We live in the age of the internet, a time when just about anything can be obtained through the web, and that would also include learning guitar. Learning how to play guitar through the web is a perfectly normal and very frequent approach to mastering the six-string these days and something we happen to recommend wholeheartedly.
But as is always the case with the internet, there is a lot of stuff to sift through out there, and it's often too easy to get caught up with all the heaps of info. Therefore, we took the liberty of searching the web to bring you as many options as we can find. Our quest yielded around 30+ bad boys; feel free to check 'em out below.
This list essentially contains a string of top-quality guitar resources and some of the best ways to learn how to play guitar online. As experienced musicians and guitar-heads, we have realized that quite a few sites stood out not just as nice ways to supplement your six-string playing but as standalone methods on mastering the instrument.
Therefore, we decided to really dig deep into the matter and single out the top ones. While there are solid sites out there that offer decent knowledge, what we were after in this rundown is the crème de la crème of online guitar lessons. We are not saying that these are the only tools that work, but we believe that these sites will motivate you the most and make your learning process quick and easy.
The rundown includes both info that is free and one that requires payment. We believe that the goods behind those pay-walls are more than worth their respective price tags, but we also think that the free stuff is strong and solid and not just some fluff to get you to pay up. With all that out of the way, check out the sites!
We'd like to kick off the rundown with Guitar Tricks, a highly practical guitar tool and one of the best online guitar lessons we can think of. This site takes a very practical approach by offering you direct guidelines on how to learn to play specific musical genres as soon as possible.
The course offers beginner exercises and everything, but crafts every single move towards the musical style of your choice. This could be rock, blues, jazz, country -– you name it, it's there.
Using the site with all features comes with a price tag of $20, but you can take a free trial if you're up for it and experience how easy you can learn guitar with GT at no charge. After testing the course out, you can dive into the full thing and look into over 11,000 videos, with new courses being added on a daily basis with unlimited access.
Additionally, the subscription regime offers an online metronome and tuner, a technique reference library, dozens of instructors available at a few clicks of your hand, along with a jam station feature, active subscriber help, and zero ads.
The company has been around since way back in 1998, and their system is very well developed and adapted for any style imaginable. The course is roughly divided into Beginner Section, Experienced Section, Learn Styles of Guitar segment, and Learn to Play Songs section with over 600 tunes. That includes all-time classics by such guitar giants as The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Eagles, and many more.
What students of the Guitar Tricks course tend to praise is a vast array of available teachers aimed towards any musical genre you can imagine. All of the boys and girls who give lessons are dedicated, knowledgeable, and entertaining, which is pretty much the winning combo and guaranteed to be one of the fastest ways to learn guitar.
If you're up for it, we say at least give the trial version a shot; it certainly can't hurt.
Another fine way to kick out the jams is to join the community of nearly 500,000 guitarists around the world called JamPlay. This web tool features nearly 5,500 lessons in HD format, focusing on giving the player a continuous experience and a string of videos that you can follow step by step from beginner level all the way to pro heights.
What makes JamPlay additionally stand out is the fact that the roster of instructors has been reinforced with a variety of famous musicians, including former Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Steve Stevens of Billy Idol's band, Machine Head mastermind Robb Flynn, Animals as Leaders hero Tosin Abasi, Pantera bass master Rex Brown, Lita Ford, and many more.
Regardless of the namedropping bit here, the service is full of top-quality guitar teachers who will inspire you to pick up the instrument and advance in your musical journey.
All lessons are responsive to any platform and feature both standard notation and guitar tabs. Some of the included categories are Beginners, Genres, Songs, and many more.
The company has been around since 2006, quickly attaining the status of one of the leading learning courses on the web. The site is aimed towards players of any style, providing lessons on how to learn any genre from light pop to thrash and death metal.
The price is once again $20 per month if you want to take it 1 month at a time, or you can go ahead and invest $160 into a yearly subscription. Whichever option you choose, you get unlimited access to everything.
In our humble opinion, this is one of the best options you can go for, and we wholeheartedly recommend giving JamPlay a look.
What better way to learn music than through one of the most renowned musical institutions in the world. We are, of course, talking about the prestigious Berklee College of Music.
The school offers the expertise of its renowned teachers packed in an online form, allowing the whole world to look into the Berklee domain and hopefully use that knowledge to make amazing guitar music.
According to the professors, the course isn't just a standard Berklee rundown, but a specially crafted program made to bring all the guitar goodies to players in an equally efficient manner as one-on-one old school guitar learning.
Please note that these courses are very encompassing and require your attention and practice outside of lesson time. They last for 12 weeks, and you better make sure that you're not full of other obligations during that time. Also, courses are not available at all times, and you will not get just videos but actual live streams.
That means it even more clear that Berklee courses are an option for more serious users. You can't just turn these lessons on and off every time you wish, and you basically can't do it at your own pace.
Apart from 12-week courses, there are also multiple ways to learn guitar divided into course certificates that last between 3 and 18 months, along with a full-on Berklee degree course.
This is, without a doubt, one of the best options out there, as well as one of the pricier choices. If that sounds cool, feel free to apply anytime, but make sure to check when the courses start.
Udemy is one of the most renowned sites on the web for learning stuff in general, and of course, it also has with more than a handful of useful guitar courses.
We sifted through a string of notable programs by many prominent guitar instructors and singled out the "Complete Guitar System - Beginner to Advanced" course by Mr. Erich Andreas as our top pick.
What makes this program stand out is, first and foremost, efficiency. The instructor had a very clear idea about what he wanted to create – a course aimed exclusively towards beginner and intermediate guitar players. It's a course that is as efficient as possible and always on point.
Seeing that what we are looking at here is a hefty set of 277 lectures and 27.5 hours of content, it is an awe-inspiring achievement that Erich made pretty much every second here useful -- no filler, no fluff, just the meaty goods.
