Steve PMHPlaying the guitar can be soothing and meditative. Researchers have also found that it does more to the brain, like improve memory and increase intuition.
Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced guitar player, picking the right gear and learning from the best instructors are some of the most important parts of getting the right guitar-playing experience. However, the learning process may seem daunting, especially if you’re unsure which course fits your needs.
If you’re looking to learn how to play the guitar without physically attending lessons, there are several options you can choose from, such as Guitareo, which stands out as one of the most recognizable and popular online guitar courses.
The course promises to help you play the guitar well within 90 days of learning, but is it possible? Is this course worth your time and money?
In this review, we will discuss everything about Guitareo, its history, what makes it unique, its pros and cons, and what makes it stand out from the rest. We will also provide our verdict at the end of the review to help you make an informed decision.
With all this information to look forward to, let’s get started!
Guitareo Description
Guitareo is an online-based platform dedicated to teaching guitar. It is a product of Musora Media music and a sister to Drumeo, Singeo, Pianote, and Recordeo.
The course allows you to log in from anywhere in the world and learn through video lessons anytime. The site welcomes beginners, but the courses also focus on intermediate and advanced players.
Guitareo offers step-by-step lessons with real instructors demonstrating each lesson through downloadable videos throughout your learning journey. Instead of teaching a specific skill and having you practice it over and over, Guitareo focuses on a different approach that helps you progress rapidly and gain a robust understanding of the instrument.
Most instructors have years of experience, and there are forums for engaging with teachers and other students. The site is easy to navigate and doesn’t require you to download sophisticated software to access the program. It has multiple monthly and yearly subscriptions and a 90-day money-back guarantee if you are unsatisfied with the program.
If you’re an advanced guitar player looking to learn a specific skill, the platform allows you to purchase the specific course with the skill you’re looking to learn at discounted prices.
History of Guitareo
Guitareo was founded by Nate Savage. It is part of other social learning communities in Musora Media, Inc, like Drumeo, Singeo, and Pianote.
Jared Falk is the CEO of Musora Media, Inc. You will likely meet Nate at the beginning of your course as he will take you through the beginner starter kit.
There is very little information about how Guitareo came about and the idea behind it. There is also very little information about Nate Savage and his part in Guitareo.
The Guitareo YouTube channel was launched in 2015, which means the platform has been on the market for more than five years. Since its launch, the platform has gained a following with thousands of subscribers on all social media platforms due to its teaching methodology.
Currently, the platform has 28 employees with a revenue of $5 million. The platform hopes to use the available tools and technology to improve user experience and create a community that helps students reach their goals.
Who is Guitareo for?
Guitareo was primarily designed to be a comprehensive program for beginners, intermediate and advanced level players. However, it’s safe to say that there isn’t much content for advanced guitarists currently.
Courses start by outlining the main ideas you will be exploring and as a series of lessons focusing on specific techniques you need to learn systematically. With over 1000+ lessons, it’s almost impossible to run out of skills and styles to learn both beginner and intermediate.
However, we found some faults in the beginner program. It seems to be rushed, which means it lacks some ground coverage necessary for any beginner looking to advance their guitar playing skills. That means you need to be a consistent, attentive, and disciplined learner to gain the most from the program.
Guitareo is perfect for busy individuals who might not be available to attend lessons but can create time for the live sessions. You can access the lessons anywhere, anytime, and learn at your own pace. You can also download the video lesson to watch later in places without an internet connection.
If you’re looking for a one-on-one online guitar course, Guitareo might not be for you as it does not teach or give one-on-one feedback for every lesson or practice. However, the live sessions allow you to ask your main questions, and the instructors will respond.
Guitareo is also for guitarists looking to perfect their skills. If you don’t want to be a member but need to access some of the courses offered, you can do so by shopping for the courses you want directly from the platform.
What Makes Guitareo Unique?
Guitareo was keen on providing a learning experience that is closer to an actual classroom, with instructors explaining every skill and showing it.
Guitareo is also quite versatile, especially when it comes to membership. It allows you to subscribe and cancel your membership anytime.
