How can I learn Guitar at home online? (Quick Answer)
Use a video-based teaching platform
The best way to learn guitar at home online is to use an organized video-teaching program. We recommend Guitar Tricks for their strong lesson organization, teachers that are effective communicators, and the cover song section, but we'll cover some other options as well.
Learning guitar at home doesn't just involve an online platform, though that is a great place to start. Here's how I would break it down if you want to look at it as a step-by-step process.
- Use an online video-teaching system like Guitar Tricks or Justinguitar
- Go through the material so you know what to practice
- Take that information and spend your time practicing what the videos explains
This is pretty straightforward, but the benefit here is that the online lessons do a good job of showing you what to focus on before you spend your practice time. This way, your practice sessions become far more efficient and optimized.
Though it does depend on you being a self-motivated learner who can discipline themselves to go through the courses and then spend more time practicing.
Read more: Best online guitar lessons overall
Learning guitar at home with an online platform gives you a foundation to build on.
It's up to you to actually build it.
Here are the programs I'd recommend using:
Top Programs for Learning Guitar at Home Online (comparison table)
This table lets you compare the four programs we recommend. You can also try them all for free.
Site | Name | Rate | Try |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Tricks | 92.8 | |
 | JamPlay | 88.7 | |
 | Justinguitar | 85.1 | |
 | Guitareo | 77.9 |
We have partnerships with Guitar Tricks, JamPlay, and Guitareo. If you click through and sign up, we might receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Note that this does not impact our objectivity, or sincerity of recommendation. We believe in these programs and have used them ourselves. If you have questions about our review or affiliate policy, please feel free to reach out.
Guitar Tricks Home Page as of January 2023.
What kind of gear do I need to learn guitar at home online?
What all will you need to get started? There are a few things I would recommend, some of which might fly under your radar:
- Quiet place to practice
- Computer, preferably a desktop computer
- An internet connection (obviously)
- Either an electric or acoustic guitar (add an amp if electric guitar)
- Capo
- Guitar tuner
People often overlook the computer. While you can use these programs on a mobile device or tablet, I think it's far easier to engage with a desktop computer and a larger monitor. It's not a deal breaker either way, but definitely something to consider.
Are the apps for these programs free?
The apps are free to download, though you'll need to log in with your main membership. Regardless of device, you'll use the same login for the same account. Without an account, the app doesn't really do you much good.
The Guitar Tricks mobile app is free, as are most guitar lesson apps, but you still need a login to use it.
YouTube considerations
YouTube has a ton of resources, and Justinguitar hosts all of their lessons on that platform. The only caveat I give about YouTube is that it tends to be better for very specific questions like, "how to play a G major scale" or "how to play here comes the sun by the Beatles" and similar queries.
YouTube has a lot of strength when it comes to answering specific questions, but less so when it comes to providing structured course material.
It's less reliable when it comes to organized courses. In general, it's better to learn guitar with a course. But there are plenty of options regardless of the direction you choose.
To be clear, you do not have to spend money to learn guitar online.
Does it help? Sure. But it's not a requirement.
How much time should I set aside each day to practice?
The more the better, and it certainly depends on your life stage and schedule. But as a general rule, I'd aim for one hour.
What about Fender Play?
Fender Play is a good fit for some people, but we've generally not recommended their program. The options we listed above are far better.
Read the full review: Fender Play
Conclusion
To put a bow on this, let's review:
- Consider an online program, free or paid depending on how you want to learn
- Make sure you have a decent computer and internet connection
- Focus on using lessons to obtain the right information
- Use that information to optimize your practice time
- Try to practice roughly one hour per day (more if possible)
These steps will allow you to learn guitar at home online, without ever having to leave your office chair. Remember, this is most ideal for self-motivated learners, while social learners might be better off with in-person lessons or in a classroom.
If you have questions, drop them in the comments section below and we'll help out.
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Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Lessons & Roundups
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Lessons & Roundups
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