Learning to play the guitar has never been more accessible, thanks to the wealth of Free Online Guitar Courses available in 2024. Whether you’re a complete beginner eager to learn your first chords or an experienced player looking to explore new styles, there’s a course tailored to your needs. The guitar, celebrated for its versatility and portability, is an instrument that opens doors to a vast world of musical expression, from the intimacy of solo performances to the energy of band ensembles across genres like flamenco, classical, jazz, blues, folk, rock, and heavy metal.
Like many aspiring musicians, my own guitar journey began with childhood lessons, a path that eventually led to qualifying as a guitar teacher. Reflecting on that journey while researching the best online guitar courses, I realized how transformative these resources would have been during my formative years. While in-person lessons offer invaluable personalized feedback, the flexibility and accessibility of free online guitar courses present an unparalleled opportunity to start learning guitar from the comfort of your home. Many instructors featured in this guide also provide options for online live classes or personalized coaching, bridging the gap between self-paced learning and direct instruction. Remember, consistent practice is key to rapid improvement – ideally, pick up your guitar every day.
To help you navigate the extensive landscape of online guitar education, we at guitarplayers.net have meticulously combed through countless options to bring you this curated guide to the best free online guitar courses. Our selection is based on a thorough analysis of course enrollments, views, ratings, and reviews, ensuring that you have access to the most popular and highly recommended resources.
Explore our top recommendations quickly:
| Course Highlight | Workload |
|---|---|
| Top College-Created Beginner Guitar Course (Berklee College of Music) | 22 hours |
| Premier Beginner Guitar Course (JustinGuitar) | 7 hours |
| Excellent Beginner Guitar Course Alternative (Steve Stine Guitar Lessons) | 4-5 hours |
| Best Hindi Beginner Guitar Course (Adit’s Guitar Lessons) | 3-4 hours |
| Essential Guitar Gear Course (Guitar Tricks) | 2-3 hours |
| Ultimate Strumming Course (Andy Guitar) | 1-2 hours |
| Definitive Acoustic Guitar Course (Tony Polecastro) | 3-4 hours |
| Comprehensive Fingerpicking Guitar Course (GCH Guitar Academy) | 12 hours |
| Finest Spanish Guitar Course (Marco Cirillo) | 2-3 hours |
| Leading Slide Guitar Course (Reverb) | 2-3 hours |
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Free Online Guitar Course Insights
- All courses listed are free or offer a free audit option.
- One course provides a paid certificate upgrade.
- Over 670 guitar courses are available in the Class Central catalog.
- More than 9,000 learners are actively following guitar-related topics on Class Central.
- YouTube stands out as the most prominent provider, hosting nine of the featured courses.
Best Beginner Guitar Course Created by a College (Berklee College of Music)
Image: Thaddeus Hogarth, guitar instructor at Berklee College of Music, teaching the “Guitar for Beginners” course.
“Guitar for Beginners”, the first course in the comprehensive “How to Play Guitar” Specialization from Berklee College of Music, is an exceptional starting point for anyone serious about learning guitar. Taught by Thaddeus Hogarth, this course begins with essential introductory material, covering everything from selecting your first guitar and understanding its parts and accessories to tuning techniques and deciphering chord block diagrams and fretboard maps. You’ll quickly progress to learning your first two chords and applying them to fundamental picking and strumming patterns. As you advance through the course, you will explore:
- Music notation, including chromatic, major, and pentatonic scales, which are foundational for understanding music theory.
- An expanded repertoire of chords, including barre chords, along with detailed guidance on fingering and chord chart interpretation.
- The principles of melody and harmony, culminating in the ability to play simple songs, providing practical application of your learning.
This course is designed to seamlessly lead into further courses within the Specialization, offering a structured pathway for continued guitar education. To access the free audit option and begin your musical journey without any initial investment, refer to Class Central’s guide on how to sign up for Coursera courses for free.
