A Few of Our Favourite Online Guitar Teachers

Published on 07 April 2020

Stuck at home and bored? Don't worry, we hear you. With everything that's going on it can be tough to find a routine and shake that lazy, lethargic feeling that comes with too much time indoors. That said, along with a good bit of exercise to get the blood pumping, one of the best things you can do to stop yourself from feeling sluggish is get the brain working too. Trust us, as silly as it seems, practising your guitar regularly is not only the only way to improve but also a great activity to shake off those cobwebs. It's all to easy to fall into a routine too, so instead of just playing those same old glory riffs, try to add something new to your playing every day, no matter how small. If you can get into the habit of doing this, we can practically guarantee that you'll notice a huge improvement in your playing and a sense of accomplishment every time you smash out something you used to think was out of your capabilities.

We thought we'd help you along on your guitar playing journey by introducing you to a few teachers we think are killing it online. Stick the kettle on, grab your axe and get ready to learn!

Marty Schwartz 

First up on our list is a guy who's a fantastic teacher and extremely likeable dude in general, Marty Schwartz of Marty Music fame! His channel is a pretty popular one and we can see why. Marty creates a whole manner of online lessons which are genuinely suited to just about every player and taste under the sun. Breaking down individual tracks in quick how to play videos, demonstrating his favourite riffs from specific bands or eras, running down different effects tutorials and even teaching you how to play in the style of different guitarists, this channel really is a one-stop-shop for stepping up your guitar game. Marty never overcomplicates things and makes the difficulty of what he's playing clear at the start each video, so you never wind up feeling lost or out of your depth. In the example we've chosen, Marty shows you how to adapt minor scales to give your solo's an injection of Metallica (no that doesn't just mean adding a wah pedal...).Take a look below and have a go for yourself or click into his channel to have a gander at what else is out there. There's absolutely tons of great stuff to get stuck into.

Eric Haugen

We simply had to include Eric in this list for both his utterly splendid guitar tutorials and exceptional taste in tunes! Breaking down everything from Neil Young, to Hendrix, to Tom Waits and all sorts in between, Eric is a man after our own hearts, with a blatant passion for playing that's totally infectious. Sometimes when your practice gets into a lull the only thing you need to get you back in the zone is someone who just vibes you up and after a quick look through this channel, you'll realise you've found your go-to guy.

The reason we love this channel so much is not just the great choice in tunes but also the out-there ideas and techniques that he brings forward. Rather than just teaching you the same old scales and riffs, Eric really takes time to break down what went into creating each track so that you can learn from the techniques and introduce them to your own playing. Our favourite videos of his are when he looks at different techniques to shake up your whole style of playing and make you think about things differently. Whether it's learning to adapt different chord shapes to sound like a specific artist, or throwing in bizarre scales to totally transform your sound, Eric's channel is seemingly neverending and he's an absolute pleasure to learn from. We've included an awesome video below on How to Adapt Drumset Grooves to Guitar, which is just one of many examples of slightly different ways to give your guitar an edge. Take a look below now and give it a go for yourself!

JustinGuitar

If you've checked out the last two videos and they've caused you to stare forlornly at your fingers then do not fear, we've got you beginners covered too. Or rather, JustinGuitar does! This chap has been at it for a long time and has amassed a huge following on YouTube for his no-nonsense, straight forward and really easy to follow guitar lessons. Justin delves into all sorts of tracks, including plenty of more advanced ones so every level of player should try out some of his lessons but we think his beginner-focused tutorials are really well done. He has a straightforward style of teaching with chord diagrams and plenty of time spent on making sure you get into the right habits early. Primarily looking at different tracks and using them as teaching tools to help you learn as you master the song, there has to be a small army of players out there who have worked through Justin's videos and used them to take their playing to the next level.

In short, if you've been struggling without your guitar lessons while you're stuck at home, this is the guy you want to spend some time with! We've gone back to basics and chosen a beginner practice routine to get you playing every day and mastering the basics. Remember folks, build a strong foundation and things will only get easier! Have a go below and let us know how you get on!

Talking Bass

We had to throw in something for the bass players! There are of course a ton of resources out there for our low-end compadres too and Talking Bass is one of our very favourites. Run by Mark J Smith, this channel is a truly fantastic resource. Mark releases a video lesson every Friday and there honestly isn't much that he doesn't cover. What's great about his lessons is they're aimed at absolutely everyone - one week you might get something to challenge advanced players and the next you'll learn the very basics. Every bass player could benefit from checking a few out, whether you want to learn a specific technique or simply improve your playing. Mark has a great step by step approach that makes learning really easy and fun so prepare to be hooked! We've chosen one of his beginner videos as an example since it's really in-depth and will get any newbies rolling the right way!

Final thoughts

There you have it folks, only a few of our favourites out of a whole worldwide community of online teachers. There are tons of people out there dedicated to help your practice and guitar journey and the content is literally neverending so you have no excuses for not soendiung your time at home becoming a shredding monster of rock... or at least stepping up your chops a little! No matter where your tastes lie, there's a channel out there to help you out so don't feel disheartened. Of course, the most important factor in becoming a better player is practice and dedication. Keep at it folks, play every day and you won't believe how much your playing improves.