must not listen to much music, this is a pretty basic song. Andrea actually adds some depth, to Knoplflers regurgitation, that being said, there are countless covers of this song that are even more impressive than this performance.
Andrea - You are a monster, a force of nature. You've taken one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite guitarists and transformed into a masterpiece. I've been playing for 50+ years, and you sir, rock! Keep up the great work.
Ive been playing guitar for about 45 years ... watching Andrea playing Sultans was hypnotising, his precision and clarity is ( for me ) about as good as it gets and I am all the better off for having seen him ... thanks Andrea , excellent
I agree Scott. I've been playing over 50 years, ain't that good, but I know talent when I hear it. People who try to compare this to Knofler's original are missing the point. Mark never played the same rifts twice throughout the song, always adding nuances, and Andrea does the same. I'm a flat picker and lead guitarist, but if anyone thinks this is easy playing in fingerstyle, they're smoking something. He genious.
WoW! I loved it, one of my favorite songs ... but this, incredible. Just amazing what he's done with it. Had to listen to it again & again. Fantastic Joe, thank you thank you thank you for sharing it. Sending a wide smile & big bear hug, Namaste, jay
I 110% agree! This guy plays Marks tune better than most, perhaps as good as Mark if he so chose. One of my favorite covers so far for this Dire Straits classic from the incredible 80's!
my opinion ..His no.1 to do this rendition of Sultan of swing..i actually respect other guitarist can play S.O.Swing,but i put this man no.1 on the list..!!
Are youtubers deaf??? 253 dislikes. Music is not competition and it´s not necessary for musician to play note for note to be good. It´s interpretation that counts and this man is brilliant. And he is playing Knopfler on acoustic guitar. This man rocks. Even Mark couldn´t play better.
You're right. Music is not a competition. Music is subject to discrimination based on the fancy of the listener. Take your feelings somewhere else, or join the David Cameron troupe.
Maybe Mark didn't have the idea... He had his brother on the rhythm guitar... I guess he would play this if he thought about it. But he was making so much success and then after it there was so much money coming from Brothers in Arms... After all, the composition and the playing were enough at that time... No thoughs about "Acoustic Mark Knopfler"... This came later... He didn't seem to care... though everybody was doing on MTV... Well, I should have learned to play the guitar...hahaha...
As hard as this song looks, it must be taught. And I have to learn this one. It's a mixture of upbeat rhythm with harmonic melodies from which make the listener proud. From 2:55-4:20 when Andrea starts that uprising beat in which builds back into the chorus again. Ah, what a masterpiece. Very well done my friend. Cheers from California!
I've met Andrea 3 or 4 times in an acoustic guitar festival in Italy (Madame Guitar at Tricesimo)... the first time he was just 17 years old and he already played this tune for a bunch of people in a little square. We all were absolutely astonished seeing such a young guy playing in such a beautiful and complex way. Now he's much much better than this...
Amazing how when you think you have heard every posible cover of this modern classic then you hear this sublime interpretarion of Mark Knopfler's Masterpiece. Superb!
Andrea, first class with honours. Anyone can cover a song, but fail because they just copy. You went the whole mile and did an outstanding arrangement of it. Acoustic too. Mind you, those fingers sure give you the reach.
Big compliments: Everything fits as a glove and the tempo is wonderfully constant thorough the whole piece which to my opinion is a great plus. No hurry feelings or other disturbing things. Just Great!
More proof that with the guitar the possibilities are endless. Thank you for sharing your incredible talent Andrea. And, thank you Mark Knoffler for writing such an amazing song.
Holy shit. One of the most interesting performances I've seen of this masterpiece composition. And I have seen tons, believe me. Holder of one of the biggest Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler collection here :) Great work, go on the same spirit!
Speechless..the intricacy and timing of this performance is uncanny.this song more than any other caused me to start playing guitar..hearing it on the car radio was an epiphany..but this version is emotionally devastating.A true master of the instrument!!!
When I hear something this beautiful I wonder why anyone would ever give it a thumbs down. About the only thing I can come up with is that the thumbs downs must be from people who are jealous and who could never play half that well, even in their dreams. To bad they can't just admire it and be honest. Oh well! Thank you, Andrea, for playing this and sharing it. Very nicely done!
I hope Mark Knopfler stops by to see this … it would be amazing for him to see your take on his song. This would have to give him goosebumps ! Total perfection … and feeling.
I've been going back to this song for a while now. It's a great rendition. So much amazing work went into it and I appreciate it so much. Thanks so much!
If you dedicate your life to music, 'talent'is a relative term. Passion makes amazing things happen, Andrea Valeri is a top musician. How he turns this hit song into music, touching me for its richness. Yet there is musical talent which can't be learned, just look at the recent child prodigees Angelina Jordan, Emily Bear and the most universal genius: Alma Deutscher. Their musical imagination boggles my mind, these girls are living miracles.