There is also a limited lifetime membership plan for those who would like access to the platform for a lifetime. You can choose to pay month to month or a single annual subscription based on how long you intend to learn.
They also have a 7-day free trial to help get a feel of what to expect. However, we found it a bit odd that this offer is not advertised on their main website but on a separate page.
Once you join the program, you can decide what you want to learn and what to skip. If you feel uninspired or fall out of your routine, you can share your challenges and experiences with the community and people who will provide you with valuable tips to motivate you.
Guitareo features 500 popular songs from all styles and eras. There are live lessons and weekly events with real teachers responding to questions. Their site is simple and easy to navigate, which means you don’t need any training on how to go about the course.
How Does It Work?
Your first step to joining Guitareo is checking out their website, reviewing the home page, and paying the membership fee. The site has three subscription choices; monthly, annually, and lifetime.
Before you pay, you can review their free video lessons or check their YouTube channel to know what to expect from the course. Once you’ve filled in your basic information and clicked the green button, you’ll be redirected to a new page that begins your Guitareo lesson experience.
The welcome screen will ask you to choose from several learning paths. Beginners have two primary choices.
You can either click on the Courses page or the Lessons page. The lessons page directs you to four main lesson groups:
- Acoustic guitar made easy-26 lessons
- Guitar technique made easy-26 lessons
- The ultimate guide to recording guitar-8 topics
- The guitar system-30 topics
If you’re looking for specific lessons, go to the courses page, and it’s up to go through the lists and decide what you want to take. Experienced guitarists need to explore other learning paths options to find courses that match their levels. Generally, the advanced options include The Ultimate Guide to Recording Guitar and The Guitar System.
Each lesson lasts about 5 minutes to an hour. Not all lessons show how long they take, so be sure to allocate enough time for each class in case it takes longer than your regular schedule.
Features of Guitareo
Before making any purchase, you might want to know about the main features of Guitareo to determine whether the program offers what you need or not. Below are the primary features of Guitareo.
Songs
Songs are the ultimate goal for any guitarist. Guitareo comes with a library of 500 songs. Most of them are popular, and more are added every week.
You can learn to play different songs using step-by-step videos. They have been carefully selected to make learning fun and easier. The first song you play in your first lesson consists of two chords and advance as you get to other advanced lessons.
Guitareo might not have the biggest library, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find some of your favorite songs. You can download chord sheets for all your favorite songs to practice at home. Chord sheets are offered in the original key and the easier key options.
We, however, felt that Guitareo should include more songs for beginners—songs with two or three chords that are easier to learn and play. Beginners need more songs to inspire motivation.
Teachers
Guitareo features some of the best instructors to help you learn and perfect your guitar playing skills. One of the teachers you’ll come across is Ayla Tesler-Mabe—who has made a splash in the music industry as a professional guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist. Ayla plays in popular bands like Calpurnia and presently Ludic.
While she is active in music and performance, Ayla also enjoys helping students learn how to play the guitar. Students like her genuine enthusiasm for teaching guitar and answering questions candidly.
She also provides personal advice to her students. Her teaching style makes students feel accommodated, comfortable and motivated to keep practicing and developing their skills.
Nate Savage is currently not a teacher at Guitareo, but you will meet him in the video lessons. Nate is an expert in online guitar teaching and has taught in several other online music teaching platforms.
He is fun and laid-back, making his lessons enjoyable and easy to follow. Students like Nate for motivating them and being patient with them.
Other skilled teachers you’re likely to interact with include Rob Scallow and Victor Guidera.
The 5 Pillars
The five pillars of the Guitareo method include:
- Smooth chord changes
- Strumming
- Playing songs
- Playing clean chords
- Theory of music
Each lesson is geared towards helping you achieve these five pillars, which we must agree are not that easy to achieve. Understanding, practicing, and performing the required techniques won’t take 5 minutes like some of the videos take. This makes the course feel rushed at times.
