Carvel Avis

Bio

I started playing guitar at age 15. Prior to that the only extracurricular activity I had was playing sports. Around 16 I really wanted to learn music itself and apply it to the guitar. So I used to get sheets of paper and draw guitar neck diagrams mapping out the notes and learning where things were on the fretboard. That led to learning more and more about music itself which I would then apply to the fretboard - rinse and repeat!

After digging in deeper and deeper, I stopped trying to memorize other players stuff and was more attracted to the creative process in improvisation. After high school I played in a regional 70's funk band for a few years and finally decided to get off the road and get a college education. I ended up with a bachelors degree in music theory and composition with a major in Cello and Guitar. While working on my degree I dabbled with playing piano as a tool for writing music.

I've written everything from full orchestra pieces to solo guitar stuff. I gained a real love for Jazz, Baroque, Classical, 20th Century and Avant-Garde music. Shortly after graduating I became part owner of a commercial recording studio where I played guitar on projects in a variety of styles.

Over the years I've developed my own system of thought when it comes to the music on the guitar. I see all these "music theory" courses that seem to me to be trying to make things more complicated. I love trying to make it more simple. I've never seen the need to memorize all the modes and memorize all the ways to use them. That's ok for some folks but I'd rather just have a deeper understanding of music as a whole.