Douglas Baldwin is available for freelance and part-time writing and performing opportunities. Click here for his resume.

Until its demise in May of 2007, Douglas Baldwin was Associate Editor of Guitar One magazine, to which he contributed answers to readers' questions on the "Noise and Feedback" page; in-depth product reviews in the "Gear Box" section; performance notes to several of each issue's song transcriptions; and  the monthly "Acoustic Cafe" column. 

Douglas currently contributes to Korg's online newsletter. As musicians are well aware, Korg manufactures some of the best music gear available as well as distributing famous lines like Marshall and Vox. Here are some brief descriptions and links to what Douglas has contributed: 

* ProSessions With John Petrucci Well, it's John talking and playing, but the transcriptions of his exercises are all mine. I find it very interesting that the Korgians chose to use my handwritten transcriptions rather than a software-derived notation system. Click here for the complete article, or click here if you want to see my handwritten transcription.

* Alternate Tunings - They're Not Just For Folkies and Slackers. The guitar’s standard tuning – E-A-D-G-B-E, low to high – is truly versatile, but it’s not the only way to tune a guitar. Perhaps you’ve heard of some alternate tunings, and perhaps you’ve even tried them. Although many alternate tunings are associated with specific songs or musical styles, they can also function as a way of liberating your playing. To read more, click here. 

* Phrase Trainers – Really Big Ears for Everyone. Did you ever meet a guitar player with Really Big Ears? Not the geek with the fleshy Howdy Doody radar cups, but one of those players who seem capable of figuring out everything they hear at a moment’s notice. Chances are they got that way by listening and practicing repetitively until it now comes as second nature to them. Some are quicker than others, but with the current generation of phrase trainers available, none of us have an excuse not to develop Really Big Ears. To read more about phrase trainers, click here.

* Effects for Acoustic Guitar. If you think the acoustic guitar is the last bastion of pure, unprocessed tone, you’d better think twice. Unless you’re committed to playing to no more than a handful of people at a time, you’re going to need the benefits of modern technology to bring your sound to your audience. Rather than restrict yourself to the single tone most amplified acoustics deliver, why not take full advantage of modern sound-processing technology and add some effects to your acoustic guitar signal? Click here for a great introduction to effects for acoustic guitar.

* Hey Mister DJ – Give Me Back My Effects! Dance Floor Processors for the Six-Stringer Ttis edition of Guitarville focuses on my exploration of Korg's Mini KAOSS pad. Manifesto-like text, two wild audio tracks and a photo of my Yamaha Pacifica with the Mini-KP double-taped to the face can be found here.

For all of the guitar-friendly tips that Korg offers, try clicking here, then follow the path to Guitar-Ville.

And of course Douglas is the author of Play Guitar By Ear, the book/CD package that guides you through the uncharted world of intuitive playing. This softcover book is 102 pages long and comes with a 72-minute CD with audio examples and exercises corresponding to the text. Chapters include:
* Tuning Your Guitar By Ear - what to listen for, what to use.
* Tools of the Trade - the best ways to listen to the recorded music you hope to learn.
* Feeling Rhythms - how to count, how to strum.
* The Chords That Bind - what chords are and how they're organized. Includes a discussion of common chord types and progressions.
* Puzzling Through Harder Chord Progressions - peculiar chords, where they come from and where they go. 
* Single-Note Riffs, Licks, and Lead Lines - the fancy stuff.
* Song Structure, or the Bigger Picture - how chord progressions and riffs become songs.
* Paying By Ear in the Real World - how to work and play well with yourself and others.
There are also several Appendices that put all the basic tools of guitar notation and basic music theory in one place:
Appendix A is a guide to Guitar Notation (rhythm charts, standard notation, and tablature);
Appendix B covers Chord Frames and How to Read Them as well as providing a guide to common open-position chords;
Appendix C introduces Circles and Patterns, i.e. the chromatic circle, the circle of fifths, etc. (and anyone who has studied privately with me will know that this is just the tip of the iceberg on this delicious topic!);
Appendix D provides some common scales on the guitar;
and Appendix E gives the reader answers to the various exercises throughout the book.
To purchase a copy of Play Guitar By Ear, get thee to the Gift Shop directly and immediately.