Guitar Melody, Molly Tuttle, Gretsch Nigel Hendroff Penguin
Guitar Practice
Let's take a look at an arpeggiated melody that could pass for a classical etude in the style of JS Bach, but could sound equally at home in a gypsy jazz tune. This uses a repeated pattern as it runs through a few different chords.
As always, start by taking it slow, and then gradually work on building up speed. Try playing it both with a pick and fingerstyle.
Guitarist Spotlight
Who is Molly Tuttle?
Nashville-based Molly Tuttle is an award-winning bluegrass guitarist, singer, and songwriter - and one of today's most dynamic musicians. She's is a flatpicking powerhouse with serious guitar chops and a great voice.
Molly blends bluegrass, folk, and Americana with with incredible skill and heartfelt songwriting. Whether she’s flying through fast, intricate solos or singing a ballad, she makes it all look and sound effortless.
The Backstory
Molly grew up in California in a musical family, surrounded by bluegrass and folk music. She started playing guitar when she was just 8 years old and quickly became known for her talent. By the time she was a teenager, she was performing on stage and amazing people with her flatpicking skills. She later attended the Berklee College of Music, where she studied songwriting and honed her technique before launching her solo career.
Music
Molly mixes traditional bluegrass with folk, country, and indie influences.
In addition to being known for her great live shows, Molly has released many great albums, and has collaborated with a lot of other amazing musicians - including Billy Strings, Ringo Starr, Bela Fleck, Dave Matthews, Jerry Douglas, and Tommy Emmanuel.
She first gained recognition as a member of The Tuttles with A.J. Lee before launching her solo career, which has earned her multiple accolades, including a Grammy Award for Crooked Tree (2022) with her band Golden Highway. She was the first woman to win the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Guitar Player of the Year award (which is just one of many awards she's won).
Her technical mastery, expressive songwriting, and genre-bending collaborations have positioned her as one of today's most exciting contemporary bluegrass artists.
What Makes Her Stand Out?
- Crazy good flatpicking – She can play lightning-fast bluegrass runs while still keeping it smooth and musical.
- Beautiful, expressive voice – Her singing is full of warmth and emotion.
- Award-winning talent – She was the first woman to ever win IBMA’s Guitar Player of the Year award
- Mix of old and new – She stays true to her bluegrass roots but adds a modern twist.
Why You Should Care
Molly Tuttle is helping shape the future of bluegrass and folk music. She brings fresh energy to traditional sounds, making her music exciting for both longtime bluegrass fans and new listeners.
Key Gear
- Preston Thompson Molly Tuttle Signature Model acoustic
- Thompson Guitars D-BA dreadnaught (which her signature model was based after)
- Huss & Dalton TD-R and the TOM-M acoustic guitars
- Dunlop Jazztone 207 large round tip guitar picks
- D'Addario XSAPB1356 Phosphor Bronze Coated Acoustic Guitar Strings (.013-.056)
Recommended Listening
- Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - City of Gold
- Molly Tuttle - ...but i'd rather be with you (album featuring cover songs)
- Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway - Crooked Tree (which won the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album!)
Check out Molly Tuttle
Website | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook
Gear Showcase
Gretsch Nigel Hendroff Penguin
What is the Gretsch Nigel Hendroff Penguin?
The Gretsch G6134TFM-NH Nigel Hendroff Penguin is a beautiful, high-end guitar designed for serious players who want killer sound and stunning looks.
Nigel Hendroff, a well-known music director, producer and worship guitarist at Hillsong Church in Sydney, Australia teamed up with Gretsch to create a guitar that’s versatile, rich in tone, and built for live performance.
While in many ways, the Gretsch Penguin is essentially a blinged-up, sexier version of their Jet model, it typically also has some different specs/features than the regular Jet.
The Nigel Hendroff Penguin has an awesome-looking flamed maple top, a chambered mahogany body (for reduced weight, and a livelier, more articulate tone), and a smooth U-shaped neck.
It comes in Amber Flame or Dark Cherry Metallic Flame finishes, with matching headcaps, a tortoise pickguard, mother of pearl fingerboard inlays and nickel hardware including jeweled arrow knobs, Grover® Imperial™ tuners, and a banjo armrest.
This model takes the iconic Gretsch sound and fine-tunes it for warm, shimmering cleans and smooth overdrive—perfect for soaring leads and atmospheric chords.
What Makes It Special?
- Flame maple top & sleek finish – Looks as good as it sounds.
- TV Jones pickups – Clear, rich, and powerful tones.
- Bigsby tremolo – Classic Gretsch vibe with smooth pitch control.
- Modern feel – Comfortable neck and top-tier craftsmanship.
Check Out the Demo Video
Check out the Gretsch Nigel Hendroff Penguin
Gretsch Website | View on Reverb
News & Notes
- Gibson announced the signature Margo Price J-45 acoustic guitar, in Heritage Cherry Sunburst. It features a slightly thinner mahogany body, a red spruce top, a rounded neck profile, double 50s-style pickguards with red-tailed hawk graphics, and R. Baggs VTC electronics.
- Looking to dig a bit further into Molly Tuttle's playing? The Shred With Shifty podcast posted an episode that dissects Molly's fiery flatpicking solo on “San Joaquin". Apple | Spotify
- Fender's credit rating was downgraded by Moody's, citing an expected challenging environment due to impacts of newly imposed tariffs, as well as things like labor inflation.
- Fender added a cool new color to their American Ultra guitar line - Solar Flare. The goldish-yellow color stands out, and looks especially good on the Stratocaster with the maple fretboard.
- Anderton's Music demoed and compared several of the top guitar amp profiler pedals.
Currently Spinning in the Office
Nels Cline - Consentrik Quartet
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