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

@jeremythornton433

21 күн бұрын

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

21 күн бұрын

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

@williamharris683

21 күн бұрын

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

@michaelstorms47

21 күн бұрын

Good job Steve! LoL

@UncleDanBand64

21 күн бұрын

Great tips

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

@StacheBigote

18 күн бұрын

Wish You Were Here comes to mind

@Thomas-xs2kq

17 күн бұрын

Django Reinhardt comes to my mind. And Paco de Lucia

@prefix253

17 күн бұрын

Nutshell AiC MTV Unplugged

@nachyomoney3598

15 күн бұрын

​@@Thomas-xs2kqJerry Reed!

@fugitive6549

13 күн бұрын

Not really. lectric guitar solos would still destroy that and knock it off the park. Acoustic guitar is a much inferior instrument to electric guitar.

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

21 күн бұрын

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

@jellofarce

21 күн бұрын

Also... Kenneth Pattongale!

@BillNelson-OU812

21 күн бұрын

@@jellofarce yes!

Django is screaming from his grave

@JeiShian

17 күн бұрын

Aiee😂

@DoctorMandible

16 күн бұрын

Right? This was Rhett's worst video. Really highlighting that he only knows electric. "I almost never bend on acoustic" 😢😱

@arlisskowski

16 күн бұрын

@@DoctorMandible I read an interview with Jimmy Page who said that he practices only on acoustic.

@lucasgoncalvesdefaria7121

14 күн бұрын

I mean, for an american perspective it makes sense. He's basically talking about country-folk-bluegrass guitar, and in that context these principles are true.

@hollowbodymusic5673

7 күн бұрын

Lmao

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

21 күн бұрын

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

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

@partsmanba

21 күн бұрын

Exactly!

@WillyPDX94

20 күн бұрын

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

20 күн бұрын

That’s what I was thinking.

@zevolta88

18 күн бұрын

@@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.

@stephenweade7487

17 күн бұрын

Brian Sutton!!!

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

21 күн бұрын

It blew my mind when I learned it too

@goswo

20 күн бұрын

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

@icoz7

16 күн бұрын

​@goswo I think for the average player the answer is somewhere in the middle, finding the sweet spot between having firm control of the guitar and getting maximum resonance. Occasionally when I want to practice nylon guitar in a more classical manner, I'll have the guitar tilted fairly high and rest the guitar body on my sternum, but otherwise putting only enough forearm pressure to feel comfortable. It's crazy what kind of feedback you can get from the resonance like this.

@lebe220

3 күн бұрын

How can it work with a dread and playing while standing?

@timothymarkonis3630

3 күн бұрын

​@@icoz7Shallower body depth guitars that still project a comparatively big acoustic sound CAN be found, and mitigate this physical comfort issue a great deal.

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

@garywhitt98

20 күн бұрын

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

20 күн бұрын

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

@djonakachopper

7 күн бұрын

Yes. And of course Clarence White’s work

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

20 күн бұрын

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

20 күн бұрын

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

20 күн бұрын

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

20 күн бұрын

​@@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

19 күн бұрын

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

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.

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

@steelhead197

3 күн бұрын

Me too! I was like the Samurai and Rhett, seems like a super team to me! Well done gentlemen!

This was fun to watch. Well done you guys!

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

20 күн бұрын

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

@Guitarplayer724

17 күн бұрын

Thanks for the info! 🙏

@pdxsaintjohn

8 күн бұрын

Check out Duved Dunayevsky for one of the most authentic "early Django" style players of today.

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

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.)

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

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

Great video and info. This is where I am trying to improve and the journey continues.

Great collab Rhett! Thx Sam too! Learned a ton.Thanks for posting!

Excellent content. Thank you both.🙏🏼🙏🏼

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

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

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

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!

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!

Great work guys!

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

@RhettShull

21 күн бұрын

He’s the best

@samuraiguitarist is among the realest, glad to see Steve here. Great tones, brothers

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

Great jam session with soloing, clearly a lot of influences from Bluegrass and also Trad Irish and Scottish Folk tunes. As a Brit who loves Traditional Folk from various parts of the UK I can find a lot of inspiration from this. Cheers 🍻 chaps.

Great sounding Eastman guitar..pretty, too. Thanks for upload. Some good ideas here . 👍🏽

Wow, this is great.

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

This was incredibly helpful and practical. Have been trying to improve my acoustic solo without it becoming a bluegrass exercise.

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

Great video!

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.

Good stuff!

