The Best Online Guitar Lessons (2022 Buyers Guide)

Quick Guitar Training Comparison Table

A quick look at what each program offers and entails

	JamPlay	Guitar Tricks	True Fire	Fender Play
Price	$14.95 USD / Month	$14.95 USD / Month	$29.99 USD / Month	$9.99 USD / Month
Biggest Advantage	Most Comprehensive Option – Covers it All!	Step-By-Step “Core Learning System” for Beginners	Largest Collection of Videos (40000+)	Best Structure for Complete Beginners
Biggest Disadvantage	Monthly Subscription	No Lessons on Singing and Playing Guitar Together	No Easy-to-Follow, Guided Path for Beginners	Not as Comprehensive as Other Options
	Try it Today!	Try it Today!	Try It Today!	Try It Today!

About This Online Guitar Lessons Buyers Guide

This is for both aspiring guitarists and advanced players. You likely know there are so many options of learning how to play guitar, that it can be tough to choose what’s right for you.

Getting better at a musical instrument is a lifelong pursuit. And a solid guitar tutorial program is an important part of that.

So when deciding on which guitar classes are best, we wanted to make sure it offered enough to keep you going for a while.

In this guitar training buyer’s guide and comparison, we’ll go over each of the options listed above, help you decide what’s best for your situation – regardless of skill levels – and give you some more advice on learning and playing, whether you want to play blues guitar, rock guitar or any other style!

Our Top Recommendation

A closer look at why we choose this guitar lesson as our top pick

Jamplay – The Best Guitar Course Online

Price:

• $14.95 / Month Subscription

Advantages:

• The most comprehensive guitar training course online
  • beginner lessons, genre/style lessons, skills/tricks lessons, artist/song lessons
• Low monthly cost + 14 day FREE trial!
• Totally revamped and re-designed for a better experience
  • works perfectly on computers/tablets/phones
• Wide range of lessons and hit songs to learn from
• Video training from some of the biggest guitarists in the world.
• Only program that has a focus on singing while playing guitar (huge plus for us!)

Click Here to Try Out JAMPLAY Today *RISK FREE*

Disadvantages:

• Monthly subscription (not a one-time payment)
• So many lessons it can be overwhelming
• Not enough modern songs to learn (lots of classics, though)
  • Also not enough funk/soul/r&b songs to learn
• Multiple “beginner” lessons from different instructors can be confusing at first

Check out our Full JamPlay Review

More About JamPlay’s Course Offering

When it comes to online lessons, JamPlay is by far my favorite guitar training site.

I have tried the program and there’s just something about it that keeps bringing me back around.

It helps that they add new lessons and updates regularly (every month, like clockwork).

For beginners, there’s lots of options on how to start and get up to speed.

Then once you’re playing the basics, you can quickly move on to your favorite genre/style (there’s ton’s of options), specific guitar skills (like shredding, finger-picking, etc) and learning real songs from real bands/artists.

For example, they have sections on how to play Beatles songs, Jimi Hendrix, etc. (It’s dope as hell).

All the videos are done very professionally – shot in HD. Unlike some of the videos you see on YouTube where you have to strain to see the fret positions or fingering, watching JamPlay videos are much more useful as a practicing student.

Whether you are a beginner, or you already know how to play the guitar, you will find this training system easy and very useful.

Even advanced guitar players will find this program helpful – particularly in the “Song,” “Skill” and “Genre” sections.

These are basically master classes on mastering the guitar.

Since I wanted to learn R&B/Funk/Soul style of guitar, I was happy to see that. Plus the program offers stuff other programs don’t (specifically singing and playing).

They also regularly hold live classes and masterclasses that makes it just like having a real-life teacher there to answer your questions.

Overall, JamPlay is the best program to learn how to play guitar and is our TOP PICK for guitar training online – highly recommended!

Click Here to Try JAMPLAY Risk-Free Today!

The Runner Up Guitar Training Course

Learn more about the runner-up, and why it didn’t make the top pick

Guitar Tricks – A Great Alternative Guitar Training

Price:

• $14.95 per month, or
• $129 per year (saves $50)

Advantages:

• Free trial access (24 free lessons)
• Great step-by-step intro course (GT Core Learning System)
• Full songs to learn
• Great for beginners

Click Here To Try Guitar Tricks RISK-FREE

Disadvantages:

• Wayyy too many lessons to get through (8000+)
• No section on singing and playing guitar together
• Not enough modern popular songs to learn

Check out our Full Review of Guitar Tricks

More About GuitarTricks.com

Let’s start by saying Guitar Tricks is a SOLID guitar training program. There’s no doubt about it.

