Learning With Online Guitar Lessons

I have been giving online guitar lessons and the question that many people ask me is can a music instrument be taught effectively online? Can learning with online guitar lessons be as fruitful with a medium such as Skype? My answer to that is definitely. With the growing pace of today’s technology many music teachers are beginning to shift online the reasons for this are as follows.

– Lessons can be taught all over the world especially useful for students in isolated areas that don’t have access to proper music tuition

– Students don’t have to leave their comfort of their home or office

– People such as parents who can’t leave their kids for long will find tremendous benefits also people who spend a lot of time working and can’t afford to spend time traveling can easily receive a lesson in their office

– Lessons are accessible for those who don’t have access to the necessary transportation – Students can easily and instantly access information whether emailed by the teacher or links given to information located on the internet this can even be done during a lesson if need be making access to audio files backtracks, songs etc more available.

– For students who are abroad the time-zone difference will make odd hours available for them to learn where they can’t normally be accommodated, normal hours for the teachers that are abroad.

– Gives you access that is literally a click away to fully qualified professional music teachers in all styles of music, rather than having to settle for learning the same two power-chord pop/punk songs from the neighbour’s kid

There are many articles and discussions on this topic on the net, including lots of evidence of full-time online music tutors with a large online student base ranging from New York to Brisbane, and also in all fields of instruments not only guitar, Saxophone, Piano, Vocal Coaches, Violin, harmonica and even ukulele and banjo etc. Some students or teachers who go on tour with their performing groups whether it be Classical Orchestras, Musicals on tour, Jazz Quartets or Rock ‘n Roll bands, can still communicate and continue with tuition through online mediums. And all the student needs is a 3mb line, Skype which is free and a webcam (either with a built in mic or a separate mic) and the professional tuition is simply a click and an email away!

The problems that are encountered with video and audio lag can be overcome by supplying students with work before hand. Emailing them material and accompanying audio examples of the work so that they are prepared for the lesson beforehand and the teacher can guide them through the work and advise them on the process or how to handle the exercises that need attention. In my opinion, this forces the student to be more self-dependent and resourceful which is a plus and necessary skill to master if you are pursuing learning an instrument! The personal energy you have when teaching face to face won’t be there at first but it will generate over time.

And some shy first-time students will feel more at ease meeting teachers online from their comfort zone. Online tuition not only has bonuses as previously mentioned but also opens up new possibilities in terms of tuition methods. Apart from one on one lessons via Skype, there are other mediums which can be used to further and create more forms for music education. Lessons or topics can be discussed in online webinars specifically in areas that students want to clarify. Not only can these lessons or topic discussions be headed by qualified musicians but it also gives the students who participate in these webinars a chance to interact with each other and share thoughts, which will definitely make the learning process more interactive and vibrant.

While the qualified teacher heading the lesson can answer or demonstrate answers to questions that the group may have. Another method of learning that is being used, is requesting lessons on topics whether it is learning a Crosby, Stills, and Nash song or working on the chord changes of John Coltrane’s Giant steps, students can request specific topics that they dying to have clarified and post them to teachers, who in turn pre-record a full lesson with accompanying material and exercises so the student can download and work through an exact lesson they wanted to learn. These are just a few of many points on the benefits of online lessons and possibilities available!

The truth of the matter is that many music tutors are going online, some are teaching full time online while others are doing research into it and trying to get setup. With the growth of today’s technology online tuition is no myth, it is a reality, its happening as we speak and the possibilities within this sector are growing. Online guitar lessons are the next step in the future of music tuition!