Learning the guitar (or any other musical instrument) is a highly interactive task. You would normally be taught step-by-step how to tune your guitar, the basic chords and strumming rhythms and your teach would be able to correct you and show you how its supposed to be done.
But due to modern day technology, learning to play the guitar online is becoming more and more popular. In this article I'll discuss the pros and cons and if this method is indeed effective.
Pros
1. You can do it at your own pace and leisure.
Most of us with fulltime jobs and families (but aspires to be a Guitar Hero) have only the late hours to learn and practice. An online course works great as you can login anytime and start the next lesson.
2. Its much cheaper
As opposed to paying a tutor per lesson, an online guitar course can cost as little as $40 for an entire course with ear-training software to boot!
3. A good course is just like having a real teacher
I found a wonderful guitar learning method that had well produced, high quality videos that showed me exactly how each chord should be played, and I can replay it as many times as I like without irritating a real-life teacher!
Cons
1. You can do it at your own pace and leisure.
Yes, you read correctly. The same freedom can also work against you as you will not be motivated to practice. Make sure you set goals and motivate yourself constantly.
2. Your PC might be slow or distorted.
Make sure your PC is all tuned up and your sound card and speakers are all working fine before you attempt an online guitar course.
3. Lack of personal guidance
Sometimes you'll want to ask something and an online course will not have a one-to-one consultation. This can be overcome by making friends with other guitarists and getting together once a week to share and play together.
The verdict? It depends on your level of commitment to your craft, the more you put in, the more you'll get out of it. Guitar playing needs time and practice and there's no simpler way out, although a solid and complete online guitar learning method will help a lot! I've read of some success stories from online courses and like I said, it depends on your perseverence and determination.
I hope you've found this article helpful. Remember to never give up and keep practicing, that's how all guitarists got that way. No one was born with the skill to play, it was all cultivated!