According to Astitva Bhate, a verified learner, “As a guitar enthusiast, I had the pleasure of trying out the beginner guitar course and I must say, I was quite impressed,” highlighting the course’s effectiveness and quality.
| Provider | Coursera |
|---|---|
| University | Berklee College of Music |
| Instructor | Thaddeus Hogarth |
| Time Commitment | 22 hours |
| Enrollment | 306.7K |
| Rating | 4.8 (2.2K Reviews) |
| Cost | Free-to-audit |
| Certificate | Paid |
Premier Beginner Guitar Course (JustinGuitar)
Image: Justin Sandercoe, the instructor behind JustinGuitar, demonstrating guitar techniques in his beginner course.
Justin Sandercoe’s “Guitar Grade 1 – Beginner Course” from JustinGuitar is arguably the most popular free online guitar course available. It meticulously covers the absolute fundamentals and guides you through various crucial aspects of guitar playing. Notably, his most viewed video, “How to Strum a Guitar WITHOUT a Pick,” has garnered over 1.7 million views, demonstrating the course’s broad appeal and practical approach. Throughout this beginner-friendly course, you will master:
- Essential starting skills, including tuning your guitar, correct posture, techniques to manage finger pain, selecting and holding guitar picks.
- Foundational chord knowledge, starting with D and A chords, progressing to fast chord changes, basic strumming patterns, and simple two-chord songs to get you playing quickly.
- Effective practice routines and methods for tracking your progress, ensuring structured learning.
- Expansion of your chord vocabulary, introducing more strumming patterns, chord transitions, easy three-chord songs, and minor chords for more complex sounds.
- Note picking techniques, cool riffs, utilizing a capo, hand stretching exercises, and the importance of practicing with a metronome for timing.
- Guitar TAB reading, understanding musical notations like sharps, flats, enharmonic equivalents, and recommendations for beginner-friendly guitar songbooks.
- Time signatures, eight essential strumming patterns, and strategies to eliminate pauses during chord changes for smoother transitions.
- Basic music theory, ear training exercises, dynamics in playing, rhythm development, and techniques for memorizing songs to enhance your musicality.
Explore JustinGuitar’s extensive range of courses covering diverse guitar styles to further your musical journey. Justin has educated nearly 900,000 students through his website and boasts over 1.8 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, establishing his significant influence in online guitar education.
As one satisfied YouTube learner, @sakeenahm, commented, “I like how you teach. You simplify it and can think the way a beginner thinks, how we see it and the challenges we face,” praising Justin’s teaching methodology and beginner-centric approach.
| Provider | YouTube |
|---|---|
| Channel | JustinGuitar |
| Instructor | Justin Sandercoe |
| Time Commitment | 7 hours |
| Views | 6M |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | No |
Excellent Beginner Guitar Course Alternative (Steve Stine Guitar Lessons)
Image: Steve Stine, guitar instructor, presenting a lesson from his comprehensive beginner guitar course on YouTube.
Steve Stine’s “Beginner Guitar Course” on YouTube offers another fantastic free pathway to learning guitar. Steve’s course is structured to give you a solid foundation, covering topics such as:
- Guitar anatomy: understanding the parts of both acoustic and electric guitars, and proper techniques for holding the guitar and pick.
- Foundational playing skills: including finger placement, learning string names, tuning your guitar, basic strumming, and common strumming patterns.
- Initial song learning: starting with your first guitar chord and song, understanding chord charts, and practicing quick chord transitions.
- Essential chord vocabulary: mastering must-know major and minor chords.
- Advanced strumming and techniques: incorporating down and up strums, using a capo, and learning easy beginner guitar songs.
- Music theory fundamentals: gaining an understanding of basic music theory and chord progressions.
- Advanced techniques: exploring power chords, major and minor pentatonic scales, chromatic scales, techniques for memorizing guitar notes, fretboard mastery, and guitar tab reading.
- Introduction to single-string picking: learning to pick individual strings instead of just strumming chords.
Steve Stine brings over 30 years of teaching experience and a bachelor’s degree in music education to his instruction, making him a highly qualified guide for beginners. His YouTube channel is a treasure trove of guitar lessons, and he also contributes to GuitarZoom.
