Guitar Tricks Review: Can It Help You Learn The Guitar?

Written by Dan Farrant
Last updated

Are you looking for a fast and easy way to learn guitar? Have you considered taking online guitar lessons?

Getting lessons or following a course is vital for anyone remotely serious about learning guitar. It’ll save you so much time and money and help you improve quickly!

One popular online option is GuitarTricks.com, but is it any good, and is it worth the money?

Well, in this post, I’ll be giving you my review of Guitar Tricks and diving into some of the features I love, what you get, how much it costs, and some of the other questions you might have before signing up. Let’s get started.

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may contain affiliate links, which means HelloMusicTheory may get a commission if you purchase at no additional cost to you.

Quick Answer: Is Guitar Tricks Worth It?

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 12 and teaching it for almost 15 years. I wish I had access to this platform when I was a teenager…

There are so many amazing lessons on so many different topics that you’ll be busy with things to practice for years.

If you’re just starting out on the guitar, or if you are an intermediate player looking to take your playing to the next, then Guitar Tricks will be an awesome tool to help you get there.

I’ve tried out a lot of the competition, and in my opinion, it’s the best option. I even ranked it number one in our list of best online guitar lessons in 2024. But don’t take my word for it. Sign up for their free 14-day trial and see for yourself.

The Dashboard

When you log in, you start at the dashboard. Here you can quickly and easily access all the amazing features, tools, and resources that Guitar Tricks has to offer.

  • Beginner Lessons
  • Experienced Lessons
  • The Song Library 
  • Toolbox
  • Instructors
  • Forum
  • Guitar Tricks App and more.

The Guitar Tricks dashboard is designed to meet all your guitar learning needs. It will provide quick and easy access to all the lessons and tools you need to improve your playing skills.

Beginner Lessons

If you’re new to the guitar, then this is where you should start. Here you’ll find a wide range of beginner lessons aimed at helping new guitar players learn the basics of playing guitar. They are specifically designed for those who have never touched a guitar before and have no experience playing at all.

The Beginner Lessons module comprises two levels of guitar fundamentals. Fundamentals 1 covers the basics, with lessons on the different parts of the guitar, tuning, and maintenance. Additionally, it includes lessons on how to hold the guitar correctly, open chords, and simple rhythms that you’ll need to know.

Then, once you’ve finished this, head over to Fundamentals 2, which delves into reading music and builds on the foundation established in Fundamentals 1. Here you will learn how to use barre and power chords and understand various scales.

After mastering these initial steps, you can then move on to the platform’s “Core Learning System,” a comprehensive curriculum designed to guide complete beginners from guitar care tips and fundamentals to playing their first songs.

Here you’ll get to choose which path you’ll take, and currently, there are four options:

  • Blues Style
  • Country Style
  • Rock Style
  • Acoustic Style

You can then specialize in a certain genre learning the skills and techniques that it requires. Each of these is divided into two difficulty levels and covers the fundamental elements of the respective style. Additional resources in this module include practice and maintenance tips, as well as simple arrangements of popular songs for you to learn.

In summary, the Guitar Tricks’ Beginner Lessons module is designed to provide a solid foundation for new guitar players, teaching them the basic chords, techniques, and music theory needed to start playing guitar quickly and correctly. The lessons are delivered in a clear and easy-to-understand manner, making it easy for beginners to get started with playing guitar.

Experienced Lessons

Guitar-Tricks-experienced-lessons

Once you’ve finished the fundamentals courses, or if you already have some skills on the guitar, it’s time to graduate to the Experienced lessons, which is designed for intermediate and more advanced guitar players who want to take their playing skills to the next level.

This section of the course offers a wide range of lessons covering various techniques, genres, and styles of playing to help you build on the fundamentals.

Guitar Styles Lessons

This section covers lessons on various styles, including classical, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock, country, metal, funk & soul, and loads more. Each section has lessons taught by experts where you’ll learn individual songs, exercises and techniques essential for that genre.

Guitar Techniques

Then you’ll also be able to look through all the guitar technique lessons. Here you’ll find videos going over everything from alternate picking, string bending, vibrato, fingerpicking, hammer-ons and pull-offs, hybrid picking, legato, palm muting, slapping, tapping, and loads more. There’s enough here to keep you busy for a very, very long time.

Artist Studies Lessons

The next section is something I haven’t seen on any other courses and is awesome. It’s the artist studies section, where they do a deep dive into the sound, technique, style, and everything you need to know about some of the greatest guitarists in the world.

