YouTube is a strange and amazing place, chock full of astounding creativity and talent. Sure, it has its fair share of stupidity, but there is almost nothing you can’t learn on there. Learn how to change your brakes, build a skyscraper, see places you may never get to visit, and learn to play guitar. As with most popular TV shows and films, someone has done some homework and figured out how to play Ludwig Göransson’s The Mandalorian Theme on acoustic guitar, put it on YouTube, and it sounds glorious. Check it out:
To keep up with this one, you better know your fret board. The CGDGCD tuning is unorthodox but the sound is incredible, especially those little harmonics at the high notes and the little percussion hits on the guitar body. I love that trashy, twangy Spanish guitar sound on his version. This sounds like it came straight out of a Saturday afternoon black-and-white western. There are other home-spun versions of The Mandalorian theme out there, but this one is by far my favorite. Tip of the hat for this version!
Meet your artist: Andreas Kapsalis
A quick visit to Mr. Kapsalis’ website tells us he’s from Chicago, born of musically-inclined parents who immigrated here from Greece. His mother was an opera student and his father was a violinist. Keeping with the family musical tradition, he picked up the guitar at age 11 and taught himself to play. A hand injury at 18 altered his play to a 10-finger tapping style and from his biography, he hasn’t looked back since.
“After he cut a tendon in his left hand, Kapsalis lost the ability to play guitar. He eventually regained the use of his hand, but during the time he was incapacitated, he trained himself to play the guitar using only his right hand. When he started to play again with both hands, Kapsalis developed a unique technique he calls “10-finger tapping.”
Excerpt from www.AKGuitar.com
I’m not familiar with 10-finger tapping, but it looks pretty darn impressive on this piece from The Mandalorian. I have spoken!
For those brave enough to try it…
Not only does he just play it for us, but for those brave enough to try it, he’s also done a video on the tabs. 10-finger tapping is a complicated play style. Wouldn’t you agree? Check it out:
SEE ALSO: How does The Mandalorian connect to Dungeons and Dragons?
“Luckily, not all acoustic music is created equal. When done correctly, there is something thoroughly genuine about the genre, whose masters employ it as a way to mold the most conventional of instruments into a raw exhibition of feeling. The Andreas Kapsalis Trio is an experimental acoustic ensemble that takes a drastic step away from that boozy romantic on the frat-room couch and a step towards the much more intelligent interplay of inventive guitars and solid percussion.”
Chicago INTERVIEW
He has several other videos uploaded and has cut three albums. If you are so inclined, check out his chops and buy a CD at his website listed below. Thanks for sticking with That Hashtag Show for all your Star Wars and geek pop culture news!
Source: AKGuitar.com
