I started learning guitar back in sixth grade just before the internet started to come into peoples houses. This meant that I had face to face lessons for 30 mins with a dedicated guitar teacher. As my parents didn't have heaps of money, and were a bit sceptical if this new found interest would last, I had this lesson with another 12 year old meaning it would cost $20 rather than $40 - not the most ideal circumstances.
I thought in this article I would explore what it is like to have an online learning experience in 2024 and give you my opinion on how I would approach it if I went back in time.
I feel that learning the guitar has been one of the most valuable experiences of my life. It gave me more confidence, introduced me to different outlooks on life, added people to my circle of friends, even led to some extra cash on occasion. I would encourage anyone to learn guitar.
Why is it a good idea to learn guitar online
I think there are three excellent reasons why I would learn guitar online as a starting point.
Can do learn guitar when you want, where you want
The freedom that comes with high quality guitar lessons that you can do on your own schedule and at your own pace is a fantastic positive to learning guitar online. Things come up and your free time doesn’t always look the same. Being able to look at your calendar and decide when you will practise means that you don't have to struggle and shift things around to match a teacher's set time. Online guitar lessons also means that you can add extra practice when you feel like it and you don’t have to sit around and wait till the next week to learn a new guitar technique. I remember when I started learning the pain my mom went through if I was sick and had to miss a lesson. She immediately had to juggle things around for a makeup class because it would have been a waste of money if I missed it.
Easy to cancel the guitar lessons if it just isn't for you
Guitar isn’t for everyone, you might give it a go and decide that it just isn't something you enjoy as much as you imagined. That's ok and part of the process in finding out about yourself. The great thing about an online lesson is that you can cancel whenever you like & you don't have to go through the inevitable awkwardness of breaking the news to a teacher. I know that dread all too well and you will of course try and push through, paying for something you don’t want just so you don't have to have that conversation (and take money out of your teacher's pocket in the process). With an Online Guitar course, none of this unpleasantness is required - just cancel with a click of the unsubscribe button.
You can customise your guitar learning experience
What I love about these online guitar lesson sites is the amount of customisation that you can have with your learning experience. So many different styles to choose from & once you learn the basics, the world is really your oyster. When I started learning guitar, a lot of the time it was driven by what the teacher wanted to play even though, if he picked a song I wanted to learn, I would have learnt the same chords and techniques. From this experience I can see why people drop out early on. Guitar lessons are like anything, if it is not relevant to you and your tastes, it gets boring pretty quick. I was a lucky one that pushed through far enough till I could start teaching myself.
Comparison of the options of learning guitar online
I signed up to four of the top online guitar lesson websites to take a look at what each has to offer. I also took the opportunity to do some research for another post I am working on to see which site could improve my playing the most (keep an eye out later on down the line).
The four sites that I looked at were:
Looking through their content, I have to say that on the surface they offer many of the same features and I found it hard to distinguish the better one, especially for beginner guitar lessons. Each of the websites offer
So much content, like more than anyone could need
High quality videos
Great, easy to understand instructors
Either a trial period or money back guarantees
What is the best way to learning guitar in 2024
So, what should I do if the guitar lessons websites are so similar. Well, it is all going to be your personal preference when picking a provider.
If I was starting out and, knowing myself, I would procrastinate on the decision. Please dont do that - I want you to get out there and start your musical journey!
What I would do?
The best way to learn guitar is that I would randomly pick more than one website to see what is best for me. Given the trial periods/money back guarantees, you can use this time to sort of ‘audit’ each course. Start with the most basic lessons and see what you like best. Some might have better camera angles, some instructors might explain things to you better - it really is your personal preference. When you find the one that fits you best, just cancel the others - no harm done. Remember, this is not a school classroom, you choose how you want to learn. Doing so will guarantee better results in the long run.
Again, my short list from all the resources online are below to narrow down the selections for you.
What do I do after I’ve mastered the basics of guitar
Do you feel like you have mastered the basics and are ready to move up to the next level? It might be time to move on to a real life teacher. What they can do for you is really perfect the techniques that you have learnt during the initial learning stages by zeroing in by watching you play. They also can lead you off into other realms of guitar playing that you might not even be aware of.
Sitting with a guitar teacher in a room can be invaluable but, like a lot of people these days, it might just not be possible. Thanks again to the internet, there are now options out there to get the next best thing over the internet.
I have never had a face to face guitar lesson over the internet but below is a list of sites that I have found that offer these services. My advice would be to take a look through the list of teachers and find one that matches the goals you have for yourself. These prices might seem a little steep compared to the online sites above but remember that these are specialised, 1 on 1 and they are just one person and need to eat too 🙂
Preply
That is just about it from me on the topic of learning guitar in 2024. I hope that you find the perfect solution for you and remember that nothing is easy when it's brand new, give it a chance and I guarantee it will enrich your life.
In Summary
Learning guitar is a rewarding experience that will last with you forever
Having these online resources allows you the freedom to explore at your own pace
Sign up to 2 or more from below and ‘audit’ the courses to find the one that you feel you will learn the most from.