But for us, it’s just a few inches below JamPlay and so it’s our runner up pick.

The site’s Core Learning System is a great, structured section for beginners and intermediate players. Beyond that, the site has over 8000 lessons that cover a wide range of topics – from holding a pick to more advanced concepts like learning songs.

If you’ve tried learning before but hate the boring songs most teachers teach, GT can help. Like JamPlay, they’ve got a wide selection of classic songs to learn on guitar.

I was pretty impressed when I initially tried out the program. It lives up to its name as one of the most comprehensive training solutions online. Experienced guitar players will also find something here for them – they’ve got advanced lessons as well.

I was a complete beginner when I used this program so it was great.

Overall, it is a great and easy way to learn how to play the instrument. It’s also convenient to use – you can watch the videos on an iPad wherever you are.

The best feature is definitely the Core Learning System’s step-by-step “one place to start” approach. With JamPlay, it can be overwhelming to know where to start.

If you want to learn the basics and more in an easy and intuitive way, this is a great program to use. But because JamPlay has a few more lessons based on specific skills AND regularly scheduled live classes, Guitar Tricks comes in second place.

Click Here To Try Guitar Tricks Absolutely RISK-FREE

Other Guitar Tutorial Options

Here are another couple options, if you don’t like either of the two above

TrueFire

Price:

• $29 USD / Month
• $249 USD / Year
• $2499 USD Lifetime Access

Advantages:

• Over 40,000 video lessons
• Legendary guitarists as instructors (like Steve Vai from Frank Zappa)
• Advanced high quality video player with interactive tabs that sync to the video
• 30 day FREE trial

Disadvantages:

• No guided learning system for complete beginners
• Highest price option for monthly memberships
• Lacks “genre/style” and popular song training

Additional Info:

The same problem you run into with most guitar training programs is that there’s just TOO MUCH content.

It’s a great problem to have because it gives you options and a real chance at “mastery” of the guitar. And TrueFire is no different in that regard.

But that’s not the best thing for beginners who are just picking up a guitar.

It’s much easier to actually make progress as a beginner when you have a structured and guided approach to learning.

“Here’s skill 1. Practice This. Move on to This.”

You need that guidance on what to do and where to go next.

But more intermediate or advanced players don’t. They can jump in and out of various lesson types to learn new skills and techniques as they please.

That’s why we DO recommend TrueFire as a guitar learning system, but only for people who already know the basics of how to play a guitar and just want to master the plethora of skills/techniques you can use on the guitar.

Become a Better Guitarist With TrueFire Today!

Read Our Full TrueFire Review

Fender Play

Price:

• $9.99 USD / Month
• $99.99 USD / Year (includes 10% discount on all Fender products for US/UK residents)

Advantages:

• One of the biggest names in the world of guitars
• Best structure for complete beginners – no confusion/overwhelm of what to do first.
• Learn acoustic/electric guitar, ukulele and bass guitar all with one subscription
• 2 week free trial

Disadvantages:

• Not as comprehensive as our top picks
• Not a ton of advanced concepts/techniques/training
• only 5 popular “styles” to learn or play in.

Additional Info:

The biggest criticism we have of Jamplay and Guitar Tricks is that the amount of content they have is just completely overwhelming. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But it can lead to confusion and paralysis for beginners just starting out.

Guitar Tricks does a good job of avoiding that with the core learning system, but Fender Play is an even easier to follow path for going from knowing nothing to being able to play at a novice/intermediate level quickly.

That’s the biggest advantage of Fender Play – you can go from zero to skilled player in a step-by-step, easily laid out approach.

Beyond that, we think it’s FANTASTIC that you can subscribe to one program – Fender Play – for a year and learn how to play acoustic/electric guitar, ukulele AND bass guitar if you want. Jamplay’s bass lessons are a separate subscription. So the point goes to Fender Play in this regard.

Overall, it’s a great choice for guitar lesson. But it still doesn’t make our Top 2 because Jamplay and Guitar Tricks just have so much content and knowledge you can learn from. If you want to master your instrument, we still recommend getting memberships at either Guitar Tricks or Jamplay.

But Fender Play is a GREAT place to start out.

Try Fender Play and Step Your Guitar Playing Up Today!