The clips are divided into 15 different sections -– 9 for newbies and 6 for intermediate gals and fellas -– ranging from "The Core" concepts such as the anatomy of the guitar and knowing all the note names on the fretboard, all the way through "Solid Foundation" stage and finally the "Intermediate Level."
The course was attended by over 15,000 individuals, fetching an impressive overall high score. Note that each of the lectures comes with appropriate PDF files to make the learning process as efficient as possible. The course is available both on iOS and Android as well, including lifetime access and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
What we like the most about the course is that it is very engaging and leaves next to zero places for losing attention because of poor-quality content. The stuff will keep you attentive at all times (if you are interested in learning the guitar, of course), but you should plan ahead as well. We're looking at 84 lectures, which equates to at least 3 to 6 months of dedicated work. If you're up for it, go for it!
Conceived way back in the '90s, Lick Library is an awesome story of two guitar players and six-string fans reaching success in the field of guitar playing. What makes this course great is the fact that the guys have always kept on their heads cool and are still seeing things through the eyes of a fan.
That means the library contains a string of lessons that are very easy to grasp and always oriented towards jamming. The site offers DVD lessons, online lessons, as well as Jamtrax, to help you learn individual songs.
In fact, Jamtrax is a little something we'd like to draw your attention to in particular. It's a highly effective and cheap way to master a variety of songs from many genres. Just purchase a single song-lesson for $3, and you'll instantly get all the goods you need to master it -– not poor-quality content the web is full of these days, just the meaty bits.
Now further on up the road, we have to point out that a mere glance at some of the instructors on the site makes it quite evident we are dealing with a pro team here. First and foremost, Mr. Guthrie Govan -- the man who's been pushing the limits of what a guitar can do for quite a few years now and contributed to majestic pieces of Steven Wilson -– is a featured teacher, and so is Dave Kilminster, the guy who played with none other than Pink Floyd legend Roger Waters.
In general, the site offers quite a few options, and we recommend checking them all out to find your perfect match. The best way to get into the whole thing is to start a free 14-day trial and make your own judgment on whether Lick Library is your perfect guitar teaching tool.
Founded by Mr. Kirk Lorange back in 2000, Guitar for Beginners and Beyond amassed a community of 120,000 individuals and over 250,000 posts. There is pretty much not a thing related to guitars that isn't covered by the course. We find it particularly useful that the site also hosts a forum with a variety of useful info and juicy tidbits.
Where the program particularly shines is the acoustic guitar segment. If you happen to be looking for the best way to learn acoustic guitar and master all the tricky chords out there, this is one of the top tools we can recommend.
Another sweet thing about the site is that you can really find a lot of good content for free, so even if you prefer another service, we definitely think this site deserves a visit or two every now and then. It just screams with honesty and a genuine desire to spread the knowledge, some things all of us should learn to appreciate a bit more.
Also included in the mix are useful general posts about guitars, an online tuner, explanations of chords and their powers, general playing tips, and much more. We are looking at a healthy, productive atmosphere and a positive attitude that will drive you to explore the realm of the six-string even more. What more can a guitarist ask for?
Don't get intimidated by the old-school design, for we are looking at one of the strongest and most frequently hailed six-string resources on the entire web. Started in 2003, this guitar service was hailed by none other than Queen's guitar champion, Dr. Brian May.
While the site features a section with paid content, and it is our opinion that all the books and DVDs inside are more than worth their price, a very significant portion of content here is absolutely free of charge.
The site divides its lessons into basic levels that give the impression of the course being somewhat simple, but it is only when you dive into all the goods inside that you become aware of the scope of this whole thing.
There's beginner lectures, intermediate lectures, specific sons, chords, arpeggios, ear training, lick libraries, transcription tips, scales, modes -– you name it, Justin has it.
While we cannot say that the free stuff from this service is better or on par with some of the listed subscription services, we can say that as far as free content goes, this site is quite possibly the best way to learn how to play guitar for free. You might need help from a teacher or any other experienced guitarist, but these goods can go a long way and serve you well throughout the intermediate stage.
A whole other segment of the service worthy of discussion is the apps section. Once again, we are looking at free and paid content. For free, you can get the basic goods such as a solid metronome tool, but paying will get you more advanced stuff, such as the site's ear training app that we found particularly neat and concise. The apps aren't too expensive and typically stay below the $3 threshold, so that one gets a thumbs up from here as well.
GuitarLessons.com and its Guitar System service are a top-notch tool for bringing the experience of actual face to face guitar learning with instructors to you through the power of the internet at maximum affordability.
First things first -– the free stuff. A very solid database we have here, a lot of grounds covered, and always on-point. Whether in a free or subscription portion, the guide's feature instructor, Nate Savage, takes you deep into the realm of six strings.
But now, although all that free content is quite solid and actually packed with genuinely useful info, what makes the paid subscription stand out is how well it is organized.
While the free stuff is great for players who reach the advanced or at least intermediate level, the organization of the subscription really struck us as one of the best on the entire list (and this is a pretty long list, you'll agree). From the moment you pick up a guitar to the second, you are able to fly across the guitar realm on your own, every step is incredibly well covered.
Not only that, but the courses actually branch out in a variety of directions, allowing you to develop your skills according to your favorite musical style.
The whole thing is around $150, but the great thing is that that money is the only sum you'll ever have to pay with The Guitar System. While those other services might seem more alluring with their $20 tags, keep in mind that those are monthly fees and not lifetime.
The service offers a full 90-day guarantee, HD multi-angle videos, a step by step curriculum, multi-platform services, detailed help, FAQ section, and a guarantee that you will face ZERO additional or hidden charges. Give this one a try; it just might be the perfect thing.
If you are a fan of those classy players, the type of folks who know how to deliver elegance through guitar, whether it's in the world of jazz, blues, or even classic country, TrueFire is your service.
What makes this tool additionally stand out is the fact that we are talking about more than plain videos, but a string of notable features that will make the learning process much more efficient. For example, you can slow down any recording to a speed you desire without losing pitch. Also, a looping feature is included in the mix, allowing you to loop certain parts to infinity.
It might sound basic, but it's simple things like this that can increase your learning speed very significantly and make a difference between keeping your eyes on a certain subject for five minutes and keeping you occupied for five hours. This applies for guitarists of any level, but especially for newbies.
The app is optimized for pretty much every platform you can imagine, including Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple TV.
The site has a variety of useful articles with tips and tricks, but we believe that the juicy bits are mostly within the subscription service, which is well worth the moolah.
As far as the specific services go, the site offers a variety of courses divided into sections by instruments, music genres, difficulty level, and more. Also available are private lessons for 1-on-1 guitar talk with certified educators and even some bonafide guitar icons. These include Tommy Emmanuel, Pat Martino, Robben Ford, Stu Ham, Dweezil Zappa, etc. If you have the money and wonder how to start learning guitar, the names mentioned above might be a good motivation for you.
Overall, this company took a great course and infused it with notable teachers and effective technical tricks to become more efficient. That's how the team stood out, and that's why they have a solid chunk of the market under their command. Nice job!
Another fine choice comes from Jamorama. Available at a slightly more affordable price tag of $12.95 per month, the tool focuses on ease of use without a hitch on a variety of platforms, including PC, Mac, and mobile.
The whole project is led by guitar instructor Mark McKenzie, giving you a more personalized feel of seeing one dude explaining all the goods. Speaking of which, there's a lot of goods in here to behold.
We are looking at 221 HD video tutorials you can access 24/7, including tab files, product support, and a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Mr. McKenzie has been teaching guitar for the past two decades and reached over quarter of a million people with the Jamorama course alone. The man focuses on reaching out to the crowd and getting close to bringing users an experience of attending an actual live lesson, not an online course.
With plenty of positive reviews, course users have pointed out that Mark does a great job in getting through the most difficult stage -– the very beginning. People say that the instructor made it as simple as possible to overcome those first tricky hurdles and quickly reach that stage where you can actually play some music.
Apart from the subscription, the course features a set of free videos to teach yourself guitar and to give you a taste of what to expect inside. As always, we think it's good to check those out first and then eventually make the big decision and join the Jamorama realm.
The site has been around since 2003, continuously posting new lessons and scoring more than a few awards and prominent media appearances. But most importantly, the course has scored mostly very positive reviews and helped people around the world master the six-string. If you're up for it, you could be one of the members of that gang.
Now let's pick it up a notch and dive head-on into the realm of heavy rock and metal music! A lot of aspiring guitarists, especially the younger ones, are driven to enter the realm of guitars by their love of heavy metal music. For this crowd, we recommend the Shred Academy.
Crafted to cater the fans of the heavy style, this resource is for both as your primary tool and as an additional source of information. You can work from scratch on developing your guitar playing here. Still, you can also use the Shred Academy to enrich your standard beginner experience with a pinch of metal and set your course towards the heavy domain as early as possible.
The Academy is home to around 150 free videos that have amassed over 5 million views on the web, along with a string of free videos, as well as paid products diving deep into the intricacies of many metal styles and sub-genres.
Depending on how involved you want to get, you can find one-off lessons on how to master certain shred concepts, as well as longer courses on how to become a proficient metal and rock guitarist. The site includes a free forum we think you should check out from time to time -– interesting topics and explanations do pop up from time to time.
The site also has several learning tools to help you along the way, including a metronome, tuner, backing tracks, speed trainer, ear trainer, fretboard trainer, scales trainer, and more.
If you are looking to learn how to shred on guitar, but really shred and not slop around the fingerboard like a noob, this resource is your winning ticket. Check it out and bookmark it; you won't regret it.
Music Radar is one of the most prominent music publication services and a part of the company behind Total Guitar, Guitarist Magazine, Rhythm Magazine, and Computer Music.
The site as a whole offers much more than guitar teaching, including news from the music world, reports from notable gear events such as the NAMM meeting, pro tips on just about anything related to music, and more.
However, we do have to say that the guitar section is rich enough to stand out on its own and make this list. Not only will Team Radar provide you with lessons, but the guys have also included a variety of demonstration videos, clips featuring iconic guitarists sharing valuable knowledge, and much more.
Our advice would be to follow Music Radar both on YouTube and through a social network of your choice; you will subscribe to free killer content to enrich your musical journey and vocabulary while keeping you focused on music and instruments at all times.
Adding this channel to your source of daily guitar stuff will certainly spice things up. You won't just be learning how to play guitar, but you will get things like pedal demos, guitar demos, amp demos, explanations from famous musicians on how to play certain iconic songs, rig rundowns, and much, much more.
We can't all be in full-on learning mode 24/7, but it is always the best to find a way to take in guitar knowledge even when you are relaxing, and that's where the MR comes in perfectly.
Needless to say, the mentioned magazines associated with Music Radar are nothing short of top-notch, and we recommend subscribing to them for quality content.
Would you like a lesson from guitar master champion overlord Paul Gilbert? Yeah? You're at the right place, then! Mr. Gilberto is one of the folks who offer lessons on Artist Works, where he's known as the guy specializing in rock.
Apart from that, the service is very versatile and presents guitar tutors from every domain, from classical guitar through country, blues, jazz, all the way to hard rock and heavy metal.
What AW focuses on the most is the so-called video exchange approach. They take modern technology and the internet to the max by making clips made by both students and teachers the focal point. Apart from the usual approach of teachers recording video lessons, the course heavily insists on students making videos as well.
That way, the teacher can get a more personal experience and a way to form a better assessment of the student. But there is another thing as well -– we live in the era of videos. So, lessons often require video recordings, which also stimulate musical and video production, essential tools these days in our humble opinion, and a great approach to keep up with the times.
