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You are here: Home / podcast / FGH-0019: Interview with Don Ross – National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion & Composer

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

By Adam Rafferty 2 Comments

https://traffic.libsyn.com/adamrafferty/FGH-0019.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:15 — 65.8MB) | Embed

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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.

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”
Don Ross plays his original composition “Seven Seven Four”
Don Ross plays his original composition “A Million Brazilian Civilians“
“Don Ross – Louder Than Usual” plays “Groovy Sunflowers”

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Filed Under: podcast

About Adam Rafferty

I’m Adam Rafferty – a guitar player born and raised in New York City, and currently spending most of my time on tour playing concerts and coaching my guitar students online at StudyWithAdam.com

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patrick Murray says

    November 22, 2019 at 7:56 am

    What an insightful interview! Time to dust off the keyboard šŸ˜‰

    Reply
    • Adam Rafferty says

      February 22, 2020 at 4:49 am

      Glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

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