Tony McManus amazing thumb triplets!

[Tailingloop]

Earlier today I was checking out a video with Tony McManus, and all of a sudden he start breaking out these super-human thumb triplets as if it was no tomorrow!
Does anyone know if he goes through any of this in his dvds? Can anyone do it? Is there any specific nail shape that works better than others?

Here is the link, it starts at about 2:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLVsrlObxO8

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Tailingloop

Earlier today I was checking out a video with Tony McManus, and all of a sudden he start breaking out these super-human thumb triplets as if it was no tomorrow!
Does anyone know if he goes through any of this in his dvds? Can anyone do it? Is there any specific nail shape that works better than others?

Here is the link, it starts at about 2:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLVsrlObxO8

It's a flamenco technique which he has adapted for steel strung guitar.

Can anyone do it?

Probably ...if you possess the same dedication and capacity for endless self sacrifice as Tony had back in the early 90's , when he devoted his whole being to acquiring this skill (and don't forget his facility for triplets on the treble strings as well, which are done with a rapid three finger "machine-gun" technique which is even more difficult to master.

[Acoustic_Stevo]

Tony talks about that technique in his DVDs.
He uses his ring, middle and index fingers to do triplets on the B and E strings and the thumb technique on the E, A, D and G strings.
I try to do it, but I wear a thumb pick. It sounds ok if I can hold the thumb pick with my index finger too, like a plectrum, but that's not always possible.

[u38cg]

It proceeds from the music he plays, rather than being a technique used for the sake of being able to do it. Have a listen to some fiddle music and get a feel for those articulated semiquavers.

[mc1]

yea, that's crazy. he is using up and down strokes with his thumb.

reminded me a little of martin taylor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tYjIfesgY4

[Tailingloop]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

It's a flamenco technique which he has adapted for steel strung guitar.

Probably ...if you possess the same dedication and capacity for endless self sacrifice as Tony had back in the early 90's , when he devoted his whole being to acquiring this skill (and don't forget his facility for triplets on the treble strings as well, which are done with a rapid three finger "machine-gun" technique which is even more difficult to master.

The three finger triplet thing seems a lot easier to master if you've done a bit of tremolo-stuff in your days.
What flamenco technique would that be? The Alzapua technique is similiar but there is a lot of wrist action involved and doesn't really work the same way.

[Tailingloop]

Bump this thread

[Jean Banwarth]

Tony is an amazing musician ! I have been working very hard (and since a long time) to get his triplets but I think that he his THE master.

The three fingers triplets are easier. Il play them with AMI on the three trebbles strings.

Here is a sample :



The thumb triplets are very difficult but give a good sound on the three bass strings. You need a nail to play them. Here is a (modest) sample :



Hope this help...

[stanron]

You may or may not know that in Irish traditional music, triplets are played in different ways according both to where the player comes from and what instrumenmt is being played. Not so much nowadays as techniques are homogenised as a result of improved information access but still some techniques are impossible on some instruments.

Whistles, bagpipes and some button accordians rarely play triplets with three repeated notes. They play the second note one step higher or lower than the first and third. This way they get the three notes as a result of finger movement as opposed to air flow control. It would be impossible for a whistle player to 'tongue' air fast enough to play triplets at any sort of speed and bag control for pipers is equally difficult.

Triplets formed from three repeated notes are often found in banjo playing and certain areas of Ireland are known for the bowed triplets on fiddles. In other areas fiddles play triplets by changing the second note rather than changing bow direction like pipes and whistles.

You can play triplets on guitar by changing the second note with a hammer on or pull off then picking the third note in the opposite direction to the first. This gives a more 'organic' feel to the sound than the more 'machine gun' sound of the tripple picked or bowed triplet, but maybe that's just my opinion.

Of course not all triplets are repeated notes but that does not change the ways they can be played. Incidentally in reels what is called a triplet is usually two 16th notes followed by an eight note but the same techniques apply.

Of course if you simply must sound like Tony McManus then you will do all of your tripleting with your picking hand but you could use a combination of both hands.

[Jean Banwarth]

You're right. When the second note is higher, it's a "cut triplet". It's also possible to use a lower note (whistle players call them "taps" so we can say "tap triplet").
If you listen carefully to Tony's playing, you will hear that he also use "cut triplets" and "tap triplets". Sometimes with hammer and (or) pull off, and sometimes by playing the 3 notes with right hand fingers (AMI). For some tunes, he plays "cut triplets" with his thumb ! Very difficult because of the perfect synchronization needed...

[SeattleCard]

Stunning playing... wow.