The Holy Grail of fingerpicking. I can imagine putting you and Michael Chapdelaine … and further dreaming .. Tommy Emmanuel and maybe Sungha in the same room … then add this street player here on youtube to the right thumbnail Estas Tonne. .. damn, would that would a cool roomful of jamming. You and all these players amaze, entertain, and inspire me as a guitar player and as a guitar playing listener.
i think anyone who gives this guy a thumbs down has never picked up a guitar and probably have no clue the time involved to get something like this smooth and clean.
Lewis Polland You can get his official tabs from his website: www.andreavaleri.com/tutorials/tabs Just send an email to the address listed and ask for them :)
+Lewis Polland If you look with patience you will find what you want and maybe what you need. I have played for a long time and it is great to see players that can really play. Great song and great interpretation.
Music is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Just talking of course because there is not a word as stronger as that. Just listen and be happy. Wonderful.
Bad-ass acoustic guitar playing...this is what I'm talking about. You make your own version of this classic song ! Viva Italia ! BRAVO! Let's keep the real and good acoustic guitar music alive !
Holy crap.. I'm throwing my guitar out the window.. I don't think i will be playing that good in this current life.. Valeri.. you are great.. great version for a great song.. one of my favouries.. CONGRATS..
Mark Knopfler knows how to play with his thumb nail, has composed this song, played over a thousand version of it, and a very personal thing, I don't really like his sound, seems like he is, playing with his flesh and not his nails. He has a very good technic, and it's an amazing interpretation of the song, but Mark Knopfler is just at an other level.
so many, yet so few, in the grand scheme of guitarists world wide, that truly master the (total) art of fingerstyle arrangements. all hugely talented and gifted, yet to the trained ear, each unique in their own right. Nome necessarily the best or better than another, but all the very best at their passionate craft in their style. My late cousin Pete Huttlinger, the "2000" national fingerstyle championship winner also mastered the art, to include re-learning after a massive stroke and catastrophic end stage heart failure. that nudged him a few levels over most in my book. peace out~~~~~>
I wouldn't dislike it, but I wouldn't "like" it either. I mean, how do you get 16k likes just for playing chords and shaking your head like an idiot? It was just intermediate guitar at best.
i mean im jealous of this guy but i still love this video, his playing is brilliant and im jealous that i cant play like that haha but i still liked the video
Banacek60 Chord This "Sultans of Swing" is awesome. Stunning technique & interpretation & on a well worn Maton (Aussie) guitar. Yes many are ignorant of the meaning of "jealous" vs "envious". It's important to know one can be rightfully jealous! That's because jealousy pertains to "rightful ownership & being protective of same", whereas envy pertains to "desirous of ownership, but having no right to be so". The majority of people tend to use these words as if they are interchangeable. They are not. I recall Oprah Winfrey, in her ignorance, remarking on live TV, that she turned against Christianity because she discovered that the God of the Bible is "jealous" God. He (God) claims to the the Creator God, and if so, He has every right to be jealous of His creation. Whereas His adversary Satan, has no right to be 'jealous', & is ever 'envious' of the Creator & His creation. That's why there's so much destruction on this planet... Satan's envy/ greed. Sorry to get all theological, but this is a classic example regarding the difference between the words, jealous & envious.
Dragi Boze, koliko ima dobrih, mladih talentiranih ljudi. oni cine ovaj bjedni svjet lijepšim. Buduci da se i ja bavim glazbom, presretan sam cad čjem takve neiskvarene duse koje nisu još u "mlinu" tzv glazbene industrie i bussinesa.☺
+miloslav pokorny (desetnik) a guy sells more than 100M records, tours the world in football stadiums, and a kid covering him on youtube is better than him? let's put things into perspective here, I loved Andrea cover and his playing but that's it, not seing hundreds of guys covering Andrea songs on the tube.
+Emanuel Castillo This comment has no purpose because Mark plays it on electric guitar and doesn't include in his playing the whole song, like this guy did. So obviously Mark is one of the greatest ever, but this comparison is pointless.
First of all, he's great. However, all of you who wonder how come you never sound that good, think of buying a better guitar. It is incredible how bad most guitars are. I have one such shit, and no matter how good I play nothing appealing gets out of it. But when I have a chance to play on someone else's better guitar, I can't recognize myself as a player. Thus most of the good players became that only after getting a good guitar, otherwise you are in the darkness, because your guitar does not respond to your playing, it makes you believe you are a lousy musician.
+Connor McAuley It does not matter if something is hand-made or from a factory. The only thing that matters is how it sounds. So his hand-made instruments can sound a million times better than my shitty Chinese Washburn.
The best thing about this - apart from being the most badass guitar playing ever! Is that it's a note-for-note version - not only of Sultans, but of the live version off Alchemy. Extra, extra kudos for that one Andrea...
Extraordinary...miles in front of the huge rest top guitar maestros...your the one magic talent who was given once in five hundrec years the world....master of mankind....
Such a cool arrangement!! It's really a great Mark Knopfler tribute. Licks from different recordings. I recognize bits from live concerts. Truly fantastic.
