In 2017, musician Javier Rubio Carballo posted a video of himself on YouTube playing an unusual instrument. While the lower half of the instrument had the appearance of a standard guitar, the upper half showcased an extra section of wood, curving upwards, with six extra strings attached. The instrument was a 12-string harp guitar, built especially for him. While some of our Music Man readers may have never heard this instrument before, they will soon be charmed by it when they hear him play.
When Javier played the old English folk song ‘Scarborough Fair’ on his harp guitar, he managed to capture the spirit of the past times that the music was composed in, giving his rendition a magical and mystical quality. Listeners were astonished by how beautiful his interpretation of the song was. One viewer commented, “Without a doubt, this is the most beautiful rendition of Scarborough Fair I have heard in all of my 82 years!” on the video, which has now received over 3 million views.
When I watched Javier play his harp guitar, I was not only astonished by how beautiful his rendition of ‘Scarborough Fair’ was, but also by how easy he made playing the elaborate instrument look. This is surely a difficult instrument to play, so I was amazed to see how fluidly his fingers moved across the strings, making it look like the easiest task in the world to pull such fluid music from the instrument. I will never again complain about practicing my simple six-string acoustic.
While Javier has only ever posted the one video of him playing the harp guitar on his YouTube channel, he has plenty more videos of him playing the acoustic guitar for Music Man readers to enjoy. When listening to his rendition of Seal’s ‘Kiss From A Rose,’ it quickly becomes clear that the reason he was able to play the harp guitar so brilliantly is that his guitar skills are just as impressive. His fluid musicality comes into play whether he’s playing six or twelve strings.
One of the most surprising facts about Javier is that he does not play music professionally. Instead, he is an air traffic controller. It may be hard for some who watch him play the harp guitar to imagine that anyone who plays such an unusual and complex instrument so impressively is anything other than an experienced professional. However, Javier’s videos just go to show that you never know who is hiding an absolutely astonishing musical talent behind the scenes.
Javier Rubio Carballo’s enchanting performance on his custom harp guitar is certainly a mesmerizing experience, transporting listeners to another time with its unique sound. His skill and artistry make the complex instrument sing, and it’s clear why his rendition of ‘Scarborough Fair’ has captivated so many. To explore more about Javier’s work and the magical world of harp guitars, check out the links below.