This book is the result of 30 years of dedicated work. It’s a result of my musical journey thus far, it captures the underpinnings of my music and conveys its essence.  My musical journey was accompanied constantly by the writing of this book.

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On the quest to find my very own musical language, I studied European harmony, American jazz, improvisation, North Indian classical music, Turkish makam music and other styles. During my studies it became evident to me that all of these stand-alone styles are interconnected, as a result I began to look at music as a single vast universe with its own immanent laws. This idea informs how I teach music.

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When we explore a very specific musical culture we are exposed to an element of music, which might be present in other types of music, but it has been refined in the context of this particular style or culture. Thus, we are able to explore it more comprehensively in comparison with the standard approach, where many ideas are just glossed over. 

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For example, Western harmony represents harmonic structures and how they function in regards to tonality, Indian classical music represents, among other things, rhythm in its most perfected form, and Turkish classical music, with its fine microtonal graduations, provides access to the intonation found in all musical cultures across the world (European as well). All of these traditions have very strong musical foundations. By studying them, we also gain access to a more complete understanding of melody.

 

The students are encouraged to freely pursue the topics according to their inclinations and interests. The objective is for everyone to develop their very own take on music. This process will require dedication and time, and in some sense it will never be completed, nevertheless I hope that you will find value, insight, pleasure and inspiration here on this journey. May the guitar become a means for you to express the deepest parts of yourself.