The world wide web is a crazy place and well, I love it as I am sure you do. But there are some small disadvantages that the web has created and one of those is the effect it can have on publications that you can hold in your hand. I am a self admitted magazine junky! I love magazines. They are a way to get real insight and current up to date information on a pursuit, whatever the pursuit may be. Magazines are a place where people who love a certain topic can find a lot of information about their topic.

CliffordEssex.net - BMG Magazine subscription page - Youtube BMG Guitar Reviews - Back issues of the Magazine

In this case I am talking about the classical guitar and the magazine BMG (Banjo, Mandolin, Guitar) which is published by the Clifford Essex Music Company. This was a publication that had an enormous world wide subscriber base but over the decades it fell to the wayside and subscriptions waned. (Their first issue was published in 1903)

It has experienced a revival over the past couple of years and it has been invigorated with new life - it even has a website!

If you play classical guitar and you want some solid stuff that you can actually hold in your hands I recommend you look into subscribing to BMG. You will get a regular dose of real sheet music right in your mailbox.

What is BMG Really all about? It is very simple. This company (Clifford Essex) and BMG Magazine is about a love for the fretted instrument. How often do you get that nowadays? If you love the Classical guitar you might want to check out this company and consider subscribing to their magazine. . The magazine is filled with all kinds of terrific stuff about fretted instruments and in any one issue you are going to get articles about the history of the instruments, how they are made, world wide variations and of course sheet music.

Here is a picture of some of the recent materials including four issues of the magazine and some added sheet music pieces.

What's Inside: Lots of articles about fretted instruments and sheet music for them.

Just some wonderful stuff if you are a fan of fretted instruments

• History of instruments (Did you know that Napoleons Guitar sold for 100 guineas in 1953? I wonder if it was 3/4 size?)
• How instruments are made
• Tips on playing
• Sheet music pieces
• Regular columns by players and teachers
• CD Reviews
• Analysis on music from around the world
• Lots more
• The most recent issue came with a special enlarged supplement at no extra cost. It has pages of solos for banjo, mandolin, guitar, balalaika, lute and ukelele

Some Interesting Products:

The New Clifford Essex tutor for Classical Guitar (Available on the Clifford Essex Website) By Alonso Medio

When this tutor was first published over fifty years ago there were few modern books available to the would-be student, who had to rely on the old-fashioned 'Methods' of players such as Carcassi, Carulli and Sor. The Clifford Essex Spanish Guitar Tutor paved the way for others which have been published over the intervening years, and now it has been re-written and completely brought up to date by the author.

Even the title has been changed to be in line with modern usage ! This book will help the absolute beginner to acquire techniques and background knowledge vital to the mastery of the instrument.

At one time Clifford Essex had an extensive catalogue of Classical Guitar solos. We aim to improve, update and edit many of these, together with new compositions and arrangements. The first title in the new catalogue is 'Two Menuets', as shown here.Composed by Christian Petzold, these pieces appear in the Anna Magdalena Bach Book of 1725 ( You can hear a sample of this music on the linked webpage)

Two Irish Melodies Arranged by Alonso Medio Available on the Clifford Essex Website ( You can hear a sample of this music on the linked webpage)