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Is there really any such thing as good press and bad press, Maybe... Back in the day I sent out a few faxes and this reporter guy called me and wanted to do a story on guitarweek, This was the first official story that ran in a local paper. Here is the story that we found in the paper later on that week...

----------------------------------------- Published back in 2000 ----------------------------------------------

by Rob Rueff
Gazette staff writer

Playing the guitar always has been Mike Mettura's passion. Ever since he can remember, Mettura has played the guitar, either practicing his own music or trying to play songs by famous guitar players like Eric Clapton, Eddie Van Halen or Jimi Hendrix. As technology advances into the next century, the Bargersville resident decided to take his love global be developing a Web site at www.guitarweek.com.

As more people become familiar with computers, such as Mettura, It is becoming easier for people with nominal experience on the computer to design and produce a Web site. Mettura became interested in going to the Internet as his source of teaching and realized a niche existed that he could fill.

The site gives an in-depth look at a variety of different lessons. Visitors to the site can teach themselves how the play guitar without paying a teacher. "I try to give guitar lessons and it didn't work out," Mettura, 32, said. "I figured this way, I'd just throw it up there and people can go at thier own pace."

When he first started looking for names for the site, all his choices had been used. He decided on guitarweek, hoping people would check out the Web site on a weekly basis. After purchasing the software, Mettura spent two weeks designing the Web site to have it ready to show, He spends eight to 10 hours a day working on the site by either adding or revising the page.

Those who find the Web site on teh Internet can download any of the lessons for free, Mettura said. If teachers or schools want to use the materials to teach their own lessons, they can pay a $6 copyright fee to make additional copies. Mettura is searching for sponsors. It cost him about $70 a month to keep the site running. If a sponsor were to help out with the cost, it would help free up Mettura financially. A sponsor would also give Mettura more time to expand the site in the future.

"The great think about the guitar is that is is versatile," Mettura said. "You can take it anywhere. People can be at the library or another friends house, use their computer and go to the Web site and teach each other guitar. People retain 80 percent of what they are taught compared to only 15% of what they read."

The site includes teaching left handers how to play with diagrams in reverse forms. It also has several diagrams for every level of guitar players and links to other guitar sites on the internet. Mettura plans to add more diagrams and lessons by the end of the year.

He also want to change the backgound colors of the site. With the help of his girlfreind, Mettura would like to make the diagrams more appeasing the the eyes of his visitors. He hopes to go the schools or libraries and give seminars to others who may not have access to computer. Mettura, who likes all types of music, eventually would like to publish a magazine, but that is in the long-range plans of his promising career, he said.

"Just don't forget everybody learns the same way --- one note at a time," Mettura said. "Even the greats learned that way."

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