About This Piece
Aftermath is Erik Mongrain's most emotionally complex composition — a piece that feels like a storm clearing. Unlike the frenetic AirTap!, Aftermath builds slowly, with long arcing phrases and moments of real stillness between the percussive bursts.
The piece was described by Mongrain as reflecting on something that has already passed — hence the title. It has a cinematic quality, like a film score for something beautiful and slightly melancholy.
Technical Overview
Mongrain uses an open C tuning (C-G-C-G-C-E) that gives the piece its rich, low resonance:
- Lap-style tapping: Like AirTap!, the guitar is laid flat and both hands tap on the strings and body
- Body percussion: The guitar body acts as a drum, with palm slaps providing kick and snare-like accents
- Harmonics over fretted notes: Combining fretted bass notes with harmonic melodies above — complex coordination required
Learning Path
This is harder than AirTap! in some ways because it demands musical maturity alongside the technical skill. The long, sustained passages require the player to project emotion rather than just execute technique. Learn the mechanics first, then work on the music.