Apart from 1-on-1 lessons, the site contains a massive database of video lessons and other exclusive content, covering not just guitars but anything from the ukulele to the cello. The stuff can be yours for around $1 per day; not a bad investment at all.
Artists Works began operating back in 2008 and is now a host to over 50,000 videos, 32 teachers, and tens of thousands of students from over 100 countries around the globe.
The biggest guitar site in the world in terms of traffic and the biggest global database of guitar tabs, Ultimate Guitar, was another shoo-in for this rundown. Since 1998, the site offers a lot of info, and the majority of it consists of tabs, over one million of 'em to be precise.
Tabs are undoubtedly one of the easiest and fastest ways to get to play actual songs, although they are not the top tool for expanding your musicality. Therefore, the site also includes a detailed section with various explanations on how to understand the intricate world of music.
Apart from that, UG offers probably the widest range of content on the entire list. There's a section with very in-depth interviews with a variety of notable members of the guitar realm, a forum that's always buzzing with guitar folks, a reviews section, a columns segment, and a strong news section that counts 1 million monthly visitors on its own.
As far as tabs go, note that they are all submitted by users, and although they are checked by professionals now, the tabs are not always guaranteed to be 100 percent accurate. Regardless of this, UG is still an obligatory tool for just about any guitarist out there. And if you want your tabs to be 100 percent accurate, you can subscribe to Tab Pro to get not only precise tablature but also a tab playback option, tempo control, a virtual fretboard, and much more.
The company made sure to point out that their tabs are 100 percent legal, meaning they pay royalties for every tab view. That means by using the site, you are actually contributing to the artist, which is kinda cool.
There's a free trial option on the site with deals and discounts pretty much always present, so give that one a spin and see how it works out.
Guitar World is arguably the leading guitar magazine in the world, and it should strike you as no surprise that it found a spot on the list. Around since 1980, the magazine grew into one of the crucial publications for guitar players, containing anything from cool fun facts and in-depth interviews to gear demonstrations and verified tabs.
When it comes to GW's free content, we believe that the company's YouTube channel is a pretty cool place to start. A community of around 400,000 subscribers with 160 million views, this resource has a string of useful videos.
One of the very cool things about Guitar World clips is the sound quality during gear demos. Whether it's guitars, pedals, or amps, their goods always present the user with a realistic image of what to expect from the given product. Additionally, this resource is probably the most guitar hero-packed channel out there. The guys are always bringing prominent musicians in, ranging from the latest cool axeman to bonafide legends of the six-string domain, to demonstrate their music, specific songs, styles, tricks and all that tasty stuff.
One of the company's most famous series would definitely be those "Betcha Can't Play This" videos that feature famous guitarists demonstrating a guitar lick they find tricky.
If you are up for subscribing to the magazine, you are looking at even more useful data – exclusive columns both from guitar legends and notable guitar instructors, insightful interviews and lists to inspire you, certified tabs and notation of iconic songs, and a whole lot of other goodies that kept the company afloat for over three decades.
Some of the magazine's notable columnists include Paul Gilbert, Michael Angelo Batio, Mark Morton of Lamb of God, Ihsahn, and many more. Additionally, the magazine has offered exclusive shows from the likes of Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Marty Friedman (ex-Megadeth), and more. A top-notch resource it is, and worth every penny.
Led by guitar instructor Adam Long, The Guitar Suite is a high-quality resource to round up your guitar knowledge. What we like about this site, in particular, is that it puts a solid emphasis on the aspect of songwriting, which is a factor that has been neglected by many teaching tools out there.
Both instructors and students sometimes tend to forget that the ultimate goal of learning any instrument is to express oneself through the power of music, and not to turn the guitar into an athletic competition of technique.
So while the site contains plenty of guidance for beginners, intermediate players, and seasoned pros on how to practice properly, develop your technique, learn specific songs and implement music theory in your musicianship, it also offers a whole Songwriting section that will help you get an understanding of how all those concepts reflect when utilized for something concrete and practical, making actual original music.
They give lectures in various forms, namely written guides and videos. There's definitely a little something for someone, and we like that guides are usually general and not too focused on specific music genres. While we are all for certain style-oriented lessons, we also believe that general lessons are absolutely fundamental, and that is just what The Guitar Suite has in store for you.
These are free for everyone, and the site generally has a good spirit, meaning that you can find recommendations of other sites, teachers, and notable resources. We can only give Mr. Long kudos for this as it seems very obvious that his primary goal will always be to spread guitar knowledge to the world. Good stuff!
There's one really cool thing about FretJam that we appreciate very much -– they insist that you should be yourself. That is the very essence of music, and we always get a smile on our faces when seeing such an approach.
Led by a fella named Mike, the site is free for you to use and features a variety of lessons. What makes it stand out is that Mike's approach firmly points out that you should not take on guitar playing as "I want to play ." Instead, the man stresses the importance of being yourself and exploring the style that naturally comes out of you.
For example, pretty much every musician out there agrees that the tone is mostly located in one's fingers and that the way you hold those frets and strum those strings impacts your sound significantly more than any gear changes and adjustments (not including the extreme examples, of course). In that similar manner, we are all sort of more suited for certain styles of music, but those styles are so intricate that they can in a way truly be called our own.
Needless to say, to get to that stadium of discovering your sonic self, you will need to cover the basics, and the site has all the needed tools for you to do that. But once you are in the intermediate stage, the course shifts towards that self-discovery and makes it more and more of a focal point.
Additionally, FretJam is 100 percent free, which is awesome. We like this approach, we like the vibe, and we recommend checking this one out. Maybe not as your No. 1 tool -– that title is for the first two items on our list -– but certainly as a crucial addition to your existing lessons. A thumbs up from here!
