Hi there!
My name is Alan Robinson, I was born in Pontypool Wales (United Kingdom) in 1965 and I am the creator of this site and the vast majority of it’s content.
I started playing acoustic guitar when I was 15 years old when I first heared The Beatles blue double album (where they are all leaning on railings looking down from a tower block). But I became a much more serious player while living on my own in a bedsit from aged 18.
I started teaching martial arts in 1987 and then went on to lecture in IT through the 2000s. I have always enjoyed teaching and wanted to combine that with my love of music so, in 2010, I started my YouTube channel.
At that time there weren’t too many guitar tutorials online and most of them did not suit my learning style; they tended to be over the top and very talky (there is only so many times I can listen to the same joke while I am trying to learn some complex fingerpicking) so I decided to create video tutorials that I would want to use.
I came up with the method I have been using now for 12 years whereby I display what I am doing with my left and right hand in animated diagrams on the screen then show slowed down parts of the main strumming or picking patterns.
I have often been asked “what app creates all that?” but the truth is I create all the graphics, then add them to video editing software. It is a very time consuming method of creation as each strum or fingerpick needs to be animated a frame at a time but I believe it is the most accurate.
In 2013 my son Jason asked me to play in a band so we created The Gas Trick Band and have been playing regular local gigs since then (pandemic permitting).
I don’t profess to be a great guitarist or a great singer, just a dedicated amateur in the truest sense of the word. I am completely self taught and don’t read music so I have no doubt picked up a lot of bad habits; consequently I apologise in advance if I pass any of these on to you.
A lot of the tutorials I create are my own interpretations of the original songs that I arrange (or butcher depending on your point of view) so I can accompany myself when I sing them. Consequently, if you are one of those people who get offended if a song is not played like a clone of the original, then this website is probably not for you. If on the other hand you love music and, like me, get a kick out of singing and playing your favourite classics then I hope you enjoy your time spent here.
Finally, you may have noticed that this website and all its content is free to access. The only money I make from content creation is a small amount from YouTube every month and donations made through my channel or here (you only make real money if you own the copyright to what you are producing).
Please consider making a small donation to aid my video creation and to help me maintain this site.
I wish you all the best with your musical voyage and remember, as the great Bob Marley once said:
“One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain”
Sehr gelungene Website, die didaktisch all den anderen weit überlegen ist. Die Songs sind abwechslungsreich und absolut zeitlos. Songs derart zu lehren ist einzigartig. Es macht mir sehr viel Freude die Songs zu üben. Ich werde jeden Tag besser.
That’s very Kind Anne, I really appreciate your kind words. All the best to you and yours 🙂
Hello Alan ! You’re one of my first internet guitar teacher. I really like your voice, precise and powerful, and the way you teach us songs. IMO, your guitar tutorials are almost perfect (almost = adding the karaoke lyrics would be sensational, but i imagine people already told you that, and if you don’t do it, that’s for a good reason). I’m glad to know one of the best, and i hope there will be a lot more guitar tutorials 😉
Thanks to you and your son !
Thank you for your kind words. I don’t add the lyrics due to time constraints and possible copyright issues. All the best with your continued playing – Alan 🙂
Hi Alan. I am very much in a similar boat as you are, although a little older (75). I also can’t read notes, fully self taught since I was 15, but I love making music. One of my problems is that I enjoy all kinds of music from bluegrass, country, folk to R&R. I also have likely developed some bad habits. I am mainly playing rhythm guitar using 6 string acoustic, 12 string acoustic and a telecaster electric. Your method of presentation has been a great help to me and has challenged me to expand my chord structures. Unfortunately I don’t have band mates to play with and resort to using a software program, Band in a Box, to create additional backup for my vocals. Its all fun!!
Hi Murray, thank you for your lovely comment. I am glad you find my videos useful and wish you all the best with your continued love of playing music. Best wishes from Wales – Alan 🙂
Hi Alan,
a big fan of your website and lessons. I previously used to donate for each song I tackled but have just signed up to patreon.
Anyway, would you by any chance have a list of your song tabs played fingerstyle?
No problem if you don’t, I’ll just pick those I suspect could be and work my way through. I’m just going through a learning phase working on my fingerstyle playing.
Kind regards, Max.
Hi Alan,
I find your site unbelievable and of great quality.
Since 2021 your son is also joining, he just sounds like the original. Just missing the tabs.
I just donated 20 pounds to contribute.
Regards, Jos
The Netherlands
Hallo Alan, liebe Grüße nach Wales und danke für deine tollen Videos.
Alexander
All the best to you Alexander – Alan 🙂
Its great,thanks a lot!
Cheers Andy 🙂
Hi Alan,
I’m regular visitor of your site and I appreciate very much your work and the way you combine chords schemes with the song.
In the ‘old website’ I had ‘The sound of silence’ of Simon & Garfunkel bookmarked. But on you new website it seems to be there anymore. It is still on YouTube but not on the site. Is it possible you put back on the site.
Thanks very much.
Regards, Jos
Hi Jos, here it is: https://guitartutorman.com/simon-garfunkel-the-sound-of-silence/ All the best to you – Alan 🙂
Hi Jos, here it is: https://guitartutorman.com/simon-garfunkel-the-sound-of-silence/ All the best to you – Alan 🙂
Hi Alan,
I’m regular visitor of your site and I appreciate very much your work and the way you combine chords schemes with the song.
In the ‘old website’ I had ‘The sound of silence’ of Simon & Garfunkel bookmarked. But on you new website it seems not to be there anymore. It is still on YouTube but not on the site. Is it possible you put back on the site.
Thanks very much.
Regards, Jos