Top 12 YouTube Fingerstyle Guitar Videos You Should Know

Because a Top 10 is too mainstream. LOL.

Here's a list of videos that are popular, known, influential or in some way I feel is a good introduction to vast jungle of fingerstyle guitar YouTube videos.

If you're a guitar teacher, this is a good list to introduce your students to in case they're not familiar with it.

If you're a total fingerstyle guitar geek, you've probably seen all these videos & will ask me why some videos are not included. The reason is because there's a lot of videos out there! =p

Share & comment away! =)

1. Drifting - Andy McKee

This is one of the videos that started it all off. Great lesson in playing in DADGAD, percussive playing & tapping.

2. Crazy (Gnarls Barkley) - Don Ross

Don Ross was one of my biggest influences when I started playing fingerstyle guitar. His album 'Passion Session' is still of my faves. Strongly recommended. 

3. Somebody I used to know (Gotye) - Mike Dawes

Mike Dawes covered this Gotye song and focused all his energy to get this crazy arrangement together. Epic fingerstyle guitar. 

4. Airtap - Erik Mongrain

This started a whole generation of lap-tapping guitarists. Great performance, super clean briliant playing. Love it.

5. Reality - Antoine Dufour

Antoine is a major influence to a whole new generation of players who know fingerstyle guitar via the CandyRat Youtube channel and record label. Very intricate playing and elegant textures.

6. Playing with Pink Noise - Kaki King 

This is the Kaki King song that most people know her for. Since this song, she has explored looping, different instruments and gotten even more textural and ambient. Great compositions and moods in her music. 

7. Time 2 - Ewan Dobson

 

Ewan Dobson is his own genre I think. And the look. Wow.

8. Passionflower - Jon Gomm

One of my favorite singer-songwriters/virtuoso fingerstyle guitarists. This song made him famous though my fave piece of his is his take on Radiohead's High and Dry. My dream is to tour with Jon.

9. Pirates of the Caribean - Sungha Jung

Most of my younger guitar students started playing because of Sungha. He's an inspiration to a whole generation because he showed them that it's possible for a kid to play like this. 

10. No Woman No Cry (Bob Marley) - Thomas Leeb

A huge influence to my playing after I met him back in 2003 when I attended Eric Roche's Residential Guitar Workshop in Devon, UK. Thomas is one of a kind. Also, check out Grooveyard (video link).

11. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - Kotaro Oshio

Kotaro's performance on this is a great introduction to his style which blends his Michael Hedges influences and his own sensibilities. Great touch and beautiful playing.

12. Billie Jean (Michael Jackson) - Adam Rafferty

Adam is all about groove and tone. A maestro and some of the most elegant fingerstyle groove pop guitar you'll hear.

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Thanks for checking this blog post!

It's part of the new material for version 2.0 of the Percussive Fingerstyle Guitar Course that I teach. The new version is in the works...

In the meantime, you can check out my other guitar & ukulele courses here: Az Samad Guitar & Fingerstyle Ukulele Lessons

Thank you! =)

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Az Samad Solo Europe Tour 2013

[July 24 2013 Update]

Back in KL after 29 days on the road for my first ever solo Europe tour! 

It was filled with epic performances, teaching, travels and friends.

Thank you to everyone who made my first ever solo Europe tour so beautiful. Special thanks to Yin for coordinating the whole tour logistics and planning. 

[Highlights include]

10 performances
6 guitar classes
1 six-hour recording session
2 YouTube video recording sessions
1 radio interview 
3 newspaper appearances 
met 2 amazing guitar luthiers 

...and during some chill-out time, attended: 

• 1 musical in London (Matilda)
• 5 concerts (Djavan, Elvis Costello, Cold Porter, Shibusashirazu Orchestra and a school holiday children's performance too!)
• Fingerstyle Guitar performances featuring Thomas Leeb, Jon Gomm, Mike Dawes, Alex Kabasser and so many epic guitarists at the annual Thomas Leeb Guitar Bootcamp in Austria
• Went for 2 rides on the Nocky Flitzer mountain ride in Austria 

Also, I visited the George Lowden Guitar Factory in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland for the first time, had an epic tour by Johnny Lowden & performed for the amazing folks there with Mickey Murphy.

Performances all over including in the UK (Brighton, Blackburn, Darwen) Northern Ireland (Newry), Haarlem (near Amsterdam), Turrache Höhe (Austria) and Berlin (Germany).

Uber happy!

Thank you everyone!!! 

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Follow the 2013 Solo Europe Tour live on twitter @azsamad & instagram @azsamad

Photo albums of the tour are on Facebook:
Saying hello to London!  (Wed, June 26)
Open Mic @ Medusa Bar, Brighton (Thurs, June 27) 
Nick Benjamin Workshop in Lewes, UK (Fri, June 28)
Richard Moss & Az Samad Live at Sprout Cafe, Blackburn, UK  (Sat, June 29)
Bukhara - taste of the east (Sun, June 30)
Chef Mossie (Sun, June 29 - Wed, July 3)
Richard Moss & Az Samad live at Number 39 Hopstar Brewery Tap, UK (Mon, July 1)
Richard Moss and Az Samad Live At Number 39 - Photos by Derren Lee Poole (Mon, July 1) 
Recording at The Grand, Clitheroe, UK with Richard Moss (Tues, July 2) 

[Quotes from the audience at Number 39 Hopstar Brewery Tap]

"We get a lot of good music in Darwen, and especially at 39, but nights like this are rare. Thanks very much to Richard Moss (always a pleasure) and Az Samad (a treat), and for Gary and 39 for a special night." - Nigel Lewin [permalink]

A great night of music by two very talented musicians. - Derren Lee Poole [permalink]

What an absolute pleasure... It was magical. Blew me away... Richard Moss & Az Samad were something else! What beautiful performances. You guys deserve much recognition, you have something very special. You moved me many times. It was a joy. - Leona Holden [permalink 1] [permalink 2] [permalink 3]

What an amazing night, so glad we came :) It was a priviledge to hear such emotive music, me and Nigel are glad we bought a C D, much luv from us  x - Heather Hook [permalink]

Another Amazing night ....Thank you for sharing ..It was AWEsome xx - Andrea Holden [permalink]

More photo albums:

Recording at The Grand, Clitheroe, UK with Richard Moss (Tues, July 2)
A Visit to George Lowden Guitars! (Fri, July 5)
iurFM Radio Interview with Mickey Murphy & Az Samad (Fri, July 5)
Mickey Murphy & Az Samad Live at Amplified Bar, Newry, NI (Fri, July 5)
House Concert in Haarlem, Netherlands (Mon, July 8)
Student Concert @ Thomas Leeb Guitar Bootcamp 11 July 2013 (Fri, July 12)
George Lowden on Lowden Guitars (Fri, July 12)
Thomas Leeb Guitar Bootcamp Teachers' Concert (Wed, July 10)
Djavan Live in Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Amsterdam (Sun, July 7)
[NEW] Teaching at Thomas Leeb's Guitar Bootcamp in Austria 2013 (Sun, July 14)
[NEW] Matteo Alderete & Az Samad Live in Artenschutztheater, Berlin (Fri, July 19)

Videos from the tour: 

The C Factor | Az Samad (Live in Austria at Thomas Leeb Acoustic Guitar Bootcamp) 

Performing my medley of P. Ramlee songs at Amplified Bar, Newry, Northern Ireland:

 

From the house concert in Haarlem, Netherlands:

Duet with Berlin guitarist Matteo Alderete:

Duet with Northern Ireland guitarist Mickey Murphy at the George Lowden Guitars workshop at Downpatrick:
 

 
Az Samad in a duet with multi-instrumentalist Richard Moss at Sprout Cafe, Blackburn UK. This is the first performance of Az's 2013 Solo Europe Tour. — with Richard Moss and Az Samad at Sprout Cafe.

From the performance at Number 39 - Hopstar Brewery Tap, Darwen, UK with Richard Moss.

Duo Videos with Richard Moss:

2013 Europe Solo Tour  

[Blackburn]
Sat, June 29: Richard Moss & Az Samad | Sprout Vegetarian Cafe | 7:00 PM |

Mon, July 1: Richard Moss & Az Samad | Number 39 Hopstar Brewery Tap | 9:00 PM |

[Ireland]
Fri, July 5: Mickey Murphy & Az Samad | Amplified, Newry | Time TBA |

[Amsterdam]
Mon, July 8: Private House Concert | Time TBA 

[Austria]
Sat-Fri: July 6-12: Residential Acoustic Guitar Workshop with Thomas Leeb, Mike Dawes & Az Samad | Turracher Höhe, Austria | Fees: 300/750/850 Euros | SPACES STILL AVAILABLE

Sat-Fri: July 13-15: Residential Acoustic Guitar Workshop with Thomas Leeb, Jon Gomm, Mike Dawes, Az Samad & George Lowden | Turracher Höhe, Austria | Fees: 300/750/850 Euros  | SOLD OUT

Fri, July 19: Concert with Matteo Alderete | Artenschulztheater, Berlin, Germany | 

Sat, July 20: Guitar Workshop with Matteo Alderete | Berlin, Germany |

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Tommy Emmanuel in Kuala Lumpur!

With Tommy Emmanuel at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, Suria KLCC circa 1998.The first time I saw Tommy Emmanuel perform was at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in 1998. I just started music college & got to audition to be a part of his guitar masterclass. At that time, I only played nylon string guitar. It was only later that I got a steel string guitar because of Tommy’s influence.

I also arranged my own version of Day Tripper after watching him play that Beatles classic. Since I didn’t have access to any kind of tablature or transcription, I had to figure out my own take on it. 

Another one of Tommy's compositions 'Dixie McGuire' inspired my song 'Antartika' of my 2004 debut CD, "Acoustic Gestures". 

Tommy autographing my Esteve classical guitar.My old guitar - still have it!

After that, I saw Tommy twice - once at another show at Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel in 2000, and then at Regatta Bar in Cambridge, Massachussetts while I was attending Berklee College of Music in 2005. 

Tommy playing an epic 3-hour (!!!) show at Regatta Bar.

Every single time I saw a Tommy Emmanuel concert, he just stunned me with his amazing musicality & playing. He continued to inspire me & made me work hard at my craft.

LINK: [Read my blog post about the 2005 Regatta Bar concert I attended here]

After Tommy's Regatta Bar, Cambridge MA show in 2005Now, 14 years after my first encounter with Tommy, I feel really blessed to be a part of Guitar Circle, the opening act for Tommy's concert in Kuala Lumpur this Friday night.

Four guitarists: William Kok, Ray Cheong, Andy Ngew and myself will be performing to open Tommy's concert. We're all from the local fingerstyle guitar community & this is a great opportunity to showcase local talent!  

It's a real dream come true for a KL kid like me! It's amazing to get a chance perform on the same stage as the guitar virtuoso, Tommy Emmanuel himself!

14 years later, this Friday. =)

I hope you can be there too! It's will be fun night of guitar!!! 

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Concert Tickets are available at The Guitar Store outlets & online via TicketPro

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