The CSG Academy is another subscription service worthy of your consideration. These guys have quality, that is for sure, but what makes them nicely stand out a bit is that the guitar teaching process comes at a slightly more affordable price of $9.99 per month.
For that price, you get non-stop access to a rich database of 500 video guitar lessons with new lectures submitted on a frequent basis. Another cool thing about the service is that you can submit song requests and have the teacher explain them to you in a concise and highly effective manner.
The company's approach revolves around the idea that learning guitar online can be equally effective as private lessons. They see internet tutors as the best way of the future and a teaching method that reduces the cost of guitar lessons while still giving instructors a fair chance to earn money. That's due to being able to cater to much more aspiring guitarists through the good ole power of the internet.
And with such a stance, you better be sure that the guys did everything possible to make their videos as effective and as personalized as possible.
As for that teacher, the man's name is Bryan Billhimer. He's a genuine veteran of the six-string domain with all the experience needed to give even the seasoned pros a lesson or two.
The course also takes a stance that having one instructor following you throughout the journey is better than mixing things up -– at least in the beginner and intermediate stage, that is. That way, you are always staying on-point and avoiding confusion from different teaching having slightly or significantly different methods for teaching the same thing. It's a valid point if you ask us.
When all is said and combined, the site also has a 7-day free trial option, and we recommend giving that one a spin before making the big purchase.
Jammit is a cool service we can recommend to any guitar player out there. The focal point of this one -– as the title quite clearly indicates -– is jamming. In particular, jamming with your favorite bands and artists.
Essentially, Jammit provides you with a rich database of backing tracks to a variety of notable songs from many genres. The database steers towards the genre of rock, metal, as well as pop, and blues music.
How the whole thing works is that you pay per backing track. And you get your money's worth, as all the tracks are very authentic and genuinely give a feeling of having your No. 1 band backing you up.
You can choose between one-instrument tracks (guitar, drums, bass, vocals, keyboards, etc.) or full-band tracks. The company also offers a free app, as well as an option to order specific songs. The Jammit TV and news section offers some additional info regarding the service, but it mostly comes down to those tracks.
While this is not an app or a learning tool that you can use as your sole resource for learning guitar, it still stands out as a very useful little site. We can't stress enough how important it is to jam and play with people. Let's put it this way, playing a song with a band is 10 times more challenging, inspiring, and crucial to mastering the guitar than playing that same song by yourself. And then again, playing that song with a band live is 10 times more valuable than playing in a rehearsal room, but that's another story.
Anyhow, back to the point, this site brings you that experience of jamming with a band, which is very cool and very useful. If you are a new guy and you want to join a group, Jammit is a perfect tool to get you prepared. And even if you're a seasoned pro, who doesn't want to jam with Deep Purple, right?
When considering individual teachers, we believe that Mr. Bobby Crispy is worthy of being singled out as a prominent figure and a top-notch choice. The man has been playing guitar since way back in 1984 (30+ years!), and the focal point of his YouTube channel is a video of famous tunes.
So if you are looking to learn how to play classic songs on guitar, work from such icons as The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and other esteemed gents, this is a great place to start.
Over the years, Bobby has amassed a set of over 500 HD video lessons. These include the mentioned lessons on how to play specific songs and broader guidelines on tackling certain styles. Additionally, the database contains some of the musician's original material and some music discussion clips.
For a simple YT channel like this, Crispy made some pretty outstanding achievements. Most notably, back in 2009, his work was featured on CNN as a part of a tribute to guitar icon Les Paul. Needless to say, gathering 200,000+ guitar-hungry subscribers and over 85 million views is no mean feat either.
There are two things we like the most about this resource. The first one is that all the info is very concise and beginner-friendly. Tabs are in the mix and everything is very practical and strictly oriented towards teaching the user all the stuff in the most efficient manner. Secondly, the man doesn’t ever hesitate that the point of the whole thing is to have fun and do something you like.
And learning how to play guitar through songs you love is the perfect way to do just that, achieve a skill while having fun. Therefore, all we can say is that Bobby's the man!
Led by guitar instructor Tom Fontana, The Guitar Lesson site is an excellent resource we recommend to everyone. Primarily aimed towards beginner players, this course features detailed explanations on a variety of guitar techniques: how to practice guitar properly, how to learn music theory in the most efficient manner, and much more.
Tom is a very patient, concise, and reliable guy -- and a mere glance at his videos make it clear that this is indeed a man who taught tens of thousands of people to play guitar from scratch. The man's been in the guitar teaching business for 15 years, launching the site back in 2008.
Another cool thing about Mr. Fontana's courses is that each and every one of them features animated tabs. While on-screen tabs are pretty much an obligatory part of every video lesson, the animated part is what makes Tom's stuff stand out a bit. The concept is very simple but highly effective: There's a vertical rectangle highlighting the note that's being played by the man on the screen at the exact given moment, making the learning process significantly more effective.
Apart from beginner lessons -– which are all free -– the instructor added an entire segment dedicated to learning specific songs from various genres and musical eras.
Also included in the mix are free online guitar tools such as a tuner, a metronome, free backing tracks, Guitar Pro tabs, and even a massive chord library with over 1,400 chord charts.
The entire course's general approach is very much oriented towards practical things, meaning that the stage of learning how to play popular (or simply your favorite) songs is pretty much one of the course's earliest stages. We also like how the man did his very best to bring music theory to the masses through practical examples of how to utilize it in your performance and songwriting directly. Tom's a cool guy. He can always count on a nice little thumbs up from here!
If there's one thing people say about learning guitar (and learning just about anything else, really) is that the earlier you start, the better. It's a well-known fact that we take all the information in much more efficiently when we are young and using that to master the six-string is not a bad idea at all.
But there's also another important thing to consider – unlike, say, learning another language, playing guitar is a more physical thing, and as you know, kids are small. Their hands are small and weaker than those of an adult; hence a different approach is needed. And that exactly where Kids Guitar Zone comes into the whole picture.
