Peppino D’Agostino Interview: Beyond the Guitar

By: Brad Conroy

Peppino D’Agostino has to be one of the most remarkable solo acoustic guitar players on the scene today. Not only is his technique flawless, but his compositions are truly remarkable which helps to keep him ahead of his contemporaries. He has been working very hard to make a name for himself since the 1980’s when he decided to take his career a step further by moving from Italy to San Francisco. Since then he hasn’t looked back and has been enjoying a very successful career as a guitarist, composer and arranger.

Over the past twenty years, D’Agostino has reached critical acclaim, given concerts in North and South America, Canada, and Europe, has released eight solo albums, published three instructional DVD’s, composed a movie soundtrack, collaborated with some of the best musicians in the world, helped design his own signature series Seagull guitar, just to name a few accomplishments from a list that seems to grow by the day.

His technique draws from the classical guitar world being that his right hand is well trained, virtuosic, and he has excellent tone production; while his left hand is very accurate and executes his difficult music with precision and ease. His compositional style is amazing as he draws on elements from so many different genres. This quality makes his music not only beautiful, but exciting, original, fresh, and interesting.

D’Agostino is a guitarist and musician of the highest caliber and his music transcends so many different styles that it will be attractive to a very wide audience, not only guitar players.

Recently he caught up with Guitar International and gave us some insights on his approach to music, guitar playing, and more.

Peppino D'Agostino by Giorgio Uccellini

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Brad Conroy: How did you first begin playing the guitar?

Peppino D’Agostino: I was about ten years old when I was introduced to the guitar by my cousin, who was a few years older than I am. At that time, playing guitar was a really cool thing to do in Italy, the Beatles were really popular and many people were playing and I just wanted to join the crowd.

After a while playing became an obsession for me. I began listening to many different players and trying to emulate what I heard on the recordings. In the beginning years I didn’t use many books and learned how to play mainly by ear.

My first guitar was really strange. It was a classical guitar, but it had steel strings on it, Eventually, I moved to the electric guitar after a year or two because I wanted to play like the Beatles.

Brad: Were you self-taught, and what were some of the types of things you studied?

Peppino D’Agostino: I was self-taught, and I spent a lot of time playing along with recordings and trying to emulate what my favorites like Carlos Santana were doing. Eventually I heard the recording with Santana and John Mcglaughlin and that really changed my outlook on music.

I was really inspired by John Mcglaughlin and he helped me realize that music was a subject that was to be deeply studied. I spent the next few years trying to play like him, which was impossible.

Eventually, a family member came home from a trip to America and they brought with them a recording of the great acoustic player Leo Kottke. That really changed my life. It was after that when I decided to devote myself to solo finger style acoustic playing.

Brad: Did you learn how to read music, and do you think it is an important skill?

Peppino D’Agostino: Yes I did, because a lot of the music that I wanted to play was written in notation. I remember buying this Chet Atkins book that had a beautiful arrangement of “Charade” which was a movie soundtrack. I really wanted to learn this piece; so I bought a method book which helped to teach me where the notes are in relation to the guitar. Painfully, after a while I really learned note by note how to read music, and this really helped me to start making better sense out of the instrument.

Years later I was asked to join The United Guitar Ensemble with classical guitarist David Tanenbaum, and I was the only steel string player in the group which meant that I had to really speed up the process of my note reading. I was playing a part in the “Brandenburg Concerto” by J.S. Bach, and you can’t really memorize this kind of music, you have to read it. I would say that reading music is a necessity if you are going to perform with classical musicians.

I don’t think that reading music is essential if you want to be a great guitarist though. Many of the greatest guitarist of all time have never learned how to read music, but if you want to arrange your music with other instruments, or be able to read through Bach, which is worth it just so you can see how he approaches music, than reading is a necessary skill, and by doing so will make you a better musician all around.

Brad: You use a lot of alternate tunings on the guitar. Can you tell us what you like about them and how a young player might get started using them too?

Peppino D’Agostino: I use both standard and alternate tunings. With the standard tuning I am able to understand chord progressions, scales, and all of the theory because in most books that is how it is explained. When you alter the tuning everything changes, the familiar chord shapes, patterns, and scale positions aren’t there anymore. That is the disadvantage of alternate tunings; you can’t approach it from the intellectual. When I am in a new tuning, I use an instinctual approach and just follow the notes, sounds, and try not to let the intellectual get in the way.

The advantage of alternate tunings is you can get new chord inversions that aren’t possible in standard, as well as new and interesting sounding chords which really help to make the guitar sound fresh sometimes. Another advantage is that just by strumming the open strings you have a chord and that can really help give you the freedom for exciting new rhythms and melodies.

Peppino D'Agostino by Shawns Design

Brad: Does using different tunings cause any problems when playing live shows?

Peppino D’Agostino: My guitar is a signature model that I helped design and it has an interesting headstock. It is very narrow so that the strings are in a straight line to the tuning machines which helps the guitar stay in tune.

I haven’t had too many problems changing tunings during live shows; I think my guitars are used to it. If I am performing close to my home in California I will bring a few guitars with me; a steel, nylon, and twelve string, but if I am performing internationally it would be a nightmare to travel with three guitars.

Brad: Can you tell us how you approach composing a new piece?

Peppino D’Agostino: It was the Mahavishnu Orchestra that really opened the door, inspired and left an imprint on me in this area. John Mcglaughlin, especially on the first two recordings, played music that you could tell was deeply studied, there were elements of Stravinsky, and the music was also highly instinctual and from the heart. The music I write comes from an intellectual and soulful or spiritual place. Different moods help to inspire me, thinking about my wife, or things going on around me all inspire my compositions.

Brad: You have quite a few YouTube videos; can you tell us how this has helped your career?

Peppino D’Agostino: It is all part of a combination of things that you need in order to get things going from a business stand point. You need a certain structure and a team behind you to really help get things moving. I have a manager, and recently started working with a publishing company, and the internet has all been a part of it. The YouTube videos have really helped to get my name and music out there, but you can’t only do that. I personally feel that you need to tour a lot, have a few recordings, stay in touch with your fans, and be on the internet to name a few.

Brad: What kind of advice can you give the aspiring solo acoustic guitarist?

Peppino D’Agostino: Listen to a variety of styles, study a lot of technique and make sure the mechanics of your technique are well understood; like right and left hand, tone production, etc. Find a very knowledgeable teacher to help guide you, and begin to compose and create your own music from the very early stages. This is how you will find your own voice and style.

Brad: What are some of the elements that you think make a great musician?

Peppino D’Agostino: I think having an understanding of how other instruments work and not just being confined to the guitar is a big part of it. Also, it is important to explore many different styles of music, and not just focus on one. When you do this you will learn so much about music, and learn many different approaches to improvising, structure, and harmony.

Brad: What does the future have in store for Peppino D’Agostino?

Peppino D’Agostino: I am going to keep on being thankful, practicing, writing and recording, and I want to put together a tour with a few guitarists of differing genres; very similar to the one I just did with Andy McKee and Eric Johnson. I am working on a book which is in the second draft of corrections, and hopefully there will be some new videos, and who knows where else this will all take me. I am just so happy to be doing what I love.

Peppino D'Agostino by Aleza D'Agostino

Peppino D’Agostino has to be one of the most remarkable solo acoustic guitar players on the scene today. Not only is his technique flawless, but his compositions are truly remarkable which helps to keep him ahead of his contemporaries. He has been working very hard to make a name for himself since the 1980’s when he decided to take his career a step further by moving from Italy to San Francisco. Since then he hasn’t looked back and has been enjoying a very successful career as a guitarist, composer and arranger.

Over the past twenty years, D’Agostino has reached critical acclaim, given concerts in North and South America, Canada, and Europe, has released eight solo albums, published three instructional DVD’s, composed a movie soundtrack, collaborated with some of the best musicians in the world, helped design his own signature series Seagull guitar, just to name a few accomplishments from a list that seems to grow by the day.

His technique draws from the classical guitar world being that his right hand is well trained, virtuosic, and he has excellent tone production; while his left hand is very accurate and executes his difficult music with precision and ease. His compositional style is amazing as he draws on elements from so many different genres. This quality makes his music not only beautiful, but exciting, original, fresh, and interesting.

D’Agostino is a guitarist and musician of the highest caliber and his music transcends so many different styles that it will be attractive to a very wide audience, not only guitar players.

Recently he caught up with Guitar International and gave us some insights on his approach to music, guitar playing, and more.