YouTube learner @sergebraconi9536 praised Steve’s approach, stating, “Steve, you are a real guitar teacher and a very talented one. Your course is exhaustive, very comprehensive…”, acknowledging the depth and quality of his teaching.
| Provider | YouTube |
|---|---|
| Channel | Steve Stine Guitar Lessons |
| Instructor | Steve Stine |
| Time Commitment | 4-5 hours |
| Views | 1.1M |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | No |
Best Hindi Beginner Guitar Course (Adit’s Guitar Lessons)
Image: Adit Kundra, instructor of Adit’s Guitar Lessons, teaching a beginner guitar course in Hindi.
For Hindi speakers looking to learn guitar, Adit Kundra’s “Beginner – Learn Guitar in 30 Days” is the best free online guitar course in Hindi. Adit Kundra, with over two decades of experience teaching music and guitar, structures his course to provide a comprehensive introduction to guitar playing in 30 days. His curriculum includes:
- Preparatory exercises: starting with finger exercises performed without the guitar, followed by guidance on essential accessories, and a beginner’s guide to purchasing your first guitar.
- Guitar fundamentals: learning the different parts of a guitar, understanding how it functions, and mastering how to hold and tune it, along with using a metronome and reading guitar tabs.
- Essential techniques: exploring numbering systems for fingers, frets, and strings, learning guitar string names, techniques for holding a pick, right-hand techniques, and practical exercises.
- Basic song playing: engaging in left-hand finger exercises, playing easy chords, and learning to play three-chord guitar songs, allowing you to quickly apply your skills to music.
Adit also extends his teaching through his website and YouTube channel, offering a wealth of resources for Hindi-speaking guitar learners.
YouTube learner @girijagokhale3915 expressed gratitude, saying, “Thanks for the course Adit! You have made it so easy to learn and understand! Just amazing.. thanks a ton!! ”, highlighting the course’s accessibility and clarity.
| Provider | YouTube |
|---|---|
| Institution | Adit’s Guitar Lessons |
| Instructor | Adit Kundra |
| Time Commitment | 3-4 hours |
| Views | 3.1M |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | No |
Essential Guitar Gear Course (Guitar Tricks)
Image: Anders Mouridsen from Guitar Tricks, explaining guitar gear in the “Gear & Tone Course” video.
Guitar Tricks’ “Gear & Tone Course” is an invaluable free online resource for understanding guitar equipment. Whether you’re contemplating your first guitar purchase or have already acquired one, this course, presented by Anders Mouridsen, offers extensive insights into guitars and related gear. Although it includes acoustic guitars, the course primarily focuses on electric guitars and accessories, covering:
- Initial guitar purchase considerations: including types of guitars (electric vs. acoustic, nylon vs. steel strings), intonation and action, setting up a practice rig, and initializing a new guitar.
- Equipment and tone shaping: differentiating between guitars, achieving rock guitar tones, understanding amplifiers and effects, and using looper and overdrive pedals to enhance your sound.
- Specialized tone topics: delving into achieving surf guitar tones, understanding the nuances between vibrato and tremolo, and a detailed artist study on Buddy Guy’s signature gear and tone.
Guitar Tricks has a substantial presence in online guitar education, with a YouTube channel boasting 2.9K subscribers and having coached over 4 million learners through their website.
A YouTube learner, @NewMetallica, praised Anders’ teaching style, commenting, “These are some great ideas! Man I just love Anders. This guy knows how to explain things in such a simple and comprehensive manner without leaving anything out…”, appreciating the clarity and comprehensiveness of the course.
| Provider | YouTube |
|---|---|
| Channel | Guitar Tricks |
| Instructor | Various |
| Time Commitment | 2-3 hours |
| Views | 2.3K |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | No |
Ultimate Strumming Course (Andy Guitar)
Image: Andy Crowley of Andy Guitar, instructing strumming techniques in his online guitar course.
Andy Crowley’s “Guitar Strumming Course” on Andy Guitar YouTube channel is a fantastic free resource focused on mastering strumming techniques. With over 2.8 million subscribers, Andy Guitar is a highly popular channel for guitar education. This course is designed for those who already know basic chords and aims to refine your strumming skills by teaching:
- A variety of strumming styles and techniques presented in a structured and logical progression.
- Guidance on selecting the appropriate strumming patterns for different songs, enhancing your musical versatility.
Andy extends his guitar education resources through his website and YouTube channel, offering a wealth of lessons and materials.
