We are thrilled to present the exclusive premiere of “Velomorph,” the highly anticipated new single from guitarist and composer Rodrigo Pagavino. Serving as the third single ahead of his upcoming instrumental album slated for release this October, “Velomorph” offers a powerful preview of the sonic journey that awaits listeners.
The track is a masterclass in modern instrumental composition, seamlessly bridging Progressive Rock, Fusion, and Electronic elements. Pagavino brilliantly balances intense, high-caliber technical execution with a deeply compelling melodic narrative. A defining feature of “Velomorph” is the prominent use of the 14-string FM Guitar, a unique instrument that plays a massive role in shaping the song’s distinctive identity and creative boundaries.
While the track’s official global release is scheduled for August 25th, Progressive Rock Journal readers can experience the video exclusively right now ahead of the official launch.
Watch the excluisive premiere of the official music video for “Velomorph” via the YouTube player below:
To delve deeper into the creative vision behind the music, we caught up with Rodrigo Pagavino for an exclusive Q&A about the songwriting process, his specialized instrumentation, and what to expect from his upcoming album:
“Velomorph” bridges Progressive Rock, Fusion, and Electronic elements. How did you balance such intense technical execution with a strong melodic narrative during the songwriting process?
Rodrigo: “For me, the technical side of the song has always been a means of expressing the musical idea rather than the main objective. I wanted “Velomorph” to feel melodic and emotionally engaging despite its complexity. One of the main compositional ideas was to create melodies through polychords, using the two sides of the 14-string guitar simultaneously. This allowed me to create harmonic combinations that would be very difficult to achieve with a conventional guitar.
I also tried to give the song a natural flow, alternating between more melodic and atmospheric sections and much more aggressive and technically demanding passages. The challenge was making all these elements feel like part of the same musical story rather than simply putting technical sections next to melodic ones.“
The 14-string FM Guitar plays a massive role in the track’s identity. What unique creative possibilities or challenges did this specific instrument bring to the composition of “Velomorph”?
Rodrigo: “The 14-string FM Guitar completely changed the way I approached the composition. Having two necks allows me to think harmonically and melodically in a very different way from a conventional guitar. In “Velomorph”, I use both necks simultaneously to create melodies through arpeggiated chords and polychords, almost as if two guitars were playing together.
The biggest challenge is definitely precision. You have to be extremely accurate with both hands and with the articulation between the two necks, especially when the parts are moving at a high speed. But interestingly, in this particular song, the most difficult parts to play are actually the slower and more melodic sections. Even though they may sound easy, you have to be extremely precise and articulate everything 100% correctly so that both necks blend together perfectly. For this reason, this song is one of the most difficult tracks on the album for me to play, the goal is to make the chords and the melody clearly distinguishable without them clashing with each other.
But that challenge is also what makes the instrument so inspiring. It gives me possibilities that I simply wouldn’t have with a standard guitar, and in this song the instrument is really part of the composition itself.“
This is the third single ahead of your upcoming instrumental album in October. How does “Velomorph” set the tone for what listeners can expect from the full record?
Rodrigo: “I think “Velomorph” is probably the song that represents the essence of the album most closely, and it is definitely one of the strongest points of the record. It contains many of the elements that define the album: progressive rock, fusion, electronic textures, melodic passages and, of course, a strong focus on the possibilities of the 14-string guitar.
The title itself also reflects part of the concept behind the album. “Velomorph” is a combination of different ideas: Velocity, Love, More, Form and Morph. For me, these words represent different aspects of the creative process and the way music can constantly evolve and transform. However, this only represents one part of the concept behind the album, while the other part is still waiting to be discovered.
At the same time, I don’t think the song completely reveals what the album has to offer. “Velomorph” is certainly one of the highlights of the record, but there are still many other strong points and different sides of the album waiting to be discovered. The record explores several different moods, sounds and approaches, so each track has its own personality. “Velomorph” gives listeners a good idea of the level of musicianship and experimentation they can expect, but there are still many more surprises and highlights to discover when the full album comes out in October.“
Watch the officail music video for his previous single “Sunset“