Sometimes you may need to pause frequently to understand and synchronize what is being said with what is being done. The last part of the Acoustic Guitar Course focuses on strumming patterns, learning new songs, and open chords.
In the lessons, Nate Savage stresses the importance of smooth chord changes and explains some of the best practice techniques to achieve them.
Courses and Lessons
Guitareo has thousands of lessons. Each lesson is accompanied by a video with basic controls for easier navigation. That means you can pause or playback whenever you want.
The courses are arranged from beginner to advanced. Once you’re done watching, you can add a comment or ask a question, and your teacher will respond.
Nate Savage is known to answer most students’ questions, which brings the feeling of direct access to a teacher even closer. Lessons with diagrams are also downloadable.
We already mentioned that videos can be quite short, which means they’re not in-depth. However, Nate does a good job of patiently walking you through the topics he covers.
His explanations of materials are quite simple, concise, and well-demonstrated. His experience as a teacher is quite valuable to students.
Having taught for many years, he seems to know and anticipate almost all the questions students are likely to ask and where they get stuck. Cameras capture everything going on in the video from all angles for easier following.
Downloads
Another great feature of Guitareo you might want to know about is the variety of downloads available for each lesson. Instructors set assignments for tasks they expect you to work on before moving to the next task.
These downloads help you get the most out of the lesson or assignment. The downloads are usually a combination of worksheets and jam tracks that you will need for practice. This allows you to build your library of songs, jam tracks, and technical exercises that you can access anywhere, anytime.
Community
Guitareo has a well-developed open forum that allows you to join, introduce yourself, comment, and ask questions for teachers and other students to respond. Community forums are designed to develop a strong community of learners and create a sense of belonging.
The community also helps keep students interested in the course by keeping each member engaged, motivated, and involved.
XP, Live Sessions, and Student Reviews
You are rewarded XP for every lesson you complete. The more XP you get, the more advanced you’re in the course. XPs are designed to motivate students to keep learning and reach their goals.
When you record your practice session, you can submit it and receive direct feedback from fellow students or one of the coaches. The live sessions also allow students to ask questions live and get answers from instructors. These sessions are recorded and available for download at the “Archive” section.
Pros
- Easier access to real instructors and over 1000 lessons
- Skilled teachers
- Excellent focus on music theory and practice techniques
- Easy-to-use site with downloadable videos
- Exclusive live sessions and weekly events
- Easy to sign up with a 90-day money-back guarantee
- Open forums that allow interaction among students and teachers
Cons
- Videos are quite short with less content
- Most content is general
- The curriculum is not well-organized
FAQs
Does Guitareo offer different membership packages?
Yes. You can pay monthly, annually, or get a lifetime membership.
Is Guitareo for me?
Guitareo is best for beginners and intermediate guitarists. It is also a great option for those who want to improve their guitar techniques at home
What will I learn from Guitareo?
You will learn how to play Acoustic and electric gear, play songs, and practice chords. You will also learn fingerstyle and soloing and how to choose a suitable guitar kit.
Does Guitareo have a refund policy?
Yes. Guitareo offers a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Final Thoughts on Guitareo (+Verdict)
Guitareo is a great platform for learning the guitar. The site has invested heavily in great instructors like Ayla and Nate. It is well-designed to fit a student’s needs, especially the direct access to teachers, practice sessions, and breakdown of concepts.
At the same time, there are so many sections in Guitareo that are either incomplete or ignored. For instance, there is very little content for advanced guitarists and it’s difficult to imagine you’ll learn anything if you already have a solid background in guitar.
This shouldn’t be a big problem if the price were slightly lower than other well-established sites. Since the site is still growing, we expect overall improvement such as additional content, curriculum organization, and a more vibrant learning experience in the coming years.
With that said, we would recommend joining Guitareo if you are a beginner or fairly new or intermediate. The site has a wide range of content that can benefit beginners and help you stick to your best and strongest skills. We will easily give it a 6.5 /10 as it’s still among the best guitar learning platforms in the market today.
If Guitareo meets your learning goals, feel free to check it out today!
