UK guitarist and singer Ali Tod blends modern percussive fingerstyle guitar techniques with classical training and loop-pedal mastery, to create a live acoustic experience that gets hands clapping, hips shaking and feet stomping. Comparisons have been made to the styles of Rodrigo y Gabriela and KT Tunstall, with clear influences on her technique and stage performances.

Growing up in Edinburgh, Scotland, Ali was musical from an early age, playing guitar, violin, piano and singing. She went on to study guitar at Edinburgh Napier University, gaining a Bachelor of Music degree in Classical Music with honours, before going on to gain a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education for Secondary Music from the University of Edinburgh. Whilst carving out her own sound on acoustic guitar that combined her classical training with her wider tastes and influences, Ali has developed her musicianship as part of many separate projects. She is the lead guitarist and banjo player for critically acclaimed trad-jazz group the Red Hot Rhythm Makers, touring the UK and playing sold out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, Aberdeen Jazz Festival, Eden Festival, Audacious Women Festival and performing on BBC Radio Scotland. She is the lead guitarist in Edinburgh-based funk band Late Night Pizza and is also the founder of the Edinburgh Guitar Night, a series of live concerts in Scotland’s capital city, showcasing some of the best guitarists from around the world.

Ali has performed with her idols, GRAMMY award-winning musicians Rodrigo y Gabriela, after the Mexican guitar duo discovered her covers of their songs on social media, alongside her long-time performing partner Jenny Clifford. She since went on to perform alongside Gabriela at the winter NAMM 2020 event and performed with world-renowned bass player Nathan East, GRAMMY award winning musician Daniel Ho and thrash-metal legend and Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick. She has twice performed alongside GRAMMY award winner Brandi Carlile, singing with the Americana star at her female-led music festival Girls Just Wanna Weekend. She has since been invited to perform for a third time. In January 2020, Ali performed as part of the Women of Fingerstyle Guitar event run by Fretmonkey Records, alongside legendary female guitarists such as Kaki King, Vicki Genfan, Muriel Anderson and Christie Lenée.

Ali has performed at the Ards International Guitar Festival, Belfast Guitar Festival, London Guitar Night, Manchester Guitar Night and Edinburgh Guitar and Music Festival.​
​
Ali is currently writing new material and preparing to release her first official album. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, Ali also began the ‘Lockdown Series’, a series of online videos from some of the best guitarists around the world. The downloadable concerts were developed for an online alternative to the live gigs at the Edinburgh Guitar Night.