“It’s really weird, being a teacher at Berklee College of Music: 400 students asking questions – I’m the instructor, and I’m the only one there who can’t read”: How Tommy Emmanuel deals with his lack of music theory – and when it lets him down

Tommy Emmanuel playing guitar in front of a turquoise background.

Just weeks after Cory Wong broke the internet with his divisive claims about music theory and what it takes to be an elite guitarist, acoustic guitar extraordinaire Tommy Emmanuel has opened up about the “bizarre” struggles he faces because of the holes in his knowledge.

Yet, with the Grammy winner regarded as one of the best acoustic guitar players in the world, his comments add weight to those who argue that music theory isn’t the be-all-and-end-all, and may leave Wong red-faced.