Aimed solely towards younger guitar students, this site is 100 percent free, featuring a string of useful lectures from notable guitar instructor Andrew Keppie. Needless to say, the site is also 100 percent kid-friendly.
The cool thing about Mr. Andrew is the fact that he started playing at the age of 12, meaning that he's more than familiar with what it's like to learn guitar as a kid. Apart from that, the man reached countless young padawans over the years and is now a bonafide expert in the field.
The course is divided into sections of varying difficulty, starting with the basic things like how to hold and tune a guitar, all to way to pro stuff like "Gangnam Style." That was a joke, yes, but Psy's planetary hit single is in the mix.
All lessons presented in video form include on-screen tabs. What we like about this stuff is that filler content is basically zero. Kids do have a bit lower attention span (don't we all these days?), so making the lectures as engaging as possible through specific examples and popular songs was definitely a step in the right direction. If you want the best site for teaching kids how to play guitar, this one is definitely among the top contenders.
Up next, we would like to kindly draw your attention towards a gentleman known as Robert Renman. This highly versatile individual has been in the business for many years and is a bonafide jack of all trades. No matter if it's rock, blues, jazz, pop, metal, country, fusion, shred, funk, or any other style you want, this man has your back covered.
It's not just that Robert is versed in any given style, but he's a good and patient teacher capable of presenting you with all the knowledge in an effective manner.
The goods here have two categories: free stuff and subscription stuff. The free stuff is a rich database of YouTube videos on the man's official channel. Active since 2006, the channel has amassed a total of over 70,000 subscribers and 35 million views over the years, which is no mean feat.
As for the paid stuff, this is where it gets really interesting. Many guitar players have attended Mr. Renman's course, and the percent of super-pleased customers is really off the chart. The goods can be found over on the man's Master Guitar Academy site and range from monthly subscription regime to individual purchases of specific lessons.
We are looking at hundreds of different lectures, with fresh stuff being added to the pile weekly. Also included in the mix is a members-only forum with a whole lotta useful tips and tricks, as well as the instructor's personal coaching advice. The membership allows you to upload a video or an audio track and receive constructive criticism and opinions from Robert himself.
The paid service also provides backing tracks, drum tracks, and loops, as well as PDF and Guitar Pro files with tabs and notation from each of the lessons. Robert is a cool guy, and we definitely recommend his services.
Songsterr is another strong website focused on tabs and tabs alone. Unlike Ultimate Guitar, Songsterr doesn't have anything but a guitar tablature section. There were no videos, no news, no forum, no reviews, and no interviews -- just tabs.
But that's quite alright because the service is still worthy of your attention. We are looking at a database of over 90,000 different songs and 500,000 tab files. The website operates similarly to Wikipedia, with every user having the freedom to contribute to the content. There is only one version of every song, shifting the users' focus to just a single file. Like UG, Songsterr is 100 percent legal.
Additionally, the site offers free and premium options. In the free mode, you get the tabs and an online tab player. In the premium mode, you get tasty tidbits such as a loop option, a metronome, backing tracks, tempo control, full screen feature, no ads, and more. It will cost ya' around $10 per month with no additional or hidden charges of any kind.
The site also offers an app for both Android and iOS devices, as well as a few useful guides on basic music theory and on how to read guitar tabs. It's all good stuff, so do check the guys out!
Another tool that will set you in the proper direction is the Guitar Compass. Since way back in 1982, the company is very well established in the guitar lesson field, boasting high-quality teachers and a string of top-notch books, DVDs, CDs, and much more.
The site is divided into two basic sections: Free and Premium. The free stuff is far from filler content, featuring mostly beginner information on how to start playing an electric or an acoustic guitar. Additionally, the free stuff contains the goods to get you started in a variety of genres, including blues, country, and more.
But once you enter the premium domain is when the juicy stuff starts popping up. Monthly fees are around $10, which is on the affordable side, and we say it's worth the money.
Anyhow, the Premium segment contains essentially the same sections, except that the guides are way more advanced and intricate. The basic approach is simple: The free stuff will get you started, while the paid goods will allow you to really dive into the magical stuff and ultimately learn how to play like a master and compose your own music.
If you want to get a clear image of what to expect from the company, we recommend giving their YouTube channel a look. With over 130,000 subscribers and 45 million subscribers, the channel is a big part of the company and does a fine job in showcasing what the gang is all about.
Apart from guitar stuff, the company features bass, banjo, and mandolin guides. If you practice hard and have a genuine desire to learn, the Premium Guitar Compass guide might turn out to be everything you need.
Hey, it's Marty Schwartz! Guitar Jamz is a fresh company that took a fresh approach, stressing that learning how to play guitar is much easier than you think. And in many ways, this statement is true.
The internet grew so much and made the learning process significantly shorter than before, and that's what the gang focused on the most: making all the possible shortcuts that don't hurt your playing or musicality. Basically, removing fluff and injecting the course with juicy bits only.
What many satisfied users have pointed out about this course is that advancement between stages (beginner to intermediate, intermediate to advanced, advanced to pro) is indeed quite fast thanks to Mr. Schwartz.
Look at it this way: Marty does a stellar job in giving you the crucial info that you can use to understand the very essence of music on your own. And you'll be having fun while doing it!
In total, the service offers over 1,500 various videos with written manuals, tracks for jamming you can download, a personal lesson tracking feature, customer support, and more.
You can take in pretty much any direction you want. Whether that would be striving towards mastering individual music genres like blues, rock or country, or focusing on music theory and its practical implementation, or learning the style of such guitar legends as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, or anything else -– is up to you. So just pinpoint your preferences and dig in!
In addition, the site offers DVDs and digital manuals. Regardless of your favorite genre, you will find something of use inside, hence we thoroughly recommend at least checking out the three-day free trial and the complimentary eBook that comes with it. Marty is a cool, friendly, and very knowledgeable guy, and his work always scores top remarks from us. Thumbs up!
