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.
The latest!
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
The DADGAD Gospel: Gospel Guitar Solos in DADGAD Tuning.
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.
Early Jazz: Dance, Songs and Instrumentals for Fingerstyle Guitar.
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.
So grateful to Stefan Grossman for producing three DVDs of my arrangements for Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop. It was very cool working with a guitar legend! The arrangements are now available as single song downloads on the Guitar Workshop website. (see my Shop tab)
http://www.guitarvideos.com/Products/Instructors/sandy-shalk-1
I've been uploading some DADGAD and Open G arrangements to Sheet Music Plus (SMP Press). It's been a great outlet for making available single arrangements.
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/sandy-shalk-sheet-music/3011791
More News!
I have some OPEN G Christmas tunes on SMP Press.
Let me send you a PDF of Angels We Have Heard on High. Free of charge to OPEN G aficionados! Email me at sandy_shalk@yahoo.com
My good friend and co-author, El McMeen has a ton of recorded tunes and sheet music on his website, Mel Bay, Stefan Grossman's Guitar Workshop, SMP Press and Amazon, etc. He is also a published author having written his memoir (in addition to other writings). That is an inspiring book!