Novemberer 2009

The Song Train. I’ve just discovered this great guitar teaching material, 4 CD’s plus  book shewing you how to start playing songs, pretty well all 2 chord songs which you can play along with straight away- a brilliant pedagogy! Visit their site here.

NB. Currently I’m moving workshops so there’s not much guitar stuff going on. In the interim I’ve decided to re jig this site so over the next month or so. Therefore bits might, for a short period, not load, nevertheless I trust your visit to my site will be of interest. It might not even make sense!!!! :-) but I hope its a risk worth taking.

Also worth noting is that until my workshop has been rebuilt courses have been suspended.

Introduction to my workshop and activities.

In my studio I make guitars to commission, carry out repairs and on my courses show anybody who has an interest in making, how to do it.  I also design guitars from scratch and assist in the development of courses for schools.

Below are some full size models of soundboards that I’ve been making, a form of research that I’m doing. There are more pictures from this project here. I’m able to offer a course in building soundboard models for anyone who is interested in extending their understanding of the structures. If you need to know more see here.

I’ve added a page on getting started in guitar making which is here.

Over the years I’ve come to appreciate more and more that the guitar is a beautiful construction, from the outside it is an elegantly shaped box. However the real beauty is in its internal structures which are rarely seen by anybody except makers.  These structures have been developed over the years from the groundbreaking work of Torres the great Spanish guitar maker to become something that represents considerable human skill and ingenuity on the limits of structural stability. Not only that but some great music emanates from these instruments, I don’t think it could get more magical!

On the following pages you will find information about myself, my work and that of my students who’s work can be seen here. If you want to know more or be kept in touch via this site please feel free to email me.