GuitarTricks Review – Is it worth the money?

GuitarTricks is an online guitar learning platform that provides video lessons, song tutorials, and resources for learning how to play guitar. Founded in 1998, GuitarTricks has become one of the most popular online guitar lesson sites, with over 11,000 video lessons covering topics like chord changes, music theory, techniques, and songs across multiple genres.

In this GuitarTricks review, we'll take an in-depth look at the key features of GuitarTricks, including the lesson structure, instructors, song library, learning tools, apps and community support. We'll examine the pros and cons of GuitarTricks and whether it's worth the monthly or yearly subscription fee. This review will help you decide if GuitarTricks is the right online learning platform to help you learn guitar and develop your skills.

Table of Contents

Overview of GuitarTricks

GuitarTricks aims to provide detailed, structured guitar lessons for beginners to advanced guitarists. The core learning system is based around the GuitarTricks Lessons, which currently number over 11,000. These video lessons are organized into courses for beginners, intermediate, and advanced players. Most lessons are 10-15 minutes long and focus on techniques, chords, songs, music theory, and more.

Instructors on GuitarTricks range from founder Doug Marks to well-known session guitarists and musicians like Jon Maclennan, Dave Celentano, and others. Lessons cover specific techniques and songs, with detailed explanations and tips from the experienced instructors.

In addition to the core lessons, GuitarTricks has a library of over 1000+ song tutorials with lessons teaching you how to play songs note-for-note. Genres range from rock, pop, blues, jazz, acoustic, and more.

GuitarTricks also offers tools like chord and scale libraries, a tuner, metronome, and reference materials. Apps are also available for iOS and Android mobile devices. Members get access to discussion forums and can interact with the GuitarTricks community.

Membership Options

GuitarTricks offers a few membership options:

Monthly membership – $19.99 per month, can cancel anytime
Annual membership – $179 per year, equivalent to $14.91 per month
TrueFire membership – $29.99 per month, bundled access to GuitarTricks and TrueFire

The memberships give you unlimited, full access to all video lessons, song lessons, tools, and resources on the site. GuitarTricks often offers promotions like price discounts on longer memberships.

They also have a free sign-up option that gives you access to 15 free guitar lessons to try it out.

Lesson Structure

The GuitarTricks Lessons at the core of the learning system are structured into courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced. Some examples:

Beginner Courses:

Core Learning System – For true beginners starting from scratch
Guitar Fundamentals – Covers basics like tuning, hand positioning, strumming
Chords 101 – Open chords, barre chords, transitions
Scales 101 – Major, minor, pentatonic, blues scales

Intermediate Courses:

Core Intermediate – Level 2 of structured learning system
Chord Mastery – Expand chord vocabulary and techniques
Fingerpicking – Fingerstyle techniques, exercises patterns
Music Theory for Guitar – Notes, intervals, diatonic harmony

Advanced Courses:

Core Advanced – Final level of structured system
Arpeggios – Different shapes, patterns, sequences for arpeggios
Improvising – Tools and exercises for improvisation
Jazz Guitar – Chords, progressions, theory, styles for jazz

The lessons within each course progress logically, starting from the basics building up. This structured approach helps guide students progressively.

Guitar Instructors

GuitarTricks has a solid lineup of professional guitarist instructors who teach the video lessons and song tutorials:

Doug Marks – Founder of GuitarTricks. Has 30+ years experience and teaches many rock, blues and country lessons.
David Wallimann – Well-rounded part of GuitarTricks for over 15 years. Great with Beginner and Core lessons.
Anders Mouridsen – Shred guitarist with specialization in rock and metal soloing.
Will Ripley – Advanced Jazz specialist with over 900 lessons on the site.
Brendan Burns – Primarily an acoustic guitarist with expertise in fingerstyle techniques.
Keith "Keef" Bogles – Fantastic blues rock guitarist with upbeat approachable lessons for beginners.
Steve Sorensen – Strong grasp of theory applied to technique. Great teacher.
Brad Laird – Country guitarist with Nashville session experience.
Dave Celentano – Experienced session guitarist and instructor based in Nashville, TN.

The instructors have a friendly approach in explaining concepts and teaching techniques in their lesson videos. Their credentials and musical backgrounds help lend credibility as teachers.

Song Lessons

In addition to the core guitar lessons, a major part of GuitarTricks is the Song Library with over 1000+ song tutorials spanning different genres and skill levels.

Some examples of popular beginner song lessons include:

House of the Rising Sun
Lean on Me
Hey There Delilah
Love Me Do
Tears in Heaven
Zombie
Wonderwall
I Walk the Line

Intermediate level song lessons cover tracks like:

Purple Haze
Hotel California
Comfortably Numb
Paranoid
Wish You Were Here
Voodoo Child
Message in a Bottle
Sweet Child O' Mine

And advanced song lessons dig into metal and complex songs like:

Eruption
Holy Wars
Crazy Train
Blackened
Master of Puppets
Bohemian Rhapsody
Spanish Fly
Cliffs of Dover

New songs are continually added to the library as well based on user requests. The detailed video lessons break down not only the chords and rhythm, but details like the tone, effects, techniques and small nuances that accurately recreate the original recording.

Learning Tools

GuitarTricks provides some nice supplemental tools to aid the learning process including:

Onboard Guitar Tuner – Help tune your guitar right on the site
Chord Navigator – Reference for chord diagrams on how to play chords
Scale Generator – Discover scale patterns and fingering positions
Metronome – Practice timing and rhythm with an adjustable click track
Reference Guide – Lookup info on chords, scales, tunings, theory terms and more

These built-in tools help reinforce core concepts covered in the lessons and are handy reference guides accessible anytime for members.

