Allen
Van Wert
Guitarist · Inventor · Author
I write #1 bestselling books about music theory, program tools that teach guitar, and play 25 notes per second when nobody's looking.
The #1 Bestseller
The Science of Music
The book I always wished someone had handed me when I was learning. Music theory built from cause and effect, not memorization. No jargon, no standard notation required.
Endorsed by Chris Adler of Megadeth and Bumblefoot of Guns N Roses. Used by educators, self-taught players, and trained musicians who finally wanted the why instead of the what.
Lesson eBooks
Ear Training For Guitarists
67 pages of focused ear training built specifically for rock and blues guitarists. Uses a numerical code system to pack thousands of lessons into a small, easy to read format. When you can hear it in your head, you can play it on the guitar.
Modern Songwriting Secrets
60 pages teaching songwriting in a modern format. Most songwriting books analyze hits from the 40s. This one breaks songs down into scientific elements you can actually use, focused on what matters in modern music regardless of genre.
Robot's Technical Guitar
The original. A number-one bestseller on its distribution platform. Warmups, drills, exercises, and a process for learning that works both hands. Includes audio reference files and tab. Simple in nature, but the exercises are killer.
Who is this guy?
I learned guitar on an instrument my father built me by hand. I earned a scholarship to Berklee and turned it down to figure things out my own way. Decades later I still believe the best way to learn music is by understanding why it works, not memorizing what someone told you to do.
Things I've built
The Science of Music
The #1 bestselling music theory book on Amazon. Built around Cognitive Weighting Theory of Modality, an original framework for understanding why music sounds the way it does.
Visit SiteUltimate Picking Program
The world's first AI guitar trainer for picking. Identifies a player's specific weaknesses and tells them exactly what to practice and at what speed. Runs on PC, Mac, Linux, and Android.
Visit SiteRandoBeat
A simple rhythm generator for practice and composition. Click a subdivision and it generates a rhythm to try out. Free, browser-based, no account needed.
Visit SiteRobot Tapping
A guitar technique I developed in 2000 that sounds so mechanical that listeners on early Yahoo chat rooms thought the recordings were MIDI files instead of a guitar. Featured throughout my 2005 album ROBOT.
Watch on YouTubeBAND & BAND II
Built on a Commodore Amiga in Amos Pro. A band-management sim and rhythm-action game where users played guitar with input controls. Years before Guitar Hero. Probably the first of its kind.
See It RunChord/Scale Engine
An internal application built in 2018 to map every relationship between chords and scales. Used to generate cards for an upcoming card game and demonstrated in the Nerd Sessions YouTube series on improvisation.
Watch the SeriesTake a Lesson
I've been teaching guitar privately for over 25 years. Students have ranged from 7 years old to 75, from pure beginners to other guitar teachers and touring pros. Three ways to learn from me:
1-on-1 Private Lessons
Custom lesson plans built around your goals and learning style. Whether you're just starting out, stuck on a specific technique, or a teacher looking to sharpen your own playing, I'll meet you where you are. Sessions over video call, books open by appointment.
Book a SessionJamPlay Course Library
I'm a featured instructor on JamPlay.com with a full library of structured guitar courses. Hundreds of hours of pre-recorded material covering technique, theory, and style. Use the trial code 21DCE1A68F to check it out free.
Free TrialTwitch Live Streams
Catch me live-streaming guitar lessons and practice sessions on Twitch. Free to watch, hang out in the chat, and play along. The whole back catalog of free lessons also lives on YouTube anytime.
Watch LiveThe Music
Solo records, session work, tribute albums, movies, video game soundtracks, and singles spanning two decades. A handful of selected highlights:
On TikTok
The book exploded on TikTok thanks to a sci-fi-themed video series breaking down music theory the way it should be taught. Over 14,000 physical copies sold through TikTok Shop. A handful of the videos that made it happen:
People I've worked with
Guitar work, songwriting, production, and recording sessions with members of some of the biggest bands in rock and metal history. A partial list:
Plus session work on albums with members of Motley Crue, Alice Cooper, KISS, Poison, Dio, Black Sabbath, Whitesnake, Yngwie Malmsteen, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Quiet Riot, LA Guns, The Cult, Steppenwolf, Cinderella, and Warrant.
Join the List
I'm working on video instruction to go with the book, bonus material for readers, and a few other things I'm not ready to talk about yet. Drop your email and I'll let you know the moment any of it goes live.
You're on the list
I'll send you a note as soon as the first piece of new material is ready.
No spam. One click to unsubscribe whenever you want.