Petteri Sariola discusses his unique, percussive acoustic grooves with GP in this new interview.

091_gpr0218_frets_sariola-1 AJ Savolainen

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“Guitar Heroism was uncool around the circle

Petteri Sariola discusses his unique, percussive acoustic grooves with GP in this new interview.

091_gpr0218_frets_sariola-1

AJ Savolainen

“Guitar Heroism was uncool around the circle of DJ and drummer friends I knew growing up,” says Finnish fingerstylist Petteri Sariola, “so instead of concentrating on fast single-note lines, I focused on learning how to play in the pocket. That was a nice balance to my classical studies, which were all about making melodic phrases ‘sing.’”

Sariola takes percussive acoustic grooves to unprecedented depths on Resolution [Lasso], and he balances them with lofty melodic flights. If you’ve heard a funkier two-hand acoustic throwdown than Sariola riffing up “San Francisco Drive,” please send an email naming it! Listen to “Freedom Rag” to hear him blend DADGAD chime with blistering rhythmic flourishes. “Howling at the Moon” is a tender tenor-guitar fingerpicker, and the life-affirming R&B slow jam “I Sing Mmm” drips like tears of joy.

Players are clearly curious about how Sariola slams a 6-string. His You-Tube video “How to Drum Your Guitar” has nearly 350,000 views. It’s hard to find a player possessing such a satisfying combination of technical virtuosity and musicality.

What influences give your style a distinctly Finnish flavor?

You can hear a lot of kantele influence in my playing. It’s the national instrument of Finland, as well as my late grandfather’s main instrument. It’s like a harp, and it’s related to the zither. If the sound of classical guitar resembles harp, the sound of steel-string guitar resembles kantele. I subconsciously mimic its unique sustain in my compositions.

Did you always have your sights set on playing acoustic fingerstyle?

I wanted to play rock as a kid, but only classical guitar lessons were available, so I started them when I was seven. I finally picked up the electric when

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