Jim Deeming Interviews Preston Reed

[SkelpYourHead]

why am i always so inspired to play my guitar watching preston.

[definitionofpleb]

Are we going to disregard eric roche in this?

No.

[Strumzilla]

Michael Hedges

[undryoasis]

'Ladies' Night' is such a classic innovative fingerstyle song.

[YourMomZorz]

he's no Don Ross

[crisDAwog]

@YourMomZorz nor is he andy mkee but he was around earlier then both and furthermore andy was preston

[gtrrobster]

Thanks Jim for doing these interviews! What a great find. It is like all the great interviews in Acoustic Guitar, but with video included.

There has been a good bit of discussion on PReston below. I think it is reallt important to acknowledge that although there are many many players who do the funky percussive thing these day, he was the first and has been doing it for some 30 years....

I also took classes with him at a camp in early 00s, and he is a detailed patient inspired teacher.

[ratchet20751]

man, he is not aging well, he looks like the lich king

[funnyfarmguy]

amazing

[AM3Fivers]

lfraja katbda f 4:28

[DocSixString]

hmm... a bit controversial... tommy probably just doenst want to play music like this and that's cool. There'll never be a 'best guitarist' because people do different stuff. ...remember the music...

what tuning is he playin in here anyway?

[fenderboy88]

I think your right you cant say things like Preston Reed is better than Tommy emmanuel,they are equally talented and have thier own style,Preston s style is more funk/primitive guitar sounding in fact John Fahey is one of Prestons influences

[luvcomedy123]

I fully agree with you.

Although, imagine this......if there ever was a guitarist who had the ability to play all styles, so Tommy, Andy, Hendrix, everyone and everything.....I guess that person could be considered the BEST. haha, but who knows when we'll see that guy play.....

[DocSixString]

possibly.. but only if you could play every song better than enyone else. because if someone could play one song that the 'best' player couldn't play, then he/she is not the 'best'. Also, say the impossible happened and one person could play everthing, it still won't satisfy some people because 'good music' depends on your own oppinion and soul. no one can fully satisfy someone elses soul. also... [stay tuned and read the next comment]...

[DocSixString]

picking up from where i left off, a musician who played from the soul would not learn every style and everything else etc, to become the best in the world. that's not what music is about. It's about expressing a feeling and sharing with/inspiring/motivating/ente­rtaining other people. If you want to be the best in the world at 100m sprint then you can be because all of the best runners in the world all compete in the same event all trying to get the fastest time-the best can be seen. 2 b cont....

[DocSixString]

picking up from where i left off .. again .. (im on a roll here :P) if two people play the same song then one will be better, but if one of them changes it a bit to suite what they want to hear, then neither is better. This is why music should NOT be competitive. As Victor Wooten's philosophy goes, music is a language and he learnt bass at the same time he was learning english! If you have something really emotional to say, you don't want to play it really fast and tricky and impressive.2 B cont

[DocSixString]

picking up from where i left off #3..you would want to really spell it out and be simple so that people understand what you are SAYING(playing). Personally i prefer Tommy Emmanuel over all other guitarists but that doesn't mean that i only listen to him. of course i listen to others who share their own interpretation and flavour. the way Tommy really plays from his soul is what connects with me plus his amazing and inspiring music. Tommy uses his talent to the best of his ability like Preston...

[DocSixString]

picking up from where i left off #4. Tommy could play what preston does, but the feeling in his soul causes him to compose the way that he does. Also learning from Chet who was always focussed on the importance a melody standing out. I find the way tommy composes to be more emotionally/spiritually expressive. Yeah Ladies Night by PR(in this video) is awesome but he composes like most of his tunes that way - it's not my preference but that's not going to affect anyone else's oppinion. 2 B cont.

[DocSixString]

picking up from where i left off #5!! I am not telling anyone that they have to listen to Tommy because "he's the best". Tommy would probably hate someone saying that. I also admire Tommy because he's such an amazing person aswell. As far as i can see, Tommy would want us to just enjoy everyone's music and spread the love. Put a smile on the earth. Now if you've read all of these comments or if you've just reading this now, then get off YouTube and go PRACTICE! that's what I'm going to do!

[strikeatic]

this fag is so up himself

[Dstring36]

Preston reed is the man. Period!! Andy john butler Eric mongrain and countless others have been influenced by THIS man. he's your hero's hero if ya know what im sayin and what he was sayin about tommy emanuel is true. I love tommy E. but he dosent incorporate the percussion like preston and mix as many styles. some guy commented about yodoling. thats pretty diverse

D-string

[Paninian]

Man hes good, but he just seems a bit arrogant. He totally might have seniority over andy but he just seems a bit dickish...oh well...

[Tman4000]

Absolutely false. I've spoken to Preston many times and even showed him some of my original stuff. He gave me some great advice. He's a very nice man.

[joshyboy152]

Wow, thats a pretty bold statement to say that he invented it..

[hefforda]

That was soo mind-blowing. He's like a non-fictional version of august rush! I didn't even though those techniques actually existed in the real world! 5/5.

[justplayman]

1. heard a yodoling lick in there

2. A high not pulled off to the first string

[tommyjiang]

I love Andy McKee too. But Preston showed up a lot earlier than Andy. So I think it's fair for him to say that.

[masterofpuppets68]

thats sick

[sourcehacker]

he said he came up with the technique for playing and doing the drum rhythm on the guitar himself, but there are a ton of videos of other people doing this kinda stuff.. maybe not as bluesy, but the slapping and playing has been done before. not saying hes bad, i mean i could never do this stuff, just saying he didn't come up with the idea..

example, Andy McKee's Vid for his song Drifting

excellent song, but has playing and "drumming" at the same time..

[jus4funtim]

This style of playing is at least 35 years old

[Tman4000]

Preston Reed is Andy McKee's main influence on the guitar. Andy wrote the song "Drifting" in the early 2000's. Preston Reed has been playing this style of music since the late 70's.

[RiouxItsMe]

main influence ?? of andy hmmm , a part of his but his main is don ross. seriously its obvious

[insaneguitarfreak]

Actually.... Andy´s said that "Drifting" has been composed after Preston´s influence, like 9 years ago... (search for a Drifting live version here on you tube and yu´ll find him sayng it, not me)

best wishes

[nightsmoke3337]

WOW HES AMAZXING!

[GodOfFunk25]

I love Preston Reed. He is a real inspiration to my guitar technique

[KudoKaitou]

First Rating!

[casco18]

second!

[happa95]

wow, they are getting some amazing interviews