Looking for advice and tips on how to learn guitar without paying an arm and a leg for private lessons?
Whether you’re totally new to the guitar or have been playing for a while but want to take your skills to the next level, the good news is there are lots of great resources online to help you on your journey. With online guitar courses on sites like The Great Courses and other platforms, you can learn everything from the basics of chords and strumming to more complex techniques like finger-picking and guitar solos.
But with so many different resources for learning guitar online, it can be tough to know where to start or what’s worth your time and money.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide on how to choose an online guitar course or tutorial that’s right for you.
Why Learn Guitar?
For many people, learning to play guitar is the gateway to a lifetime of music-making.
It’s a fantastic way to express yourself creatively and to work your mind in a unique way.
In addition, playing guitar can be a great way to relax and de-stress. Strumming along to your favorite songs can be a great way to unwind after a long day.
Not only that, but learning guitar can be a great way to meet new people. Playing in a band or just jamming with others can help you connect with other musicians and form lasting friendships.
So whether you’re looking for a new hobby, a new way to express yourself, or you actually want to get on stage one day, learning guitar is a great choice.
Why Online Courses Offer the Best Way to Learn Guitar
These days, there’s no shortage of resources for learning guitar. From private lessons to YouTube videos to guitar apps to workbooks, the options are seemingly endless, but in our opinion, online courses from platforms like The Great Courses offer the best way to learn guitar for a few reasons.
First, online courses are generally more affordable than private lessons.
Paying for guitar lessons can easily cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over time just to learn the most basic techniques. And while there are some excellent guitar teachers out there, not everyone can afford to take regular lessons.
Online courses, on the other hand, can give you unlimited access to tutorials from some of the world’s best guitar teachers at a fraction of the price.
Second, online courses offer a more comprehensive approach to learning guitar.
While you can certainly learn a lot by taking private lessons or watching YouTube videos, an online course will give you a much more well-rounded education.
The best guitar courses have a well-planned curriculum that covers everything from the basics of guitar technique to more advanced concepts like improvisation and songwriting.
And as you progress in your learning, you can explore more and more online guitar classes to fit your talent level and interests.
And finally, online courses offer flexibility and convenience that other learning methods can’t match.
You can access your course materials at any time, on any device, and you can learn at your own pace.
If you have a busy schedule, you can easily fit in a guitar lesson or two when you have some free time.
You can also rewind and revisit sections as often as you need to until you feel confident with the material.
All of this makes online courses an ideal way to learn guitar, whether you’re a complete beginner or you’ve been playing for years.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of our favorite platforms for finding online guitar courses.
The Great Courses
The Great Courses
With 800+ courses and expert professors across multiple categories, The Great Courses lets you learn just about anything you'd like at your own pace, from wherever you want. Now everyone can afford to get a college-level education from renowned institutions like Smithsonian, National Geographic, and Mayo Clinic.
When it comes to learning guitar online, The Great Courses sets the standard with its world-class courses.
Their incredibly popular beginner-level “Learning to Play Guitar” course comes with 24 in-depth lessons covering everything from tuning your guitar and proper finger placement to scales and gaining speed with your playing.
The Great Courses also has a number of other fantastic online classes for aspiring guitarists and muscians.
All of their courses are taught by expert instructors who have been playing music and teaching for years.
The Great Courses has apps for iOS, Android, Roku, and Kindle Fire as well as their web-based “My Digital Library”. That means you can take their courses from just about wherever you want. You can also order the lessons on DVD if you prefer that format.
With some of these courses starting as low as $40, you can learn how to play guitar without spending a fortune.
Click here to get started with The Great Courses today.
Skillshare
Skillshare (free 30-day trial) is a popular online learning platform that has lots of courses aimed at those who want to build creative skills.
Skillshare is a solid online course platform for learning guitar because it has a big selection of courses from professional instructors and you can learn at your own pace.
Skillshare also has a free trial period that allows you to try out any of their courses for 30 days before deciding if you want to become a paying member.
Pricing for Skillshare membership is $13.75 per month billed annually at $165.
Check out our Skillshare review to learn more.
Click here to try out Skillshare free trial for one month.
Coursera Plus
Coursera is one of the most recognized names in online learning, and for good reason.
Coursera offers high-quality courses from some of the world’s top universities and organizations. You’ll find online guitar courses from places like Burklee College of Music and University of Edinburgh.
Coursera Plus is their monthly subscription plan that gives you unlimited access to over 7,000 courses on a range of subjects.
To learn more, read our full Coursera Plus review.
Click here to try Coursera Plus free for 7 days.
A Final Word on How to Learn Guitar Online
Whether you’re a brand new guitar player or you’ve been playing for years, there’s an online guitar course out there that’s perfect for you.
Before you decide on a course, be sure to read the reviews and look at the curriculum to get a feel for the teaching style and level of detail.
Remember, even if you find the best guitar class ever online, you still have to practice consistently if you want to get better.
Have any questions about how to learn guitar online? Comment below so we can help.
