Matteo Mancuso: The Electric Fingerstyle Virtuoso Shredding New Ground
Experiencing Matteo Mancuso’s electric fingerstyle guitar playing is nothing short of awe-inspiring, especially when witnessed live.The young Italian prodigy, who primarily resides near palermo, Sicily, is making a rare appearance in the United States for an extensive tour this spring. His performances are a treat for fans, as he typically spends most of his time abroad.
This past January, Mancuso electrified the audience at the NAMM Show with a stunning performance at the Yamaha Grand Plaza Stage. Following that, he graced California with a few shows, including a special event promoted by Guitar Player at the beautiful Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara.
during a soundcheck, Mancuso shared insights into his gear (check out the video below). Afterward, he graciously took time to discuss his extraordinary plucking technique, which has garnered attention across the guitar community. He also revealed exciting details about his upcoming album, Route 96, set to release on April 24 through Artone/Music Theories.
The album promises to be a sonic adventure, featuring notable collaborations. The opening track, “Solar Wind,” showcases a dazzling partnership with guitar legend Steve Vai, while the lead single, “Isla Feliz,” features the incredible gypsy jazz guitarist Antoine boyer. The fusion of diverse guitar styles and tones makes this one of the most compelling instrumental pieces of the year.
In the “Isla Feliz” video, it seems you recorded a gypsy acoustic track with the band, then layered your electric lead and Boyer’s gypsy lead. Can you elaborate on your vision for this track?
I aimed to capture elements of Steve’s style to invite him, and ‘Solar Wind’ was my way of crafting a song that reflects that.”
– Matteo Mancuso
That’s how the track came together. I wanted to create a piece that blended gypsy,electric guitar,and classical influences. Antoine Boyer was the first artist I reached out to for the album, and I’m thrilled about our collaboration.
His style is a perfect match becuase he transcends the typical gypsy guitarist mold. He absorbs various influences and can play multiple genres, making him an ideal collaborator.What he contributed is nothing short of a masterpiece.
How did you manage to get Steve Vai involved in the album’s lead track,”Solar Wind”?
I sought to emulate Steve’s style to extend an invitation,and “Solar Wind” was my attempt to write a piece that resonates with his musical essence. The track features melodies that reflect his signature taste, and I incorporated unconventional time signatures reminiscent of frank Zappa, such as 5/4 and 7/8.
Have you drawn inspiration from classic fingerstyle rock guitarists like Mark Knopfler and Jeff Beck?
Absolutely.
There’s an impressive Jeff Beck tribute happening in Northern California featuring Daniele Gottardo, an Italian guitarist praised by Steve Vai as one of the brightest talents in modern electric guitar.What are your thoughts on him?
Absolutely. He is undoubtedly one of the standout players of his generation. And I’m not just saying that because he’s Italian. Daniele is a versatile musician who can master any style. I remember when his videos first surfaced; everyone was blown away by his tapping technique, musicality, and tone.
Your use of advanced fingerstyle techniques on electric guitar is equally remarkable. Were you classically trained in free strokes and rest strokes?
Yes, indeed. There are notable differences between the two techniques, and mastering both is essential. The free stroke can be more challenging to control since you don’t rest your finger on the next string after plucking a note. Your fingers are essentially floating, which requires considerable progress.
Utilizing free strokes is particularly beneficial for playing passages with single notes on each string, such as arpeggios. It allows for a dedicated finger to be ready to strike each string without waiting for a pick to arrive.
With the thumb also available, my wrist maintains a natural angle of about 45 degrees. This positioning allows all four fingers to be utilized, although I’ve never learned to incorporate my pinky effectively.
Having a dedicated finger ready to strike each string is crucial, as it eliminates the wait for the pick to reach the string.”
– Matteo Mancuso
Employing free strokes influences your phrasing, leading to varied forms and patterns. For instance, I enjoy playing perfect fourth intervals.[[[[He demonstrates an arpeggiated passage.]