A YouTube learner, @timleem3609, commented, “Andy, you’re a great teacher. Easy to understand and I’m excited to go thru your lessons,” highlighting Andy’s effective teaching style and the course’s accessibility.
| Provider | YouTube |
|---|---|
| Channel | Andy Guitar |
| Instructor | Andy Crowley |
| Time Commitment | 1-2 hours |
| Views | 238K |
| Rating | 4.7 (6 Reviews) |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | No |
Definitive Acoustic Guitar Course (Tony Polecastro)
Image: Tony Polecastro, acoustic guitar instructor, providing lessons in his beginner acoustic guitar course.
Tony Polecastro’s “Beginner Acoustic Guitar Lessons” is a specialized free online guitar course focusing on acoustic guitar styles. Tony’s Acoustic Challenge has successfully taught acoustic guitar to over 41,000 students, and his YouTube channel has over 500K subscribers, demonstrating his expertise and reach. This course specifically teaches you how to:
- Master acoustic guitar fundamentals: including tuning, reading guitar tabs and chord charts, and eliminating string buzz for clear sound.
- Explore blues styles: learning the blues shuffle, blues riffs, and the 12-bar blues structure, essential for acoustic blues playing.
- Build chord proficiency: mastering essential major and minor chords, learning chord changing tips and tricks, and maintaining steady guitar rhythm.
- Develop rhythmic playing: playing the “boom chick-a” rhythm, and major and minor chord riffs for rhythmic acoustic guitar.
- Enhance strumming techniques: learning beginner strumming patterns, and styles for country and folk guitar genres.
- Practice effectively: playing along with exercises, learning power chords, focusing on consistent practice routines, and building finger strength.
YouTube learner @bradulberg1982 praised Tony’s instructional quality, stating, “… thank you for all your amazing videos. You do such a great job with absolutely everything …”, acknowledging the high quality of his educational content.
| Provider | YouTube |
|---|---|
| Channel/Instructor | Tony Polecastro |
| Time Commitment | 3-4 hours |
| Views | 305K |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | No |
Comprehensive Fingerpicking Guitar Course (GCH Guitar Academy)
Image: Close-up of a hand playing a C major chord on a guitar, illustrating fingerpicking technique, from GCH Guitar Academy’s fingerstyle course.
Gareth Hargreaves’ “How To Play Fingerstyle, Or Fingerpicking Guitar” from GCH Guitar Academy offers an in-depth free online guitar course on fingerpicking. Gareth has been teaching guitar since 1992 and originally released this course on YouTube in weekly segments to allow learners ample practice time between lessons. The course begins with basic guitar chords and reading tablature before progressing to:
- Diverse fingerpicking techniques applicable to both acoustic and electric guitars, expanding your stylistic range.
- Learning specific songs and pieces, including “The Troubled Heart” by Sad Fantasy, Francisco Tárrega’s “Etude in E Minor,” and “House of the Rising Sun,” applying techniques in musical contexts.
- Christmas carols adapted for fingerpicking style, offering seasonal and repertoire-building content.
GCH Guitar Academy provides even more courses on their YouTube channel, along with free and paid resources like PDF ebooks on their website.
YouTube learner @davidkarapetyan3685 lauded the course, saying, “Best course I’ve ever seen on web. Thanks man. Appreciate what you do.”, recognizing the exceptional quality of the online instruction.
| Provider | YouTube |
|---|---|
| Channel | GCH Guitar Academy |
| Instructor | Gareth Hargreaves |
| Time Commitment | 12 hours |
| Views | 302.5K |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | No |
Finest Spanish Guitar Course (Marco Cirillo)
Image: Marco Cirillo, Spanish guitar instructor, demonstrating techniques in his Spanish Guitar Lessons course.
Marco Cirillo’s “Spanish Guitar Lessons” is a specialized free online guitar course for those interested in Spanish guitar styles. Assuming a basic level of guitar proficiency, this course dives directly into specific Spanish techniques and musical styles. For enthusiasts of Spanish guitar music, like myself, the course is particularly engaging. It revisits fundamental techniques and introduces new ones, teaching:
- Intermediate Spanish Triple Picking Technique, accessible and impressive Spanish guitar techniques, Spanish chord progressions, and distinctive strumming patterns.
