Looking for the best online guitar lessons? We’ve reviewed and listed the top platforms to help you find the perfect fit for your learning style, skill level, and budget. Whether you're a beginner searching for structured lessons or an advanced player wanting to refine your technique, our in-depth reviews cover everything from lesson quality to instructor expertise and pricing. Read on to discover the best online guitar courses and start your musical journey with confidence! Click on the listing for further info:
1. The Guitar Lesson
TheGuitarLesson.com is an online platform dedicated to helping beginners learn guitar through engaging video tutorials. Established in 2008, it has guided over 180,000 students in their musical journeys.
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Key Features:
Song-Based Learning: The platform emphasizes learning by playing popular songs, making practice sessions enjoyable and motivating.
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Animated Tablature: Each video lesson includes animated tabs, simplifying the learning process by visually guiding students through songs.
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Comprehensive Curriculum: Lessons cover practical skills, music theory, and fundamental techniques, providing a well-rounded foundation for beginners.
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Flexible Access: The platform is accessible on various devices, allowing learners to practice anytime, anywhere.
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User Feedback:
Users appreciate the structured approach and the emphasis on playing real songs. One user noted, “I am coming along faster than I could have imagined thanks to your lessons.”
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Another mentioned, “I especially like how the tabs move, so it’s easy to keep up with what you’re teaching.”
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External reviews are limited but positive. A Sitejabber review from 2018 praised it as “one of the best sites for beginners to learn guitar.”
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Similarly, a Trustpilot review highlighted the platform’s effectiveness in helping users achieve their musical goals.
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Conclusion:
TheGuitarLesson.com offers a practical and enjoyable approach to learning guitar, making it a valuable resource for beginners aiming to play their favorite songs while building a solid musical foundation.
2. JustinGuitar
JustinGuitar.com, founded by Australian guitarist Justin Sandercoe in 2003, is a renowned online platform offering free guitar lessons tailored for players ranging from beginners to advanced levels. The site has garnered acclaim for its structured courses, high-quality instruction, and comprehensive resources.
Key Features:
Structured Learning Path: The platform provides a tri-level learning path guiding users from beginner to advanced stages, ensuring a clear progression in skill development.
Extensive Song Library: JustinGuitar boasts a vast collection of song lessons across various genres, allowing students to apply techniques to real music.
High-Quality Production: The lessons are noted for their superb teaching and high-quality production, enhancing the learning experience.
Community Support: An active community forum enables learners to seek advice, share progress, and connect with fellow guitar enthusiasts.
User Feedback:
Users appreciate the platform’s structured approach and the quality of instruction. One user noted, “Justin Guitar is great. He’s a phenomenal teacher with a very detailed and structured learning course.”
Conclusion:
JustinGuitar.com stands out as a premier resource for guitar learners, offering high-quality, structured, and free lessons that cater to a wide range of skill levels. Its comprehensive curriculum and supportive community make it a valuable tool for anyone looking to improve their guitar playing.
Visit JustinGuitar.com
3. Pickup Music
Pickup Music is an online guitar learning platform that caters to players of all levels, offering a diverse range of lessons and resources. The platform emphasizes modern genres and techniques, aiming to make guitar education engaging and accessible.
Key Features:
Structured Learning Pathways: Pickup Music provides organized learning pathways that guide users from beginner to advanced levels, ensuring a clear progression in skill development.
Bite-Sized Lessons: The platform offers concise video lessons, allowing learners to engage in short, focused practice sessions, which is ideal for those with limited time.
Diverse Musical Genres: With lessons spanning over 18 different genres, including neo-soul, progressive rock, and jazz, Pickup Music caters to a wide array of musical interests.
Expert Instructors: The platform features lessons from accomplished guitarists, providing high-quality instruction across various styles and techniques.
User Feedback:
Users appreciate the platform’s modern approach and community focus. One user noted, “I really like them as a community, and there’s some good lessons from great guitarists on there.”
Pros:
Easy-to-navigate interface
Wide range of material
Clear and concise videos
Learning pathways that facilitate structured progression
Bite-sized videos suitable for quick learning sessions
Features lessons from notable guest artists
Cons:
No option to download videos for offline use
Currently lacks dedicated iOS or Android apps
Conclusion:
Pickup Music offers a modern and comprehensive approach to guitar education, making it a valuable resource for guitarists seeking to enhance their skills across various genres.
Visit Pickup Music
4. JTC Guitar
JTC Guitar, formerly known as Jam Track Central, is a prominent online platform offering a vast array of guitar lessons tailored for players ranging from intermediate to advanced levels. The platform is renowned for its high-quality content and instruction from some of the industry’s leading guitarists.
