Online guitar lessons are becoming the most used method of learning guitar over the last ten years. More and more new guitarists are resorting to YouTube and online courses to teach them. But are online guitar lessons effective?
Online guitar lessons are effective because they allow a new guitarist to move at their own pace through a structured course without the pressure of playing in front of someone. This gives the guitarist comfortability that turns into confidence, helping to progress their guitar playing faster than in-person lessons.
Continue reading to find out if guitar lessons are truly effective, if guitar lessons are worth it, how easy it is to learn guitar online, and more!
Are Online Guitar Lessons Worth it?
Guitar lessons are worth it because they provide a structured guide on what to practice, for how long, and what songs to try first. This outline is important for a beginner to prevent excessive noodling and progression frustration.
Progression frustration happens to every guitarist eventually. This is when a guitarists skills plateau and they do not feel like they are getting any better. Without lessons, this will occur much more often and much earlier in a guitarists journey.
As a beginner guitarist, skill level can double week over week with proper training. This high growth period only truly happens in the beginning as many new concepts and chord formations are being learned. Guitar lessons provide a pathway for these concepts so that new guitarists have a structured roadmap to follow. Without structure, mindless YouTube queries will be searched, and fundamental learnings will be forgotten.
For instance, a new guitarist may come across a video on the CAGED system 2-3 weeks into their playing. They then start trying to learn the CAGED system before open chords because they do not know any better. This is a big guitar progress no-no. Open chords are the fundamental of the CAGED system except the YouTube video may not mention that. This new guitarist will then get frustrated with how hard it is without knowing they are missing a crucial step. Therefore online guitar lessons are worth it.
Are Online Guitar Lessons Effective?
Online guitar lessons are an effective way to progress at guitar in a timely and organized fashion through a structured course. Structured courses eliminate the plateau periods of learning guitar by showing new guitarists exactly what they should be practicing and for how long.
Using the right teacher, online guitar lessons are the most effective way to learn guitar. With online guitar lessons, you can access world class guitar teachers for a fraction of the cost of in-person lessons. With in-person lessons, you are constrained to whoever the guitar teachers are in your area no matter how good they are. Online lessons provide a new guitarist with teachers from all over the world.
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Online guitar lessons are especially effective when learning songs. Instead of following Tab, you can watch and be given step by step instructions on how to play a certain song. Slowing down the video or going back to a part where you are confused is a massive tool and privilege when learning guitar.
With online guitar lessons, you can practice anywhere that you have an internet connection. This allows them to be incredibly efficient and able to move at your own pace. You can go through the online course as fast or as slow as you want based on your skill level. With in-person lessons, you are constrained to 1-2 times a week of instruction led lessons. For those extremely interested in progressing fast, this is not enough.
The only drawback from online guitar lessons is learning complex music theory. With theory, you will have many questions. It can be difficult and time consuming trying to find the answers to these questions without an in-person tutor. Again, that is the only drawback to online guitar lessons.
Personally, I learned everything I needed to know through online guitar lessons. A plethora of YouTube videos gave me a base knowledge allowing me to progress to an intermediate status. Sean Mann’s course then progressed me even further. Allowing me to hone in on the Stevie Ray Vaughan play style.
Is it Easy to Learn Guitar Online?
Learning guitar online has never been easier. Many acclaimed guitar YouTubers have their own online courses. This allows new guitarists to pick from many YouTube guitarists, choose their favorite one, and start taking their course.
Learning guitar online is easy because the guitarist can pause and playback videos to study technique, chord patterns, etc. With a visual representation on how to play guitar, imitation and studying has never been easier. Learning by ear to a record is far more difficult and requires years of foundational knowledge.
Is it Better to Learn Guitar on Your Own?
For the average guitarist, it is not better to learn guitar on your own. Learning guitar on your own can lead to improper technique and missed fundamentals. This will delay a new guitarists progress and possibly hinder their ability to play effectively later.
Learning guitar on your own without instruction from YouTube or an online course can seem intriguing. After all, saying “oh I am self-taught” can seem like a bragging point. Although it can and will delay your progress.
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With that being said, many blues guitar legends have learned guitar almost on their own. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix were not formally taught and would sit and listen to records and the radio for hours, trying to play what they just heard. They had a natural ear to it. John Mayer was similar in how he would come home from school and just listen to CD’s all night, learning the various riffs he heard. Of course, for three guitarists above, each had some sort of teachings. Stevie had his brother who would show him a few things. Jimi had local guitarists around Seattle. And John had a few friends that he would jam with. But primarily they practiced by sitting down and studying records / CD’s (for John).
Although, it is hard to imagine what these guitarists would do if they had the internet at their fingertips. Would they still stick to the self-taught route or spend hours on YouTube looking for the tell-all video?
With the vast internet at our fingertips, I believe it is a missed opportunity to not utilize it as a means of learning guitar. Learning guitar on your own can be a lonely and frustrating process with no one to guide you the right way. Online lessons provide that guidance and reduce beginner frustrations.
Best Online Guitar Lessons
The best online guitar lessons are from Sean Mann, Paul Davids, and Justin Guitar.
Sean Mann is best for intermediate to advanced guitar players looking to perfect the SRV and Hendrix style of playing. Paul Davids is best for an exceptional user experience with valuable and insightful lessons teaching everything from folk to blues guitar. Justin Guitar is best for fundamentals and those on a budget as his guitar lessons are free.
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