My name is Alex Cortés; I'm the author of most of what you'll see on this website/blog. I may look like a serious bloke in the pic above, yet -rest assured- that is but a deceptive façade ;-)
I am also the author of Fretboard Essentials (a practical guitar theory and ear training guide for beginners), which I'm happy to say, has been very well received.
I've written a few other shorter books, or booklets, on assorted guitar-related topics, which you can find by browsing this site.
I currently live in Mexico, where I travel the deserts, jungles, and beaches for inspiration: I'm a guitarist, improviser, and composer.
My main musical interests are jazz, ethnic, classical, and contemporary music... ...though not necessarily in that order, and certainly not exclusively!
At the end of the day, though, I care very little about categories in music: much less in life!
My background as a musician
I started studying music in my early childhood: I took piano and music theory lessons with Mikhail Kotecki (Poland). Later I studied cello with Elsbieta Krengil (also from Poland).
Years later I decided I wanted to play classical guitar, and studied with more than a few teachers, in the Americas and in Europe. The most important guitar teacher for me was Aldo Lagrutta (who studied with Narciso Yepes, Leopoldo Igarza, and Moshe Paranov), with whom I studied in Germany.
At the same time, I took viola lessons with the great Russian virtuoso Michael Kugel.
Most recently, I have been stuying singing (Roy Hart technique) with Hebe Rosell (Argentina), and many different approaches to improvisation.
I have studied composition with Violeta Dinescu (Romania), Julio Estrada (who studied with the likes of Nadia Boulanger, Iannis Xenakis and Olivier Messiaen), and Salvador Rodriguez (Mexico).
Additionally, I studied Jazz/Rock/Pop harmony, composition, improvisation, and keyboard with Tony Bravo (student of Henri Mancini, Lalo Scrhiffin and Dick Grove, among others).
Just a little modal improv~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
Some of the teachers I have taken classical guitar masterclasses with are Victor Pellegrini (Argentina), Carlos Barbosa-Lima (Brazil), Julio Cesar Oliva (Mexico), Yves Storms (Belgium) and Carlos Bonell (U.K.).
GTiD>guitar-theory-in-depth.com
I have been very fortunate in having the chance to know and interact with these, and many other brilliant, top-notch musicians from all walks of "musicdom". This has led me to the certainty that there must be a different way of approaching music from the guitar than is usually taught:
An integral approach that enables the guitarist to get the most out of his instrument, as interpreter, improviser, and composer.
This became a passion that has led me to spend years exhaustively studying every book and source of information -even remotely- related to this that I can find. On this site you will find the synthesis of what I have discovered. Very soon, you will find here published an original fretboard study system I have been developing since this journey started as a book.
The logical starting point is to fully understand music theory, and then find out how that relates specifically to the guitar. Ergo Guitar Theory. Ergo knowing the guitar fretboard in and out, no rote, no fixed patterns, no hassle. Not the other way around!
To deeply understand music theory and it's application to the guitar doesn't have to be impossibly complicated. Making a real effort to lay strong foundations will ensure best results with minimal effort in the long run, but... THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS!
I hope you find the site helpful, and I would also love to hear from you.
