I was in Guitar Center in Nashville around 2009ish (I was probably 16 and had just started playing guitar). While wandering around there was a guy playing in the acoustic room all alone who was just incredible. I had no idea who he was asked him who he was and how long he had been playing and he told me his name was Tommy Emmanuel. I asked if he had any music online and he said I could probably find some if I looked him up. Will never forget how my jaw dropped on the drive home after I looked him up and realized who I had been talking to. He wasnt looking for an audience in there and was totally humble, gracious, and kind to a kid like me as we talked for 5 or 10 minutes. Will never forget that memory and will always be a fan of him not just because of his music. Thank you, Tommy!
Decent bloke as they'd say in the Aussies. Also a year later after your encounter he was appointed as a member of the Order of Australia because he can play a guitar pretty well
When my wife gave birth to our first son 34 years ago she was sharing a room with another lady who was a friend of Tommy. He came over and started chatting to my wife and showed genuine interest to her and my Son, even asking to pick him up. She didn’t know who he was but said he was the nicest guy. I was so pi$$ed that I missed him by half an hour. I’ve told my son he was blessed by a Guitar God!
TE is such an advocate for up and comers. He has no qualms about bringing them up on stage to give them exposure to a live audience and will give them the spotlight.
I’ve been saying for 10yrs that Tommy is the best player on the planet. I hear those little “shout-outs” to other songs quite often from him. Incredible.
Every time I watch Tommy Emmanuel I am inspired to try holding my guitar in a new way, with two hands gripping the neck so that I can swing it like a baseball bat only to let go at the full extension of my arms, watching my guitar slowly spin and float into the inviting arms of the Pacific Ocean.
G'day Mate, My brother and saw him play this as part of an accoustic Performance in Geelong (Australia) back in the 90's. To hear and watch as close as we were to him made the entire evening an unforgettable experience ! Thanks for doing this. AL
Actually he intentionally scratches the tops of some of his guitars with a pair of wire cutters so that he can use them percussively! You can watch him demonstrate this here: ua-cam.com/video/lPJuksBgqA4/v-deo.html
Recently went to see Tommy...as expected...amazing. I do believe the reason he doesnt get the recognition he deserves is because I think only guitarists actualy get what he's doing. The majority just goes over most peoples heads.Its no coincidence that most of the worlds great guitar players hold him in high esteem😁👍
Tommy goin full beast mode! Great reaction Michael, love your breakdowns and an constantly impressed by your ability to pick up what people are playing.
I saw Tommy in the early 80's in Gold Rush with his brother. Tommy played banjo, ukelele, basically anything but guitar, his brother Phil played the guitar, and he was amazing! Then about 20 years ago, I was leaving a cinema on the Sunshine coast (QLD), and Tommy was just walking around, saying hi to people.
Anyone coming to listen to Tommy for the first time; even a seasoned guitarist; is going to shocked. The man is on another level to most other guitarists who've ever played the instrument.
Saw Tommy and his brother Phil in a band called Goldrush many years ago. I was just getting to become impressed with my own guitar playing, even started “showing off” to my mates. After the concert I went home and threw my guitar under my bed for two years..
"Feeling a little bit under the wether so i figure i would take easy on myself and do Tommy Emanuel", famous last words! hahahaha. Tommy is a monster! Michael, watch him playing Classical Gas! That thing is impossible for most people to play unless they have a mutant Thumb like him and John Mayer.
He is one of the reasons i never guess as to who the best guitarist There are too many elite ones out there . I find it best to just have favorites And hes one of them
Hello, you have to meet Lucas Imbiriba, he is an amazing guitarist, you can't stop listening to him. I recommend, Malagueña, Sultans of Swing, Desperado, Classical Gas or Misionera among others. Thanks for your videos. Greetings from Argentina.
I’m gutted that he’s doing a gig about half hour from me in the UK in January but it’s just a few days after a planned operation I’m having in hospital, so I can’t make it 😢 the guy is a master guitarist. Don’t know when he’ll next be back in the UK.
