It’s one thing to play highly virtuosic, multi-dimensional arrangements on the acoustic guitar. But to do it with such an infectious smile and unbridled joy that Tommy Emmanuel brings to his performances.

Hailed as one of the greatest acoustic guitar performers ever to exist, Tommy Emmanuel has captivated audiences worldwide with his virtuosic playing and warm stage presence.

Star is born

William Thomas Emmanuel was born in 1955 in the small town of Muswellbrook, Australia. He first picked up the guitar at age 4, learning chords and melodies by ear from his mother’s lap steelLap steel guitar is played horizontally on the lap using a steel bar. It produces smooth, gliding notes. This technique is common in country and Hawaiian music. guitar playing.

In 1961, he heard his biggest inspiration, Chet Atkins, playing on the radio. An incredibly gifted prodigy, he was performing at age 6 and by age 10 had his own TV show in Australia.

Rise

In the 1960s, Emmanuel’s father formed a family band recognizing the talents of Tommy and his older brother Phil.

Emmanuel started as a rhythm guitarist and later formed a duo named Goldrush, where he accompanied Phil as a drummer in the late 1970s. This set the stage for his acclaimed solo career beginning in the 1980s.

In his 20s, Emmanuel became the most sought-after session guitarist in Sydney. His exceptional skills allowed him to play anything from rock, bluegrass & folk to country, blues & jazz.

However, it was his solo career that truly showcased his exceptional fingerstyleFingerstyle involves plucking strings directly with fingers instead of a pick. It allows complex, polyphonic music. This technique is common in classical and folk guitar. technique and compositional abilities.

Drawing inspiration from guitar legends like Chet Atkins and Merle Travis, Emmanuel developed a unique style that encompassed the range of an entire band, simultaneously covering drums, bass, rhythm, lead guitarLead guitar focuses on melody lines and solos. It often uses techniques like bends and vibrato. This role is prominent in rock and blues bands., and melody.

Fame

Emmanuel’s fame reached new heights in the 1990s and 2000s with critically acclaimed albums like “Determination” (1991) and “Only” (2000). His collaborations with music icons such as Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton, and Mark Knopfler further solidified his status as a guitar virtuoso.

At 44, Tommy Emmanuel was given the special title of “Certified Guitar Player (C.G.P.)” by Chet Atkins. Only 4 other guitar players in the world have this title.

Now

Even today, Emmanuel shows no signs of slowing down. He continues recording and touring tirelessly while giving back through music instruction camps and videos.

His 2018 album “Accomplice One” featured duets with greats like Jason Isbell, Mark Knopfler, and Amanda Shires. The hotly anticipated sequel “Accomplice Two” dropped in 2023 with collabs including Michael McDonald and Billy Strings.

In 2024, his collaboration with The String Revolution earned them the Grammy Award for “Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella” for their unique take on Johnny Cash’s classic “Folsom Prison Blues.”

Tommy Emmanuel continues to captivate audiences worldwide with his unparalleled guitar skills and enthralling stage presence. He regularly releases original music as well as acoustic renditions of popular classics, pushing the boundaries of what is possible on a solo acoustic guitar.

Right Hand

Alternate PickingAlternate picking involves striking the string with both downstrokes and upstrokes in a continuous motion. It enhances speed and precision. Guitarists use this technique for rapid note sequences., CrosspickingCrosspicking is a technique where the pick alternates across multiple strings, creating a rolling sound. It mimics the sound of fingerpicking. This technique is common in bluegrass music., Economy PickingEconomy picking combines alternate picking and sweep picking for efficiency. It reduces hand movement. Guitarists use it to play fast, smooth passages., FingerstyleFingerstyle involves plucking strings directly with fingers instead of a pick. It allows complex, polyphonic music. This technique is common in classical and folk guitar., Free HandsFree hands technique uses both hands tapping on the fretboard. It creates a piano-like sound. This technique allows fast, intricate playing., Hybrid PickingHybrid picking combines a pick and fingers for plucking strings. It allows versatile and dynamic playing. Guitarists use it to mix picking and fingerstyle techniques., Palm Muting

Other Techniques

ArpeggioAn arpeggio is playing the notes of a chord sequentially. It creates a broken chord sound. This technique is used in various musical genres., Finger VibratoFinger vibrato involves oscillating the finger on a fret. It adds expressiveness to notes. This technique is essential for emotional playing., HarmonicsHarmonics involve lightly touching the string at specific points to produce bell-like tones. They add tonal variety. This technique is used for special sound effects. Harmonics can be natural or artificial, depending on the method used., Left Hand MutingLeft hand muting involves dampening strings with the fretting hand. It creates a staccato effect. This technique is useful for rhythmic precision., Open TuningsOpen tunings involve tuning the guitar to a chord. It allows easy chord shapes and drone notes. This technique is common in slide guitar playing., Rhythm Guitar

Techniques Breakdown

Tommy Emmanuel loves Travis picking, a.k.a. the “Boom-Chick” style of fingerpicking. He combines that with melodic licks, chord embellishments, and blazing-fast arpeggios to create a unique guitar style.

