I believe that technique/style is called "shred guitar" and I've heard that it grew out of Heavy Metal rock. Do I think he studied classical? Well, yes and no. Scales and slurs ("hammer-ons" and "pull-offs" in folk guitar jargon) learned and practiced rather diligently, obviously, but a scale is a scale and slurs are slurs, whether they're applied to classical, rock, folk, pop, or whatever. One thing that is pretty evident, however, is that no one, whatever genre of music, develops that kind of facility without "practice, practice, practice."

These two people were actually doing something musical with their shred guitar, but much of it that I've heard reminds me of wisecrack I heard a classic music radio station announcer make. He had just finished playing a popular piece of classical music that is often requested at his station because it has the reputation of being "sexy." Actually, it starts getting pretty damned boring after the first couple of minutes, but it goes on for a quarter of an hour. I'm quite sure that after playing it God knows how many times during his career, the announcer could have gladly murdered the composer. Anyway, when the work finished, the announcer muttered, maybe not realizing the mic was open, "So many notes! So little music!"

This young lady, Yvonne Helkenberg, has obviously put in a fair amount of practice. Lots of notes. But lots of lovely music as well. Fernando Sor's Fantasy and Variations on a Scottish Melody.

Joanne, I have nothing but admiration for people who are accomplished artists in one field, and who don't just rest on their laurels, but go on, striving to conquer others.

Don Firth