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Tired of playing your air guitar? Or, do you already know how to play the guitar, but would like to hone your skills? Are you ready to start making some real music?
Some programs offer a variety of teaching methods and cater to a number of different skill levels. However, there are many programs that only focus on beginners, or only employ one type of instructional method. TopConsumerReviews.com reviews and ranks the best guitar lesson resources available.
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Is it finally time to hang up your air guitar and strap on a real one? If so, there are a number of guitar lesson programs available to help you start making music. Whether you are interested in playing blues, country, flamenco, rock, classical, or jazz, guitars are the primary instruments in many musical forms.
For the more seasoned guitar player, there are a variety of services available to help you hone your
craft. While many guitar lessons cater to novices, there are programs that offer a number of instructional levels to enable you to advance your musical career.
For players of all skill levels, it is important to consider the type of instruction provided. Some guitar lessons offer a number of guitar training methods such as instructional books, DVD's, online tutorials, charts, and so on. On the other hand, some guitar lessons only use one method of instruction, which might not match your personal learning style. Therefore, it is very
important to find a service that employs an instructional method that fits both your learning needs and skill set.
When looking for guitar lessons, there are certain factors you need to consider. Some of these include:
• Skill Level. Are the instructional materials geared toward novices or do they also provide instruction for more advanced players?
• Instructional Methods. Does the system employ a teaching method that supports your personal learning style?
• Value. Does the product provide superior value
for its price?
TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best guitar lessons available today. We hope you find these reviews helpful whether you are picking up a guitar for the first time or looking to build on your current skill set!
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Learn and Master Guitar provides the most comprehensive and professional approach to teaching guitar that we've seen. The step-by-step method first teaches you the fundamentals of the instrument itself. With this knowledge, you can grasp the basics quickly and then move on to actually playing the guitar. This program was developed to accommodate all levels of guitar playing - from beginner to experienced - and can
lead a person as far along as they desire.
The biggest advantage to using this guitar lesson course over the rest is the organization involved with the DVD collection. Everything is neatly laid out and easy to follow using the DVD and guitar lesson material that comes well presented in one single package . We liked that you didn't have to attempt to learn from your computer and then get up and move over to your instrument. We also liked the level of professionalism
apparent in the videos as well as the quality of the guitar lesson book.
Learn and Master Guitar further impressed us with their available assistance when questions arose. The same instructors who wrote the training are available in an online forum to answer your questions. In the same forum you may also share your experiences and develop conversations with other students.
With a 60 day return policy you can’t go wrong with Learn and Master Guitar. This is a great company that takes pride in the training packages they present. The guitar lessons are geared for students of all levels. They are fairly priced, well organized, professional, and even fun. If you want to start learning how to play the guitar, or to improve your guitar playing skills, Learn and Master should
be your first choice.
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Cost:
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$39.95 for Instant Download
$199 for Books and DVD's
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Jamorama provides detailed instructions to help beginners learn to play the guitar and then build their skills up to some of the most advanced guitar playing techniques. This system also trains you to identify numerous guitar chords, so that you can play by ear. This product features videos with animated graphics and multiple camera angles to visually enhance your learning.
The Jamorama package includes:
• High Quality Practice Jam Tracks (26)
• Guitar Tablatures (1000's)
• Step-by-Step Instructional Video Lessons (148)
• Guitar Learning Software Bonuses (4 )
• Jamorama Course Lessons
Jamorama's website offers a free, six-part, guitar e-course for beginners. The website features a few brief videos explaining some of the learning concepts a buyer should expect in the program. However, this is where Jamorama falls short of its competition. The videos do not give detailed visual examples of the product's offerings. Although the product is geared toward novice guitar players, the website does not adequately describe
the methods used in Jamorama's "Step-by-Step" process. Additionally,
the website could use supplemental information to help beginners understand why features might be beneficial.
There are personal testimonials for the consumer to review; and, in many cases, the product appears to be reliable. Jamorama offers an immediate 100% guarantee. If you are dissatisfied for any reason, your purchase price will be refunded if you return the product within 60 days.
