Sandy Shalk

Guitarist

Welcome to my website where I share my obsession with  arranging, performing, and listening to fingerstyle guitar music. I enjoy arranging Celtic, jazz, and folk tunes for acoustic guitar often in alternate tunings (with a particular love of Dadgad, Open G, and CGDGAD) and standard tuning. 

I've been busy writing some books for Mel Bay Publications--two with the exceptional guitarist and writer El McMeen and one recently by yours truly. One features a "harp" guitar approach to arranging and another is a collection of Open G works with some nice twists on the genre. I also delved into the work of some women composers of the parlor music era to complete fingerstyle arrangements of this treasure trove of music. Enjoy!

Women Composers of American Parlor Music for Fingerstyle Guitar

https://www.melbay.com/Products/31185MEB/women-composers-of-american-parlor-music-for-fingerstyle-guitar.aspx

Fingerpicking Guitar Harp Style

https://www.melbay.com/Products/31125M/fingerpicking-guitar-harp-style.aspx

New Directions in Open G Guitar Tuning

https://www.melbay.com/Products/30843M/new-directions-in-open-g-guitar-tuning.aspx


I'm pleased to announce another work completed with fingerstyle master El McMeen:

Gorgeous Melodies for Fingerpicking Guitar by El McMeen and Sandy Shalk 

This one is in standard tuning and dropped D and includes Celtic, classical selections, arias, Stephan Foster and more—all accessible arrangements for late beginner sand intermediate players. We picked some beauties for sure. Please take a look at the table of contents. 

https://www.melbay.com/Products/31129MEB/gorgeous-melodies-for-fingerpicking-guitar.aspx        



It's out!  The Glory of CGDGAD Guitar Tuning: From Music to Method by El McMeen and Sandy Shalk. The "Glory of CGDGAD Tuning" is available form Mel Bay. I'm excited about this one. El has been instumental in bringing this guitar tuning to the surface in the fingerstyle guitar world by creating some wonderful arrangements and recordings over the years. El has achieved  international acclaim for his evocative and unique music. He was kind enough to let me join him in the project crafting arrangements in CGDGAD tuning and shedding light on the remarkable tuning.  In addition to the arrangements, El provided a "mini-workshop on rendering music on the guitar.  https://www.melbay.com/Products/30842M/the-glory-of-cgdgad-guitar-tuning.aspx

This one is published by Mel Bay publications. El McMeen and I worked on this one together. The arrangements are very accessible and feature some gospel chestnuts as well as less familiar selections.

I have two arrangements in this compilation by Stefan Grossman ( Poor Butterfly and Davenport Blues). The book includes some arrangements by some wonderful (and legendary guitarists) including Duck Baker, Pat Donuhue, Ernie Hawkins, etc. 

 http://www.guitarvideos.com/Products/Instructors/sandy-shalk-1

https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/sandy-shalk-sheet-music/3011791

More News!

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