His amazing picking hand can play melodies, basslines, and rhythms simultaneously – like a one-man band.

Tommy is a genius improviser blending beautiful melodies with blistering fast licks. He even uses the guitar’s body to mimic percussive instruments like drums, bongo, congo, etc.

• Thumb-picking

• Travis picking

• Hybrid picking

• String Damping/Muting

• Bluegrass picking (Flatpicking

• Banjo rolls

• Thumb fretting

• Walking bass lines

• Artificial Harmonics

• Multi-voice playing (bass, rhythm, melody, percussion)

• Percussive Techniques (Tapping/Slapping/Knocking/Drumming)

• Harp Harmonics (Cascading Harmonics)

• Campanella technique (Combining fretted notes with open strings)

Guitars

• Maton EGB808TE

• Maton EGB808TE/C (Cutaway Version)

• Maton TE1 Tommy Emmanuel Signature

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Amps

• Uso Rosner Da Capo 75 Acoustic Amplifier

• AER Tommy Emmanuel Signature Compact 60 Acoustic Amplifier

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Signal Processing

• AER Pocket Tools Colourizer

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  Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner

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Accessories

• 

  Martin Flexible Core MA540FX “Tommy’s Choice” (.012 - .054)

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  Martin Flexible Core MA550FX Medium (.013 – .056)

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  D’Andrea ProPlec Model 385 – Rounded Triangle Pick

• JIM DUNLOP 9022P Shell Plastic Thumbpicks, Medium

• 

  Paige Original 6-string Acoustic Guitar Capo

• 

  Kyser Quick-Change

More detail coming. Check back soon!

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Guitars

• Maton EGB808TE

• Maton TE1 Tommy Emmanuel Signature

All guitars use the proprietary Maton AP5 PRO pickup system. Tommy uses the following pickup settings for his stage performances: Volume: 10; Bass: 8; Treble: 8; Mid: ~25%, Mic: 10 Tommy Emmanuel is a big proponent of “Tone is in the fingers.” He doesn’t rely too much on gear, processing, or FX.

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Amps

• AER Compact 60 Acoustic Amp

Settings: Gain: 40%; Colour: OFF; Bass: 55%; Mids: 55%; Treble: 60% Master Volume: 40-45% Tommy doesn’t like to turn the Amp up too much. He thinks the amp is the most natural sounding at relatively low volumes, and the volume can be left for the PA system. There isn’t much to this part regarding Tommy’s performances. He prefers a clean and big output from the Maton AP5 PRO pickup system and leaves the processing to his sound guy.

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Accessories

• Martin FX Flexible Core “Tommy’s choice”: 0.012 gauge

  For all the standard tuning performances

• Martin FX Flexible Core Medium: 0.013 gauge

  For Drop D and lower tunings

• Tommy Emmanuel Videos

  Note that you can move away from this tab and continue to listen to the video. Enjoying reading about your favorite guitarists while enjoying their skills.

  • Tommy Emmanuel’s Take on Classical Gas by Mason Williams

    The Internet knows Tommy Emmanuel through this video. Certainly one of the best solo acoustic recordings ever.

  • Initiation - Live From Center Stage (Must Watch)

    This is what happens when Tommy is IN THE ZONE!

  • Guitar Boogie Insane LIVE Performance

    Warning: The video is NOT fast-forwarded!

  • Tommy Emmanuel, John Jorgenson, Pedro Javier González - "Sultans of Swing"

    Just three maestros breathing new life into the timeless hit.

  • Now, that’s what you call “drumming” on a guitar.

    Tommy creates sounds you wouldn’t usually hear coming from an acoustic guitar.

Tommy Emmanuel Guitar Tabs

Here are some GND selected tabs with our difficulty ratings to help you choose what challenge level is right for you.

• Lewis And Clark

• Angelina

• Somewhere Over the Rainbow

• Luttrell

• Classical Gas