You Will Become: Guitar TAB

This collection captures Hansard's gift for emotional authenticity and melodic clarity, making his music exceptionally rewarding to learn and perform on guitar. The song selection spans his entire career arc, offering guitarists access to material ranging from sparse, fingerpicking-driven arrangements to fuller rock textures. The TAB format removes unnecessary transcription work, letting players focus on interpretation and the distinct character each piece demands.

These songs inhabit a space between folk intimacy and rock honesty, where a single guitar line can carry the emotional weight of an entire performance. Hansard's melodies tend toward earthy, memorable shapes that feel natural under the fingers while maintaining emotional directness. The collection invites both quiet reflection and energetic engagement, depending on which piece you're exploring.

This book serves intermediate to advanced guitarists seeking contemporary singer-songwriter material with substance and emotional depth. It's ideal for players who want to expand beyond standard folk repertoire into songs that combine technical interest with interpretive opportunity. Solo performers, singer-songwriters, and guitarists building recital programs will find substantial, career-spanning material here.

• Pay attention to dynamics within each piece; Hansard's songwriting often relies on subtle volume shifts and restraint rather than technical complexity to communicate emotion.
• Experiment with pick attack and fingerstyle approaches alongside the written TAB. Hansard's own interpretations frequently shift between these techniques within a single song.
• Let space breathe in the quieter material. Many of these songs gain power through what isn't played as much as what is.
• Study any studio recordings available to absorb Hansard's phrasing and rhythmic nuance, especially in songs built around fingerpicked patterns.

Program these songs in recitals where you want to showcase contemporary songwriting alongside traditional folk or rock material. The stylistic range across the 18 titles makes it possible to create a cohesive set that moves between moods and intensities without feeling scattered. Individual pieces also work well as opening or closing material in mixed-repertoire concerts.

• Fingerstyle and pick-driven hybrid techniques
• Dynamics and touch control across varying song structures
• Phrasing and interpretation of contemporary melody
• Chord voicing choices in folk and rock contexts
• Managing space and silence as musical elements