“The six-string system never hooked my brain. With this guitar, none of the shapes work, so you have to think differently”: Jacob Collier taught me how to play his 5-string guitar – but I learned much more than just new shapes and tunings

Jacob Collier playing his five-string Taylor acoustic.

Jacob Collier is fast becoming a guitar hero for the modern age. That’s not because he can shred faster than the speed of light, nor is it because he’s taking progressive techniques to new heights.

It is, quite simply, because he is inspiring players to approach the instrument in an entirely new way – and, when it comes to the future and longevity of the guitar, that is what matters. With his unique five-string guitars and carefully devised symmetrical open tuning – a symmetrical fourths/fifths tuning of D, A, E, A, D – Collier is unlocking an entirely new language on the instrument. And it’s making a mark.