TOPIC: How does he do it?

If you notice - FM also plays with his eyes closed. He pictures exactly where he needs to go and hears it loud and plays it great. I think he is amazing.

Perhaps the fact that his guitar is directed at you has something to do with it. The sound from your guitar is projecting away from you.

I tend to agree with the last reply - re having the guitar projecting towards you. Everyone else's guitar always sounds louder than mine probably because I'm facing them.

Of course given FM's skill - he knows he's going to strike the right note when he picks -but for me -there's always that uncertainty that I may hit the wrong note (or string!) so am a little hesitant to hammer it too loudly!

Are you using a heavy (thick) pick? I can't get any volume out of those thins or mediums. Of course, I can't play as loud as FM even with the thickpick, but it helps.

I think it's three things already mentioned, you've got to have a heavy pick, confidence in plucking the string without caring whether you're right or wrong, and the guitar is facing you.

Tubes!