ToneGym Hero: Douglas Noble

Balancing a career as a classical guitarist, music teacher, and freelance journalist with a passion for continual learning and a love for the guitar's versatility. Douglas Noble is this month's ToneGym Hero!

How did you first find your way into making music?

I was given a classical guitar for my 13th birthday and a tuition book, ‘The Roger Evans Book of Fingerstyles for Guitar', shortly after joining the Tweeddale Folk Group, where I learnt the B7 chord, amongst other things.

Moving to Edinburgh for University, I started classical guitar lessons. After studying Psychology, I decided I wanted to make a living from music. I got a couple of diplomas in classical guitar and started teaching privately. I had a couple of transcription books of Jimi Hendrix and Peter Green solos published and started teaching in a couple of schools as a peripatetic instrumental instructor.   

I had always loved guitar magazines and used my Peter Green transcription book as a ‘calling card’ to approach the start-up magazine ‘The Guitar Magazine’ (UK). I contributed to TGM for 25 years as a freelance journalist, providing transcriptions, interviews, and technical analysis.

I interviewed around 70 guitarists over the period, including guitarists I had listened to and learned from in my earlier years – Alex Lifeson, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Mark Knopfler, Brian May, and John Williams, to name but a few.  

While working as a freelance music journalist, I contributed to a dozen different magazines and several books, as well as writing 'The Right Way To Play Guitar' (2002) and 'Jimi Hendrix: The Man, The Music, The Memorabilia' (1996; co-authored with Caesar Glebbeek).

I was always keen to broaden my experience and income base as a self-employed musician! So, alongside teaching and journalism, I became an examiner for what is now the world’s leading exam board for popular music.  

When my freelance work for The Guitar Magazine ended, I concentrated on 'professional development' and now have ten Grade 8s—the last one being a Distinction in RSL Music Production in April 2022. Keen to develop my ear skills, I joined ToneGym in October 2022, having joined SoundGym in July 2021 to improve my music production skills.

I was delighted to win the SoundGym Championship in May 2024, I'm still working towards winning the ToneGym championship...

Aside from music, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy?

Besides music and the guitar, I am a keen city cyclist, cycling practically every day of the year.  I am a keen follower of current affairs and politics.  I still have an active interest in psychology, including mental health, mental disorders, addiction, personality, and psyops.

I'm a big fan of stand-up comedy, my favorites being Stewart Lee and Jerry Sadowitz.  I'm also a big film watcher and a fan of red wine and chili.  Not at the same time, of course...

What’s something you're surprisingly good at that has nothing to do with music?

For a neurotic introvert – aren’t a lot of musicians?! - I am surprisingly good at chairing meetings and organising communal property repairs. I put it down to Situationalism!  

If you could play or create with any artist, who would it be and why?

Perhaps the late 'classical crossover' composer Jóhann Gunnar Jóhannsson since his work straddles various genres and makes use of unusual sounds.  

What musical instrument do you love the most, and what makes it irreplaceable for you?

The guitar, not surprisingly, is due to its enormous versatility in terms of the number of music styles that can be played on it, the vast range of sounds that can be produced from it, and the variety of techniques involved.

What daily or weekly habits do you have in place to keep you creating?

I have done the daily workout of ToneGym every day since 18 October 2022, apart from a two-week period in December due to hospitalisation! I will work on guitar technique intermittently as and when required. As far as creating goes, I currently keep it spontaneous—when I come up with an interesting riff or melody whilst improvising, I'll write it down in a manuscript book. I keep a practice diary and encourage my guitar pupils to do the same.  

I have a strict routine: I wake up at 4:20 a.m., do 60 press-ups to get the blood flowing, stick on the coffee ('Psycho Coffee', what else?!), and start practising at 4:30 a.m. I feel practice is most beneficial when one is fresh at the start of the day rather than not-so-fresh after a day's work, whatever that might be.  

What keeps you motivated to continue making music?

There’s always something new to learn or explore—whether it is physical playing techniques or more general aspects of music such as harmonies, melodies, timbre, or sound production.

What song would you choose as the soundtrack of your life?

'Hellhound on My Tail' – Robert Johnson.  Why? Don't ask!  

What's your favorite feature on ToneGym, and how has it helped you in your musical journey?  

I like that the exercises continue even after you have received the 'red star'.

What’s something exciting you're working on or looking forward to?

Progressing in Interval Barks!  I was on Level 334 and 99.94% in May 2023.  I'm now on Level 1,486 – over one thousand Levels higher – but still on 99.94%.  I look forward to the day when I brake through that 99.94% barrier!  I was delighted to win the SoundGym Championship in May 2024 – I'm still working towards winning the ToneGym championship...

I am also looking forward to improving my social media presence, having made only a tentative start.

You can follow Douglas on his Instagram and site.