If you want to learn how to play guitar fast, Guitar Jamz is one of the top resources out there.
OK, so how many multi-platinum Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees that sold over 100 million albums around the world do you know that offer free guitar lessons? We can only name only one -– Mr. James Taylor.
This man also earned five Grammy Awards throughout his career, but let's focus on the teaching work here. So, the man wanted to share his guitar knowledge with the world for quite some time, and he only recently made it a reality.
The videos see him explaining the magic behind some of his all-time classics, as well as discussing music and guitar playing in general. While this is hardly a massively encompassing resource, it is a truly rare opportunity to start learning guitar from one of the legends. Therefore, we recommend keeping up with Mr. Taylor and sinking in all the wise words.
Ever since delving into the music world back in the '60s, James' unveilings consist of 16 studio albums, 6 compilation records, 4 live efforts, and 40 singles. These include "Fire and Rain," You've Got a Friend," "Handy Man," and many more. His "Greatest Hits" album was certified diamond, selling an impressive figure of 11 million units in the U.S. alone.
We are absolutely mind-blown how humble the man is and how down to earth he appears to be in the videos. Watching him is an absolute enjoyment even if you're not looking for guitar lessons. So take it easy, add Mr. Taylor's channel to your list of YouTube subscriptions, and enjoy the ride.
Apart from teaching you a string of guitar tricks, this man's videos will teach you how to be a class act, and we can only give kudos to that.
Now, these guys also have a very nice bag of tricks they are willing to share with the world! The site is called Next Level Guitar, and it is indeed a great tool for taking your musicality to the next level.
The guys have been around since 2005 and they found their share of the market by innovating and offering interesting tricks to help you master the basic concepts faster, while also focusing on tips on how to attain a unique sound and sonic expression.
In total, we are looking at 1,800+ videos, predominantly belonging to the intermediate stage. Apart from video content, the site has over 100 written lessons and even some jam tracks on the side.
All premium subscriptions come with a 100% money-back guarantee, meaning that your purchase is unconditionally guaranteed for 365 days, which is cool. The team generally did a great job in making you feel welcome on the site, from modern design all the way to high-quality content.
Speaking of that content, the company has it all covered: from beginners to pros, from mellow pop to heavy metal shred -- it's all there. What we like about Next Level Guitar, in particular, is that despite taking a wide approach and covering just about every style you can imagine, they still keep a strong focus on each of the styles. They are masters of all trades, which is not something every guitar teacher can boast about.
If you're not into teaching yourself guitar online, have no fear, as you can still browse through over 150 DVDs of lectures. These guys are pretty cool, so we say at least take the free trial and see how it works out.
If you happen to be in pursuit of a quality site for learning to play guitar with a sense of humor, Cyberfret is your winning ticket. Active since way back in 1999 (that's like a whole other millennium, holy cow!), the site features Ohio-based guitar instructor Shawn Bradshaw.
With a major in Jazz Composition at the iconic Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, Mr. Bradshaw has more than a few tricks up his sleeve and is capable of tackling any style you have in mind. Shawn is just one of those cool super knowledgeable jazz dudes that can figure out any style on guitar and just blow your mind with improvisation and sheer six-string mastery.
Now, as far as specific lessons go, we like how the site offers a well-connected set of basic instructions to follow, all while presenting a string of side, one-off stuff to learn, so to speak. For example, there's a very cool guide on how to master that super tricky F chord, or how to play guitar if you have smaller hands, and many other similar guides. So, while you're following the basic course, these smaller sections are there to help you along the way if you get stuck at certain points (which is perfectly normal, of course).
The site divides the lead guitar and rhythm guitar into two separate segments for learning while also keeping boundaries between different decades. That makes Cyberfret a great tool for music fans who want to learn how to play the guitar. There's a good chance you've been there already: you listen to music maniacally, you know all the stuff, and then you get a sudden urge to dive into that guitar thing. Well, give Cyberfret a spin, if that's your case.
Along with Guitar World, Guitar Player is one of the most notable guitar magazines in the world. And what makes these guys extra cool is that they've been around for a really, really, really long time (by guitar publication standards at least) -– way back since 1967.
With a monthly circulation of over 130,000, Guitar Player offers a variety of quality features on a monthly basis, including gear reviews, interviews, opinion columns, and of course a "how to learn guitar" section.
Focusing on the latter group, what is offered by this mag is quite good and serves as a driving force for securing GP a spot on our little rundown here.
On one hand, the company's videos are very much on par with Guitar World stuff because the sound quality of gear demos and lectures is top-notch and always gives a realistic sonic image of what to expect from the given piece of music gear.
Additionally, you can find some quite prominent guitar instructors or even famous guitarists dropping by every once in a while to give exclusive content in form of something to practice with or just general guidance.
Clips are cool, but these guys also have a very good way with words, as they have some of the most engaging articles of this kind we have ever encountered. Whether they are explaining the differences between various types of tone-wood or diving into intricate chords, the GP folks are always on-point and always interesting to read.
The site contains a solid batch of free lessons, while subscribing to the magazine will give you an even more detailed access to the really tasty stuff. In a nutshell, this is one of the best guitar magazines in the world, and we believe that a subscription can only do you good.
The rest of the web portal includes news, artist features, a store segment, and much more. As a starting step, we recommend checking out the site and then subscribing to the YouTube channel or the official newsletter.
Finally, a fella name Andy the Guitar Expert. This site gives a very personalized experience as it allows you to actually book a private "learn guitar" session with its mastermind –- Mr. Andy.
Andy has a very in-depth knowledge of the instrument, and it would seem that the majority of satisfied customers tend to praise the man's skills with chords and scales. This is indeed a fascinating domain of the six-string, and if you’re looking for a top-quality teacher to explain to you all the tricks and magic, do consult Andy Guitar. Andy is probably one of the quickest ways to master guitar.