Apps

GuitarTricks has official mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, letting you take your lessons on the go. You can stream lessons, access tabs & charts, and use the tuner and metronome.

Some key features:

Stream 500+ lessons without wifi/internet
Slow down videos
Loop sections of lessons
View tabs and charts for songs
Mark lessons as favorites
Search entire GuitarTricks library
Offline access with downloads
Integrated tuner and metronome
Daily dose of new material

Having access via mobile apps makes GuitarTricks incredibly convenient for practicing and reviewing lessons.

Community

With over 1 million members, the GuitarTricks community is another helpful resource for students. All members get access to the GuitarTricks forums which are actively used to discuss lessons, ask questions, get help, and share progress.

Some popular forums include:

New Members Introductions
Guitar Technique Questions
Song Lessons Discussion
Theory and Scales Questions
Recording Tips
Gear Talk
Off Topic Lounge

The forums create a support network of fellow guitarists at all skill levels. You can often get tips and feedback from more advanced GuitarTricks users.

Pros of GuitarTricks

Structured lessons for consistent learning
A wealth of high quality instructional content
Well-taught song tutorials covering many genres
Great for beginners starting from scratch
Tons of material for intermediate and advanced
Accessible format with online streaming available
Apps allow learning on mobile devices
Active user community forums
Used by over 1 million guitarists
Trusted brand with over 20+ years experience

Cons of GuitarTricks

Monthly or yearly subscription fee required
Occasional upsells for premium add-ons
Less personalized feedback vs real teacher
Can be overwhelming amount of content
Requires consistent motivation & practice
More cost than just buying songbooks or DVDs
Higher monthly price than competitors

Is Guitar Tricks Worth the Money?

At $19.99 per month, GuitarTricks sits on the pricier end of online guitar lesson subscriptions. However, you get access to an immense 11,000+ video lessons and 1,000+ song tutorials, making it one of the largest guitar lesson libraries available today. The structured learning system and quality instructors also set GuitarTricks apart.

Competitors like Fender Play ($9.99/month) or Jamplay ($19.95/month) offer similar features and content libraries, so GuitarTricks isn't miles ahead.

But for the depth of lessons, variety of songs, and experience from an established brand, GuitarTricks remains a very popular choice. The money gives you on-demand access to learning content that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars if you tried to learn from DVDs, books, or private lessons.

While not exactly cheap, overall GuitarTricks offers strong value for the money, especially if you take consistent advantage of the vast amount of lessons and learning resources included.

Best For

GuitarTricks is best suited for:

Complete beginners – Structured core learning system for those new to guitar
Intermediate players – Tons of technique lessons and broad song library
Self-motivated learners – Requires consistency to learn at your own pace
All styles – Rock, country, blues, jazz, acoustic across both electric and acoustic
Home & on the go – Apps allow mobile learning

Worst For

May not be ideal for:

Very advanced players – Content more focused on early intermediate players
Kids & younger teens – Lacks gaming elements to engage and motivate
Brand new to music – Can benefit more from even more basic fundamentals
Slow pace learners – Allows freedom to progress at your own pace

The Verdict

GuitarTricks has earned its reputation as one of the top destinations for learning guitar online. The structured learning paths, expert instructors, and enormous song library make it very appealing, especially for self-motivated beginner and intermediate players.

While not exactly cheap, compared to in-person lessons the subscription fee gives you access to an invaluable amount of learning content. Interactivity is a bit limited and the platform could benefit from some modern upgrades.

But as an established, trusted way for both newbies and experienced guitarists to grow their skills and musical knowledge, GuitarTricks remains a great choice. It provides quality instruction and material that inspires you to keep practicing and improving on the guitar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about GuitarTricks:

Does GuitarTricks offer a free trial?

Yes, GuitarTricks offers a free 14 day trial so you can test it out before paying. You get full member access including the Core Learning system, song lessons, and community forums.

How much does GuitarTricks cost?

Monthly: $19.99 / month
Annual: $179 billed yearly ($14.91 / month)

Discounted rates are sometimes offered on longer memberships.

What features are included with GuitarTricks?

Key features include over 11,000 video lessons, over 1,000 song tutorials, courses for all skill levels, additional tools (tuner, metronome, reference guide), and apps for iOS and Android.

Are the instructors on GuitarTricks qualified?

Yes, the GuitarTricks instructors are professional guitarists, teachers and musicians with strong credentials in areas like rock, blues, metal, jazz, acoustic and more.

Can I download GuitarTricks videos for offline access?

You can download lessons for offline access using the GuitarTricks mobile apps for iOS and Android. This lets you learn without an internet connection.

Does GuitarTricks include sheet music or tabs?

Many of the song lessons include tablature guitar tabs. GuitarTricks is working on adding more tabs and sheet music over time.

Is GuitarTricks good for beginners?

Yes, GuitarTricks is great for beginners. The structured core learning system starts from the very basics assuming no prior experience.

How does GuitarTricks compare to other online guitar lessons?

GuitarTricks tends to be more comprehensive with over 11k lessons and 1k song tutorials. Comparable competitors include Fender Play, JustinGuitar, Jamplay, and TrueFire. Each has strengths in certain areas but GuitarTricks stands out for depth of content.