The Best Online Guitar Lessons in 2020
Find out which guitar lessons will be best for you to learn guitar quickly and easily.
Last Updated: November 2020
FTC Disclosure: Deviant Noise Inc. receives compensation (at no extra cost to you) if you choose to purchase some of the guitar lessons below through our links.
Theses are the top guitar courses we’ve come across online.
In this full buyers guide we’ll go over the different options available right now and help you decide which one is best for you!
The Top 6 Guitar Tutorials in 2021
- JamPlay (Top Pick!)
- Guitar Tricks (A Solid Second Option)
- TrueFire
- Fender Play
- Jamorama
- Guitar Jamz
Quick Guitar Training Comparison Table
A quick look at what each program offers and entails
 JamPlay |  Guitar Tricks |  TrueFire |  Fender Play |  Jamorama |  GuitarJamz | |
| Price | $14.95 USD / Month | $14.95 USD / Month | $29.99 USD / Month | $9.99 USD / Month | $99.95 USD | $29 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 | One Time Payment, No Monthly Subscription | Unique Learning Style |
| 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 | Very Limited Lessons | Most Expensive Option + Limited Lessons |
| Try it Today! | Try it Today! | Read Our Full Review | Read Our Full Review | Read More | Read More |
About This 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!)
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).
Here’s a quick video of one of the World-Class guitarists featured in JamPlay:
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!
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
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
Here’s a great video from the Guitar Tricks team on practicing piano properly:
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.
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.
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.
Jamorama
Price:
- $99.95 ONE TIME
Advantages:
- One-time payment (no monthly subscription)
- Limited free account available
- Lessons are Downloadable (great for off-line viewing)
- “1 Hour Workout” lesson great for practice sessions.
Disadvantages:
- Very limited depth of lesson material (only covers a few main areas)
- Unsure about frequency of updates
- Limited selection of real songs to learn
Additional Info:
Jamorama is a good alternative because of it’s price and free account, but it is a bit different from the two programs we have mentioned above. Its structure is different from the above courses, and really only covers a handful of main areas.
Mark McKenzie, apparently known as the “Guitar Guy,” is the man behind Jamorama. When I first looked at the program, it was the first time I heard of him, so… Jamorama may not have the big names that some courses have, but that didn’t put me off.
This particular program contains things like a beginner course, guitar maintanance course, blues & fingerstyle guitar, lead guitar for beginners and a speed picking course. So again, it’s much more limited than our top picks, but there is a regularly updated blog on the website. Plus the “1 Hour Workout” course is a really great idea since a lot of aspiring guitarists have trouble with what to practice during practice.
The free course only gets your the bare bones minimum – to get you introduced to what else is available. Paid members also get access to supplementary lessons and bonuses.
It’s a great option if you’re not interested in a monthly membership. This program may not have all the add-ons as JamPlay or Guitar Tricks but what you get is still very valuable, especially for beginners.
GuitarJamz
Price:
- $29 per month
- $75 for 3 months (14% savings)
- $139 for a full year (63% savings)
Advantages:
- Free limited trail for 3 days to try out
- 100% money back guarantee
- 2000+ video lessons plus written manuals available
- Unique learning system makes it easy for beginners
Disadvantages:
- By far, the most expensive guitar lesson here (unless you pay yearly).
- Additional, in-depth material is sold separately as “DVD sets”
- Seems mostly focused on 3 main areas
Additional Info:
So GuitarJamz is a great looking program but definitely our last choice simply due to the price and the amount of material covered. It’s NOT a BAD program – the unique approach makes it great for beginners to pick up quickly. It’s just expensive (and still limited compared to our top picks).
If you want to learn how to play the guitar with GuitarJamz, they offer a few different pricing options. Just like the other training programs on this page, GuitarJamz has a free, limited membership to try it out. But it also offers a few different series of DVDs that you must buy outside the membership.
That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to get both the DVDs and membership. The DVDs are for those who are only looking to learn a specific concept or go beyond the main “core” program they offer in membership.
This course will be beneficial for complete beginners and experienced players looking to expand a bit. The membership area contains 2000 videos and also written manuals.
But the course seems to be focused on 3 main areas – Beginner Lessons (basic guitar chords + easy songs), Blues Lessons (guitar scales + licks) and Soloing Lessons (leads, fills, picking techniques). I would still recommend this program but can’t recommend it over any of the other options on this page.
The expensive monthly membership fee and limited lessons compared to JamPlay/Guitar Tricks are big drawbacks.
What’s the Best Guitar Lesson For You?
Our overall recommendation based on our reviews.
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?
Learn whether or not you should even bother spending money on online training
So the real question most people ask is “is online training 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.
Guitar lessons are a great way for struggling musicians to supplement their income.
But with something like JamPlay, you’re getting lessons from an entrepreneur (or many of them) that loves music, who has a system that can scale to teach thousands of people at the same time. They’re not trying to be a touring guitarist or rock star.
So you’re getting passion, because the business is their baby. Plus they’ve got ways to make it seem like you’re interacting with a real teacher (the live Q&As and live classes are boss). Beyond that, learning with online training lets you progress at your own pace.
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.
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.
If you’ve gone through any of the tutorials we mention here leave us a comment with your experiences. And if this article helped you please share it with your peoples!
We appreciate the help and love! Peace!
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