Before digging into SenSei Sernas' Fretboard Theory Forum I just wanted to take a moment to post a personal intro/background & some much deserved props to Desi for his success in putting together the most understandable & comprehendable Guitar Theory Method I have ever seen in my 26yr quest for the simple truth about guitar theory..
I started playing guitar in 1984 & as a self-taught musician I've seen my share of personal successes in learning cover tunes, writing my own songs, playing in bands & working in a myriad of studio projects.. However, over the years it's always bothered me that I just couldn't seem to find anyone or anything that could teach guitar theory to me in plain & simple terms.. I've always known from the mountian of TABs & musical accomplishments that I had already conquered "without theory" that I was fully capable of learning anything regarding musical content, so that proved to me time & again that I definately didn't suffer from a rock-n-roll learning disability!.. Fortunately enough for me, as my reputation grew as a local topgun in the early 90s, I began to feel abit of retard relief as I was begining to discover that I wasn't the only capable self-taught guitarist seeking the truth about guitar theory but only finding these seemingly complex fretboard mysteries.. Eventually, we began to realize that 90% of the "so-called guitar teachers" were really nothing more than local bar-band veterns that either didn't want to work a regular job or their ego was so big they truly believed they knew everything!.. Needless to say, my peers & I quickly began to build a definate distrust toward anyone who "claimed" to be a "guitar teacher" without providing ANY physical or mental evidence up front to prove that they where truly qualified to make such a claim.. To this day, with the exception of Desi, I can honestly name ONLY two guitar teachers that I've met in my lifetime as a guitarist that truly knew "Fretboard Theory".. But sadly enough, by the time I had met them, even they couldn't quench my distrust toward the "fraudulant guitar teachers" that I had run into so many times before.. But by then, 1997-ish, for me to pay $30+ an hour for a few bread crumbs of musical knowledge each week seemed absolutely insane to me!.. Besides, by this time, I had already been a guitarist for roughly 13yrs & had proven to myself over & over that all I really needed was an "accurate, yet simple, guitar theory curriculum" that I could study & practice at my own desired pace no differently than the many TABs I had already been learning for years!..
Which brings me to some much deserved props for Desi.. I can't express the relief I felt after finding Mr.Sernas "Fretboard Theory" online.. To put it simply, I couldn't get my money out fast enough!.. Just reading each page of Desi's website was enough "evidence" to "show me" that Mr.Serna can honestly refer to himself as a guitar theory "teacher".. But what really drove it home for me was after I watched the previews to his 4 DVDs, it was at that point that I was completely sold on not only "his method" of teaching but "his ability" to teach as well.. It truly has been refreshing to me these past few weeks to have finally found a theory teacher who isn't concerned with anything more than TEACHING THEORY!.. He isn't concerned with bragging about how good he is & how fast he can play or how many people he's played in front of & blah, blah, blah.. Anyone who watches the DVD previews may only catch a hint of this "teaching ability" I'm speaking of, but for those of us who have already bought & viewed Desi's Book & DVDs in their entirety have clearly seen that his sole devotion is to humbly teach guitar theory!.. Desi lays it out as plainly & as simply as I always suspected guitar theory would be!.. In my opinion, Desi Serna is living proof that "playing the guitar well" & "teaching the guitar effectively" are two distinctly different artforms that when approached & thought out as individual accomplishments can achieve gi-normously effective results!.. Desi is definately NOT another one of those "hack wanna-be guitar teachers" that goes around bragging about teaching guitar theory but never show you any real evidence of having the A-Z knowledge or ability to do so efficiently & effectively.. But instead, Mr.Serna gets right down to business & teaches guitar theory!.. No BS, No Smoke-n-Mirrors & best of all, No Ego Trip.. Just good'ole fashioned straight between the eyes explaination & application of music theory for the fretboard!..
Kudos Desi & Congrats Regarding The Rolling Stone Magazine Write Up!.. Keep Up The Good Work!!
God Truly Has Blessed You With An Ability To Be Thankful For... For Both Student & Teacher Alike!..
