Private Guitar Tuition or Online Guitar Lessons - The Choice is Yours

Learning how to play guitar has never been as popular as it is today, partly because the internet has made it so easy to not only pick up a guitar at discounted prices from an online retailer, but also because you can actually learn over the internet! This article aims to help budding guitarists choose whether they would prefer the traditional option of taking private guitar tuition or look into the various home study options available like online guitar lessons and DVD training courses.

Taking Guitar Lessons With a Private Tutor

This is the traditional (and many will say the best) way of learning how to play guitar. Any craftsman will tell you that he himself learned from a master, and great guitar players are no exception.  Learning to play from a live person has many advantages - they can watch how you play, offer guidance and tips in real time and generally bestow the benefit of their own experiences upon you. The downside of this is that they cannot be in more than one place at a time, so a premium must be paid for the privilege of these one-on-one teaching sessions, putting private guitar lessons beyond the reach of some people.

If you feel you would be more responsive to a 'real person' teaching you how to play guitar, then this might be the best option for you.  Because it will be a major financial commitment for you (or your parents), some thought needs to be put into your choice of tutor.  Never base your decision on who is closest to your home, and definitely not who has the cheapest tuition rates.  Things to consider would be the type of guitar you want to play (acoustic or electric), the style of music you are interested in playing (folk, classical, rock etc..) and the timescale you would like to learn over. Before opting for private guitar tuition, you will also need to think hard about the level of commitment that will be needed from you, as you will probably spend as long travelling to and from your lessons as you will actually taking them. By putting a little thought into how to get started learning the guitar, you will be able to make the right decision over who will teach you.

Online Guitar Lessons and Home Study Guitar Courses

Up until the late 1990's, the only way to study guitar at home without your own tutor was by buying a book or video course. Improved internet speeds now mean that it is possible to instantly download books to either read on your computer screen or print at home, and also to watch and download high quality videos that you can watch whenever you feel like it.  The fact that you are downloading these online guitar lessons offers quite a few benefits. 

• You do not have to wait for a product to be posted to your home, you do not have to wait to get started or be watching for the postman every morning until it arrives! 
  
• You can time your lessons however you like.  You don't have to wait your turn and can stay up til the small hours practicing if that is what you feel like doing.
  
• Because the creators are not having to stack a physical product, their overheads are reduced and they can pass these savings on to their customers. Prices can be so low that some of the cheapest of these home study guitar courses can cost less than one hour's tuition from a private music teacher.

The downside to this trend is that there are both good and bad products on the market, with price being no measure of quality.  It is as important take as much time to select which online guitar course you will purchase in the same way as you would for live tuition.  Some courses are tailored for just one type and style of guitar music, whereas others are progressive and you can just pick the elements you need from them. Look for reviews on sites like this one and you will soon see which ones are worth spending your money on.

To sum up, whether you choose to learn from a guitar teacher or take online guitar lessons at home, you need to think hard and not rush in and choose the first one you come across.  Remember that low cost and value for money are two entirely different things.  You will hopefully have a long time of playing guitar ahead of you (either professionally or just for the enjoyment it brings), so it is really important you make the best decision at the outset.