ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAGAZINE September 2024 Issue SUMMER ISSUE Vol.101 (Cover: Captivated by Pop Songs / Special Songbook Booklet Included)

Cover/SPECIAL PROGRAM Fascinated by popular songs (page 58) ~Unraveling the magic of pop music from the perspective of acoustic guitar

Acoustic Guitar Magazine has featured many times on the Japanese folk scene, but in its 101st issue, the magazine will feature "pop songs" that established Japanese pop music after that. They are catchy and easy to sing along to. The 1970s and 1980s, which are considered the golden age of pop music, were filled with hit songs that captured the hearts of people of all ages and backgrounds, perhaps due to the influence of popular TV programs such as "The Best Ten" and "Yoru no Hit Studio." In recent years, they have been attracting the attention of young music lovers under the category of "Japanese music." We will delve deeper into the theme of popular songs and acoustic guitars, looking at what role the acoustic guitar played in the increasingly gorgeous accompaniment sounds of songs, and the memoirs of the masters who continued to support it. Do you like popular songs?・Interviews: Goro Noguchi, Shigeru Matsuzaki, Kazuzo Seo (arranger) ・The footsteps of the four kings of pop guitar: Takahiko Ishikawa, Tadahide Yoshikawa, Toshiaki Fuefuki, Hiromi Yasuda ・A direct interview with Isao Saito, the first call in the enka world, and 14 popular pop song intros you want to play! And more

THE INSTRUMENTS The dawn of the beautiful electric acoustic guitar ~Electric acoustics that colored the pop/new wave scene (10 pages)

As pop/new wave started to become popular, there were more performance scenes on TV, and live performances in halls and stadiums required high volume. This led to the necessity of amplifying the acoustic guitar as well. With Ovation as the pioneer in 1968, Yamaha released the FG-350E in 1972, and Takamine, a representative of electric acoustic guitars, entered the market in 1978. Japanese manufacturers such as Morris, Aria, and Yairi Guitar also researched the field of electric acoustic guitars and developed various electric acoustic models. It is the trial and error at this time that has led to the evolution of electric acoustic guitars today. We trace how each manufacturer competed with each other at that time.

PLAYING KNOW HOW Lots of great songs! Enjoying pop songs on solo guitar feat. Matsui Yuki (16 pages / WEB linked)

If you look at the accompaniment of pop songs alone, the acoustic guitar is not necessarily the main character. However, if you look at the essence of the songs, there are many rich songs, and it can be said that it is a great music genre even for solo guitar. We asked fingerstyle master Matsui Yuki to arrange these classic songs for solo guitar.

"Stranger" by Kubota Saki "Blue Coral Reef" by Matsuda Seiko "Sayonara no Mukougawa" by Yamaguchi Momoe "Ruby no Yubiwa" by Terao Akira

INTERVIEW Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn Kojun

EVENT REPORT To celebrate the 100th issue of this magazine, Oshio Kotaro/Oki Jin "ONE NIGHT SESSION" @Billboard Live Tokyo Eric Clapton European Tour 2024 Morris Fingerpicking Day 2024 AGM Award Interview: Kamihigashi Yuji Sound Messe in OSAKA 2024

Serial seminar: Let's take another look! The basics of acoustic guitar

- (YouTube link) Dr. Capital: Learning music theory with an acoustic guitar (part 14)

- (YouTube link) Oki Jin: Does it have to be a flamenco guitar? (15th)

・(YouTube Link) Saito Johnny: Modern Bluegrass Flatpicking Revolution (8th)

GEARS Shop Report: Tripper’s Guitars

Takada Ren’s Folk Days Memories: Final Episode Asada Hiroshi’s “Listen to Bluegrass, Not Rock, Final Episode

Japanese Guitar Workshop: 85th: Kaoru Acoustic Craft/Nakajima Kaoru

Build an Acoustic Guitar with a DIY Kit: 14th Episode

Welcome to Acoustic’s Room presented by Last Guitar: 3rd: Antoine Dufour

Buy Acoustic Guitars: Let’s Go to Blue-G!: 12th Episode: Cyrus Guitars

[Renewal] New Gear Sound Check feat. Igusa Seiji

Back Issues/Back Issues Permanent Store List

◎Special Songbook Booklet (32 pages)

AGM SONG BOOK Vol.15

"Enchanted" Judy Ongg "Cotton Handkerchief" Ota Hiromi "As Time Goes By" Sawada Kenji "Cosmos" Yamaguchi Momoe "The Day the Seagulls Flew" Watanabe Machiko "Tears Are Not Decoration" Nakamori Akina "Letters from Canada" Hirao Masaaki & Hatanaka Yoko "Good Luck" Noguchi Goro "Dancing All Night" Monta & Brothers "Sad Color" Ueda Masaki "Wine Red Heart" Anzenchitai "Lipstick on a T-Shirt" Rats & Star "The Times" Nakajima Miyuki