Local guitar lessons vs online lessons: Pros and cons of each compared so you can learn guitar quicker and play better

But you also have the option of lower-priced online lessons on popular guitar learning platforms which can include 1-to-1 or group lessons as well as online courses.

So are local lessons better than online lessons?

Whether you live in the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, UAE, Latin America, South Africa, Australia, or NZ, you have unlimited options, so…

In this article, I’ll walk you through the pros and cons of both private face-to-face and online guitar lessons by comparing…

• Convenience and flexibility
• Pricing
• Value and effectiveness
• Different learning styles
• Social aspects

What will you learn in your lessons?

In your guitar lessons, whether online or in-person, you’ll explore a variety of essential skills to help you grow as a guitarist.

Any good lesson plan should contain these topics.

Notes 

Learn to identify and play individual notes on the fretboard to build a solid foundation for understanding melody and harmony.

Chords

Play a range of basic to advanced chords, from simple open chords all the way up to bar chords and complex jazz chords.

Licks

Master short, memorable guitar phrases that you can incorporate into your solos or use to develop your improvisation skills.

Riffs

Develop your ability to play iconic guitar riffs that form the backbone of many classic rock, blues, and metal songs.

Scales

Study various scales, including major, minor, pentatonic, and eventually modes, to enhance your understanding of music theory and improvisation.

TABs 

Get comfortable reading and interpreting guitar tablature – a type of musical notation specifically designed to express guitar-specific ideas.

Arpeggios

Practice playing arpeggios, which are broken chords, to add depth and variety to your playing style.

You may also request beginner lead guitar lessons, which will introduce you to the fundamentals of playing solos, using techniques like

• bends, 
• slides,
• hammer ons / pull offs, and
• tapping

to create expressive and dynamic lead guitar parts.

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What are the advantages of online guitar lessons

Convenience and flexibility

Studying guitar online is by far the most convenient option. 

You can schedule it to fit around your routine and complete the lessons at your own pace, all from the comfort of home.

• There’s no need to rely on a physical tutor.
• Complete lessons whenever it suits you –  morning or evening.
• Take days off without needing to notify anyone – with a tutor, you’ll probably be charged for a last-minute cancellation.
• Zero travel expenses.

There’s more freedom to choose what you want to study with online guitar classes, meaning you can focus on specific topics or genres that interest you. 

It’s not always possible to find a local tutor who’s skilled in the styles and techniques you want to learn.

This brings us to our next point, which is one of the main advantages of online guitar courses.

Access to a wider range of resources and materials

When it comes to online guitar classes and resources, the choices are almost endless.

• You can find the perfect course to suit your tastes.
• You can learn from a guitarist you already know and admire.
• If you’ve outgrown your local guitar tutor,  you’re guaranteed to find lessons online that will challenge you.

This is a really important point for you advanced players – no matter how good you are, there’s always room for improvement!

Whether you’re into jazz, metal, blues, pop, or country, amazing beginner lead guitar lessons and specialized courses are waiting for you online.

Are there any downsides?

Too many options can make it difficult to pick a class – like staring at the Netflix menu.

You can also overspend, especially when buying a course that is as simple as clicking a button.

Speaking of money – internet-based courses are significantly cheaper than in-person lessons. 

• A private guitar tutor can be an expensive choice and many people just can’t afford the high cost. 
• In those cases, using online resources is a great option. 
• There’s some really amazing material online for a reasonable price – and plenty of good free stuff too. 

Depending on what you need and the type of class you’re looking for, basic guitar lessons can cost a few dollars a month, or a couple of hundred dollars a year. 

Here is some typical pricing for online guitar training membership sites, lessons, and tutor

👉 Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio. 

‍Ability to review lessons at any time

One big advantage of online materials is that your resources are there to review whenever you need them. 

This allows you to:

• Brush up on weak areas.
• Go over something you may have missed.
• Rewind and slow down specific moments in video tutorials.

Your in-person guitar instructor won’t always be able to respond to your questions and clarify anything you forgot. 

But if you take guitar lessons online, you can review them as often as you like. 

Plus, certain platforms (like Pickup Music, wink wink) provide the ability to get unlimited learning support from a team of professional guitarists.

What are the advantages of in-person guitar lessons?

Personal attention and customized instruction

Search ‘private guitar lessons near me’ and you’ll find teachers for all levels of learning and for any genre of guitar you’d like to learn.

What makes private face-to-face guitar lessons valuable is the interaction and communication between you and the teacher.

• Online material is often a one-way street – you can’t ask questions or get feedback (at least not in real time).
• Titles like “Beginner guitar lessons” and “Advanced lessons” just give a rough idea of the skills required for a certain course.

The term ‘advanced’ can mean something totally different depending on the person. 

Bar chords are considered advanced for new guitarists, yet basic for experienced players. 

A local guitar teacher can:

• Create a lesson plan to fit your specific needs and abilities. 
• Detect mistakes in your technique that you may otherwise miss – which helps avoid building bad habits.
• Give you immediate feedback on your technique.

Immediate feedback and interaction

This point is also significant, particularly for beginners. It’s crucial to form good habits when beginning to play the guitar. 

If no one demonstrates the fundamentals to us, we might not know how to correctly:

• Hold a pick
• Pluck the strings
• Fret the notes
• Hold the guitar neck

The interaction you have with your teacher and the feedback you receive might be essential to your initial progress. 

A weak-picking hand won’t be an issue right away for a beginner player, but it will be in the future. 

Therefore it’s important to have someone help you and point these things out early on. 

It’s much more difficult to unlearn bad habits than it is to just learn properly from the start. 

Hands-on experience with the instrument

If you take in-person classes, your teacher will show you everything you need to know about the instrument itself. 

You may even be able to spend time trying out different kinds of guitars before you decide whether to get an acoustic or electric. 

Music shops can be a bit intimidating for complete beginners.  

You’ll also get useful advice on caring for your instrument, like how to:

• Tune it
• Clean it
• Change its strings
• Read it a bedtime story

A local tutor can give support all the way through your journey, from your first guitar to your first gig.

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‍Opportunity to connect with other musicians

While you can always find communities and like-minded people on the internet, meeting people face-to-face can build instant friendships. 

I met most of my best friends through a mutual love of making music.

Attending adult guitar classes will expose you to many musicians, not only guitar players.

• Other musicians are a great resource for knowledge. 
• Your teacher will probably have many like-minded students and would be happy to connect you with them. 
• Maybe even help you put your first band together?

You’ll also experience the life of a musician, not simply playing an instrument. 

Regardless of your level, you have something to share with others, both musically and individually, and they will share their experiences with you too. 

All influences in life can help you grow as a musician.