Please do Stan Qualen by the Southern River Band. Yes, I know. You're only getting requests from guitargate, but it is right up your alley and you'll love it.
I twisted my wife’s arm to go see him with me. She wasn’t interested and was trying to get me to take a friend instead. Two songs in…..she had tears rolling down her cheeks.
The B-piece or what you wanner call it he´s pumping the E and D string with the pick while plugging the melody with his fingers ... its insanly hard to do at slow pace but at full speed ... forget it
If you want something a bit different, try the Norwegian guitarist Bjørn Berge (or Bjorn Berge if you are missing some letters in your alphabet). He has travelled most of the world playing, yet still prefers to be a bit under the radar. He has got many good song, like Buena, Stringmachine or even Ace of spades (Motorhead) on a 12-string guitar.
Tommy is the kind of player you watch on you tube but you wouldn't put an album of his and listen to it. A better guitar player by far is someone Isaac Guillory. None of this shredding $h/t but far more nuance and listenable.
@@anthonydevito1815 Musical is creating something magical along those lines: Volume between 0 and ten. 0 is Pause 1-10 is your dynamic range. TE hardly makes pause (but music is silence and tone). His dynamic range is between 9-10. So 1-7 is missing (basically heavy metal on acoustic guitar). There is also full, half, quarter, eight, sixteen notes etc. TE appears to only be playing only eight notes and higher. Hence it is (to me) not musical (no magic) just athletics/acrobatics. There are others who do better (eg Julian Lage, Dominic Miller, Michael Landau and others).
TE does all those things often. His dynamics are incredible in fact. This song is a “piece” it’s called “the Hunt” it’s meant to be high energy, fast paced and tense. TE has a few pieces like this. Almost an Aboriginal ceremony through his lens. This song has melody, rhythm change, time change, key change and creates a vibe. Those all make this definitely musical to me. Thanks for your thoughtful answer. If you haven’t listened to a lot of him. Check out his albums “Happy Hour” is my favorite. “Just between frets” also great. UA-cam often only showcases his acrobatics because they are so impressive. Cheers and happy pickin!
Seems like you based your analysis either on this song, or the songs you've heard. Tommy can play anything, anywhere, and probably, anyhow. The acrobatics you refer to characterises his persona as an entertainer. A musician need not be an entertainer, but an entertainer better be a musican @@Michael-bm8hi
@@anthonydevito1815I think you’d probably like to watch Tommy Emmanuel accompany John Farnham singing “Burn For You” on UA-cam. It’s a ballad that John and two others composed, possibly one of the best ballads ever. Tommy was in John’s band in the early days. If you want to see who replaced him, look up Brett Garsed. He’s incredible and has quite a few videos available on YT.
I am not a big fan of this type of playing. It's ok but too intense. I played with a guy like this once. He had no off button. It was like he was showing off every time he played. I can do some of this but don't. I said, dude, can you play slower, with more feel. He look suprised- said YES. Then he went right back to 100mph strumming. I left.
@@CarryMeBoise That's good to know. He is great- don't get me wrong. I just don't like show offs like the dude I was playing with. Full speed all the time. In a band, we all know who that insecure dude is too. Usually a drummer or guitar player. They can try too hard sometimes.
Whenever I need a lift I'll listen to Tommy's song "Those Who Wait". If it doesn't get you in the feels I don't know what will: ua-cam.com/video/fomVYLgd7NI/v-deo.html His version of "Over The Rainbow" is another one: ua-cam.com/video/0cHeNscKZN0/v-deo.html.
This is a musical interpretation of a “Hunt”. He has some pieces like this. I think they come from his Aussie roots. It’s like he’s taking the idea of an Aboriginal ceremony and making his own musical version of that experience.
