John McCarthy (guitarist
editJohn McCarthy is a guitarist, author, educator and creator of the Rock House Method system of learning. Since 2001, The Rock House Method has sold more then three million instructional programs featuring John McCarthy. In the past John has written columns for Guitar School magazine and starting June 2009, he began writing a monthly column titled “Metal Rising” in the internationally known Guitar Player magazine.
An Educator
editJohn had a great vision to be an educator at a very young age starting his own music school at the age of 15 and creating the first complete Rock guitar instruction series on video in 1986. In 2000, John designed the Rock House Method accelerated learning system that combined instruction in video and book form with an on-line support system. In 2001 marketing specialist Joe Palumbo became a business partner and the mission began to take “The Rock House Method” to masses.
John Currently has authored 19 instructional method books, 48 instructional DVDs and 1 instructional DVD rom. John designed and developed a Disney Learn Guitar method featuring the songs of Hannah Montana and High School Musical released in 2009 on DVD-rom. In addition to his own instructional books and programs John has worked with many of the greatest musicians in the world creating personal instruction programs featuring the Rock House Method, Alexi Laiho, Alex Skolnick, Kiko Loureiro, Jeff Loomis, Bernie Worrell, Oli Herbert, Michael “Padge” Paget, Rusty Cooley, Dan Jacobs, Rob Arnold, Doug Wimbish, Leo Noccentelli and Dave Ellifson are some of the collaborating artists.
A Guitarist
editJohn began playing guitar at the age of 6 inspired by listening to the vast album collection of his older brother and sisters and states this as the reason he has a wide range of music genres in his vocabulary. When John turned 8 he already had a band playing local camps and parties and at 15 was playing across the tri-state area in clubs.
In 2006 John recorded his first solo release “Drive” a guitar driven instrumental CD, Doug Wimbish of Living Colour fame produced and played bass. Other players on the CD are Will Calhoun - drums (Living Colour), Bernie Worrell – Keyboards (P-Funk, Talking Heads), Leo Noccentelli guitar (The Meters), and Jordan Gengreco Keyboards.
The Future
editJohn McCarthy is currently designing a four book teacher based method for learning guitar and bass guitar that will correspond interactively with a full on-line music school for the Rock House Method. This is planned to release January 2010.
Body of Work
editInstrustructional Books
Rock House Learn Rock Guitar Beginner
Rock House Learn Rock Guitar Intermediate
Rock House Learn Rock Guitar Advanced
Rock House Learn Rock Guitar Course
Rock House Learn Rock Acoustic Beginner
Rock House Learn Rock Acoustic Intermediate
Rock House Children’s Guitar Method
Rock House Clap, Tap, Sing & Swing
Rock House The Only Chord Book You’ll Ever Need – Guitar
Rock House The Only Chord Book You’ll Ever Need - Keyboard
So Easy Ultimate Guitar Acoustic Guitar Course
So Easy Ultimate Guitar Electric Guitar Course
House of Blues Acoustic Guitar Beginner
House of Blues Electric Guitar Beginner
House of Blues Acoustic Guitar Course
House of Blues Electric Guitar Course
House of Blues Blues Guitar Course
House of Blues Blues Guitar Level 1
House of Blues Blues Guitar Level 2
Instructional Videos / DVD
Rock House Learn Rock Guitar Beginner
Rock House Learn Rock Guitar Intermediate
Rock House Learn Rock Guitar Advanced
Rock House Learn Rock Guitar Course
Rock House Learn Rock Acoustic Beginner
Rock House Learn Rock Acoustic Intermediate
Rock House Blues Riffs, Rhythms & Secrets
Rock House Hands of Steel
Rock House Advanced Metal
Rock House Modes Demystified
Rock House Learn Metal Guitar Beginner
Rock House Learn Metal Guitar Intermediate
Rock House Learn Metal Guitar Advanced
Rock House Learn Blues Guitar Beginner
Rock House Learn Blues Guitar Intermediate
Rock House Learn Blues Guitar Advanced
Rock House Lead Guitar
Rock House Learn to Play Ukulele
Rock House Modern Classical Guitar
So Easy Electric Guitar Level 1
So Easy Electric Guitar Level 2
So Easy Acoustic Guitar Level 1
So Easy Acoustic Guitar Level 2
House of Blues Acoustic Guitar Beginner
House of Blues Electric Guitar Beginner
House of Blues Blues Guitar Level 1
House of Blues Learn Metal Guitar Beginner
House of Blues Blues Guitar Level 2
Peavey Play It All Acoustic Guitar
Peavey Play It All Electric Guitar
CD/DVD Rom Interactive Programs
Disney Learn Guitar Method - featuring the songs of Hannah Montana & High School Musical
Branded Instructional Videos / DVD (featured in guitar packs)
Washburn/Lyon Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Peavey Acoustic Guitar
Peavey Electric Guitar
Silvertone Acoustic Guitar
Silvertone Electric Guitar
Burswood Acoustic and Electric Guitar
SX Acoustic Guitar
SX Electric Guitar
Valencia Classical Guitar
Gypsy Rose Acoustic, Electric and Bass Guitar
Mahalo Ukulele
Ashton Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Spectrum Acoustic Guitar
Spectrum Electric Guitar
Spectrum Keyboard
Behringer Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Jim Deacan Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Switch Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Custom Artist Programs
Leo Noccentelli (The Meters)
Doug Wimbish (Living Colour)
Rob Arnold (Chimaira)
Marc Rizzo (Soul Fly, Solo Artist)
Dan Jacobs (Atreyu)
Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom)
David Ellifson (Megadeth)
Bernie Worrell (P-Funk, Talking Heads)
Oli Herbert (All That Remains)
Michael “Padge” Paget (Bullet for My Valentine)
Bobby Thomson (Job for a Cowboy)
Kiko Loureiro (Solo Artist, Angra)
Alex Skolnick (Testament, Alex Skolnick Trio, Trans Siberian Orchestra)
Gary Hoey (Solo Artist)
Jeff Loomis (Nevermore, Solo Artist)
Buz McGrath (Unearth)
Rusty Cooley (Solo Artist)
Freekbass Rock House Funk Bass (Solo artist)
Alex Bach - Guitar for Girls (Solo Artist)
John McCarthy CD Releases
13 O’clock – independent release (1999)
Drive – solo instrumental guitar (2006)