the story
Better Guitar is created by Mark Starlin, with the help of reader contributions such as Player Opinions reviews and comments.
Bio
I remember as a young boy, someone brought a guitar over to our house and left it there for the day. I was fascinated by the way it looked and sounded. I started bugging my parents for a guitar until they finally got me a cheap one when I was 12 years old. It has been my passion ever since. I took lessons during my teen years (1970’s in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, Michigan) from Robert Richter, a jazz musician and guitar teacher who opened my eyes to many new styles of music.
I began playing in church during my teens and have been doing it ever since. I currently play at Colonial Baptist Church and teach guitar at their Arts Academy: The Studio. I mainly play for the youth groups, but also for the adults, and in a jazz combo that does Christmas programs and weddings.
I have also played in bands including Big Truth, Aero, and the Paul Henning Band. I have currently started practices in a jazz guitar duo.
Recordings
Here are some solo recordings I have written and recorded at home on my laptop. I played all the instruments except drums, which I constructed from drum loops.
Here are some early rehearsal tracks of songs I wrote for Big Truth. Big Truth featured Joy Dean (vocals), Tim Dean (drums), Steve Montgomery (bass), and myself on guitar. These are old 4-track cassette garage band recordings, so the sound quality is “what it is.”
Videos
Here is a jazz chord melody video.
My Guitar Heroes/Main Influences
photos
- Warming up in the studio during my early years.
- Meeting my guitar hero: Phil Keaggy.
- Meeting a legend, Les Paul, after the show in New York.
- Rocking summer camp in Traverse City, Michigan.
- Playing some jazz.
Beliefs
My personal relationship with Jesus Christ affects everything I do in this life, and for all of eternity. If you would like to know how to have a relationship with God now and spend eternity with Him, please visit http://www.needhim.org/.