How can I get started learning "August Rush" style playing..?

[niteflyguy]

Any recourses out there where I can learn this style..?

thnx!

[mmmaak]

Maybe you can start by learning the steel drums/xylophone? :p

[Will Kirk]

Hit the guitar violently and randomly and hope something good comes out of it :D

Just kidding, on a more serious note you can watch Kaki King play, she's the one that did all the doubling for the movie as well as the arrangements of the music. If you really want to get into that percussive style of guitar, check out Preston Reed as well.

The best way to learn this style is to watch people play it as it's incredibly hard to notate it on paper

[lofapco]

Try tuning to DADGAD or an open tuning like Open G or Open D. It helps a lot.

[tlguitars]

http://www.stropes.com/index.php

Get the Micheal Hedges "Rhythem, Sonority, Silence" book or there are individual transcriptions that are great. Check out the Billy McLaughlin transcriptions, "Helms Place" and "While She Sleeps" for the tapping.

John Stropes is a leading authority on finger-style guitar, his transcriptions are amazing. There's no better place to start.

His students:http://www.youtube.com/user/GuitarStudentsAtUWM

The "August Rush" composer was heavily influenced by Hedges and tried to blend that atherial aestetic (sp?) with the idea of blending that "best" perspective with someone who is gifted but hasn't ever played before.

[Dr. Overtones]

This style is known as touchstyle. The easiest song I can think of to break into it is Andy McKee's "Drifting"

Also, check out Trace Bundy. And Erik Mongrain plays a very percussive fingerstyle that borders on touchstyle.

[EVANSSS]

Check out Newton Faulkner for some of this style of music. (especially his cover of massive attack's Teardrop) His stuff is quite melodic as opposed to some pieces which are just tapping. He is also a really great British singer songwriter and is only 23 or 4? As you might be able to tell - I am a fan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjT86g9gTKk

Also as someone else mentioned, Andy mckee has some wonderful songs. With ALOT of practice, Drifting is actually quite easy. just start out double slow!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4

[Fran Guidry]

Jacquie Gipson did a workshop at one of the TX gatherings, she was able to convey the basic elements of tapping in a half hour or so. Perhaps you could contact her for some ways to get started: http://www.jaquiegipson.com/

Fran