Anyone who has watched Michael Angelo Batio on YouTube would tell you about his renowned jaw-dropping speed on the guitar. Batio is not the only guitarist who plays the double neck guitar or the V neck guitar; there are many others like Slash of Guns N’ Roses to Steve Vai to name a few.

Like Batio, Slash and Vai, who excel in their own way with their own guitar techniques and playing style, meet 21 year old Italian guitarist Davide Lo Surdo, who believe it or not, can play 129 notes per second. 

The quick fingers of Davide Lo Surdo makes the public go into raptures. In the Sanremo Music Awards he was noticed by the Patron of the event Convertino who offered him a contract with Warner. Surdo, took the prize in the ‘Rising Star’ section, as the “fastest guitarist in the world”.

As an award winner he was also to be part of the musical "Silk Road"; a sort of Tour / Caravan, where the winners will travel over 9,000 km by bus for the entire Silk Road, stopping off in over 25 countries, in as many theaters. A musical journey that will lead them to tread the stages of half of Europe and part of Asia, up to the final in Beijing after 3 months of concerts and promotion. However due to the Corona virus pandemic the tour was put off.

The Roman lad has toured all over the world with guitar gods like Michael Angelo Batio, Steve Vai, Mike Stern and Ritchie Blackmore and many more, who were amazed at his guitar wizardry.At their side, he was able to compare himself with the best guitarists in the world and each of them was surprised by his speed, his talent.

Davide has already been competing for some years, in different parts of the world, with the most virtuous guitarists of the moment, earning a place in the show business for his skill and natural talent, after years of active militancy. He is also official endorser for Reference Cables, Italy.

And did you know that the “fastest guitarist in the world” has infact visited India?

Verus Ferreira speaks with the critically acclaimed guitarist Davide Lo Surdo to know his musical journey.

Let’s go back to where it all started. How did you learn the guitar?  

I started playing guitar when I was 9 years old. Actually when I was young, I saw my neighbor and her dad playing a classical guitar and I got fascinated. So I started taking lessons in a church with a priest and after a few months, he advised my family to call a professional guitar teacher for me. At the beginning, I had some private guitar teachers but after some years I learnt a lot from the guitar players I was playing on tour.

As far as academics are concerned, how far have you studied?

I have a graduation in foreign languages.

Tell us something about your family, brothers and sisters. Are they also into music?

My family never played musical instruments. I have a very close relationship with my grandmother and I have a younger brother. 

Does anyone in your family also play the guitar or any other instrument?

I am the first in all my family to play a musical instrument.

You won an award at the Sanremo Music Awards. Can you tell us something about this award and what it means winning this prestigious award.

It was a great experience that I did in December 2019 in Venice, Italy. I am happy for this award in my country and I am proud of it.  

How does it feel to be recognized as the Fastest Guitarist in the World?

It feels really great. I always loved the speed on guitar but obviously with accuracy and of course being considered the Fastest Guitarist in the world is something amazing for me.

You were also part of the Silk Road. Can you tell us what this is all about? The Silk Road is a tour that has not been possible to do so far for the pandemic.

You surprised everyone with your speed and talent, in playing 129 notes/second. How did you achieve such a feat and learn to play so fast? 

The first thing I learnt about playing fast is that before to do that, you need to know how to play slow because it helps to increase the accuracy of what you are going to play. I learnt to play fast in this way and doing a lot of practice. The 129 notes/second is a serious of 5 arpeggios that I play together so playing them at my speed, it reaches that number of notes/second. 

Which guitars do you use?

I use Koloss Guitars, a guitar company from China and they built my first Signature Guitar called “DLS1” which is on sale worldwide.

How many hours do you put in for practicing the guitar?    

It depends. When I am on tour, I don’t have a lot of time for practice because of the travelling and the hectic kind of life during the tours. When I get free time, most of the time I rest, so let’s say that on tour I practice 30 minutes before the show and then I play live. When I am home in my studio I practice 3 - 4 hours a day. 

Who are your musical influences?

My musical influences are Steve Vai, Jeff Loomis and many more and I have been lucky to have played with some of them. I also listen bands as Pantera, Lamb of God but also Coldplay.

You’ve also visited India in 2020. Can you tell us your experience about visiting India and the memories you took back?

Yes, I toured India last year in January and it was a great experience. I played in Kolkata, Kharagpur at IIT for KSHITIJ Festival and in Guwahati. I really love India and I think it’s a fantastic country.I remember that it was a very hectic tour because I landed to Kolkata on 17^th January at 7 am in the morning and I played in Kharagpur the same night without rest, and it was the first of the three shows in a row. Amazing experience.

Have you heard of Indian music, Indian movies (Bollywood) and its delicious Indian food?

Yes, I think the music and the food in India is really nice. I like to try new things when I visit a new country.

Do you plan on visiting India sometime again?

Of course. I have a tour confirmed in Bangladesh when pandemic is over and I definitely plan to come back on tour in India. I love India.

What is the music scene in Italy like?

In Italy there are a lot of talented artists and many underground bands as well that play all sorts of music. The music scene here is not bad.

Being a young and rising music star, surely you have many female admirers. Comment.

(Laughs) Starting to be known, of course you get the attention and the admiration of a lot people including girls and it’s great to see it because in my childhood I have never been considered by the other people.

What are your future plans?

My future plan is to release an album. I already released Resilience (my first song) and right now I am working on the second song. Like I mentioned before, I have confirmed tours in Bangladesh, China and Japan so far for when pandemic situation will improve, I move out.

Watch Davide Lo Surdo perform live at the Second Edition of Mumbai Guitar Day on 24^th July at 7  pm 2021 on Facebook. The event is presented by Neil Banks’ Gigatainment.

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira