If you regularly scroll through Instagram and YouTube (and you definitely do), you may already have already come across the Pete & Vinnie Play channels. The two London-based musicians – American Peter Napper and Brazilian Vinnie Minotto – have amassed over 150,000 followers between them thanks to their daredevil guitar heroics, harmonized covers and reaction videos.
“We met at The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London,” Napper says. “We were two of the few metalheads on the course, so we instantly bonded. The idea came about after we played our final performance assessment together at music university.
“We decided to pluck up the courage to perform Technical Difficulties by Racer X. It turned out everyone loved it and our tutors were very complimentary. The next day decided to take that to YouTube.”
Minotto adds: “We wanted to highlight from the beginning that we’re a duo. Most guitarists on YouTube and Instagram use a split-screen setup to play dual guitars or harmonies. The fact that we could actually play different parts live together made us stand out.
“We think having that chemistry on screen really helped. We wanted to carry the torch of the guitar duo – classics such as Friedman/Becker and Gilbert/Bouillet – and pay homage to the ’90s golden era of shred guitar.”
Of course, you’ll find many covers of Technical Difficulties online. Paul Gilbert’s composition requires an array of skills and techniques to perform accurately, most notably the warp-speed three-note-per-string picking the virtuoso is famous for. If you’re able to cover it well, and inject a sense of fun, people will take notice.
“That video got us off to a great start and continues to do well to this day,” says Minotto. “The reason is probably that we were just having so much fun, as it’s our ultimate guitar anthem. Our reaction videos also get a lot of views – people really enjoy listening to people’s takes on things they enjoy. Being a duo offers something unique as we chat while filming.”
The differences in each guitarist’s culture and background are also a big selling point. Minotto’s knowledge of the metal scene in his native Brazil has proven to be insightful – not only for his on-screen cohort, but anyone viewing from anywhere in the world.
“Vinnie is from Brazil and I’m from the States,” says Napper. “One of our most successful series is the one in which he shows me his favourite guitarists from Brazil. People I’ve never heard of; incredible players who are really top-notch. It was entertaining for people to see my reaction.
“On Instagram we try to make videos that will come up on people’s feeds and make their day a little better and more guitar-filled, by playing certain parts of songs we like. We play stuff from anyone from Metallica to The Allman Brothers. They normally do well, too.”
What advice have you for anyone hoping to build a successful channel like yours?
Minotto: “Staying authentic to yourself is paramount. That’s the only way you’re truly going to engage and build a relationship with your audience. If you’re just trying to create content that you think people want to see, or that will get the most amount of views, people will see through that.
“Being consistent is also key. You have to keep doing it. What also helps is not letting perfectionism get in the way. You need to start somewhere, and you’ll get better at it as you do it. Be open to constructive criticism and self-reflection, and remember that you’ll learn and improve along the way.”
Which videos are you most proud of so far?
Napper: “Our cover of Technical Difficulties holds a special place in our hearts. We think that video really represents what we wanted to do, so it kicked it all off nicely. It also encapsulates a big part of who we are as guitarists.
“And if you’re looking for some comic relief, we really enjoyed coming up with stuff like 10 Ways To Upset Any Guitarist. then there are other things like harmonizing the Sweet Child O’ Mine solo in thirds, and weird stuff like that.”
We obsessed about our vibratos being perfectly synced, and even coordinated the picking direction we played on certain notes on certain beats
Pete Napper
You’re both highly accomplished guitar players. But who’s better at what?
Minotto: “We both studied under the same master, Martin Goulding, so we went through the same process of developing the foundations of our technique in a certain order. The way we practice also come from him. We would say we share most of our strong points and weaknesses.
“Because we studied and learned together, our personalities as guitarists ended up following a similar direction. I remember on one occasion I was struggling with certain aspects of sweep picking, and Pete helped me get up to scratch with it.”
Napper: “Similarly, a few years back I was struggling with my right hand for alternate picking, and Vinnie helped me with a little guidance and some tips. We always try to help each other to maintain the technical standard that we need to play music.”
You just released debut single The Wheel from your band No Writer. What’s the story behind it?
Minotto: “The Wheel is the first song we ever wrote, and from the start we wanted it to be heavy and shreddy. It started with the main riff, and the whole song evolved from that. We did discuss on how shred-filled it should be and we quickly realised we wanted to go all in.
“We wanted to have as much fun as possible and show people what we do. That’s also why the song is fully harmonized. At no point will one of us play a phrase alone – it’s all about the duo.”
Napper: “We wanted this track to be our Technical Difficulties. We think it really represents our energy and chemistry, and that’s why it’s our debut single. We really want to take our online success to the real world. We hope to hit the road with our drummer and bassist and perform live as soon as we can.
“We’ve started giving some guitar clinics and masterclasses; we want to continue with that too – they’re always a great vibe and an amazing opportunity to meet everyone that follows you online. Our next steps are to keep releasing songs from our EP, and eventually put the whole EP out. We’re always writing and producing content too.”
Talk us through the gear you’re using to record.
Napper: “The record was produced by Adair Daufembach, a great producer who worked on the two latest Kiko Loureiro albums. He also worked with Tony MacAlpine and lots of other bands we like. He’s based in LA – we met him at NAMM in 2023.
The 5150 was perfect for the heavy riffing but didn’t do justice to the fast lines… The Hughes & Kettner did that job
Vinnie Minotto
“We recorded a DI of all the guitar parts at Vinnie’s home studio. It allowed us to spend time getting the parts tight. We obsessed about our vibratos being perfectly synced, and even coordinated the picking direction we played on certain notes on certain beats. We didn’t settle for anything during the process.”
Minotto: “We went through a lot of testing with different amps – we started off with a blind test then auditioned amps from there. We settled on a 5150 for all the rhythms, and a Hughes and Kettner Trilogy, channel three, for all the leads.
“The 5150 was perfect for the heavy riffing but didn’t do justice to the fast lines. There wasn’t enough note separation, clarity and percussiveness to our ears. The Hughes and Kettner did that job. As customary in metal, both amps were pushed by the classic Tube Screamer.”
What guitars are you using?
Minotto: “We mainly used Gibson Les Pauls. I have a Standard with Duncan 59s and Pete uses a Traditional. We also have our Chapman Guitars – I stick with the ML3 Pro Traditional while Pete prefers the ML1X Pro. Both of them have custom-made electronics by Green Pickups.”
Napper: “One interesting pedal that made an appearance on The Wheel was the Third Man Plasma Coil by Gamechanger Audio. We used that to add width and heaviness on the main riff. Adair was very particular about headstock noise, so we had a bunch of fretwraps – sometimes at the same time – behind the nut at all times.”
What exercises and licks have helped you develop most?
Minotto: “Developing my legato was very important. A firm and precise legato technique is one of the bedrocks of getting fast. The best exercise for me was an exercise that incorporates quintuplets across different groupings of the strings.
“It’s important to try to get same attack on every note and make sure your timing is perfectly spaced out within the beat. The exercise really took my speed to the next level. It might not be obvious at first, but a strong legato technique will help you a lot when developing your alternate picking and sweep picking.”
Napper: “An alternate picking exercise really helped me with increasing speed. It’s played on the first string, so for cross-string technique it can be expanded upon; but in terms of really focusing on your pick-hand technique, being relaxed, accenting on the beat, having accurate muscle movements, and being in control, this exercise was the best. Both exercises came from Martin Goulding, so we have him to thank!”
