The Best Way to Learn Guitar Online
Pictured: Elmore founder James Levin with guitar educator Steve Stine, who has taught for more than 30 years, was a professor of modern music studies at North Dakota State University, and has created more than 40 courses for GuitarZoom, at The NAMM Show in Anaheim.
Learning guitar online used to mean squinting at a grainy video. Now you can choose from free YouTube lessons, full subscription platforms with hundreds of instructors, interactive apps that listen to you play, and live video lessons with real teachers. That is great news, but it also makes it hard to know where to begin.
The best way to learn guitar online is the one that matches how you learn and keeps you practicing. Here is an honest look at the main options and how to get the most out of whichever you choose.
The four main ways to learn guitar online
1. Free video lessons (YouTube)
Best for: beginners on a budget, learning specific songs, and exploring styles.
YouTube has an enormous library of lessons from excellent teachers. The downside is structure. Without a plan, it is easy to jump between videos and never build a solid foundation. Pick one teacher's beginner series and follow it in order. Our guide on How to Learn Guitar Using YouTube explains how.
2. Structured lesson platforms
Best for: players who want a clear path and a range of styles and teachers.
Subscription platforms such as TrueFire and ArtistWorks offer organized courses that build skill by skill, often with tabs, multiple camera angles, and speed controls. TrueFire, for example, has tens of thousands of lessons from hundreds of instructors. ArtistWorks lets students submit videos for feedback from their teacher. These are a great step up once you know you want to stick with it.
3. Interactive apps
Best for: beginners who like game-style feedback and short daily sessions.
Some apps listen to you through your device's microphone and tell you whether you played the right notes. Others, like Fret Zealot, light up the fretboard to show where your fingers go. These can be motivating early on, especially for building habits.
4. Live online lessons
Best for: anyone who wants personal feedback and accountability.
A real teacher over video can catch problems with posture and technique that recorded lessons cannot. The trade-offs are cost and scheduling. Many players combine a recorded course with an occasional live check-in.
How to choose
- Just starting and not sure you will stick with it? Begin with a free YouTube beginner series.
- Want a clear roadmap? Try a structured platform.
- Need motivation and quick wins? An interactive app can help you build a daily habit.
- Keep hitting the same wall? Book a live lesson for feedback.
Whichever you choose, commit to it for at least a month before judging it.
What all online learning has in common
No matter which option you pick, learning from a screen involves a lot of controlling the screen. You pause to try a chord shape. You rewind to hear a phrase again. You slow the video down to catch a fast passage. With a mouse or touchscreen, each of those means taking your hands off the guitar.
This matters more than it seems. Each interruption costs time, breaks your concentration, and resets the repetition that builds muscle memory. Over a full session, it can be the difference between a productive practice and a frustrating one. We go deeper into this in How to Practice Guitar Without Constantly Stopping Your Lesson.
Make any online lesson hands-free
The Elmore Pedal is a wireless Bluetooth foot pedal that lets you play, pause, rewind, fast forward, slow down and speed up your lessons with your foot. It pairs with an iPad, iPhone, Mac or PC and works through a free browser extension with YouTube and learning platforms. Elmore has partnered with TrueFire and ArtistWorks, and it has been featured by Fret Zealot.
It is not an effects pedal and does not change your tone. It simply lets you keep both hands on your guitar for the entire lesson, which makes every type of online learning work better.
Tips for success with any online method
- Practice daily, even for 15 minutes. See Building a Guitar Practice Routine That Actually Works.
- Play more than you watch. Aim for at least three minutes of playing for every minute of video.
- Slow things down until you can play them cleanly, then build speed. See How to Slow Down Guitar Lessons Without Changing Their Pitch.
- Record yourself every couple of weeks to hear your progress.
- Keep your hands on the guitar as much as possible.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to learn guitar online?
For most beginners, a structured beginner course, whether a YouTube series or a platform like TrueFire or ArtistWorks, combined with daily practice works best. Add occasional live lessons for feedback, and use a hands-free controller like the Elmore Pedal so you can follow lessons without stopping.
Are online guitar lessons as good as in-person lessons?
They can be. Online lessons offer flexibility, variety and lower cost. In-person lessons offer personal feedback. Many players get the best results by combining recorded online lessons with occasional live feedback.
Can I learn guitar online for free?
Yes. YouTube has excellent free beginner courses. Paid platforms add structure and extra features but are not required to get started.
What equipment do I need to learn guitar online?
A guitar with a good setup, a tuner and metronome, a tablet or computer to watch lessons on, and ideally a hands-free foot controller such as the Elmore Pedal.