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Will

@willllguitar

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🌙 dark folk, ambient & instrumental guitar
+ combining colour theory & composition
[email protected]

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“I’m interested only in
expressing basic human
emotions—tragedy,
ecstasy, doom....”
(Rothko, MoMa Highlights, 1999).

An interpretation of Mark Rothko’s ‘Four Darks in Red’. I tried to capture the painting’s dark, almost sinister atmosphere with deep and sometimes dissonant chord tones.

I used DADGBD tuning, tuned down 50 cents, here. I’m pleased with how the overtones rung out at the end.

#colortheory
#musictheory
#acousticguitar
#guitarlesson
#rothko by @willllguitar

Rothko chord palette no. 3. I used DADGAD tuning to try and capture Rothko’s use of deep earth tones here. I really like the deep forest (almost ‘Jurassic’) feel of this painting…

I’m planning to try this concept out with a wider variety of paintings soon.

Note: I couldn’t find a perfect match for the ‘rust’ colour in this painting, so I picked out a shade which I thought ‘summarised’ it best. Crucially, too, my shirt / painting match was unintentional 😭

#colortheory
#musictheory
#acousticguitar
#guitarlesson
#guitarchords by @willllguitar

dreamy chords into a folklore-inspired melody — featuring Mike Adam’s atmospheric work ‘a Frigid Evening’ (2025). Tuning CGCGCC

Thanks again to @stringsdirect for sending me @cleartonestrings Hybrid EQs. They work beautifully for fingerpicking alongside flat picking and have amazing resonance.

#fingerpicking
#folkguitar
#musictheory
#abstractartwork
#acousticfolk by @willllguitar

Working with intricate patterns & some unusual voicings — capturing the light, depth, and detail in Kazuo Nakamura’s ‘Blue Reflections’ (1963). DADFAD tuning.

I’d like to thank @stringsdirect for supplying me with a selection of new strings — for this composition, I used @cleartonestrings EQ Coated Hybrid in 12-53. Each wound string is made with a different alloy suited to the gauge. They have a lovely tonal balance, feel, and pretty stunning bass response in the room…

@stringsdirect also sent me a set of @jimdunlopusa Primetone Jazz III plectrums to try - I use alternate / cross-picking heavily in my work, and the precise bevelling these picks have feels great in fast pieces. I’ve used standard Jazz III for years, so this was a great way to upgrade. Highly recommended!

#alternatepicking
#abstractart
#modernfolk
#darkfolk
#guitarlesson by @willllguitar

the first section of a new composition I’m working on.

The image is from a 15th century manuscript detailing the spiritual life of Carthusian hermits. I tried to capture the solemn and mysterious atmosphere of medieval symbolism in this piece.

In the vein of ‘dark folk’ I’ve been exploring recently, history, mysticism, and folklore converge in fascinating ways…

#darkfolk
#fingerpicking
#medievalmusic
#acousticguitar
#colortheory by @willllguitar

‘Songs of the Forest’ I — this is the first instalment of a new collaborative project with @mikeadams.art

In this composition, I explored the mysticism of the dark forest landscape, touching on elements on the American gothic.

Mike’s work captures the forests of rural Maine, and has an often dark and mysterious atmosphere — an ideal counterpart to the sounds of dark folk…

#darkfolk
#colortheory
#southerngothic
#fingerpicking
#acousticguitar by @willllguitar

chords to reflect Monet’s ‘Water Lilies’ (1906).

This chord progression is the product of work I’m doing at the moment to write an arrangement of Erik Satie’s Gymnopédie No.1, which I’ll post when finished.

Tuning is EADGBE and TABs are relative to capo. I’m playing a @taylorguitars A12.

#colortheory
#guitarchords
#musictheory
#monet
#guitarlesson by @willllguitar

Shifting modal colours & fresh tonal possibilities…

I composed this piece imagining Berkowitz’ transitory, ambient spaces, and thought ‘With In’ (1985) expressed the music well.

I used an unusual tuning here — DBbDGBE. Experimenting with new tunings helps open up new harmonic approaches.

I’m playing a @taylorguitars A12 with a @jimdunlopusa Jazz III.

#musictheory
#colortheory
#abstractart
#acousticguitar
#guitarchords by @willllguitar

Caspar David Friedrich’s atmospheric, often foreboding works seem to contain a folklore of their own…

I tried to capture the ethereal, mysterious atmosphere of this mountainscape here. I didn’t include colour palettes, as I usually do — I want to let the complex shades in the forest and sky speak for themselves. DADGAD tuning.

In the next week or two, I’ll be releasing a chordbook of over 50 dark & atmospheric chords, in a variety of tunings — voicings I use frequently in my own playing and which are at home in dark folk, atmospheric, and perhaps metal settings. Look out for it!

#darkfolk
#colortheory
#guitarchords
#atmosphericmetal
#musictheory by @willllguitar

An interpretation of Mikalojus Čiurlionis’ ‘Night’ (1904), part of his series ‘Fantasies’.

‘Night’ depicts Chiron pushing a boat through a deep valley. I used a combination of harmonics and deep bass notes to evoke the sense of shimmering between placid, eerie and sinister atmospheres.

I’ve been absolutely fascinated with symbolist aesthetics recently…

Tuning: A A D G A E

I’m playing a @taylorguitars A12 here.

#colortheory
#symbolistart
#guitarchords
#darkfolk
#musictheory by @willllguitar