Guitar Tricks Reviews

Editor's Star Ratings:

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Costs:

• Free trial membership which gives you access to 24 sample video lessons as well as limited access to a select range of features (e.g. tutorials, reference library, community forum, etc).
• Full membership - $14.95 per month, giving you complete access to all the site's features and the compiled knowledge of dozens of highly-skilled guitar instructors.
• One year subscription - $129.00, saving you $2.20 a month.
• You can cancel your subscription at any time and there is a 60 day refund period if you're not completely satisfied.
  

Features:

• GuitarTricks.com is a huge online guitar lesson site, geared towards giving you all the resources and the freedom you need to master your instrument and perfect your own playing style.
• The dozens of tutors on the site are seasoned professionals and offer a rare and unique insight into all kinds of guitar playing.
• The site contains over 3,000 lessons and tutorials in a wide range of genres including;
  • Acoustic
  • Alternative
  • Bluegrass
  • Blues
  • Classical
  • Country
  • Folk
  • Funk
  • Jazz
  • Metal
  • Rock
  • Rockabilly
  • Surf
  • World
• Guitar Tricks also allows you to browse content by inspiration, so you can learn the skills of the guitar masters like:
  • Andres Segovia
  • BB King
  • Eric Clapton
  • Steve Vai
  • Eddie Van Halen
  • Joe Satriani
  • Paul Gilbert
  • Kirk Hammett
  • Jimi Hendrix, plus many more!
• The video interface on the site is unique and intuitive, allowing you to loop any section of the video so you can nail that tricky riff.
• GuitarTricks.com also features dedicated sections for beginners, scales, chords, practice exercises, techniques, theory, buying gear and setting up your own budget studio.
• There is also a lively online community of learners to engage with through forums and chatrooms.
  • Avatars
  • Uploads
  • Profile
  • Messages
• Full membership also gives you access to exclusive software downloads including;
  • An excellent FLV player so you can download videos from the site and play them straight from your hard drive with the same unique features as the online interface.
  • A metronome to help develop a strong sense of pulse.
  • A handy reference tuner.
• An average of 85 new lessons are added to the site every month.
• Recent additions include:
  • Officially Licensed Song Lessons
  • Blues Level 1 & 2 Full Courses
  • Country Level 1 & 2 Full Courses
  • Rock Level 1 & 2 Full Courses
  • 15 New Instructors
  • 200 Style and Technique Tutorials

 

Editor's Verdict:

GuitarTricks.com is the longest running and most extensive guitar lesson site on the web. It offers over 3000 online lessons with downloadable videos and audio, as well as a reference section containing in depth information on just about everything, from buying gear to advanced playing techniques and even setting up your own project studio. For just $14.95 a month you will gain full access to a fantastic wealth of information and the invaluable experience of dozens of seasoned professionals. All of the tutors on GuitarTricks.com are masters of their own playing styles, and together they offer the most diverse range of expertise and insight available anywhere on the internet.

The site allows you to browse lessons based on a wide range of genres as diverse as surf and world music, or you can seek out the skills of your guitar heroes by choosing from a list of influences like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai or even the legendary classical master Angres Segovia. Click on your inspiration of choice and you'll be taken to a list of relevant lessons and tutorials, each with a difficulty level graded from beginner to extreme.

While there are introductory tutorials on the site, GuitarTricks will be most valuable for those who have had some previous experience in guitar playing. This site is the perfect way to expand on your knowledge and develop a style that is entirely your own. Even if you can only afford to spend an hour here and there on practice, GuitarTricks.com will ensure that the time spent is rewarding and productive, and that you never get stuck in a creative rut. If you're not sure whether this service is right for you, you can sign up to the free trial membership to get a feel for the site. With this trial pass, you can access 24 complementary video lessons and chat with other members on the online forum. This will give you a feel for the quality of tutorship on offer here and you'll also get to try out the excellent video interface which allows you to loop any section of the video, so you can really nail that tricky riff.

There are some small drawbacks with GuitarTricks.com, but when stacked up against the amazing content on offer, they really don't hold much weight. Part of the reason why GuitarTricks.com is so extensive is the sheer length of time that it's been up and running. The website was started back in 1998 and as such, some of the early content lacks the production sheen of the later lessons with poor lighting and audio in the videos. This is hardly a problem as all the lessons come bundled with music notation and tablature, but if you do stumble across one of these lower quality videos don't be put off, they aren't representative of the site as a whole. It's also worth mentioning that you should only consider GuitarTricks.com as a guitar learning solution if you have a reliable broadband connection and don't mind making your computer the hub of your practice.

If you do decide to purchase a full membership, this site will be an incredible boost to your playing. You'll have all the resources you need to take your learning into your own hands, and you'll stay motivated and inspired by discovering new techniques and styles that might never have occurred to you. GuitarTricks.com is a vast and quality online resource for the serious learner.

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