Has anyone seen this guy play?

[Droptop]

Amazing acoustic guitar acrobatics. Fun to hear someone new that's good. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcSKvCZlxi0

[magdream]

Made me think of this for some reason:

nY7GnAq6Znw&feature=player_embedded

[Jim Soloway]

It's interesting that Michael Hedges was so far ahead of the curve that it took entire generation for his style to propagate but now that it's completed this very long gestation period, it's just exploding all over the place. I think that's incredibly cool.

[CyberFerret]

Embedding the OP's video for ease of viewing...

WcSKvCZlxi0

[Grantme]

I think this style has ushered me into the, old and In the way, status. I just can't stand it and keep waiting for others to say the same, but everyone seems to really like it. Time for me to go buy a rocking chair.

[sturge]

Preston Reed....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=356ViUx1Ktc

[EL 34 X2]

These videos can be disheartening for me as well. I don't dislike the style. It's just another flavor of possibility that's so far beyond my skill set that it makes me NOT want to play guitar, rather than rush to woodshed. And the fact that some of these folks appear to be not long out of diapers just makes things worse.

While Youtube can be a wonderful way to find inspiration, for me just as often the opposite is true. I realize this statement says more about my personal attitude, and shortcomings as a musician, than it is a value judgement of the playing style.

[bigdaddy]

I think this style has ushered me into the, old and In the way, status. I just can't stand it and keep waiting for others to say the same, but everyone seems to really like it. Time for me to go buy a rocking chair.

I lasted 58 seconds. I can appreciate the techncal skill involved, but it bores me quickly.

[pbmw]

Wow, I thuught that was pretty cool
Thanks for posting

[TrevorR]

I really liked that!!!

[Droptop]

Me too. Quite the talent.

[Snowdog]

These videos can be disheartening for me as well. I don't dislike the style. It's just another flavor of possibility that's so far beyond my skill set that it makes me NOT want to play guitar, rather than rush to woodshed. And the fact that some of these folks appear to be not long out of diapers just makes things worse.

While Youtube can be a wonderful way to find inspiration, for me just as often the opposite is true. I realize this statement says more about my personal attitude, and shortcomings as a musician, than it is a value judgement of the playing style.

Honestly - wrong way to look at things. Never envy someone else to the point it would make you stop playing. We all have our own, unique way of playing that no one else is capable of, because it comes from YOU!! BB King could not play like that kid, and conversely that kid could never touch BB in his realm. Same thing goes for any number of players and that comparison. Think David Gilmour could do the things that Yngwie does? Doesn't stop him from playing his music, though, does it?

I don't like it when I see fellow players get discouraged by other players. Be happy with who you are. That doesn't mean you shouldn't strive to always get better, but quantify better so that it applies to YOU, not someone else.

[Droptop]

Guys this wasn't intended to be group therapy. Can't we just appreciate talent. The kid is good. He wrote a good instrumental and has nice chops. My point in showing it was to alert people of fresh new talent. If we could all play like that it wouldn't have any impact. Simply enjoy, don't fret :-)

[Go Cat Go!!]

Loved that! Thanks for posting.

[DCAddy]

This type of vid makes me want to go play-Thanks...

[Kiwi]

Great new talent. Flawless driving rhythm on the right hand, and interesting melody and variations on the left.

Thanks for posting.

(And for the record, I'm an old guy what grew up on Kottke and Fahey.)

=K

[EL 34 X2]

Your intention or not, TGP is group therapy.

[TrevorR]

I liked it!! Wouldn't mind using that music as a film score..quite upbeat!!

[reverendfrankie]

It's interesting that Michael Hedges was so far ahead of the curve that it took entire generation for his style to propagate but now that it's completed this very long gestation period, it's just exploding all over the place. I think that's incredibly cool.

This was and has been exactly my thought. I remember first listening to MH in the 80's and having my ears perk up. Something new, different and actually - to me at least - quite beautiful. I'm so sad that MH didn't live to see others develop this style.

Rev.

[Grantme]

Your intention or not, TGP is group therapy.

Haha love it.

[Flinx]

These videos can be disheartening for me as well. I don't dislike the style. It's just another flavor of possibility that's so far beyond my skill set that it makes me NOT want to play guitar, rather than rush to woodshed. And the fact that some of these folks appear to be not long out of diapers just makes things worse.

While Youtube can be a wonderful way to find inspiration, for me just as often the opposite is true. I realize this statement says more about my personal attitude, and shortcomings as a musician, than it is a value judgement of the playing style.

You read my mind...i think you speak for many if they would be honest.

[tnvol]

You read my mind...i think you speak for many if they would be honest.

It really is discouraging sometimes to see kids play stuff that I can't even think about playing right now. I think back about what I could have done different and how much farther along I would be had I done this or that. Oh well. It is what it is. I still really get off playing my guitar and will continue to do so. I always had fun, still do. At this stage in my life that's good enough for me.

[Jim Soloway]

It really is discouraging sometimes to see kids play stuff that I can't even think about playing right now. I think back about what I could have done different and how much farther along I would be had I done this or that. Oh well. It is what it is. I still really get off playing my guitar and will continue to do so. I always had fun, still do. At this stage in my life that's good enough for me.

This is stuff is all very learnable and it's now matured to the point where I'm sure there's lots of documentation on the methods involved. It's not easy and it requires that you learn the component skills in small increments but it is very doable by anyone who wants to put in some serious time and effort.

[Robertito]

Made me think of this for some reason:

nY7GnAq6Znw&feature=player_embedded

A performance of rare beauty. Such a shame, though, that the audio is distorted.