- Spanish guitar composition: covering Spanish intros, an 8-step Spanish guitar solo, creating melodies that sound like two guitars playing in harmony, and playing Spanish melodies over backing tracks.
- Fingerstyle Spanish Rumba for Beginners, six levels of Spanish Romance, advanced Spanish melodies, and a structured 4-step approach to Spanish guitar composition, including intro, chord progression, melody, and ending.
A related course, “Fingerpicking Guitar in 7 Days,” is also available for those looking to expand their fingerpicking skills. Marco’s YouTube channel has a substantial following of 860K subscribers, and his website offers additional resources for Spanish guitar learners.
YouTube learner @paulbeck1203 appreciated Marco’s teaching, commenting, “Thank you Marco! Your instructions have really challenged and enhanced my playing! Love these simple beautiful progressions.”, highlighting the course’s effectiveness in improving playing skills and musical appreciation.
| Provider | YouTube |
|---|---|
| Channel/Instructor | Marco Cirillo |
| Time Commitment | 2-3 hours |
| Views | 260K |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | No |
Leading Slide Guitar Course (Reverb)
Image: Jeff Massey, instructor from Reverb, teaching slide guitar basics in his online course.
Reverb’s “Learn to Play: Slide Guitar Basics with Jeff Massey” is a top free online guitar course for mastering slide guitar. Jeff Massey guides you through the essentials of slide guitar playing, covering:
- Foundational slide techniques: including types of slides, guitar setup for slide playing, right and left-hand techniques, and open and standard tunings for slide guitar.
- Style emulation: learning six Ry Cooder slide guitar techniques, five Muddy Waters slide riffs, and George Harrison’s slide guitar style as featured in “Isn’t It a Pity”, providing practical examples and stylistic insights.
Reverb is a popular YouTube channel with 845K subscribers, known for its high-quality music-related content.
A YouTube learner, @Leiria65, noted the course’s timely relevance, commenting, “You guys read minds. Just got 2 slides a few days ago…”, indicating the course effectively meets the needs of aspiring slide guitarists.
| Provider | YouTube |
|---|---|
| Channel | Reverb |
| Instructor | Jeff Massey |
| Time Commitment | 2-3 hours |
| Views | 23K |
| Cost | Free |
| Certificate | No |
Why You Should Trust Our Recommendations
guitarplayers.net is dedicated to providing reliable and insightful resources for guitar learners. We leverage the extensive database of Class Central, a respected platform akin to Tripadvisor for online education, which has assisted 80 million learners in discovering suitable courses. With over a decade of experience in curating online education, Class Central aggregates a catalog of 250,000 online courses and 250,000 user reviews. Our team consists of online learning enthusiasts who have collectively completed over 400 online courses, including advanced degrees. Personally, I have completed over 200 online courses across various subjects, including guitar, bringing a wealth of firsthand experience to these recommendations.
Our Methodology for Course Selection and Evaluation
Identifying the “best” online guitar courses requires a rigorous and thoughtful approach. Here’s how we made our selections:
First, we conducted a comprehensive search through Class Central’s catalog and across the internet to identify a wide array of free and paid online guitar courses, including those offering certificates. We recognize that formal enrollment isn’t always necessary for effective guitar learning.
Our course selection process was guided by several key criteria:
- Reputable Institutions: We prioritized courses from well-known institutions recognized for their excellence in music education, such as Berklee College of Music.
- Experienced Instructors: We sought out instructors with extensive guitar experience and engaging teaching styles, ensuring effective and enjoyable learning.
- Comprehensive Course Content: We favored courses that cover a broad spectrum of topics and teaching methods, from beginner basics to advanced techniques, and sampled course videos to assess content quality firsthand.
- Learner Feedback: We heavily relied on learner reviews, utilizing Class Central’s extensive database of ratings and reviews, alongside provider-supplied reviews, to gauge course quality and learner satisfaction.
Recognizing the diversity within guitar learning, we aimed to include top courses across various guitar styles and specializations.
Ultimately, our recommendations are a result of combining thorough data analysis with expert judgment, ensuring that this guide serves as a trustworthy resource for anyone looking to learn guitar online.
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