Key Features:
Extensive Lesson Library: JTC Guitar boasts a comprehensive collection of lessons covering various styles, including rock, metal, blues, and fusion. The platform offers masterclasses, licks, and jam tracks designed to enhance both technical proficiency and musicality.
Expert Instructors: The platform features lessons from renowned guitarists, providing students with insights and techniques from top professionals.
High-Quality Video Interface: JTC Guitar’s video interface is praised for its excellence, enhancing the learning experience for users.
User Feedback:
Users appreciate the platform’s structured approach and the quality of instruction. One user noted, “I have and really like the platform. I like learning with the soundslice platform where the tabs display along with the actual audio and video.”
Pros:
Extensive library of high-quality material
Instruction from renowned guitarists
Diverse styles represented
Excellent video interface
Cons:
May be more suitable for intermediate to advanced players
Less emphasis on beginner-level content
Conclusion:
JTC Guitar stands out as a premier resource for guitarists aiming to elevate their playing, particularly within the rock, metal, and progressive genres. Its extensive library, expert instructors, and high-quality video interface make it a valuable tool for serious guitarists seeking to improve their skills.
Visit JTC Guitar
5. The Mystic Keys - Guitar Lessons Online
The Mystic Keys is an online music education platform offering personalized guitar lessons for both beginners and advanced learners. The platform emphasizes flexibility and quality instruction to make music education accessible to a global audience.
Key Features:
Personalized Instruction: The Mystic Keys provides both group and one-on-one live sessions, allowing for tailored learning experiences that cater to individual needs and goals.
Qualified Instructors: The platform boasts a team of highly qualified teachers who employ an interactive teaching style, enhancing the effectiveness of online lessons.
Flexible Scheduling: Recognizing the diverse time zones and schedules of its global student base, The Mystic Keys offers multiple time options, enabling students to choose slots that best fit their availability.
Comprehensive Curriculum: The platform offers a well-structured syllabus designed to facilitate music learning for both kids and adults, covering a wide range of musical genres and techniques.
User Feedback:
Students have described their learning experience with The Mystic Keys as transformative, appreciating the flexibility of online lessons and noting significant improvements in their technique due to the instructors’ guidance.
Conclusion:
The Mystic Keys offers a flexible and personalized approach to guitar education, making it a valuable resource for learners at various skill levels seeking quality instruction and a supportive learning environment.
Visit The Mystic Keys Guitar Lessons
6. Breakthrough Guitar
Breakthrough Guitar is an online platform founded by Jonathan Boyd, aiming to provide guitarists with a more intuitive approach to mastering the instrument. The platform emphasizes understanding the fretboard through a method referred to as the “Freedom Key System,” which seeks to simplify navigation and enhance musical expression.
Key Features:
Freedom Key System: This proprietary method is designed to help guitarists navigate the fretboard more intuitively, aiming to reduce reliance on memorizing complex scales and patterns.
Structured Courses: Breakthrough Guitar offers a range of courses tailored to different skill levels, focusing on various aspects of guitar playing to facilitate progressive learning
Community Support: The platform provides access to private forums where students can share progress, seek advice, and support each other in their learning journeys.
User Feedback:
Reviews of Breakthrough Guitar are mixed. Some users praise the platform for its unique teaching style and the effectiveness of the Freedom Key System. For instance, a student testimonial states, “Jonathan’s teaching style is truly unique and has helped me progress a lot faster than I ever thought I would!”
Conversely, some users have expressed skepticism regarding the platform’s marketing tactics and the actual value of the content provided. A discussion on Reddit highlights concerns about the effectiveness of the methods and the marketing approach used by Breakthrough Guitar.
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Pros:
Innovative approach to fretboard navigation
Structured courses catering to various skill levels
Active community forums for peer support
Cons:
Marketing strategies may be perceived as aggressive
Mixed user reviews regarding content value
Conclusion:
Breakthrough Guitar offers a distinctive method for learning guitar, focusing on intuitive fretboard mastery. While some students have found success with its approach, potential users should consider the mixed feedback and explore available resources to determine if it aligns with their learning preferences.
Visit Breakthrough Guitar
7. SchoolOfRock.com Guitar Lessons
School of Rock is a music education franchise that offers guitar lessons through a combination of private instruction and group band rehearsals, aiming to provide students with practical performance experience.
Key Features:
Performance-Based Learning: The program emphasizes live performance, allowing students to apply their skills in real-world settings.
Group Rehearsals: In addition to private lessons, students participate in group sessions to develop ensemble skills and teamwork.
User Feedback:
Many students and parents appreciate the focus on live performances, noting that it enhances confidence and stage presence. However, some have expressed concerns about the consistency of instruction quality and the program’s emphasis on performance over technical proficiency and music theory.
