It is time to learn to play guitar, and now you need guitar lessons. What are the best guitar lessons to take? There four primary ways to take guitar lessons and learn guitar, private one-on-one in-person lessons with a guitar teacher, private online one-on-one lessons with a guitar teacher, online video lessons, and group guitar lessons. You must pick a method that works for you as you learn to play the guitar. Some ways produce better results than others, but you must be committed to the process. Let’s look at the different ways and the Pros and Cons of each.
Private Guitar Lessons
If you are committed to learning and practicing the guitar every day, this is by far the best way to learn to play. This involves finding a local guitar shop or independent instructor with a studio that teaches the type of guitar you want to play. You may even find an instructor that will come to your house, but that is rare.
Pros
- You have private one-on-one private instruction. Your teacher will show you the right way to play and you get immediate feedback and correction.
- A good guitar teacher will have a program tailored around your musical tastes and goals and move you forward at a pace that will be most advantageous to you.
- You have someone to play along with. This is huge. To learn guitar, you need to play along with someone else. Having a good guitar teacher to play with will elevate your guitar playing much faster than playing by yourself. Plus, it is a lot of fun!
Cons
- This is the most expensive way to learn to play. If you are not committed to learning and practicing, this is a waste of time and money.
- You need a good teacher and it may take some time to find a teacher that meets your needs. A good teacher will make learning fun and give you the motivation to keep practicing and learning. They will remember what you are working on and hold you accountable for learning – in a good way, to help you reach your goals. A bad teacher is just trying to earn some money and get through the lesson. They will not remember what you are working on and not have any real goals for you.
- You need to drive to where the guitar teacher has their studio. Although some teachers come to your house, this is rare. Most will require that you drive to their house or studio.
Summary- In person one on one lessons are still the best way to learn guitar. Make sure that you find a guitar teacher that lines up with your musical tastes and goals. You will also need to be committed to practicing every day for 30- 60 minutes, or you are wasting your time and money.
With the Coronavirus pandemic, it may be harder to find in person one on one lessons. However, we are seeing that many of the studios we are in contact with are still offering them.
Online Private Guitar Lessons
We needed to add this category this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Most teachers had to switch to online remote private lessons. We
get a lot of questions about how well online private lessons work. We like online one-on-one lessons. There are some slight drawbacks, but it mostly works as well as in-person one on one lessons. Here are some Pros and Cons.
Pros
- You have one-on-one private instruction the same as the in-person instruction. Your teacher will show you the right way to play with proper technique and provide immediate feedback and correction.
- A good online guitar teacher will have a program tailored around your musical tastes and goals and move you forward at a pace that will be most advantageous to you.
- There are more options for class times than with in-person instruction. You also are not limited to teachers in your area. You can choose exceptional teachers from anywhere in the world and there are more choices of teachers with different styles of guitar playing.
- No need to get in the car to drive to the guitar teacher!
Cons
- Most online private lessons charge the same as in-person private lessons. We even found some charged more.
- It does not work the same as playing together in person. While you still can play together, many students report that it does not sound as good.
- There is a personal element that is missing from online instruction. To some people, this is important.
Summary – Online private guitar lessons, in our opinion, is the next best way to learn guitar. Like in-person private lessons, the teaching is customized to your style and music preference. Also, you still receive immediate feedback and learn all the proper techniques and theory.
You will need to make sure that you find a guitar teacher that lines up with your musical tastes and goals. You still need to be committed to practicing every day for 30- 60 minutes. These lessons are just as expensive as in-person lessons, so you waste time and money if you do not practice every day.
Online Video Guitar Lessons
These online video lessons come in different forms – from free videos on YouTube or on a website to a subscription service where you can learn any style of guitar or any song you want.
We have found that some of the best guitar lessons and instruction come from these online lessons. You can also find a lot of useful information right here on this website – for free! Here are some Pros and Cons to online video guitar lessons.
Pros
- Great lessons and instruction. Many programs have very detailed learning programs where you can learn just about anything.
- Free to inexpensive lessons. YouTube lessons are free, and you will find a lot of excellent free teaching. However, the best instruction is through the paid subscription services – they are still cheaper than one on one private lessons.
- Learn any style of guitar and learn just about any song. If you want to learn your favorite song, most likely, you will find the lesson online through a subscription service.
- Learn at your own pace and on your own time. Online lessons are on-demand, so you can watch whenever you want and as often as you want.
- Learn the Basics First! Online lessons help you get the fundamentals down before you start other types of lessons. You can start right here even! Go to Guitar String Notes to get a basic overview, and then check out the G Major Scale Guitar to begin a lesson. Pause and repeat the steps as needed until you feel that you’re ready to move on.
Cons
- Instruction is not personalized. You will need to be a self-starter and good at learning on your own. We have found this to be a roadblock for many.
- Lack of feedback and correction. A good guitar teacher will provide the proper technique and provide instruction when your approach is wrong. Improper technique can affect the speed and quality of your guitar playing. At some point, private instruction is important.
Summary – This is our favorite way to learn the guitar, but it may not necessarily be the best way to learn. Why you ask? Too many people sign up for these services, use them for a week or two, and then wind up stopping – much like a gym membership. There is generally no progress tracking and no accountability. The instruction is excellent.
Online Group Lessons
Online group lessons are growing in popularity, especially during the pandemic. Many of these group lessons are offered through Facebook Live or Zoom. We removed our review of in-person group lessons for now during the pandemic. Most instructors have discontinued in-person group lessons for now.
Online group lessons are typically beginner lessons but can be targeted to different styles and levels of guitar playing. These lessons are live, but they are not one on one lessons. Some of these group lessons are large (50 people or more), and some are small (5 to 10).
Depending on the group’s size, teachers will have some level of personal contact with the teacher. However, there is very little individual instruction and feedback, especially with large groups. Here are some Pros and Cons
Pros
- Group Lessons are usually very inexpensive or even free.
- There is usually a curriculum, and they are generally easy to follow and can have great results.
- You can gauge your progress against others in the group. Depending on how the group lessons are arranged, you can see others playing as well. It is helpful to see your progress against the progress of others. Provides a bit of competition.
Cons
- Online group lessons are not designed to master the guitar. You will learn the basics or a specific technique, but you will need additional instruction in another form.
- Others can impact the quality of the lessons in the group. We see this mainly with free beginner lessons. More advanced paid group sessions see this less.
- If you are struggling to learn a technique or do not understand a concept, you may not get much help. We see this with more advanced group lessons on a specific course.
Summary – Group lessons have a place in guitar instruction but should not be viewed as the primary learning method. They can be a great social get together to meet other guitar players. You will also find that these group lessons are ways for the instructors to get new one-on-one students. But they can still be great lessons.
Ultimately, the best way to learn to play the guitar is to use all of these methods. When you take private lessons, you learn technique and theory and get that much-needed feedback and accountability. However, there is no shortage of great learning programs to supplement your learning. We review some of top picks for each of the categories listed. Yes – there are more than four ways to learn how to play guitar, but we provide you with the four primary ways to learn.
There is no shortage of good learning programs available. Regardless of the type of instruction, the best way to learn the guitar is to identify a program that works for and stick with it until you learn and master it.