See 3 more photos
Michael Hedges
17,685 listeners (257,231 plays)
acoustic, guitar, instrumental, new age, guitar virtuoso
Michael Hedges is widely considered to be one of the best solo acoustic guitarists of all time. His music features his own unique performing style which features harmonics, fingerpicking, knocking and slapping.
Michael Hedges was a conservatory composition major who applied his classically trained musical background in combination with radical innovation to “reinvent” the steel string acoustic guitar. He combined many unusual techniques on the acoustic guitar with a wide range of musical styles, and was also considered a dynamic performer in concert - in short, a “Paganini” of the guitar.
He is known for extensive use in several pieces of two handed tapping techniques (nearly a contrapuntal style of multiple voices). He used the fingers of his right (typically picking) hand to slap harmonic “chords” at the 12th, 7th or 5th fret (or elsewhere). He made use of right hand hammer-ons, particularly on bass notes, and often used the left hand for melodic or rhythmic hammer-ons and pull offs, as well as unusual strummings, that played, as mentioned, independent voices to the right hand. These techniques tended to convert the guitar into a quasi-keyboard like instrument for certain musical purposes. He also made extensive use of string dampening as employed in classical guitar, and was known to insist strongly on the precise duration of sounds and silences in his pieces. Other facets to his playing were percussive slapping on the guitar body and extensive use of artificial harmonics. He also played guitar-variants like the Harp Guitar (an instrument with additional bass strings that Hedges used to play Bach’s Prelude to Cello Suite #1 in G Major in its intended key), and the Trans-Trem Guitar.
Michael Hedges was a conservatory composition major who applied his classically trained musical background in combination with radical innovation to “reinvent” the steel string acoustic guitar. He combined many unusual techniques on the acoustic guitar with a wide range of musical styles, and was also considered a dynamic performer in concert - in short, a “Paganini” of the guitar.
He is known for extensive use in several pieces of two handed tapping techniques (nearly a contrapuntal style of multiple voices). He used the fingers of his right (typically picking) hand to slap harmonic “chords” at the 12th, 7th or 5th fret (or elsewhere). He made use of right hand hammer-ons, particularly on bass notes, and often used the left hand for melodic or rhythmic hammer-ons and pull offs, as well as unusual strummings, that played, as mentioned, independent voices to the right hand. These techniques tended to convert the guitar into a quasi-keyboard like instrument for certain musical purposes. He also made extensive use of string dampening as employed in classical guitar, and was known to insist strongly on the precise duration of sounds and silences in his pieces. Other facets to his playing were percussive slapping on the guitar body and extensive use of artificial harmonics. He also played guitar-variants like the Harp Guitar (an instrument with additional bass strings that Hedges used to play Bach’s Prelude to Cello Suite #1 in G Major in its intended key), and the Trans-Trem Guitar.
Similar Artists
William Ackerman, Alex de Grassi, Leo Kottke, Michael Manring, Don Ross, Andy McKee, Steve Erquiaga… see all
See moreVideos
-
Play
Michael Hedges- Because It's There
-
Play
Michael Hedges - Ragamuffin
-
Play
Michael Hedges Java Man Cover
Top Tracks
| 1 |
 |
Aerial Boundaries
full track
|
||
| 2 |
|
Rickover's Dream
full track
|
||
| 3 |
|
|||
| 4 |
|
Ragamuffin
full track
|
||
| 5 |
|
Bensusan
full track
|
||
| 6 |
|
Because It's There
full track
|
||
| 7 |
|
|||
| 8 |
|
Java Man
full track
|
||
| 9 | ||||
| 10 |
|
Ursa Major
full track
|
||
| 11 |
|
Jitterboogie
full track
|
||
| 12 |
|
Gospel
full track
|
||
| 13 |
|
Eleven Small Roaches
full track
|
||
| 14 |
|
Baal T'shuvah
full track
|
||
| 15 |
Top Albums
Shoutbox
-
gerpsych wrote:
Sofa #1, excellent. So gentle and moving that the full emotional force is felt
-
discage wrote:
I found out about this artist because he was born here in my town where I was also born. He's pretty much the only good thing to come out of this town so that just makes me enjoy his music even more. R.I.P
-
Digitalwolf wrote:
Totally agree a genius...also a sadly missed genius
-
freezegelman wrote:
genius.
-
zhimbo wrote:
He was an annual event at Oberlin College when I was there - 4 concerts in 4 years! Managed to see him a couple more times after college - always wonderful. Met him backstage after 1 show and he was incredibly gracious.
-
kfranklin wrote:
One of my greatest inspirations. I was lucky to see him live twice, get his autograph on our photo and in my lyric book. His music sends me to another place. I love his singing voice as well. The vocal and harmonies on i carry your heart are truly transcendent.
-
kaiserzeitgeist wrote:
Yay, Michael Hedges. Coming back to him this holiday season has felt like greeting an old friend. Shame we lost him so young. Gratitude.
-
zerofish9 wrote:
Agree with Karen 110=genius/truly missed!:| He inspired me on my Dreadnot(guit.) years ago w/the pick/strum-hammer-on style--{that's the knocking nicolasnizib]. He was a true soul seeker..& he shared it with the rest of us!:)
-
Ashluke wrote:
great acoustic guitar player, it makes feel me real good!
-
TBerben wrote:
I recently discovered Hedges' music, wandering about on youtube ;) You just can't describe it with words. His melody, rhythm, texts everything works. I can also very strongly recommend reading the interviews on his website, www.nomadland.com, he had a lot of interesting philosophies, especially when it comes to music.
-
Spielmeister wrote:
http://www.last.fm/group/The+Michael+Manring+Group
-
GDsaihttaM wrote:
Simply amazing; didn't know this was possible with an acoustic guitar. My greatest last.fm discovery so far :-)
-
Jelex wrote:
His music just elevated my mood..
-
visitor_Q wrote:
rickover's dream puts me in such an unusually pleasant mood
-
PegLegSpeedKing wrote:
Why in the world isn't Tuck Andress among the similar artists
-
Stevopevo wrote:
him, de grassi, and ackerman. the greatest
-
Bobak wrote:
i'm surprised so many people have seen him live...
-
karen110 wrote:
True genius. He is missed.
-
jorgedias91 wrote:
damn, he was really amazing. Now RIP.
-
15step wrote:
This guy is bloody amazing! I'm so glad my guitar teacher introduced me to him!!
Listeners
-
sea-ferring
Top Listener
-
inari-senbei
Top Listener
-
slimg
Top Listener
-
Ategina
Top Listener
-
Fever-and-Hum
Top Listener
-
Stedgyson
Top Listener
Recent Activity
- Coolcook tagged Michael Hedges with ‘guitar’. Thursday evening
- Brian34 tagged Michael Hedges with ‘instrumental’. last month
- Bmxgamer unlinked Michael Hedges from Montreal Guitar Show 2008 at The Hyatt Regency's Grand Salon. last month
- Mikeyzee tagged Michael Hedges with ‘innovative’. last month
- Jfredett tagged Michael Hedges with ‘acoustic’. last month
- Channum tagged Michael Hedges with ‘new age’. last month
- Concretica tagged Michael Hedges with ‘acoustic guitar’. last month
- Jonsnow1 tagged Michael Hedges with ‘solo acoustic’. last month
- OhYesByAllMeans tagged Michael Hedges with ‘i should keep an eye on this one’. May 2008
Groups (23)
-
New Age and Ambient
1,408 members
-
The Eighties Habit
1,062 members
-
Ectophiles Guide to Good Music
586 members
-
Progressive Music
554 members
-
Christmas
213 members