Pros:
Provides practical performance experience
Encourages collaboration through group rehearsals
Cons:
Instruction quality may vary by location
Less emphasis on technical skills and music theory
Conclusion:
School of Rock offers a unique, performance-oriented approach to guitar education, making it suitable for those looking to gain stage experience and enjoy collaborative learning. Prospective students should consider their personal learning goals and possibly visit a local branch to assess if the program aligns with their expectations.
Visit School of Rock
8. Paul Davids Guitar Lessons
Paul Davids, a renowned guitarist and educator, offers a series of online guitar courses designed to cater to various skill levels, emphasizing structured learning and practical application.
Key Courses:
Learn, Practice, Play: This beginner-focused course comprises 7 core modules with 55 in-depth video lessons, accompanied by PDFs with tabs, standard notation, and downloadable backing tracks. It aims to provide a solid foundation for novice guitarists.
Next Level Playing: Targeted at intermediate players, this course delves deeper into guitar techniques and musical concepts to elevate one’s playing proficiency. A reviewer noted, “I really enjoyed going through this course and I hope this video is useful to you.”
Acoustic Adventure: Focusing on acoustic guitar enthusiasts, this course covers strumming, flatpicking, and fingerpicking techniques. A participant shared, “I purchased the course a few weeks ago and have to say that it’s been great for me, some nice structured learning and full of challenges.”
User Feedback:
Many students appreciate Davids’ structured approach and engaging teaching style. One user mentioned, “I like his style and approach in the way that he uses interesting exercises to demonstrate core practice elements.”
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However, some have noted that while the courses are well-structured, they may feel concise compared to other offerings. A comparison highlighted, “Paul’s course has an excellent mix but it feels a little light on content compared to what Justin has to offer.”
Pros:
Structured and well-organized content
High-quality video production
Engaging teaching style
Cons:
Some courses may feel brief for the price point
Limited focus on certain techniques, depending on the course
Conclusion:
Paul Davids’ guitar courses offer a structured and engaging learning experience, particularly suitable for beginners and intermediate players seeking a clear progression path. Prospective students might benefit from reviewing sample lessons to determine if his teaching style aligns with their learning preferences.
Visit Paul Davids Guitar Lessons
9. TrueFire Guitar Lessons
TrueFire is a comprehensive online guitar education platform offering a vast library of lessons across various genres and skill levels. With contributions from over 600 educators, it provides structured courses, song lessons, and interactive learning tools to cater to both beginners and advanced players.
Key Features:
Extensive Course Library: TrueFire boasts a diverse range of lessons covering genres such as blues, jazz, rock, and more, ensuring that players with varied musical interests can find relevant content.
Interactive Learning Tools: The platform offers features like downloadable tabs, chord and scale charts, jam tracks, a metronome, and a tuner to enhance the learning experience. Additionally, users can download videos for offline learning through desktop and mobile apps.
High-Quality Instruction: Lessons are delivered by experienced educators, ensuring that students receive professional guidance tailored to various skill levels.
User Feedback:
Many users appreciate TrueFire’s flexibility and the breadth of its content. One user noted, “I would say TrueFire is the best alternative. Give it a shot if you haven’t already, it’s more flexible and definitely cheaper than a local teacher.”
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However, some have mentioned that the platform requires self-discipline and self-direction to fully benefit from its offerings.
Pros:
Diverse and extensive lesson library
High-quality video production
Interactive tools to aid learning
Cons:
Requires self-motivation and discipline
Some users may prefer more structured guidance
Conclusion:
TrueFire stands out as a valuable resource for guitarists seeking a flexible and comprehensive learning platform. Its extensive library and interactive tools make it suitable for self-directed learners aiming to enhance their skills across various genres.
Visit TrueFire.com Guitar Lessons
10. Country Guitar Online
Country Guitar Online is a dedicated platform offering guitar lessons focused on country and bluegrass styles. The site provides a variety of instructional videos, complete with tablature, aimed at helping guitarists enhance their skills in these genres.
Key Features:
Comprehensive Lesson Library: Subscribers gain access to over 300 guitar lessons, with new content and tablature files added regularly.
Structured Courses: The platform offers organized courses such as “Rhythm Fill Riffs and Lead Guitar” and “Country & Bluegrass Strumming,” designed to guide learners through specific techniques and concepts.
Community Engagement: Country Guitar Online fosters a community where members can discuss gear, share experiences, and support each other’s learning journeys.
User Feedback:
While specific user reviews are limited, discussions on platforms like The Acoustic Guitar Forum have mentioned Country Guitar Online, indicating some level of engagement within the guitar community.
Pros:
Extensive library of country and bluegrass guitar lessons
Structured courses catering to various skill levels
Active community for peer interaction
Cons:
Limited availability of detailed user reviews
May require self-discipline for effective learning
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