Mathieu Terrade Plays The Harpejji
Mathieu Terrade has quickly become a YouTube sensation for his impressive performances of musical covers using a soulful stringed instrument called the Harpejji. Mathieu is a teacher at the music school of Yssingeaux and Panissières, however, Terrade’s musical talents don’t just exist inside the classroom.
In 2017 Terrade attended the NAMM show in Anaheim California, an annual event acting as a trade show for musical instruments, products and event technology. Terrade represented Harpejji manufacturer Marcodi alongside founder and friend Tim Meeks. He demonstrated his trustee Harpejji by playing songs for the crowds.
It was during a performance that Terrade was joined by none other than music legend Stevie Wonder who played and sang alongside him for just over twenty minutes: a video of which has blown up on Terrades YouTube channel, watch it below:
This performance was significant in that it was Stevie Wonder who first influenced Terrade to purchase a Harpejji back in 2015 after hearing him play it at his concert in Vienne. It was from there that Terrade put in the hard work and dedication to become a highly skilled and talented player of this intriguing instrument.
It was after his viral performance with Stevie Wonder that Terrade was contacted by Tim Meeks, founder of Harpejji manufacturer ‘Marcodi’. Meeks developed the Harpejji after years of experimentation, attempting to combine his ability to play the piano with his appreciation of stringed instruments. The final creation was eventually released in 2007 through Marcodi, which now sells Harpejjis to people across the globe.
So what exactly is the Harpejji? As mentioned, the Harpejji is based on both the piano and guitar. The notes and the way in which it is played are similar to a piano, and the sound and way it works are similar to a guitar. The unique name stems from the musical term Arpeggio.
As well as Stevie Wonder the Harpejji has been played by composer and musician A R Rahman, YouTube famous band Walk off The Earth and singer Harry Connick Jr. On his YouTube channel of over 51K subscribers, Terrade has performed a number of songs on the Harpejji including ‘How Deep Is Your Life’ and ‘Time After Time’. One of his most popular with over 7 million views is his performance of the Queen classic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
If you want to see more from this amazing instrument and the very talented Mathieu Terrade, subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Facebook.