beckylangan.com
Born in Rochdale, England (1992), Becky Langan is a percussive finger style guitarist who employs a combination of extended techniques that explore the outermost reaches of the acoustic guitar. With over 13 years playing experience, Becky unleashes her creativity by performing incredibly complex instrumental acoustic guitar compositions at concerts around the UK. Having attended numerous master classes from her main inspirations, Becky employs the use of unique alternative tunings, two-handed tapping, percussive tempos and natural harmonic melodies drawn from her inspirations Andy McKee, Jon Gomm, Maneli Jamal and Thomas Leeb. To this day, Becky has approximately 5000 online YouTube subscribers, and her channel has rapidly grown an appreciative audience from all over the world.
Becky was a semi-finalist on Guitar Star 2016 (Series 2) which aired on Sky Arts – a TV show which scours the UK to discover a world-class guitarist. Throughout this competition, she recorded at Abbey Road Studios with producer Tony Visconti and received mentor sessions from many iconic musicians, including; Tony Iommi, George Benson, Wilko Johnson, Jon Gomm and Preston Reed.
1 – What is your earliest memory of music in your life?
Music was never really a part of my life… not until I was 11 years old. My Dad and older Brother decided to start learning the guitar, and being a pretty curious child, I picked it up and immediately took to it. My first song happened to be Big Yellow Taxi, Joni Mitchell! I don’t think I had even heard the original… I just wanted to learn a song about a taxi. 🙂
2 – What album influenced you or your style the most?
Art of Motion, Andy McKee and Secret Nobody Keeps, Jon Gomm. It’s too hard to choose between the two!
3 – What piece or performance are you most proud of to date?
I think my most proud performance would have to be when I performed my original track “Aurora” on the first episode of Guitar Star series two. Going from an introverted bedroom guitarist / biology postgrad student, to performing in front of George Benson, Tony Visconti and Miloš Karadaglić on Sky Arts TV was a pretty surreal and nerve-wracking situation…
Twenty other guitarists performed that day and the standard was absolutely insane. I got through to the top eight guitarists, despite performing on no sleep. I must have done okay!
Becky’s Signature gauge strings can be purchased here:
http://s745970723.websitehome.co.uk/shop/becky-langan-signature-master-class-series/