Ideas change everything

A young guitarist meets his hero

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Usman Riaz + Preston Reed |

TEDGlobal 2012

• June 2012

Usman Riaz is a 21-year-old whiz at the percussive guitar, a style he learned to play by watching his heroes on YouTube. The TED Fellow plays onstage at TEDGlobal 2012 -- followed by a jawdropping solo from the master of percussive guitar, Preston Reed. And watch these two guitarists take on a very spur-of-the-moment improv.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Usman Riaz is a 21-year-old whiz at the percussive guitar, a style he learned to play by watching his heroes on YouTube. The TED Fellow plays onstage at TEDGlobal 2012 -- followed by a jawdropping solo from the master of percussive guitar, Preston Reed. And watch these two guitarists take on a very spur-of-the-moment improv.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.

About the speakers

Revolutionary Guitarist

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Preston Reed’s hands have an otherworldly coordination. The fingers, nails, thumbs, and palms of both left and right dance, pluck, strum, and slap his guitar, which bursts with a full sound.

Artist, composer

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TED Senior Fellow Usman Riaz is an artist and composer.

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Usman Riaz recommends

Want to hear even more percussive guitar? Check out these performances and films created by the younger instrumentalist on his YouTube channel.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference.

Read our curation guidelines.