i just got my first strat electric and leaning to solo electric now lol. Been a process for sure. You guys can for sure rip it on acoustic too! But yea, to add to this list of crazy acoustic players throw on that Tommy Emmanuel and Billy Strings vid and see that insanity.

[@williamneillgross3926]

This was great! One solution for soloing on an acoustic guitar without reworking your technique too much...play an Ovation. Feel and attack and therefore I would say results are much closer to an electric guitar. You can move much faster on an Ovation. If it is set up you can play the licks you play on an electric (excluding Hendrix and Van Halen, though if you can play Spanish Fly, you probably can disregard this caveat). Ovation also projects differently than a traditional acoustic. Try it.

[@jrlee243]

Slide and flamenco solos are some of my favorite

[@christopherkocher8132]

My biggest take away from this is Samurai Guitarist is actually called “Steve”. When Rhett said “Steve’s course” it took me a second. I can’t believe Sammy G isn’t his real name. lol.

[@michaelhotten752]

Thanks for this video Rhett. And yes to open strings! After 4 years on the acoustic and learning scale patterns I almost never use, I've started learning scales that use open strings. It has left me with a big question, why is it with all the guitar KZbin videos out there very few talk about or teach learning scales and riffs closest to the nut?

[@FelixGubbins]

😱 two of my favourite KZbin guitarists on one video ❤️

[@FelixGubbins]

Just need to get Chris Buck in there as well 😉

[@moctzal]

Totally agree with Sammy G. Acoustic guitars and electric guitars are as different as pianos and organs are, maybe even more. They're different instruments. John Mayer's 2012 Performances EP has some great examples of acoustic guitar solos on it (that version of Queen of California comes to mind specifically). Individual note runs need help on acoustic guitars, 100%

[@PoPo-xp7yk]

Tim Renwick on Al Stewart's Year of the Cat. fabulous acoustic solo segues to a fabulous electric solo

[@Semikolon628]

Hi boys, listen to Michael Hedges, Mike Dawes and Tommy Emanuel and it‘s like the sunrise, a phantastic world full of acoustic music!

[@shibaku73]

The best advice I ever got (especially for approaching a fiddle tune like Big Sciota that they were playing here, although it applies to breaks over vocal tunes here): Play the melody. Or at least play the bones of it. You can improvise and throw in hot licks, but ultimately you want the listener to be able to tell what tune you're playing over.

[@iancook7109]

Nice tips here. I do like the sound of a piezo pickup acoustic solo

[@rudolphpyatt4833]

Great points raised here about the different characteristics of acoustic versus electric playing. You guys should check out Jonathan Stout (a/k/a Campus Five) to see how to approach the acoustic guitar without relying so much on open strings; i.e., in a jazz setting.

[@JamesIanGilliam]

Love to see Eastman getting some love!!

[@joshuajkoplin]

Really underrated guitars.

[@RhettShull]

It’s such a great guitar

[@moserthemusic9200]

Yes. I have a few and think they are great.

[@JamesIanGilliam]

@@moserthemusic9200 I have an OM and a gypsy from them, great guitars!

[@stephenbouchelle7706]

Good advice and beautiful playing. For a study on the differences look at Richard Thompson.

[@gcensing6351]

So Rhett, seriously, what wood is that top made out of? It has those beautiful flecks in the grain, almost like a figured top. Absolutely gorgeous!!

[@Twinkie1960]

always liked the first half of free bird (acoustic part)…open strings being played between the chords…a nice touch by whoever played it…

[@CHodgy]

Dean Deleo on "It wasnt supposed to happen" is brilliant.

[@callumgregg-smart1904]

I've always thought this was an interesting topic. I could never think of a good acoustic solo. Until that is, I heard old shoes (& picture postcards) by Tom Waits one day. Shep cooke plays an absolutely beautiful solo on acoustic guitar for that song, one of the best I've heard. I think that's the basis for a good solo on an acoustic, simple great feel, and not at all flashy

[@degerdi]

Max Willow fingerpicking a guitar is like listening to heaven as the clouds briefly part after a rain

[@willyedmondson7149]

Rhett, if you have not heard " I was only joking " by Rod Stewart, give it a listen. The acoustic solo translons to electric. It was knockout for us in the 70's. Knock if you will but I used an Ovation and it's the only guitar I wish I still had. My 63 stat that I have had from new is still with thankfully. Cheers mate.

[@johnsmothermon6856]

I like that banjo killer!

[@stefanodellagrotta3832]

I play acoustic but in a blues/ trad jazz contest. I find very useful using mainly downstrokes when solo, so I can focus more on tone and I cannot do fast stuff lol

[@carlyoung5035]

Great video. There comes a point in most electric guitarists learning where you drift over to acoustic and discover that although they have the same 6 strings, tunings, and general theory, they therefor SHOULD be the same - they aren't. (I'm sure this occurs in the opposite direction for those who begin acoustic and pick up electric too). It's my belief that if you can learn both you will be a much more flexible player and enjoy playing that much more because your scope for creativity is suddenly widened. I've been playing electric on and off 40+ years, but I only started playing acoustic seriously in lock-down and it blew away all the apathy and general boredness I was feeling at the time, and I'm now almost acoustic only. And for goodness sake don't think that playing oldey-timey tunes on an acoustic is naff, because some of it is hard as hell and it WILL expand your abilities.

