Beppe Gambetta – Solo Flatpicking and Then Some

Here’s Beppe Gambetta, a flatpicking guitarist that has taken the art form of Flatpicking to a whole new level.

I personally call this “Solo Flatpicking”

Perhaps I should create a new category on the right for this except, Beppe would be the only artist in it.

What he is able to do with a pick is more reminiscent to that of a fingerpicking guitarist, utilizing the guitar to it’s fullest with chords and melodies rather than just single flatpicking notes.

This piece here entitled “Fandango per la Bionda” is beautifully composed that also features something that the fingerstylists can’t technically accomplish-  some incredible runs that will leave you wondering how it is possible?

This last week it just so happens that I worked on Beppe’s new album with him entitled “American Album” which features some traditional American songs, some which predate much of what we hear today in bluegrass and folk. I will let you know when it’s out for sure, because you will definitely want to hear this!

But for now, I want to share with you some of what is making his unique sound possible. Beppe is a master of various forms of sweep picking, which is similar to shred guitar (electric). For those of you that don’t know about the sweep of the shred, it’s actually strumming down or up over a few strings in 8th note or triplet time…. but instead of playing chords, he’s using it with arpeggios and melodic scales. In this video, much of that super fast stuff you are hearing is combinations of up and down picking along with the sweeping. Yes, it’s used in Gypsy Jazz playing too, but not exactly in this fashion. Beppe’s particular pick style incorporates some double down, which is similar to that of  Brad Davis’ technique used over two strings. In this case though, he’s able to invert it backwards and use more stings… wow! 

As a personal note: I’ve been attempting this type of picking and I will tell you that it is very very difficult. But how lucky and I that I get to hang around perhaps the best guitarist in the world at this style?