You can also check out some of the free content hosted on the site and on the man's YouTube channel. These include both the basic guides as well as some creative videos, such as an explanation on how to play 10 different songs from various artists by using only two chords. Gets your attention, now doesn't it?
If you want to steer away from general guidelines, you can dive right into classic riffs or specific song explanations, or just scroll through his set of top guitar tips.
In case you are looking for 1-on-1 guitar coaching with one of the top guitar instructors in the UK, Andy is your man,, and we recommend dropping him a line and taking things from there.
To get that groove on the move, there are several factors to consider. First of all, buying a guitar is NOT the whole thing. Buying the instrument is usually only about one half of the entire investment.
If we were to narrow down a specific price needed for a solid newbie six-string, we'd say that $300 can definitely get you a good one, $200 is still a solid budget, and even $150 can fetch a solid axe if you know what to look for. Consult our lists if you're up for some digging.
Now, the other half -– gear. As noted, the rule of thumb is that you will pay for all the additional stuff as much as you've paid for the guitar. First and foremost, if you choose an electric guitar, you will need a good guitar amplifier. These are typically small house amps ideal for practice, ranging between 5 and 30 watts. As for the price, $100 to $150 should cover it.
But wait, there's more. In order to get that amp to produce a sound, you will need a cable, so that's another $10. Also, a tuner is an absolute must, especially for beginners, and so is a metronome. Throw in another $30 for both. Plus, you will probably want to be able to practice standing up, so you'll need another $10 for a guitar strap as well.
Additionally, it's always good to change the factory strings with a fresh pack, so that's another $10. In total for additional gear, hitting the $200 mark is usually something you won't be able to miss.
As noted in the intro paragraph, we believe that online guitar lessons are more than a fine choice. However, we don't really think that it matters these days whether you communicate with a guitar teacher through the web or in person.
What we do see as important -– crucial even -– are two things: quality of the instructions and your drive.
By quality, we mean that your teacher or learning course should be engaging, on-point, concise, and not waste your time. It doesn't matter whether the info comes in person or through the web; what matters is how well it reaches you.
However, there are differences between talking to an instructor (through the web or in-person) and following written or video instructions. That's mainly true in the sense that teachers can listen to what you are playing and correct you or give more concrete advice, while videos and articles are only there to show you how it's done and nothing more.
Now let's get back to that second point -– your drive. Even with the best teacher in the world, you will absolutely suck if you don't have the motivation and desire to master the guitar. If you don't pay attention and have no will to learn something during the lesson, it won't work. If you don't practice guitar and work on what the teacher or the course told you to focus on outside those lessons, it won't work either. It's simple -- don't waste your money if you can't dedicate yourself to it.
With all that out of the way, your personal preferences also play a role, so if you prefer getting lessons from the convenience of your home, for example, it's the internet for you. If you like meeting your teacher in person, off to private lessons it is!
A lot of folks out there stress the importance of starting on an acoustic six-string as the easiest route to learning guitar, but we don't consider such approach as necessary. We think that you should start with the option that will engage you the most.
Now don't get us wrong, an acoustic guitar is trickier to play, and it really gives the player an ability to feel the instrument and understand how your hands and playing style affects the sound output. That can be essential to developing a pro technique and a signature tone, but it still doesn't mean that you should start on an acoustic by all means.
When you're starting out, it's important to have as much fun as possible while doing that initial hard work. It is easy to lose motivation during those early stages, and all is good as long as you get some guitar practice done.
Thus, in a nutshell: Pick the one that you like to start. The most important thing is that you are driven to practice and perfect yourself; the rest will just sort itself out, so don't worry about that for now.
It depends on what type of course or lesson you are after, but we think that a reasonable price for 1 guitar lesson is anywhere between $20 and $40. We think that $20 for a month of use is a fair deal for those online courses. You can find a lot of useful goodies for free too if you're up for doing some digging as well. However, several courses offer a unique experience that you can only get through payment, as far as we know.
As noted in the rundown above, Guitar Tricks and JamPlay stand out as two of our favorite learning resources. We also like Fender Play. Most of all, we don't recommend impulsive purchases and buying products you aren't certain about; hence our top choice would be to go through trial versions of all three of these items.
Study them thoroughly and see which one suits you the best. On one hand, you have a practical Guitar Tricks course that is quite focused on getting you to play specific guitar styles (rock, blues, country, you name it) in the shortest period of time, giving you a foundation you can further build upon.
On the other hand, JamPlay offers lessons stretching across a lot of ground, leaving the player to choose the exact details. They are less driven by delving into specific genres from the get-go and more about giving you knowledge that encompasses more styles, albeit with slightly less instant results.
Ultimately, it comes down to a matter of personal preferences, but it is in our humble opinion that these are the two courses you cannot go wrong with. They both give you top value for money, minimal time-wasting, and maximum engagement.
The million-dollar question that every beginner starts asking as soon as he puts his hands on his first guitar. When will I know enough? Before I go into details, let me give you the short answer: “You’ll never stop learning!”.
Satisfied? Thought so. Do not get me wrong on this one, I am not trying to discourage you, on the contrary, learning guitar is one of the most beautiful things that will happen to you in your entire life. No matter how much time you spend on learning, you will never get to the point where you will say to yourself: “I am done. I know it all!”
There is always something new for you to learn: a new type of guitar, a new genre, a new song, a new style… you name it. I know that it sounds cliche, but I will not go wrong when I say that the sky is the only limit. If you want to narrow it down and be more specific, the right question should be:
We have steadily reached the end of our journey here. Overall, the ideal answer for you when it comes to mastering the guitar through online courses probably lies around here somewhere. We recommend going through all the content here, as there's really a minimal level of fluff and, regardless of what you watch or read, you will get concise and concrete practical info.