Erik Mongrain is a Canadian guitarist whose “lap tapping” playing style is simply incredible.
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WOW, I have not been this imppressed since the first time I heard Michael Hedges. Thanks for letting us know about Erik! This will be a career worth watching for a long time I am sure.
That was fricken awsome. I gasp at your awsomeness.
I love this style. Just every time I hear it, it makes me feel so happy and puts a tear in my eye. And it’s great to see how happy the music makes him, that smile on his face tells it all, not to mention the concentration. He is amazing!
Wow indeed! Very impresive
One word……………Amazing!
this is absoutly the the most amazing thing i have ever seen.i would definatly like to hear more, and would love to learn this style.
WOW absolutely amazing skill. Breathtaking performance.
Extraordinary talent!
Am I the only one not really impressed with this guy? Yes, he is good at “lap tapping” but he open tunes everything (not to mention reuses the same rythms and note progressions) it makes all of his music sound the same to me.
I agree, the most amazing thing I ever seen. I am impressed.. WOW
WOW!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry have to agree with some it was skillful but boring musically!
sup. great performance. Loved the guy.
But yes, he has some refining to do. it sounds the same throughout the entire musical performance just about. He needs more rhythm and allocation. But I still say that the performance was great, and its good to see a talent like this rise out of the shadows of artistic style.
Yep, he’s good but needs to give up the act and concentrate on the music, and there’s a way better guy that handles a similar technique for years now called preston reed, far more amazing than erik.
That was simply amazing. I can’t believe how good this dude is.
I mean, yeah, he’s pretty good. But the music is boring as shit. I give it complicated elevator music at best. If you just had to listen to the music, it would be much less impressive. He should concentrate on making decent music and less on how difficult it is to play. Wait, he probably doesn’t have any real talent.
Interesting. He really should try kantele, finnish trad instrument. You see my point when you listen what can be heard here:
http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=27002
Those who enjoy these performances should check out Stanley Jordan. Jordan has a more advanced “tapping” style that he uses to better effect. Jordan does not allow the technique to dictate the music as it appears when listening to Erik Mongrain. Mongrain certainly exhibits promising talent here but as a few others have suggested he should concentrate on the music and not just showcase a flashy guitar technique.
I think this guy has serious talent and has spent a tremendous amount of time to be able to play this music. While there is others out there that have some great talent, and better composed music, he is still up there with what this style really is: entertainment. I would rather hear this as a #1 across the world than another no talent cheesy song like the macareana! Props to this guy and those like him!
Another extremely talented lap tapper:
Trace Bundy
He’s better than me, but go search “Tommy Emmanuel” or “Andy McKee” in youtube and you’ll see some real guitar playing!!!
Holy. Fucking. Shit.
I agree with James Frankstien. The technique is interesting and well played, but is that all he can do with it? I found it repetetive and boring after 20 seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYe8x__wpNk ok check this player he’s way more advanced
you cant truely appreciate Erik fully if your not a guitarist, because u cant realize how much true skill and talent and practice it takes to master this style of playing
That is ridiculously amazing….
Been there, seen that. Look up Stanley Jordan, who was doing it better long before the Internet even existed.
Leo Kottke – nuff said.
Yes, this guy has the talent. Yes, he is amazing. I was awed when I heard him played the first time. It’s a flashy guitar techniques but BORING !
its true he really is amazing in a way that literally takes your breath away…his music telaports you into another demension one could say…i love it
CIAO!! YOU HAVE MANY TALENT!! AND A NEW FUN!!
MY COMPLIMENTS! FROM ITALY…. Daniele! CIAOO!!
damn its so good it almost sounmds fake
As a guitarist , I find the technique odd and interesting.
The piece looks well practiced.
Can he transpose that to another key without changing the tuning on the guitar?
Interesting , but from a theoretical point of view , it is an isolated event , probably worked on mainly by random ear testing and playing around.
Wow he’s pretty dam good I enjoyed it a great deal.
Some of the other comments do make some good points seemed
a bit boring after a couple of hearings. But shit he’s doing
it and I’m pretty sure he’s heard all those other artists
mentioned and holds them in high regard. I bet he does not
think he’s all that more likely just thinks he’s a guitarist
an artist just trying to make art. And it is art not good not
bad just art. Keep it up Mr. Mongrain Twas Amazing I’d like
to hear more. Gotta lotts talent
amazing i agree with you all its superb
I want to know why people here are compairing this guy to Preston Reed.
Firstly, Mongrain is twice the musician Reed will ever be. Not only is Reeds music repetative, dull and uninteresting but it isn’t technically skillful in any way. Add to that the fact the Reed can not and does not lap tap and you can see exactly how Mongrain out does Reed.
Mongrain has his own style unlike anyone else and those who are saying it is like Reed have no idea what they are talking about.
Mongrain is technically and musically skillful. Reed is not.
I really hope Mongrain makes it big. It is him who has inspired me to learn to lap tap.
Please apologize for my bad English. I read all your comments about Erik’s music. Can I ask the persons who think Erik just play that kind of song to check his website before talking please. That the only 2 songs he play like that and if you listen all the others song, you will have a surprise because each melody change with every song. Percusienfa and Airtap are two songs he compose a long time ago whe he was a beginner ….. You have to listen The Silent Fool or another one…. Just awesome and so different then this 2 videos. Have a nice day.
“AirTap” is something I composed years ago when I was learning the technique. It was a beautiful morning with sunlight, coffee and happiness in Spain. The main rhythm came out and it just let it all out somehow. This song is not meant to be accurately played the same every time, this technique either. Personally I like to see this technique as free play, improvisation. Call it as you wish to call it! I like to keep a structure and juggle with the notes according to how I feel and all that. So there isn’t one AirTap version that is the same and there never will.
This song isn’t about utmost precision, it’s about how you feel in the very present! ”
Erik Mongrain
After listening to Mongrains comments I think he’s full of shit. Just more justifying and positioning. This song made him famous, none of his other stuff did. The song and idea is cool but to become a guitar hero from that .. hogwash. Decent talent, yes, nothing more. Now in world of art you either love him or hate him and thats the beauty of life.
OMG this is such talent to the next level im very proud of this mans work awesome