From Jimi Hendrix to Joe Pass and Jeff Beck to Jack Johnson, these videos are incredibly valuable, and I’ve been loving learning about some of my favorite guitarists and what makes them so special.

Practice Lessons

Next, we have the Practice Lessons section, which goes deep on exercises to help you improve how you practice. From how to warm up and stretch your fingers and hands before playing to exercises to help your dexterity to help you speed up your playing, these lessons are very valuable and one I wish I had had when I was learning the guitar as a teenager.

Chords and Scales Lessons

As a music theory nerd, this is one of my favorite sections where you’ll learn all the essential harmony and music theory that you’ll find very useful when playing guitar.

Starting with the basics of scales, and simple major, minor, and barre chords, you’ll progress through arpeggios, dominant 7th chords, and explore some of the alternative voicings that will make you sound like a guitarist who actually knows how to play.

Gear and Tone Lessons

And finally, the last section is what every guitarist loves to geek out on, gear! Here you’ll learn about all the different parts of a guitar, how to tune and restring, as well as developing your tone and getting the sound that you want out of your guitar and amp.

The Song Library

One of the most impressive features of Guitar Tricks is their extensive library of songs. At the time of writing this review, there are almost 800 lessons teaching you how to play an individual song! And they’re adding to them constantly.

The library includes almost everything from AC/DC and Pink Floyd to Ed Sheeran and Rhianna. The collection of songs also covers different styles of guitar music, including classical guitar pieces by Beethoven, Bach, and Tchaikovsky.

The site offers songs in every genre and skill level, so no matter what your preferences are, you’ll certainly be able to find something you like and want to practice in the library.

Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced-level learner, you will never run out of songs at Guitar Tricks, and no matter which song lesson you pick, you will be guided through every aspect of the song. The instructors will break down every single feature of each song and provide their own solo versions as well to help you master the song in no time.

Genres and Styles

Guitar Tricks offers an extensive range of lessons covering various guitar genres and styles.

The lessons break down the fundamental elements of different styles, such as metal, country, blues, and more. This section provides a comprehensive understanding of how to play a specific style, allowing learners to explore their chosen genre.

Apart from the primary lesson plans, Guitar Tricks also offers artist studies, which demonstrate how renowned guitarists approach the instrument. These studies feature guitarists such as Angus Young, Keith Richards, and BB King, to name a few, giving users an insight into how the professionals play.

Guitar Tricks has a large number of instructors, and users can also select lessons based on their preferred instructor. The platform provides users with the ability to book one-on-one lessons with the instructors, too, providing a personalized learning experience for those who need extra help with a particular technique or style.

Guitar Tricks Instructors

Guitar Tricks offers a diverse range of instructors with different backgrounds and expertise in various genres of music.

The teachers are spread across different age groups, countries, genders, and styles. All of them have professional experience and have worked with well-known artists, and their enthusiasm, clear teaching methods, and friendliness make any learning experience enjoyable and effective.

There are many other instructors, so no matter what are your genre and style preferences and what is your current level of knowledge and experience, you’ll certainly be able to find the perfect instructor for your needs.

Guitar Tricks App

If you are always on the go, I have good news for you as Guitar Tricks is now available on Android and iOS devices, which allows you to take guitar lessons anywhere and anytime you want. You just need internet access, and you can access everything!

Easy to navigate and updated regularly, it’s a handy app to have on a tablet while you’re practicing.

The Toolbox (Metronome, Tuner, Scale Finder, and More!)

In addition to all the lessons and song tutorials, Guitar Tricks also offers a Toolbox containing a range of useful applications that will be very helpful in the learning process. The Toolbox includes:

  • Scale Finder
  • Jam Station
  • Metronome
  • Chord Finder
  • Reference Tuner
  • Fretboard Trainer
  • Chord Charts
  • Guitar Tab Guide
  • Guitar Glossary
  • Fretboard Diagram

Although you may already have some of these tools and apps, having them all in one place is very handy, especially when you’re starting out.

The Forum and Community

Guitar-Tricks-forum

Another great feature of Guitar Tricks is the active forum where you can get in touch with expert guitarists and ask them all the guitar-related questions you have. As well as asking questions, it’s a place where members can interact with each other, share tips, ask for advice, and discuss all things guitar!

The forum has several categories, such as Guitar Basics, Technique and Style, Music Theory, Songwriting, Recording, Listening Post, Tone and Effects, Gear Discussion, and more.