![Guitar Teacher REACTS: Tommy Emmanuel "Classical Gas" [Mason Williams]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GwyXNZZei6E/mqdefault.jpg)
![Guitar Teacher REACTS: Tommy Emmanuel "Classical Gas" [Mason Williams]](/img/tr.png)
I was in Guitar Center in Nashville around 2009ish (I was probably 16 and had just started playing guitar). While wandering around there was a guy playing in the acoustic room all alone who was just incredible. I had no idea who he was asked him who he was and how long he had been playing and he told me his name was Tommy Emmanuel. I asked if he had any music online and he said I could probably find some if I looked him up. Will never forget how my jaw dropped on the drive home after I looked him up and realized who I had been talking to. He wasnt looking for an audience in there and was totally humble, gracious, and kind to a kid like me as we talked for 5 or 10 minutes. Will never forget that memory and will always be a fan of him not just because of his music. Thank you, Tommy!
Decent bloke as they'd say in the Aussies. Also a year later after your encounter he was appointed as a member of the Order of Australia because he can play a guitar pretty well
When my wife gave birth to our first son 34 years ago she was sharing a room with another lady who was a friend of Tommy. He came over and started chatting to my wife and showed genuine interest to her and my Son, even asking to pick him up. She didn’t know who he was but said he was the nicest guy. I was so pi$$ed that I missed him by half an hour. I’ve told my son he was blessed by a Guitar God!
TE is such an advocate for up and comers. He has no qualms about bringing them up on stage to give them exposure to a live audience and will give them the spotlight.
I’ve been saying for 10yrs that Tommy is the best player on the planet. I hear those little “shout-outs” to other songs quite often from him. Incredible.
I see Tommy Emmanuel,I click like without watching. He’s just that good!
Every time I watch Tommy Emmanuel I am inspired to try holding my guitar in a new way, with two hands gripping the neck so that I can swing it like a baseball bat only to let go at the full extension of my arms, watching my guitar slowly spin and float into the inviting arms of the Pacific Ocean.
My sentiments exactly.😂
😂👌
😂 me too brother, lol.
I’ve never heard that sentiment expressed so lyrically. Unless the ocean hands your guitar back, maybe switch to writing?
You and me both brother. Holy smokes. Tommy Emmanuel simply defies physics when he plays so don’t feel bad.
Tommy is one of those guitarists that truly enjoys creating music! I’ve seen him once, and it’s still one of the best shows I’ve seen!
G'day Mate, My brother and saw him play this as part of an accoustic Performance in Geelong (Australia) back in the 90's. To hear and watch as close as we were to him made the entire evening an unforgettable experience !
Thanks for doing this.
AL
I just realized I have a Tommy Emmanuel shirt on while watching this. He’s next level. Great content as usual Michael.
Tommy's cufflink is doing a number on that top. Little hints of Can't FInd My Way Home as well. Love the painting of Ayres Rock (Uluru) behind him.
Actually he intentionally scratches the tops of some of his guitars with a pair of wire cutters so that he can use them percussively!
You can watch him demonstrate this here: ua-cam.com/video/lPJuksBgqA4/v-deo.html
@@TheBritishPatriot I've been a Tommy fan for YEARS, and I never knew this. I assumed it was just wear from beating the hell out of his guitars haha
Had the joy of seeing Tommy live last year. Thought I'd died and gone to heaven. He was so awesome.
Recently went to see Tommy...as expected...amazing. I do believe the reason he doesnt get the recognition he deserves is because I think only guitarists actualy get what he's doing. The majority just goes over most peoples heads.Its no coincidence that most of the worlds great guitar players hold him in high esteem😁👍
Tommy goin full beast mode! Great reaction Michael, love your breakdowns and an constantly impressed by your ability to pick up what people are playing.
Good timing, seeing him live on Wednesday. Legend!
I had to make sure I had playback speed set to “normal.” Tommy’s on fire once again!
Saw him in Austin last week. Beast. And oh… first!
I met Tommy on three occasions, Each time he was so friendly and inspirational, As he said to me "get to work!"
Traces of Classical Gas, and of course some flamenco flavour in it.
I was thinking the same thing!
I learned from Tommy Emanuel how to throw away my capo, though I am still a beginner. He did it in a concert I attended to great effect!
Me too (except the capo is still attached to the neck).
Hey Michael,.. your facial expressions say it all. I always pick up something from your posts. Thank you!
