Matteo Mancuso, one of the guitar world’s most electrifying talents in recent memory, has released his latest single – and it’s a tribute to fellow electric guitar virtuoso Paul Gilbert, titled Paul Position.
By now, Mancuso’s playing shouldn’t need an introduction. After sharing his equally-inspiringly-named debut single Drop D (yes, it’s performed in drop D tuning) last year, Mancuso’s clout has continued to increase exponentially, with many guitar fans – pros and amateurs alike – hailing his mind-melting technical abilities.
Said abilities are spearheaded by a sound barrier-breaking fingerstyle speed that sees Mancuso play faster than most people can think, coupled with an inexplicably grounded grasp on dynamic phrasing and melody.
There’s a reason why he was tipped for greatness by the likes of Steve Vai, Joe Bonamassa, Al Di Meola and Tosin Abasi well before Drop D’s release, but now we’re truly living in the era of Mancuso, and, with the release of Paul Position, it seems to be entering its next chapter.
Swapping his favored Yamaha Revstar for a Bacci baritone guitar, Mancuso embraces his funk fusion side, supercharging a Snarky Puppy-style sound and serving up four-minutes of bouncy riffs and, of course, some sublime soloing.
The track, in all honesty, could quite easily be an ode to Mark Lettieri, but there’s more than enough shred – and Mr. Big-informed licks – to cement it as a particularly potent Paul Gilbert tribute track.
“I wrote it some days after receiving this wonderful Baritone Guitar from Bacci,” Mancuso explains. “If you are wondering why it's called Paul Position, it's because I was inspired by one of my favourite players, Mr. Paul Gilbert! You may recognize some of his signature licks in the solo section.”
It’s a nice full-circle moment for Mancuso, who back in 2014 uploaded a video of him covering Gilbert’s Technical Difficulties – one of just many renditions that put his name on the radar of his countless A-list admirers.
Speaking to Guitar World after breaking onto the scene, Mancuso discussed the origins of his unorthodox approach to the guitar, explaining, “I started playing with fingers when I was around 10 years old. That was my first approach.
“I never played with a pick because I often saw my father playing a lot of classical guitar with fingers back then, and I just thought every guitar was meant to be played like that.”
Since Mancuso’s debut, players across the globe have been left mesmerized by his technique. In a series of chats with Guitarist, the young virtuoso worked to demystify his approach, previously highlighting his top tips for playing better lead lines and the secrets behind his unorthodox style.
Following the release of Paul Position, Mancuso is now in, erm, pole position to start paving the way for his second studio album. Here's hoping more baritone tracks will follow...