A lovely community that is welcoming and helpful; members are ready to help you out and provide feedback on your playing. Whether you are a beginner or a more experienced player, you can find useful information and advice on the forum.

Pricing: How Much Does Guitar Tricks Cost?

As for the cost and pricing plans, Guitar Tricks is relatively affordable compared to other guitar learning platforms, with the Monthly plan costing around $19.95 per month and the Annual plan costing $179 per year, getting four months for free!

But the best part is that you can try everything out for free without spending a cent with the 14-day free trial. You get complete access to everything and could watch a lot of their lessons without upgrading!

You can cancel the subscription anytime during the trial period and won’t be charged anything.

But, if you’re serious about your guitar playing, I’d highly encourage you to sign up for some sort of paid course. Having a tutor is essential if you want to make real progress on an instrument.

Also, paying money for it keeps you accountable and means you’re invested. You’re way more likely to practice and study more, having spent a bit of money on a program like Guitar Tricks.

If you are ready to upgrade, though, use this link to get an extra 20% off the annual price and get one year of access for only $143.20. An absolute steal.

Guitar Tricks Alternatives

Even though Guitar Tricks is one of my favorite guitar-learning platforms, there are a number of other courses and programs out there that are good as well. Let’s see how Guitar Tricks compares to some of them:

Guitar Tricks vs. Truefire

Guitar Tricks and TrueFire are probably the two most popular online guitar learning platforms, but they have some differences.

One of the biggest differences between the two is the teaching approach. Guitar Tricks is more structured and follows a step-by-step curriculum, while TrueFire offers a more flexible and customizable learning experience. Guitar Tricks might be better for beginners, while TrueFire could be more suitable for intermediate and advanced players.

Another difference is the number of lessons, with True Fire currently offering over 54,000 video lessons. Wow… True Fire also offers lessons on other instruments, including bass guitar, ukulele, and harmonica.

In terms of pricing, Guitar Tricks is a slightly more affordable option, with its annual membership costing $179 and Truefire costing $249. But we’ve managed to get an exclusive discount of $100 off TrueFire’s annual plan bringing it down to only $149 for a year’s access. Use the code ‘hellomusictheory100‘ to save.

Guitar Tricks vs. Guitareo

Guitareo is another popular online guitar learning platform that has similarities but also differences with Guitar Tricks.

Unlike Guitar Tricks, Guitareo has a smaller library of video lessons and songs and fewer instructors. They’re a bit newer, so it’s to be expected.

I’ve tried out both, and while Guitareo is really good for beginner and intermediate-level players, it’s not quite as comprehensive as Guitar Tricks yet. If I had to choose one, my recommendation would be to go with Guitar Tricks.

That being said, you also get access to their sister courses, Singeo, Pianote, and Drumeo, so if you’re learning more than one instrument, it’s a no-brainer to go with Guitareo. And all this for only $25 a month or $200 a year; it’s incredible value for money.

Guitar Tricks vs. Jamplay

JamPlay is yet another popular online guitar resource. Both Guitar Tricks and JamPlay offer a wide range of lessons, courses, and other helpful tools, but JamPlay offers fewer lessons and songs.

Another difference is the interface. Guitar Tricks offers a simpler and more user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate, while Jamplay may seem more confusing and overwhelming to operate.

Conclusion: So, Is Guitar Tricks Worth It? 

That’s it for my review of Guitar Tricks. I hope it’s helped make sense of what you get when you sign up.

As you can see from my write-up above, the site offers a huge range of courses and lessons broken down into easy-to-navigate categories. It’s so easy to find what you’re looking for.

With such a large number of lessons, a well-structured curriculum for beginners, a user-friendly interface, and a few extra tools and resources, Guitar Tricks really is my favorite place to recommend to students looking to learn guitar online.

If you’re still wondering if Guitar Tricks is worth the money, go sign up for their free 14-day trial and see for yourself. It’s 100% worth the money and you won’t be disappointed. But you will need to put in the time to work through the lessons. They won’t watch themselves. If you do, you’ll see your guitar playing go to the next level in no time.

Again, click here for the free 14-day trial, and if you’re ready to upgrade and get full access, get 20% off their annual plan with the link below.

Photo of author

Dan Farrant, the founder of Hello Music Theory, has been teaching music for over 15 years, helping hundreds of thousands of students unlock the joy of music. He graduated from The Royal Academy of Music in 2012 and then launched Hello Music Theory in 2014. He plays the guitar, piano, bass guitar and double bass and loves teaching music theory.