That was awesome! Same kind of brash delivery as his vamped up version of Classical Gas...but i also heard a bit of the Zeps also.
I saw Tommy in the early 80's in Gold Rush with his brother. Tommy played banjo, ukelele, basically anything but guitar, his brother Phil played the guitar, and he was amazing! Then about 20 years ago, I was leaving a cinema on the Sunshine coast (QLD), and Tommy was just walking around, saying hi to people.
Made me think of John Martyn’s seven black roses. Great tune. Tommy is such an inspiration
Anyone coming to listen to Tommy for the first time; even a seasoned guitarist; is going to shocked. The man is on another level to most other guitarists who've ever played the instrument.
Great analysis! I agreed with everything you said!
Saw Tommy and his brother Phil in a band called Goldrush many years ago. I was just getting to become impressed with my own guitar playing, even started “showing off” to my mates. After the concert I went home and threw my guitar under my bed for two years..
Glad you heard those motifes because I thought I was crazy
Heck yes!!! Awesome
He is such a beast both hands are amazing
"Feeling a little bit under the wether so i figure i would take easy on myself and do Tommy Emanuel", famous last words! hahahaha. Tommy is a monster! Michael, watch him playing Classical Gas! That thing is impossible for most people to play unless they have a mutant Thumb like him and John Mayer.
He already has. Quite a while ago!
He is one of the reasons i never guess as to who the best guitarist There are too many elite ones out there . I find it best to just have favorites And hes one of them
If there was a best, I don’t know if it could be anyone but Tommy
0:43 is the face everyone makes watching Tommy.
Woo great vid! Id love to see your reaction to Moray Pringle - Stabs! Such a great player and song.
If you’ve never seen it Andy McKee - drifting is fucking insane
Check out Tommy and Trey Hensley playing Haggard's Ramblin Fever, they kill it!
Hello from April Williams New Haven Indiana
Hello, you have to meet Lucas Imbiriba, he is an amazing guitarist, you can't stop listening to him. I recommend, Malagueña, Sultans of Swing, Desperado, Classical Gas or Misionera among others. Thanks for your videos. Greetings from Argentina.
I’m gutted that he’s doing a gig about half hour from me in the UK in January but it’s just a few days after a planned operation I’m having in hospital, so I can’t make it 😢 the guy is a master guitarist. Don’t know when he’ll next be back in the UK.
Operation? Did you tried to play this song? Joking a little bit, sorry :). More seriously good luck with the operation.
02:48 gives me Colin Hay - Overkill vibes
Please do Stan Qualen by the Southern River Band. Yes, I know. You're only getting requests from guitargate, but it is right up your alley and you'll love it.
He's an alien sent from outer space.....
Now I hear pinball wizard now that you mention it..
I heard "Can't stop us now" from Queen too.
I twisted my wife’s arm to go see him with me. She wasn’t interested and was trying to get me to take a friend instead. Two songs in…..she had tears rolling down her cheeks.
Sounds similar to me and my wife.
Rolling Stone did not include him on their list of 250 Greatest Guitar Players yet Joan Jett is on there.
He is the greatest guitar player lmao.
The B-piece or what you wanner call it he´s pumping the E and D string with the pick while plugging the melody with his fingers ... its insanly hard to do at slow pace but at full speed ... forget it
Awesome! All i can hear is the theme to "Laverne & Shirley" though. (im only 38 years old, so what!)
Skillful
3:21 - isn't that from Classical Gas?
Bankers Blues 1975 live Rory Gallagher
he IS from outer space!
You need to react to DRIVETIME. Amazing amazing song and very very technical.
Come on Michael do your stuff😁
The GOAT - he is like a marriage of Al DiMeola and Paco DeLucia
And Crocodile Dundee!
Inspired by Classical Gas. One of the greatest instrumentals of all time.
If you want something a bit different, try the Norwegian guitarist Bjørn Berge (or Bjorn Berge if you are missing some letters in your alphabet). He has travelled most of the world playing, yet still prefers to be a bit under the radar. He has got many good song, like Buena, Stringmachine or even Ace of spades (Motorhead) on a 12-string guitar.
michael please react to St Stephen from the Cornell ‘77 album.