Read Our Full Fender Play Review

What’s the Best Guitar Lesson For You?

So what’s our recommendation on the best guitar lesson online? It’s pretty safe to say we love JamPlay. We think it is the best choice overall for any guitarist – beginner, intermediate or advanced.

So if you’re willing to pay for a monthly membership, subscribe to JamPlay.

It has so much content and a wide variety of styles, skills and songs to learn.

The lessons are great – professionally shot, easy to follow/understand and with a large number of different instructors.

You’ll learn all the basics of playing guitar, any style/genre of music you want, a bunch of important “master-level” skills and a ton of the most classic songs ever made. It’s just the best option available right now.

It doesn’t matter what level you’re at or what your learning goals are – JamPlay will work for you. Guitar Tricks is a close second – it’s got a great beginner’s system, costs the same and has tons of videos.

But I didn’t see anything about singing and playing guitar together, so the edge goes to JamPlay. If that’s not something you’re interested in learning, you’ll be fine with Guitar Tricks (but we still prefer JamPlay’s layout and interface).

As for the other two programs we mentioned, they’re good options but nowhere near JamPlay or Guitar Tricks. I would not recommend trying out the GuitarJamz or Jamorama programs until you’ve at least tried out the “free trials” for our main two picks.

There is no reason to recommend them over the main picks we told you about, even if you have a specific learning goal or situation. If you still aren’t happy after your free JamPlay/GuitarTricks trial, try one of the “other notable options.”

But in all honesty, we think you’ll love JamPlay as much as we do.

Are Guitar Lessons Online Worth It?

So the real question most people ask is “are online guitar lessons better than a real-life guitar teacher?”

In our humble opinion here at Deviant Noise – ABSOLUTELY.

The problem with an in-person guitar coach is you’re stuck learning their technique. Unless you’re rich and can afford a master-level guitarist, you’re probably getting someone who isn’t really interested in teaching.

And if you don’t like one instructor’s style, you can switch it up.

If you have something specific you’re trying to learn (whether it’s a style/genre, a difficult skill or popular song) there are training videos for that. You don’t get the flexibility, depth or variety with a real guitar teacher. It’s not humanly possible. Beyond that, private lessons are costly.

A single lesson from a private guitar teacher will cost you TWICE as much as the monthly JamPlay membership. Online guitar lessons are simply the best way to learn in the 21st century.

Personal Experience with Learning Guitar on the Internet

When I first wanted to learn guitar (I was a little kid) I was extremely excited to learn my parents bought me a guitar for my birthday. I was about to be a rock star.

Except… I wasn’t.

Because after about 4 of the most BORING lessons in history, I quit. The teacher they hired just wasn’t good. Rather than stoke my passion for music and the guitar, he killed it.

So I didn’t pick up a guitar for a long time after that. It was like I was scarred (lol).

Could It Be Done For Free?

Eventually, years later I learned to play drums, piano and make beats but I still had my old guitar sitting around. So I decided to get it re-stringed and try learning it again.

And by now YouTube was in full swing, so it was the perfect opportunity. I started searching around for some guitar lessons that were free. What I found was:

• A few basic articles
• A few good videos that showed me the basics
• A bunch of useless, unprofessional (sometimes boring) videos from random people

Daily Practice? Sure if I was a better man, I could take that free info and master the guitar without needing more. But that would take a lot of digging and a lot of practice.

And I’m bad at practicing without the proper help and motivation.

Then, Finally Came Game Changer

After going through numerous frustrating paths and going nowhere, I finally said to myself “what the hell, just pay for something.” But I was still turned off of personal/private teachers.

So I found JamPlay and dove right in. It was one of the best decisions I made when it came to learning how to play the guitar. Everything about JamPlay just exicted me about playing (and learning!) again.

So I’ve been a member of JamPlay ever since and still use it to learn. (I’m bad at practice, remember? So I still have a LONG way to go with my guitar playing)

Final Thoughts

So what should you do? Try out JamPlay. I like the yearly subscription just because it’s more money up-front and it forces me to continually use the program.

Is it as good as a Harvard education? Maybe – try it out risk free and you be the judge.

I should probably mention I also subscribed to Guitar Tricks and it’s a great second choice. Also be sure to check out the various guitar learning forums online like Ultimate Guitar.

Thanks for checking out our complete online guitar lessons buyer’s guide. We hope it was useful! And if this article helped you please share it with your peoples. We appreciate the love!

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