09 - Interpretations

Erik Mongrain is a unique and highly talented acoustic guitarist who can claim to be a master of a large number of styles using different techniques, approaches and textures. His style of playing and his compositions have earned him a considerable international fan base.

Erik Mongrain (born April 1980 in Montreal, Québec, Canada) is a true innovator of acoustic guitar playing. He grew up in Canada and began to teach himself how to play guitar from age 14. Erik, who was influenced by the artists Michael Hedges and Don Ross, began to progress into a more acoustic and more complex style of playing. His playing adequately captures the emotion and variety of moods of the artist, as if he is at one with the guitar which is of course a rare talent and very difficult to replicate. He is now recognized as an innovative performer and composer who embrace the advantages of acoustic guitar amplification, unorthodox techniques and altered tunings while celebrating a gift for melody. During the last 5 years, Erik’s compositional and performance skills exploded in sophistication, resulting in his dynamic “man-band” performances. Combining these developments with revolutionary acoustic guitar amplification techniques, he created a milestone recording unlike anything anyone had ever heard.

One of his trademarks: The “lap-tapping” technique is astonishing to watch let along hear. Better than anyone, he is a true master of the lap-tapping technique based around the guitar lying flat as he hammers relentlessly on different parts of the strings to make unique sounds with rapid notes with this extra layer of percussion as well as harmonics. In late 2006, a live performance of his signature song “AirTap” became a featured Video on YouTube, achieving over 10,000,000 views on the former to date and remaining one of the highest rated music clips. He has released two albums but is really best experienced live.

In 2006, Mongrain independently released his first album named “Fates”. His second album “Equilibrium” released back in 2008 was a true reflection of this man's brilliance and stature amongst guitar enthusiasts. He has proven himself to be a top class artist.

Released in 2012, his third album, entitled Forward, is more introspective work that aims to position Erik Mongrain as a film score composer.

Erik Mongrain is a rising star in the world of acoustic guitar, and one can only admire his extraordinary talent. His unconventional music explores possibilities never before imagined, commanding the attention of amateur and professional guitarists alike.

Songwriting, harmony and vocal arrangements.   Always listening.
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