Great video. Subbed to both 👍 really enjoyed this

Hey that was great man, thanks!

Found this really useful - thanks!

Loved the sound quality on this segment! Would be interested in a Rig rundown,all the finest and most expensive.

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

Mad respect for these two guys.

Great video Guys!

Man, this is a great collaboration.

Great topic👍

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

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!!

Honestly I love the combination of SammyG and Rhett haha

Always treat watching Rhett’s videos with headphones on

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".

Justin Johnson does it pretty good.

@pecosnick45

15 күн бұрын

Yes. But also no. His methods are a whole different breed of play stylings. Separate him from this the same way you would a classical or flamenco guitarist. This applies to the generic guitarist using a guitar pick.

@pecosnick45

15 күн бұрын

Not saying he can’t flatpick, but its not his usual style and he follows these thought processes when he does.

1000% an acoustic and electric are NOT the same, even hybrids! I like both, but being an old fart, I started in the early 70's with acoustics and while I love all the wonderful and creative sounds I can make with my electrics, I respect my acoustics for what they enhance in my ever going, never stop learning, guitar journey. Kudos to this video, respect the instrument you are playing!

Love it 😊

Love Slash's acoustic soloing on Lies -bends and all!

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

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 KZread videos out there very few talk about or teach learning scales and riffs closest to the nut?

Great stuff there Axemen

You guys need to get out more. Go to a Bluegrass festival where people are camping, walk around to the various camp jams and you will find that the per capita of awesome players within the Bluegrass audience is far and away higher than any other genre. The best pickers in the world come from Bluegrass and that's not an opinion. I had the good fortune of witnessing Billy Strings (William Apastol) at my local festivals here in west Michigan go from great to super stardom. Billy was by no means alone with his level of skill.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

I heard a big click as I was watching this video and it was the sound of the lightbulb in my head coming on. Thank you for posting this! I have always hated soloing on acoustic and now I realize that my approach was all wrong. This is so simple, yet, I've never had somebody tell me this. Thanks, Guys!

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

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.

More please❤

Leo Kottke...nuff said

Days of the New had some awesome acoustic soloing. "Touch, Peel, and Stand" and "Shelf in the Room" both come to mind.

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.

Love the video. Bending on acoustic presents challenges simply because of tuning issues. I used to play heavier guage acoustic strings for sustain but not necessarily good for bending. I like to listen and play eastern music on guitar. It's a good lesson in bending on acoustic, especially with microtonal music. I'm also thinking that some of the concepts here are more for playing in a group setting. If you are the lone instrument, the soloing approach would be different - just the dynamics alone. How would you approach that?

I think of guys like Clapton and Gilmore and my memory comes back to solos I've seen and heard them play. They do it with finesse and grace. Sparsely often. Licks and stuff are short and concise and theres breathing room before the next phrase. (eg Wish you were here)

Slide and flamenco solos are some of my favorite

Dynamic Duo!

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!!

When in doubt “play the melody”…..thank you fellas! 🇨🇦

Love to see Eastman getting some love!!

@joshuajkoplin

21 күн бұрын

Really underrated guitars.

@RhettShull

21 күн бұрын

It’s such a great guitar

@moserthemusic9200

19 күн бұрын

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

@JamesIanGilliam

19 күн бұрын

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

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

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

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.

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%

@cameronfoy3662

11 күн бұрын

Glad to see you drop that 2012 EP. Picked a part a couple of those songs earlier this year. Played mostly electric last year then hopped back to acoustic this year. Went from blues soloing to acoustic. That EP is brilliant. Shadow Days especially is so tactful. So many little diads and just playing through the scale in a tactful rhythmic way. Awesome stuff.

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

Hey camera man , STAY STILL UR MAKING US DIZZY

Excellent video. When producing, I would ask guitarists that play constantly solo notes if they talk that way. That would trigger them to think about taking "breaths" in their solos. Thanks for putting this together. Ya'll need to put out a dual acoustic album in this style. I would listen to this all day.

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.

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

dope pants samurai!

😱 two of my favourite KZread guitarists on one video ❤️

@FelixGubbins

20 күн бұрын

Just need to get Chris Buck in there as well 😉

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

It's tough when playing alone - I try to figure out how to do fit in a simple solo while still keeping open bass strings ringing out so that the feel of the song doesn't stop.

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

Dude, Matthew Scott's track "Where You Been" features super nice acoustic solos, I highly recommend checking it out! I like it even more than his soulful electric playing, which is already bonkers!

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.

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.

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.

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