Hello. My name is Matthew and I am a writer and guitarist from the United States.
I started delving seriously into music during college. I did start to play guitar in high school, but not to any serious point. I started to get serious training in the performance aspects of lead and rhythm guitar with Jimmy Kane. I also spent a great deal of time studying composition, music theory, and orchestration.
Most of my own ear training developed as part of learning to play guitar. The style of guitar I play has several techniques that require ear training to use. Constant repetition of training exercises also contributed to helping certain aspects of ear training sink in. There are also areas of ear training that seemed to develop quickly as I began composing songs.
I have primarily been trained by Jimmy Kane in playing guitar. He has taught me a great deal about the entire process of writing and playing music on the guitar. I have also received lessons from Luca Turilli of Rhapsody of Fire. This was particularly interesting because Rhapsody of Fire was one of my main influences to learn to play the guitar in the first place!
My articles will be influenced by my experience as a guitarist, and in some cases focus on areas of ear training that are unique to guitar. In addition, I would like to draw attention to areas of ear training that might differ from one type of musician to another.
No doubt all you guitar players out there are glad to hear we’ve another six-stringer on board! If you have any topics you particularly want to see covered, don’t be shy! Matthew’s diving straight in tomorrow, with an article on how to listen for broken chords, particularly played on guitar.