Would love to see a Matteo Mancuso reaction.
He is in my opinion the best acoustic Guitar player, Chet would have approved this message 😂…
Tommy is an okay guitarist and a decent bloke
I see you haven’t done Andy Mckee yet. Should try out Drifting or Rylynn
and some Cat Stevens in there too?
A great version of sex and candy is by Allen stone would be a great video to see
Please do my request for Andy McKee
I guess Rolling Stone didn't get the memo
remind me of friday night in san francisco
Why do you insist on pausing and trying, hopelessly to understand what Tommy is doing? Is it about Tommy? ..no! It's all about you.. isn't it.
Tommy is the kind of player you watch on you tube but you wouldn't put an album of his and listen to it. A better guitar player by far is someone Isaac Guillory. None of this shredding $h/t but far more nuance and listenable.
TE is a difficult case. Great guitar acrobatics but rarely really musical. There is a portion of horseplay associated with how plays the guitar.
What do you define as “musical”?
@@anthonydevito1815 Musical is creating something magical along those lines:
Volume between 0 and ten. 0 is Pause 1-10 is your dynamic range. TE hardly makes pause (but music is silence and tone). His dynamic range is between 9-10. So 1-7 is missing (basically heavy metal on acoustic guitar). There is also full, half, quarter, eight, sixteen notes etc. TE appears to only be playing only eight notes and higher.
Hence it is (to me) not musical (no magic) just athletics/acrobatics. There are others who do better (eg Julian Lage, Dominic Miller, Michael Landau and others).
TE does all those things often. His dynamics are incredible in fact. This song is a “piece” it’s called “the Hunt” it’s meant to be high energy, fast paced and tense. TE has a few pieces like this. Almost an Aboriginal ceremony through his lens. This song has melody, rhythm change, time change, key change and creates a vibe.
Those all make this definitely musical to me.
Thanks for your thoughtful answer.
If you haven’t listened to a lot of him. Check out his albums “Happy Hour” is my favorite. “Just between frets” also great. UA-cam often only showcases his acrobatics because they are so impressive.
Cheers and happy pickin!
Seems like you based your analysis either on this song, or the songs you've heard. Tommy can play anything, anywhere, and probably, anyhow. The acrobatics you refer to characterises his persona as an entertainer. A musician need not be an entertainer, but an entertainer better be a musican @@Michael-bm8hi
@@anthonydevito1815I think you’d probably like to watch Tommy Emmanuel accompany John Farnham singing “Burn For You” on UA-cam. It’s a ballad that John and two others composed, possibly one of the best ballads ever. Tommy was in John’s band in the early days. If you want to see who replaced him, look up Brett Garsed. He’s incredible and has quite a few videos available on YT.
I am not a big fan of this type of playing. It's ok but too intense. I played with a guy like this once. He had no off button. It was like he was showing off every time he played. I can do some of this but don't. I said, dude, can you play slower, with more feel. He look suprised- said YES. Then he went right back to 100mph strumming. I left.
Tommy has tons of slower stuff.
@@CarryMeBoise That's good to know. He is great- don't get me wrong. I just don't like show offs like the dude I was playing with. Full speed all the time. In a band, we all know who that insecure dude is too. Usually a drummer or guitar player. They can try too hard sometimes.
Not a fan either, but like Mike said, his chord-melody stuff is ove there...
Whenever I need a lift I'll listen to Tommy's song "Those Who Wait". If it doesn't get you in the feels I don't know what will: ua-cam.com/video/fomVYLgd7NI/v-deo.html His version of "Over The Rainbow" is another one:
ua-cam.com/video/0cHeNscKZN0/v-deo.html.
This is a musical interpretation of a “Hunt”. He has some pieces like this. I think they come from his Aussie roots. It’s like he’s taking the idea of an Aboriginal ceremony and making his own musical version of that experience.
Need a tommy Emmanuel collab with a classic metal band or tool without Maynard