Fingerstyle Guitar Hangout Podcast with Adam Rafferty

FGH-0019: Interview with Don Ross – National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion & Composer

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Summary, Episode 19:

In 1988, Don became the first Canadian to win the U.S. National Fingerpick Guitar Championship. He won again in 1996, still the only two-time winner of the competition.

Don has toured regularly since 1989, across Canada, the USA, a dozen European countries, Japan, Taiwan, China, Australia, Russia and India.

https://vimeo.com/373542503

He has played live and on recording with U.S. guitarist Andy McKee, Canadian singer/guitarist Brooke Miller, Canadian guitarist Calum Graham, & Toronto bassist Jordan O’Connor. Don composes scores for television, radio and film, and does production and recording engineering for a variety of other musicians.

He’s released numerous CDs and DVDs for the Candy Rat Record label, including his new album, A Million Brazilian Civilians, on CD and see-through orange vinyl.

(Timestamps are for audio version of the podcast.)

  • 2:49 Welcome Don!
  • 3:52 Don’s earliest musical influences.
  • 6:50 Don as a composer first, guitarist second.
  • 8:40 Discovering Leo Kottke’s approach…music with humor.
  • 9:20 Exposure to modern composers Steve Reich, Xenakis, John Adams.
  • 10:40 Don talks about composing for film & TV.
  • 15:44 We discuss alternate tunings and why Don Does uses them.
  • 22:33 Why composes away from the guitar.
  • 24:04 Music – Don plays his composition – “A Million Brazilian Civilians.”
  • 27:33 Don’s relationship to classical guitar.
  • 31:04 I ask Don about his live sound setup.
  • 32:50 Keep it simple…we talk pickups, pedals and other guitar nitty gritty.
  • 34:53 Don tells his “pedalboard on the highway” mishap story.
  • 39:46 What are Don’s hobbies outside music?
  • 41:25 His best advice for musicians.
  • 44:47 The guitar tablature “trap.”
  • 50:22 Ending credits & podcast contact info.
  • 53:14 Music – Don plays his composition – “Seven Seven Four.”
    • Don’s Links:
    • https://donrossonline.com/
    • Don on Facebook
    • Don on Youtube
    • Don on Twitter
    • Don’s band project is called “Don Ross – Louder Than Usual”
      • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwRe8h1TIYM
      Don Ross plays his original composition “Seven Seven Four”
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPvV2gzZJ5c
      Don Ross plays his original composition “A Million Brazilian Civilians“
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTIcdedfEjc
      “Don Ross – Louder Than Usual” plays “Groovy Sunflowers”
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      Fingerstyle Guitar Hangout Podcast with Adam RaffertyBy Adam Rafferty: Fingerstyle Guitarist, Composer and Touring Musician
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