Learning to play guitar is one of the best decisions you can make in life, but getting to the point where you can actually play whatever you want will take a bit of time and effort. However, you can greatly reduce the time and difficulties of the learning process, by choosing the study method most suitable for you.
2 very popular methods for learning guitar are:
- Gibson's Learn and Master Guitar (a DVD course)
- JamPlay.com (an online guitar lesson site)
To help you decide between to two, we've prepared a detailed comparison between JamPlay and Learn and Master Guitar below.
Have a look at the differences and similarities of the 2 methods of learning, and make sure you read our recommendations following the table.
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JamPlay vs Learn and Master Guitar comparison table
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Beginner to Advanced | Beginner to Intermediate |
| Lessons | Thousands of lessons - All levels and genres - Song lessons - Supplemental tabs & chord charts - Video lessons not downloadable | 20 lesson DVDs - Introduction to several genres - Few song lessons- Detailed workbook with tabs, charts and theory exercises - General customer forum |
| Method | Due to the number of teachers, you have many courses to choose from (beginner to advanced). Once you start advancing, you can specialize in different genres as well. | Very well structured linear course, covering the details you'll need to get from a total beginner to an intermediate player. |
| User interface | Personalized UI: - Bookmark lessons - Lessons viewed - Progress history | 10+10 DVDs & workbook: - 20 lesson sessions - 10 main lesson DVDs - +10 workshop DVDs with extra exercises covering the main lessons |
| Online tools | - Chord and scale library - Backing tracks - Metronome - Reference tuner | N/A |
| Extras | - Active forum - Live webcam sessions | - 5 jam-track CDs - The big binder looks good on the shelf 🙂 |
| Pricing | $19.95 / month | $149 or 3 payments of $49 |
| Refund policy | 7 days | 60 days |
The above table will help you recognize the key differences between Gibson's Learn and Master Guitar DVD course, and JamPlay's online guitar lessons, but if you like, have a look at these detailed reviews:
It's important to note that the 2 options offer a totally different method for learning the guitar, so you basically have to choose which method you would prefer to learn through.
Which is best for absolute beginners?
For absolute beginners, I would say that the Learn and Master Guitar DVD's would be a better choice, because of the very linear, structured method of learning.
This is not to say that beginners wouldn't be able to learn with JamPlay, but I feel that the structure of LMG wins just slightly over Jamplay, mainly due to the large number of teachers available on the site. Several teachers have beginner's courses on JamPlay, and if you add them all up, they will be better than LMG, but the DVDs offer a generally better-structured method for absolute beginners.
How about people with previous playing experience?
If you are already somewhat familiar with the guitar, so from a higher-beginner level, Jamplay will be a better choice for you. You have way more options at hand, genres to specialize in, real songs to learn. Also, the set of online tools JamPlay offers will benefit intermediate players.
This is where LMG comes up short. It provides a well-structured home study course from absolute beginners, but it doesn't offer much if you're already at a level where you are comfortable with the fundamentals. Actually, the title Learn and Master Guitar is a bit misleading since you won't be able to "Master" the guitar with the DVD course. A more suitable title would be "Learn and Get Pretty Good at Guitar" 🙂
In conclusion, if you're still trying to decide between JamPlay vs Learn and Master Guitar, keep these in mind:
- If you're an absolute beginner, the structured series of lesson on the LMG DVDs will be a better choice
- If you are comfortable with basic guitar techniques, JamPlay will offer you more possibilities to develop your skills.
And if you are still unsure, you could take advantage of the money-back guarantee offered by the courses. Try out both, and stick with the one you like better.