Jamorama is a good product and will certainly help the novice guitarist learn basic guitar methods and techniques. It is affordable if purchased for the instant download price (the Books/DVD version can be quite expensive). Please note that you should make sure you have the memory on your computer to operate the downloaded software.
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Cost:
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$49.95 one-time fee
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If you are just starting to play the guitar and are only interested in learning to play a few popular songs, the Unlock the Guitar method might be right for you. This program is an e-book that focuses on teaching you how to play the guitar using all your favorite songs-a technique designed to make learning interesting and fun.
Unlock the Guitar states they will boost your guitar-playing skills by 150% in just one weekend. After purchasing, you can download the e-book to your computer. The course contains step-by-step instructions, over 150 photos, sound files, and a chord chart. It also includes techniques to boost your memory, improve your posture, and teach you singing techniques.
The author of Unlock the Guitar is a professional guitar player and instructor who has played the guitar for over 12 years. A description of the author, his education, and his experience is listed on the product's website. Additionally, testimonials from users are also provided. Overall, people have stated that Unlock the Guitar is a great course to use if you are just starting to play the guitar. If you are not satisfied with
your purchase, you have up to 60 days to return it for a full refund. However, so far, the product has a 98.5% success rate when followed correctly as stated by the website.
Unlock the Guitar is a tool for a novice guitar player who only wants to learn how to play a few popular songs. If you are simply looking for a product to jump-start your guitar-playing skills, Unlock the Guitar is very affordable and has been proven successful. However, if you want to further advance your skills, one of the higher-rated products might be a better fit for you.
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Elmore Music provides online guitar lessons. This is a speed learning system that uses a combination of audio, video, images, and text in its lessons, Elmore Music teaches you shortcut techniques to help you quickly pick up and remember all of the different guitar chords. Elmore provides 5 different courses for hone your skills as needed. You can select from courses such as finger picking, jazz guitar, and more.
Elmore Music teaches lead guitar skills, guitar theory, and how to play many different popular songs. Additionally, you will also learn tips and techniques to help you begin creating your own songs.
Elmore Music lessons help you master the guitar using five different categories:
• Guitar Tips
• Songwriting Secrets
• Guitar Leads
• Guitar Backing Tracks (used to help you get a feel for playing with a band)
• Guitar Theory
Over 70,000 people have used Elmore Music and given the service positive feedback that you can view on the website. The product guarantees to teach you the guitar in 30 days or less.
While Elmore talks a big game, but we had concern with the heavy sales pitch, asking for our email before they were willing to allow us to view the website. If you purchase this product you'll end up paying for multiple on-line training sessions as they've lowered the price but broken down the training. All in all, we recommend you select a more tangible and comprehensive training option.
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Cost:
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$29.95 one-time fee
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Guitar Hot Shot appeals to people of all ages and skill levels. This program features 40 hours of crisp and clear online video lessons to help you learn to play the guitar. Within the 40 hours are 288 lessons, 52 video lessons, and MP3 Jam Tracks - all with step-by-step instructions.
Unlike some of its competitors, Guitar Hot Shot's video lessons zoom in on the instructor's fingers to show their movements-an important feature when learning to play the guitar. Although the lessons cover a wide range of styles and techniques, we found that the lessons were lacking in depth. However, for a general guitar-playing overview, we thought this was a good product.
Unlike other systems, you must pay a one-time membership fee of $29.95 to use this service. Guitar Hot Shot membership allows you to access all Guitar Hot Shot lessons and resources. Once signed up, you are assigned a login name and password, which gives you access to the members arena and course features. Additionally, if you require additional assistance, you can contact Guitar Hot Shot's creator by e-mail. The product is
compatible with any type of computer, but you must have Internet access.
We found you will learn many basic guitar-playing styles and techniques with your membership. Guitar Hot Shot is an inexpensive way to introduce you to the wide-ranging world of guitar playing. However, if you would like more extensive guitar-playing instruction, you might choose one of the higher-rated services.
