The Alternative Acoustic Podcast

Send us Fan MailWe talk with guitarist and composer Clive Carroll about the real mechanics of life as a touring fingerstyle musician and the trade-offs between creativity and constant travel. Clive also traces the musical line from Renaissance lute and early music to John Renborn, Tommy Emmanuel, and the acoustic guitar scene today. • the unglamorous reality of touring and the problem of “dead time” on the road • the pressure of internet content versus making music • the economics of US touring and why publicity costs add up fast • Clive’s early break supporting John Renborn and what he learned on the road • how Renaissance and late medieval modality feeds modern acoustic guitar writing • banjo and clawhammer technique adapted to steel-string guitar • composing by singing first and writing away from the guitar • double-string tunings for thicker melody and bendable tension • why groove changes a room instantly with a thumb pick If you just head to alternativeacousticpodcast.com, you'll find that in the style of Clive Carroll lesson, there's a tab as well.  Support the show

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with Andy Crowley, also known as Andy Guitar, to unpack why acoustic and heavy music share more DNA than most players realize. We dig into tone, tech, rhythm, and motivation, then get practical about how to stop quitting and start building habits that make guitar feel fun again. • heavy music’s resurgence and why it pairs naturally with acoustic guitar technique • getting bigger sounds with dual pickups, multiple outputs, and blendable signal paths • why Unplugged performances and “human” imperfections connect so hard • using higher voicings and one-note changes to unlock emotional chord progressions • how reverb and compression change touch, dynamics, and confidence • rhythm as the real hook and how groove translates across genres • why adults quit guitar and how to reframe beginner discomfort • mental practice, musical memory, and active listening as the fastest multiplier • simplifying songs for learners versus chasing perfect replicas of recordings • community as the antidote to burnout through challenges, open mics, and retreats This episode was brought to you by Ibanez UK Support the show

Send us Fan MailHead to Alternativeacousticpodcast.com for an accompanying lesson and more....This Episode was recorded at the Jon Gomm Bootcamp 2026. A huge thanks to Rob Barnaville and Mark Morgan for the epic work on the live audio. This episode was brought to you by Ibanez UK. Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode Chris chats with Stuart Ryan, check out the accompanying lesson at https://www.alternativeacousticpodcast.com/stuartryan Check out some of Stuarts books at https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Stuart-Ryan/author/B08P51Y9JQ This podcast is brought to you by Ibanez UK. Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode Chris chats with Acoustic Guitar Gwenifer Raymond https://www.gweniferraymond.com/ This podcast is brought to you by Ibanez UK. Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode Chris chats with Vincent Schmidt and Natan Niddam https://www.vincentschmidt.ch/duo This podcast is brought to you by Ibanez UK.https://www.vincentschmidt.ch/duo Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode Chris chats with Niwel Tsumbu https://niwel-tsumbu.com/ This podcast is brought to you by Ibanez UK. Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode Chris chats with Alan Gogoll https://www.alangogoll.com/. This podcast is brought to you by Ibanez UK. Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode Chris chats with Martin Harley https://www.martinharley.com/. This podcast is brought to you by Ibanez UK. Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode Chris chats with Will McNciol. You can find out more about Will and his tuition books  https://www.willmcnicol.co.uk/. This podcast is brought to you by Ibanez UK. Support the show