I always think it is interesting to talk to people who want to learn to play the guitar. It is often a life-long goal that folks have had. They think that “Someday, when I’m not so busy, I’ll learn,” or “I’ll take lessons as soon as my kids get bigger, or my business grows, or I go on vacation.” If these folks only realized that guitar lessons do not have to be expensive and time-consuming, they would not have to wait for “someday.” If you have been putting your dreams of playing guitar on hold, you may be interested in the lessons offered at Jamplay.com.

While there are many guitar lessons that you can download or order as CD’s or books, Jamplay is different because you watch the video lessons online. There is a monthly fee of $19.95, which allows you access to the members’ area. From there you can choose any one of several lessons that have been recorded and watch it as often as you like.
 

Course Content:
The people at Jamplay have looked around the world and found 15 good guitar teachers, then filmed their lessons, and made them available for rebroadcast over the Internet. The lessons are recorded in HD with several different cameras so that you can see exactly what the instructor is doing. When I last checked the website, there were more than 7000 minutes of guitar lessons available to Jamplay members. Additional lessons are added to the site on a fairly regular basis, so you will often find something new when you log on as a member.

When you look at the material for beginning guitarists you will see a wide range of topics covered starting from the very basic “Tuning and Set Up” to “How to Read Tab,” and “Strumming Techniques.” The length of each lesson is given next to its title so you will know how much time to set aside. The lessons are also ranked according to difficulty, with little notes under the descriptions. One note means the skill level is low and the rankings increase from there.

Intermediate instruction includes things such as “Barre and Power Chords,” “Fingerpicking,” and “Playing Lead and Rhythm.” There are also some lessons devoted to teaching a particular song, for example “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath. During those sessions you can learn the riffs and solos you have loved to listen to, as well as the chords. You can also download the Tabs, chord charts and other materials that go with each lesson, so that you can review it at your leisure. The teachers make an effort to explain each part of the lesson in a way that is clear and concise.

There are several genres of guitar music to explore on Jamplay. You can find instruction for Bluegrass, Jazz, Fingerstyle, Rock and some others. There are teachers for both electric and acoustic guitar, and the techniques you need to be effective playing both types are discussed. If you want to know the experience and background of any of the instructors, there are full biographies of all of them posted on the website.

Extra Materials:
In addition to the video lessons, your membership in Jamplay gets you a few more bonus items. As previously mentioned, you can print materials that coordinate with each lesson. There is also a large chord library available, which features both the Tabs and chord charts for hundreds of chords. It is printable, as well, or you can access it online at any time.

Jamplay provides an online area where members can ask the instructors questions and receive the answers in video form. The videos are then available for other members to view that might have the same questions. There is also a social networking feature that lets members search for others with similar interests. You may be able to chat with other guitar fans by searching according to geographical location, skill level, or favorite band. You can create your own profile, too, which can include photos, musical background, or more information that other members may use to find you. Once you meet a guitar buddy, you can use the personal online message center to have private conversations.

Jamplay is available for a monthly fee. You also have a choice to subscribe quarterly or yearly. The membership can be cancelled at any time, for any reason, and if you make a request within the first seven days of membership, your purchase price can be fully refunded.

While Jamplay may offer a lot of guitar-playing expertise, I can see a few disadvantages with the method. For example, the order of the lessons can be quite disjointed and if you are not careful you will end up missing some important skills. You are also limited to being in front of your computer with Jamplay, which cuts down greatly on the portability of the lessons. I also found it lacking in solid information about music theory. So, while you may learn some skills from this website, if you want a comprehensive, sequential system for becoming a great guitarist, I would highly recommend a series called Learn and Master Guitar.
 

To your success,

Crazy Dave

 

...I'm off to the Guitar Licks!