Interview by Lindsay McCarthy

What makes Metal Method ’s actual product superior to others in the same market?

We stay at the head of the curve of technology. For example, Doug Marks has developed animated video tablature (guitar notation) with real guitar audio. No other companies have this same format.

What differentiates Metal Method as a company from other companies in general?

There is a glut of products in the guitar instruction market, and the producers run the gamut from large publishing companies with strong corporate ties to mass market vendors (such as Guitar Center) to independent individuals with internet connections who post their own work (or pirate the works of others). Metal Method sits in its own niche within this spectrum. By selling directly to our customers we are able to provide personal service and understand the needs and desires of our market. We take great care to create products of the greatest quality because they are representative of ourselves and reflect directly upon us.

What is the purpose of Metal Method’s affiliate program?

The program is designed to promote Metal Method products by providing generous financial incentives to our affiliates. I posted some affiliate links and didn't give them much thought until Doug Marks e-mailed me to let me know that I had already made a nice commission on several sales and had generated considerable traffic for the Metal Method site.

In your opinion why was Metal Method started?

Doug Marks can answer this best but I know that he was teaching guitar lessons individually and realized that he could reach more people and not be limited by geographic constraints if he published his lessons.

What keeps Metal Method motivated?

As long as there are people around the world who want to learn to play guitar, we know that we can help them by providing these lessons. Technology evolves continuously and we update our formats accordingly. The course began as audio cassettes and paper booklets and is now in DVD format with on-disk PDFs and computer files for study and practice.

Why did you choose to be a part of the company?

I had ordered the original course in 1982 as a Christmas gift from my mother. Doug enclosed a handwritten note reading “Don't spend the whole Christmas day practicing.” The Metal Method lessons were by far superior to anything available at that time and I kept referring to the tapes and booklets over a long period. I went on to get a B.A. in music and became a music transcriber. When I first went online in 1998 the Metal Method site was one of my first destinations. I started to help Doug answer some theory questions posted by his students. Then I did some scanning of early Metal Method documents from my archives. I started as a volunteer and before long I was an employee. Doug trained me in some of the company trade secrets and my involvement and participation grew over the years.

Do you feel as though Metal Method is customer or profit based?

If you want longevity and respect, there has to be a balance between the two. If you aren't sensitive to the needs and desires of your customers then they aren't going to stay with you. By making our products affordable while not compromising quality we have built a customer base that has endured for about twenty five years. People who bought the original course in 1982 are excited about our new releases and course revisions today. They know that they can count on us for quality and value.

2001 Interview by Lullä Milanese

(This interview appeared in Portuguese at Lullä's now defunct web site.)

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