[@gsbguitarsgsb679]

You guys could do more collaboration videos, awesome…

[@Birkguitars]

There is a great acoustic guitar solo in Make Me Smile by Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel that I think spans the electric and acoustic cross over point. And No Doubt's Don't Speak also has a great solo. They are out there if we hunt around.

[@26jdowns]

Good stuff. If you listen to a couple dozen bluegrass players doing fiddle tunes (like "Big Sioty") you will get a master class on how to solo on acoustic guitar while following the melody and chord changes. Learning a bunch of fiddle tunes is the way to learn this style. Note: all bluegrass rhythm players know to tone down your strumming and use mic control so as not to drown out the soloist. I'm looking at you Rhett, lol.

[@gregdale1066]

Daryl Stuermer on a Jean-Luc Ponty tune called Renaissance . Emotive af

[@woofcity6307]

I have the other issue, i can solo on acoustic guitar from years of crosspicking flatpicking, but i’ve learned over many years, i need to set up my electric more like my acoustic - and bring that style to the electric… because thats what sounds the best for me. So i use very low action, same gauge as martin lights - 12-54 wound g, and just slide around more vs bending over a 1/2 step. Works for me but never met a guy doing that… my realization… i had to give myself permission to do it - byt julian lage has played that gauge, so i knew it could sound great if your mind is in it

[@216trixie]

Billy mf Strings

[@redbirdjazzz]

Pat Flynn did a lot of bending in his solos in New Grass Revival. He accepted that he couldn't play like Tony Rice and came up with something that worked for him.

[@jhhorvath1]

Tommy Emanuel!

[@juliusbeljera1991]

That eastman sounds good

[@garycoates4987]

The first regular paying gigs I had were playing Celtic folk and purely acoustic for a dinner crowd, no amp or mics, my guitar was a vintage arch top ,so you have to learn how to fill all the air , open strings and capo letting strings interact with each other like a harp type cascade

[@artrogers3985]

Great stuff gents. 🎸 You should play “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” 😂

[@jorymil]

Django played acoustic. Same originally with Freddie Green. And all of the early blues musicians. Also, check out Charlie Hunter playing acoustic. And Tommy Emmanuel! How could I forget him?

[@mobeus84]

Whats cooler is being creative and not worrying always about what scale ur in and what chords u know. Play with your heart and let it flow without thinking. Then ur on to something. Rules are the poison of creativity.

[@tomvrieling]

8:40 Sammy G's real name is Steve?!

[@Burnt_Gerbil]

Yes. ‘Sammy G’ is just short for his channel name.

[@BirdDogg]

Listen to more bluegrass fellers, these runs utilizing open strings are called floating licks.

[@michaelmenkes7233]

Use lighter strings and E flat tuning so you have some bending movement. I spent my formative years on a cutaway Yamaha acoustic with electric strings (46-10) and this is the origin of my skillset. A really good acoustic with really low action also helps a lot. If you regularly fight the instrument to ring out or hold a solid chord, as many do, and compensate by playing harder, that's the wrong guitar. Set it up so you're not battling the instrument. Also learn your licks on a 12 string. That's so damn hard a 6 string becomes so easy,

[@s.lander1751]

Great point! Guitarists don't know they can string an acoustic w/ electric guitar strings to get an unwound g-string and change the instruments sound profile, though I'd suggest 11's on acoustic.

[@michaelmenkes7233]

@@s.lander1751 Ernie Ball Aluminum Bronze lights are 11-52 and do a decent job on my Gibson J45, which is more of a picker than a strummer anyway. Its a balanced approach for the occasional leads, but the set you like best on electric is more versatile for leads.

[@s.lander1751]

Love it!

[@albatros1752]

Ok, cheefs nice , i recomend also to look in to ,, crosspicking" Molly Tootle"s wersion of White freightliner, Tony Rice's Chuch street blues and for writing in flatpicking perhaps Manzanita , and all Of acoustics of Clarence White, must I mentioned Tommy Emanuel and Billy Strings ?

[@leftwrite]

I couldn't help but notice how much fuller the Eastman sounded compared to the Bourgeois Rhett was playing.

[@treastonschmuckley5111]

I was just going to say "listen to Tony Rice" but this video works too

[@seanmcgranahan6524]

I kept saying "Bluegrass!!" and then they whip out Big Sciota right at the start. Love to see it

[@samuel_david_85]

I would prescribe a heavy dose of gypsy jazz. Love and luck.