Your plucking hand resembles a claw, with each finger assigned to a specific string. As you play arpeggios from low to high, your hand shifts from hovering over strings six through three to five through two, and finally to four through one. This pattern reverses on the way down,adjusting focus as needed. Is that correct?
Exactly. Each finger corresponds to a different string, and I adjust my hand position based on the strings I need to play.
For passages requiring consecutive notes on a single string, do you switch to a vertical hand position for the rest stroke technique?
Yes, the rest stroke technique offers better control for playing on the same string, essentially functioning as tremolo picking. Additionally, developing a strong rest stroke attack results in greater volume.
As a notable example, hear’s the free stroke[[[[plays a tremolo picking part]. And here’s the rest stroke[[[[plays the same part, noticeably louder]. It’s often recommended to use the rest stroke for melodies to achieve more volume and clarity, while the free stroke is preferred for arpeggios due to its ease of use.
Excessive wrist bending, as seen with some bass players, can be detrimental to your tendons and comfort.”
– Matteo Mancuso
I’ve learned this from classical techniques and apply it to electric guitar.While I often use free strokes for melodies across multiple strings, I prefer the picado, or rest stroke technique, for its clarity.
I keep my elbow close to my body, ensuring my arm and wrist are aligned straight down, avoiding side bending. This position allows my fingers to remain relaxed. although I hold my hand slightly away from the strings,I maintain a slight downward bend at the wrist for comfort while playing certain lines.
overextending the wrist, as some bassists do, is not ideal for tendon health or comfort. The classical approach involves using a stool and placing the guitar on the left leg, which alleviates severe bending and provides support.
It’s interesting how your guitar has a built-in ledge above the sixth string to support your thumb while using fingers for rest strokes. How many fingers do you typically use?
I often utilize two or three fingers.
When you engage in picado plucking, does the finger order go: middle, ring, index?
It varies. I can execute it in both directions. Sometimes the sequence is 3, 2, 1, 2, 3. It’s instinctual for me, depending on the line. it’s easier to maintain the accent on the same finger when playing triplets.
I’ve integrated techniques from the bass world, classical music, and various electric guitar styles.”
– Matteo Mancuso
The tremolo picking section near the end of “Eruption” exemplifies a line that breaks down into triplets, making it beneficial to repeat the pattern of ring, middle, and index fingers. Though, for more complex runs, like those from yngwie Malmsteen, I mix it up.[[[[He plays an intricate Yngwie Malmsteen passage.]
It’s incredible to see someone execute Yngwie licks using fingerstyle.
While it’s uncommon to see this technique applied to electric guitar, I don’t claim to have invented it. I’ve borrowed elements from the bass and classical worlds, as well as various electric guitar techniques. I had to adapt classical techniques since classical players don’t deal with distortion and have more space between strings.
Consequently,my movements are more focused and less wide. I also need to manage distortion, so I employ slight palm muting. If I mute too much, I lose the desired sound.
What are your views on natural versus artificial nails?
Natural nails don’t hold up well. I prefer using fake nails.I utilize acrygel, a combination of acrylic and gel, which is durable enough for my playing style and doesn’t wear down quickly from the strings. I do need to file them a bit with sandpaper after each concert, but it’s a solid solution.
How do you prevent your nails from snagging on the strings?
The angle of attack is crucial. When I pluck, I aim slightly to the left side of the nail, which is where it tends to wear down the most, especially on my middle finger. The other side isn’t as significant. The nail’s shape and length are essential; the shorter the nail, the better, especially with closer string spacing.
Playing electric guitar with fingers is quite complex.”
– Matteo Mancuso
Classical guitars do have wider spacing. Why don’t more classically trained players apply those fingerstyle techniques to lead electric guitar like you do?
I’m not entirely sure. Playing electric guitar with fingers is quite intricate. My journey began with my father, who is also a guitarist. He played fingerstyle classical guitar, but I was drawn to rock music.
My introduction to guitar came from listening to AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. I was captivated by the electric guitar world, so I started playing electric guitar with my fingers, believing that all guitars were meant to be played this way. I didn’t realize that electric guitars typically use picks while classical guitars use fingers. I thought, why not play however you like?
