Online Lessons Advice Appreciated
 

As you know my son and I recently purchased our first acoustic guitar (Yamaha FG800), and we are currently using different online/app programs to help us get started.

He's using the Center Stage Guitar program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5rB..._YKT-kxBb45YJL

I'm using the Yousician free app as well as JustinGuitar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh6s...B7D83E57F25410

I like JustinGuitar because he doesn't seem so stiff when teaching and he teachers one chord at a time and then introduces songs you can play as you learn the chords.

I like the Yousician app because right now it's less about chords and more about getting my fingers moving to different frets, changing tempo, and gives me instant feedback.

However, I checked out what my son is using, and although the guy seems really stiff compared to JustinGuitar, he seems to go into a bit more theory and by the second lesson you're playing simple songs (although not very complex and using only one finger instead of chords).

I guess my questions are:
1) Is it detrimental or beneficial to learning to play the guitar using a variety of sources when just starting out?

2) It seems Guitartricks and Jamplay are two of the well known guitar teaching websites. Does anyone have any experience with either and if so, what do you think?

3) Are there any other programs/sites that you have found to offer a great combination of theory, chords, songs, and enjoyment?

Thanks for any advice!

btw: is it bad that my fingers are killing me and I love it!?! :D

TripleB

ps: my apologies for posting this in the wrong section of the board initially

I’m not sure what style of music you are into, but I subscribe to both Ryan Kimm and Bryan Sutton’s online lessons and highly recommend them both. Ryan has more “songs” a beginner may be attracted towards, Bryan has beginner stuff as well but flatpicking oriented.

RealAndy guitar is another nice instructor
Very thorough and easy to follow

I have been playing for 5+ years and use Youtube for probably 99% of my resources.
I am constantly amazed by the wealth of information there.
While I certainly have my favorite guitar teachers, I always "look around" when choosing a new song lesson.
For instance when deciding to add the acoustic solos to Wish You Were Here I watched repeatedly every video available. I then combine them if that makes sense.
Recently while adding some Skynyrd songs to my list I found a teachers version of Sweet Home Alabama that I had never heard of before.
So did I help you or just confuse you more?
Well I did finish Justin's beginner and intermediate courses before moving on.:)
Just like with songs there are one hit wonders teaching the songs...

Sometimes the artist themselves will do a lesson, as in this Bill Kirtchen lesson for the lick in "Hot Rod Lincoln" (which sounds cool on both acoustic and electric):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpASjqaz4d4

I suggest that beginners find someone that they can feel a connection with and go from there. I have seen folks use too many sources and then get frustrated and quit though. So stick with it whatever you do :)

Bryan Sutton is an excellent player and teacher. His lessons on posture, technique, etc. are priceless, IMHO. They are available through ArtistWorks.com
and include a video exchange mechanism for personalized feedback. It's really hard to beat this level of attention at any price, live or otherwise.

Beyond the basics, the more sources the better, I think. However, it's a lot easier to learn new and different stuff when already have solid fundamentals!

Get it right from the beginning, and you won't have to re-learn everything down the road, like 99% of us.

Personally speaking, my primary goal in playing guitar is to have fun. I find I have the most fun when I am playing the music to which I enjoy listening.

There is no shortage of things to learn, and resources from which to learn. Pick a genre of music you like and let that help you focus on what you'd first like to learn. You can certainly branch out as you go along, but I find it overwhelming to try to learn everything there is to learn across every style of music.

Most important thing, have fun.

This and based on my own personal experience, JustinGuitar’s beginner course is a great foundation to work through start to end and it’s free (but buy a songbook from him, they are very good). He covers a bit of everything (strum, flatpick, fingerstyle, basic scales/theory, ear training, etc.). JamPlay also has an excellent beginner course similar to Justin’s taught by Steve Eulberg but you will need to subscribe (still a great deal considering the quality). Either of these should help you upon completion of determining what type and style of playing you might want to focus on. In my case, I knew I wanted to focus on fingerstyle leading to solo fingerstyle but you may be totally happy strumming or flatpicking or both.

FWIW I was self taught through these courses but once I got into fingerstyle, I found a teacher (via Skype) and that has really been good for me.

Beware of going down the rabbit hole of chasing hundreds of YT guitar instruction videos that could get you into a dog chasing its tail kind of thing. You really need structure and a defined path to progress with.

Good Luck!

+1 for Justin Guitar. I started with his beginner course and feel it gave me a good start. I purchased his beginner course both because I felt it was the right thing to do (since that's how he supports the free stuff) and to get materials I could use to practice away from a screen.

I considered JamPlay and other subscription sites and decided against them. I didn't think I was going to go that fast and didn’t want to pay for months when my job or life kept me from practicing. I use Truefire now for the same reason. They have an option to purchase courses for download and that lets me go at my own speed. On the other hand, Truefire's first beginner course is free and I downloaded and tried it. I much preferred Justin. Try for yourself and decide. YMMV.

I do recommend a structured course since a beginner doesn't know what they need to learn and a random assortment of youtube lessons may miss important things.