Dominic Frasca

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Promotional photo of Dominic Frasca.

Dominic Frasca is a classically-trained guitar virtuoso, originally from Akron, Ohio but now living in New York City. He is probably best known for his customized ten-string guitar, which allows him to create a unique, layered-sound normally only accomplishable using multiple instruments or post-recording techniques such as overdubbing.

Frasca's technique incorporates classical guitar technique in the right hand as well as rock techniques such as tapping, hammer-ons, and pull-offs. "All my inspiration comes from ensembles," Frasca says. "Most notably The Philip Glass Ensemble, Steve Reich and Musician, Anthony Davis and Episteme, The Who, The Astor Piazzolla Quintet, and Led Zeppelin to name a few." As a performer, Frasca has also been known to challenge the traditional notion of a concert by incorporating amplification (not typical in a classical guitar concert), visuals, talking with the audience, and telling jokes on stage. "It always bothered me that when I would go to a classical guitar concert I would often leave knowing nothing about the person I just spent two hours listening to. I want people to know who I am and I want to know who my audience is- the most fundamental way that people communicate is by discovery."

Frasca is currently signed with Canataloupe Music and has released one album, entitled Deviations."

Frasca has also opened a small, high-tech, surround-sound nightclub in NYC named The Monkey, which he has described as "a space that is all about the music, the sound and the visuals, not about selling drinks.^[1]" The performance space is set on the 12th floor of a building.

Frasca with his 10-string guitar created by grafting the neck from an electric guitar onto an classical (nylon-stringed) Martin Millennium guitar. Also note the single string "mini capos", attached by drilling through the neck and the small pieces of cardboard near the bridge which serve as percussion pads.