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Cost:
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$129 one-time fee
$97 for a basic course
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Amazing Guitar Secrets is a course geared for a beginner or intermediate guitar player. The instructor, Dan Denly, has a bachelor's degree in music, and his course has helped thousands of students learn guitar basics and valuable intermediate-level techniques. These techniques include identifying chord structures, building upon finger agility, and perfecting soloing skills.
The course includes:
• Two Lesson DVD's
• CD-ROM with 41 Video Tutorials
• Lesson Book
• Bonus Features (including strength and agility exercises, play along tracks, an e-book, and a progress tracker)
You can sample three video lessons for free before purchasing the product. The lessons will help you get a feel for how the instructor teaches and whether this product best suits you. After viewing a sample lesson, we found that the instructions were relatively clear and easy to follow. One of our main concerns was that the camera could have been further zoomed in to focus on the instructor's fingers. A video overview of the
entire product is also available on the website. This video begins with a presentation
explaining the five techniques that are taught in the course - finger exercises, scales, chords, rhythm, and application. The instructor also goes over everything included in the guitar course.
The product comes with a 100% guarantee. If you decide to return the product within 90 days, you will receive a full refund. However, only about 5% of purchasers decide to return this product. To supplement this claim, the website includes customer testimonials explaining how the product helped shape their guitar skills. The feedback results from 591 product users are also presented in a video on the website.
We like this product because its lessons are interesting and feature hands-on tutorials to engage students. We didn't like the cost of each individual course nor the hooky approach to selling the product. This site lacked professionalism overall and the need for our email address to view the information was startling.
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Cost:
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$29.95 one-time fee
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Music Master Pro is an online program with three levels of learning ranging from beginner to advanced. This online resource claims that no matter what instrument or style you want to play, they have the supporting methods to teach you. Not only can they teach you, but you will become proficient in all musical styles, tempos, and time signatures. It sounds too good to be true, right? But wait, the promises are far from over.
The Music Master Pro includes these features:
• Music Lessons for Three Instruments (200)
• Video Lessons for Each Instrument (18)
• Audio Tools that Include 20 Audio Lessons
• Music Producer Multimedia Bonus
• Piano and Violin Bonus Instruction
• Online Beat Maker
• Instrumental Jam Tracks
• Industry Listings and Forums (addresses and phone numbers of the top record labels, studios, and producers)
The founder of Music Master Pro claims that the product has taught thousands of musicians, but the scant number of online testimonials belies this claim. Additionally, they promise that you will be able to play anything on the guitar, bass guitar, and drums within 30 days. Not only that, they claim that you will become a virtuoso and get signed to a record label. Anyone who understands what it takes to learn and play an instrument
would agree that this claim is highly improbable.
The website features 24-hour support by e-mail and cell-phone texting. The videos that are featured on the website are of poor quality and feature relatively younger men playing the advertised instruments. As instructors, they do not inspire much credibility. Additionally, the website does not list a refund policy.
In light of the dubious claims Music Master Pro makes on the website, we believe it would be beneficial to the consumer to look elsewhere for a more trustworthy instructional program.
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Guitars In The News
Apple to Stream Event Live, Amazon Developing Netflix Competitor? - Switched (blog)
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:44:01 GMT+00:00
Rockin' at Roots Festival - Miami County Republic
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Rockin' at Roots FestivalMiami County RepublicShooting Star brought back totally '80s with everything from the long hair to the heavy drums and the scorching electric guitars, bringing it all together ...and more » |
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:06:05 GMT+00:00
Neil Young Releasing New Album This Month - Lime Wire (blog)
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:41:55 GMT+00:00
Hospital veteran gives boy, 8, guitar to brighten ER visit - Bangor Daily News
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:33:15 GMT+00:00
Pennsylvania Lottery Offers Promotional Drawing for Martin Guitars - PR Newswire (press release)
Publ.Date : Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:01:51 GMT+00:00
Top 10 Guitar International Articles: August 2010 - Guitar International
Publ.Date : Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:12 GMT+00:00
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