[DrSax]

The thing about Michael Hedges is the music composition came first, the technique bent to that. Not the other way around. It seems like most of these type of players start with the technique and how cool it feels to play that way, but you notice how quickly they run out of ideas/material. Not knocking them, I'm just saying it's so wrong to say "oh, another Michael Hedges guy", as once you get past the superficial technique thing you realize the vast difference between what Michael did and what lots of these folk are doing. Michael could play whatever song you threw at him in whatever tuning he was currently in, I'm betting this isn't so for most of the "Michael Hedges clones".

[Matt Sarad]

New players in the modern style, which entails poor composition with right hand rhythmic accents, gratuitous harmonics, and left hand over the fingerboard, are popping up everywhere.

Michaels Hedges and Gulezian were the originators of the style. Then we had Preston Reed, who was emulated by Kaki King, Don Ross who made the thumb whack an essential part of the modern vocabulary, Don Alder, who basically beats the shit out of a guitar and amazing music comes out, then Andy McKee came along, and over a million YouTube views later, everyone wants to be a Modern guitar Player.

I remember the first wave: Kottke and Fahey, then Jorma, then the Windham Hill guys Ackerman and DeGrassi, with Hedges creating his own style...

As a youngster in the late 60s, I heard Fahey, Jorma, and Kottke. Then it was DeGrassi, Ackerman, Bensusan, and Hedges. Preston Reed bored me, as did Chris Proctor. Hedges floored me. It was pretty static until Tony McManus came along. Ralph Towner was too hard for me to understand.

Blah blah blah

[rwe333]

It's interesting that Michael Hedges was so far ahead of the curve that it took entire generation for his style to propagate but now that it's completed this very long gestation period, it's just exploding all over the place. I think that's incredibly cool.

I get your point Jim, but I wonder...
Hedges was a composer first and foremost. Sure, he had some extended techniques in several of his tunes, but they weren't the point of the tune - the music was... Hedges still does very much stand alone in his conception and versatility. A real one-off, to me.
But, for certain, he was way ahead of the curve and his influence is just beginning to truly resonate. There there was his amazing SOUND.

(EDIT: just seeing some of the posts above mine - ya beat me to it!)

[crunchman]

No unique talent involved, seems like unadulterated youthful bliss !!

Neat Rt. hand technique !!

[HiddenCharms]

I happened to enjoy this performance. It was rather infectious. I suspect that I would only enjoy it in relatively small doses however. That approach to playing is far removed from my approach, and I must confess that sometimes feel a bit envious when I see a player who can do something that I know that I clearly (at least presently) can not do. When I was younger, I felt that in order to be a truly good player, you should be able to do just about anything on the guitar that any top player could do. But as I've grown older, I realize that is an unrealistic and demoralizing goal. There are too many styles and approaches to playing the guitar.
More importantly, I've come to realize that while new or different techniques may open the door to new forms of expression, they often shut other doors behind them. I remember the first time I saw Stanley Jorden. I was blown away by how all encompassing his playing was. He played bass lines, percussion, chords, and melodies simultaneously. It made me feel very inadequate. But then I realized there was a trade off. By doing so much, he was often neglecting the subtle nuances such as vibrato and string bending. Those subtle qualities are what personally draw me to certain musicians. In the long run it is probably best to just appreciate the variety of approaches and pursue what give you the great pleasure both as a listener and a player.

[6Tones]

Takes more than tapping the guitar on 2&4 and pianist dexterity/gymnastics to make a good guitar composition...

Hedges was original and melodic,his songs were well crafted.
His technique was there to support his musical ideas.
I find alot of the players on youtube that do his style lack very much the melodic and creative side.

[Jim Soloway]

I get your point Jim, but I wonder...
Hedges was a composer first and foremost. Sure, he had some extended techniques in several of his tunes, but they weren't the point of the tune - the music was... Hedges still does very much stand alone in his conception and versatility. A real one-off, to me.
But, for certain, he was way ahead of the curve and his influence is just beginning to truly resonate. There there was his amazing SOUND.

(EDIT: just seeing some of the posts above mine - ya beat me to it!)

This is a young kid just finding his way. Who knows where he'll end up. He could be the next Michael hedges or he could turn into an accountant whose guitar ends up in a closet for all I know. But right now he's on the path. I think it's a path that's worth exploring and it's good to see young players trying to push themselves (and certainly much better than Hedge's innovations just dying with him).

[rwe333]

This is a young kid just finding his way. Who knows where he'll end up. He could be the next Michael hedges or he could turn into an accountant whose guitar ends up in a closet for all I know. But right now he's on the path. I think it's a path that's worth exploring and it's good to see young players trying to push themselves (and certainly much better than Hedge's innovations just dying with him).

I really wasn't commenting on the vid in the 1st post - more a comment on Michael's legacy; following up on your post
What I heard of the young man in the OP's clip sounded lovely.

[highstepper]

Great new talent. Flawless driving rhythm on the right hand, and interesting melody and variations on the left.

Thanks for posting.

(And for the record, I'm an old guy what grew up on Kottke and Fahey.)

=K

What he said. Another Old Bastard here. Makes me want to go smack the top of my OM a couple of times just for s+#% and grins. No loops, samples, or drum machine involved- what's not to like in this kid? He can actually play an instrument. Bravo.

[John Thigpen]

Sounded great to me. It's interesting that he didn't use his thumb for anything but percussion during the uptempo parts.

[tjmicsak]

I always loved this style. Sounds very suggestive of a combination of Spanish and South Western conjuring imagry of rattle snakes and Native Americans.
Not really that far away from what we used to hear on some songs by Nancy Wilson.
Nice. I liked it.