Okay, lesson one: chords. Now, I don’t know the actual names of the chords, but umm, I.. I made up names for the way my hand looks while I’m doing them. So then, this is Bear Claw. Okay, umm, Turkey Leg and Old Lady. ~Phoebe Buffay (My favorite character from the tv series, Friends; and the best guitar teacher in television history)
Are you learning to play guitar online? If you are, then you probably know the site called Justinguitar.com! For those who don’t know, Justinguitar.com offers online guitar video lessons, for free! The site is suitable for beginners and mid-level guitarist. Besides beginners lessons and intermediate methods, Justinguitar offers hundreds of songs for guitar practice. You will also learn about techniques, scales and modes, chords, essential skills, etc, to master the instrument. Moreover, the site also offers learning modules on different music genres like Blues, Folk, Rock & Metal, Jazz, etc. You can also check out the Ukulele section, where you will find useful learning modules for the instrument!
The classes are totally free so that anyone who wants to learn to play guitar can benefit from it, but the site runs on the “honor system” where you can donate if you can afford to.
Who is Justin?
Justin Sandercoe founded the site Justinguitar in 2003. He is a guitarist, songwriter, producer, and educator. He is currently a member of the band called We Came as Strangers (good songs there), and is famous in the Internet world for his lucid, clear and easy-to-follow guitar lessons. He has also taught many celebrity students including Katie Melua and Cathy Dennis. Besides the recognition from the local press, Justin has also been appreciated by guitar gods like Steve Vai, Brian May (Queen) and Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) for his comprehensive and concise lessons.
Learn Guitar Video Lessons in Justinguitar
Simply visit the site and have a look around to know what else is going on! Besides the staple guitar lessons and techniques listed on the left hand side, you will find new lesson schedule, updates from Justin’s band, and latest lesson updates. Now, to work out your fingers and wrist, first get out your dusty guitar from the shelve (many including me buy guitars just for the sake of it, but don’t know to play!).
If you are a beginner like me, then go to the Beginners Course on the top! You will find the most comprehensive and detailed lesson plan that includes a preparation module where all your curiosity will be cured! Learn about the best guitar for you, essential accessories, and stuffs like that. The actual course is divided into 9 stages which will cover all the essential topics that a beginner needs! The chapters are systematically planned as it starts from basic stuff like chords and progresses towards advanced topics like applied fingerstyle topics. Each chapter is accompanied by a YouTube video, where you can watch and learn. Here is a sample video:
Once you have consolidated the Beginner’s Course, you can move ahead to the Intermediate Methods section. It comprises five foundation modules which will equip you with the basic skills to go on with the style module. The style module will put your skills into practice. It also includes an essential development modules which comprises topics like Effective Practice, Aural Training, etc.
Once you finish either one of the levels (Beginners or Intermediate) you can practice on songs based on your level! Songs range from easy-to-learn popular numbers as well as songs with difficult strumming pattern or complicated fingerstyle. You will feel proud of yourself when you master Elvis’ Hound Dog in just a couple of hours, or even AC/DC’s Hells Bells for that matter!
Also see: Free websites to learn guitar
Till now, I have covered only half of the service that Justinguitar offers! You can also learn about different music styles/genres like Blues (Lead and Rhythm), Folk (Fingerstyle), Rock & Metal, etc. There is also a separate section for Ukulele, which is a closed cousin of the guitar! So, if you have been playing a six-stringed guitar for some time, you will probably have an easy transition between the two instruments!
Conclusion
Justinguitar.com is an awesome site for learning guitar lessons. The use of video tutorials and the extensive and detailed lesson plan makes a great and effective learning experience. So, if you are looking for some good guitar lessons online, this is a site that you should check out (or do you dare to disagree with guitar legends like Steve Vai and Brain May? You dare!). I, for one, am sure of what I am gonna do when I get home! What about you?
