In recent years, Giacomo Turra has become well-known on social media for his impressive guitar skills and funky licks. In fact, he was even featured in an interview in 2023, where his unique style was highlighted. However, new allegations have emerged that could tarnish his reputation. YouTuber Danny Sapko recently accused Turra of plagiarizing songs from other artists and passing them off as his own.
Sapko’s accusations came through a detailed YouTube video, in which he presented evidence of Turra allegedly copying the work of notable guitarists like Jack Gardiner and Alex Hutchings. The video displayed side-by-side clips showing Turra performing these artists’ pieces note for note. “This is one of the most unbelievable things I have ever seen in music,” Sapko said, expressing his shock over the discovery.
According to Sapko’s investigation, Turra’s use of other musicians’ compositions dates back to the beginning of his rise on social media. Sapko claims that Turra failed to properly credit the original artists, instead passing off their work as his own, even selling transcriptions and isolated tracks through his website and Patreon. While Turra did occasionally credit the original creators, Sapko argues that the credits were often unclear or hidden, with Turra sometimes merely claiming to be “inspired” by the artist, rather than acknowledging that he was directly covering their compositions.
Sapko’s video goes on to highlight that this form of “inspiration” is insufficient in the context of proper credit. He compares it to claiming inspiration from Queen while attempting to pass off “Bohemian Rhapsody” as an original work. This issue of misattribution caught the attention of the guitar community, leading to a swift response. As Sapko pointed out, several major brands have already distanced themselves from Turra. D’Angelico Guitars removed all traces of Turra from their website, including his signature guitar and artist page. Andertons and Ernie Ball also took down videos featuring Turra from their YouTube channels, and Fender unlisted a video with the guitarist.
The video not only exposed Turra’s alleged plagiarism of well-known guitarists but also revealed that he had released a track copied from Thiago Gomes as his own latest single. This situation raises a serious concern—Turra may have profited from passing off others’ compositions as his own. Sapko emphasized the gravity of the situation, noting that Turra had been selling these pieces as original transcriptions, with no compensation going to the original artists. This is especially troubling, considering that musicians like Gardiner and Hutchings sell their own music scores.
In response to the scandal, Hutchings, one of the alleged victims, addressed the issue in his own video. While he expressed no ill will toward Turra, he shared how the situation had made him feel. “Hopefully he can learn and grow as a man,” Hutchings said, offering a measured response. He explained that he first noticed Turra’s copied work about eight months ago and initially thought it was just a case of Turra being “inspired” by his style. However, after closer examination, Hutchings realized the similarities went beyond mere inspiration, prompting him to revisit his own original video from three years earlier.
Hutchings admitted that the revelation was upsetting, particularly due to the way Turra buried the credit in the video description. “Your video got like 250,000 views, and my original got stuck at 6,000,” he said, explaining how the lack of proper credit misrepresented his contribution. Despite being tagged, the credit was buried so deep in the description that most viewers never saw it. This led many to believe that Turra was the true creator of the work. Hutchings expressed that it was painful to see people praising Turra for something that wasn’t his own. “That’s the thing that hurts,” Hutchings concluded, “It’s that misrepresentation of you while you’re playing someone else’s style.”
Hutchings also mentioned that he and Gardiner had discussed the issue, although he chose not to disclose Gardiner’s views on the matter. The scandal continues to unfold, leaving Turra’s reputation and future in the music industry in question.
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