Courses  Instructors  How It Works Plans & Pricing Blog Resources 
x

Log In

Log In 
Don't have an account? Sign Up

Reset Password

Submit 
An email has been sent with instructions on how to reset your password.

Sign Up For Free

Then join a course

Our store is currently undergoing maintenance. Check back in a few hours.
Already have an account? Log In

Learning Guitar Using Today's Technology

guitar

It’s probably not ok that my son’s first word was “Spongebob.” I remember looking at my wife and thinking, “Did he really just say that?”  Why, yes….yes he did, but more on that later. 

As I sit here writing this blog on my laptop, I have my iPad open to my e-mail account while it plays my favorite tunes on internet radio.  Of course, it has me well-trained.  As soon as I hear the tell-tale “ping” of a new message, I will drop what I am doing and find out what “important” business awaits.  Additionally, my cell phone is next to me just in case someone needs to reach me immediately via text or call.

There is no denying that technology has become intricately laced into my day to day routine.  But in spite of its complications, there is nowhere in my life I am more positively impacted by technology than in my life-long quest to become a better guitar player. 

About eight years ago, I decided to make the transition from rock/blues playing to jazz. I spent countless hours wandering through the vast jungle of method books in search of someone or something that could demystify chord substitutions and improvising over changes.  And it got me exactly nowhere.

I tried local teachers, but it was too difficult working around an already packed schedule of professional and family commitments. Still, I showed no increase in knowledge or skill.

Then about three years ago, my friend, music-mate, and fellow ArtistWorks classmate Lance Tanner mentioned the online guitar lessons at Martin Taylor Guitar Academy.  I was skeptical.  After all, there are thousands of websites that have decent information, but it gets so convoluted, and in the end, the sites provide information much in the same manner as a method book.

Fast forward three years.  Because of technology, I belong to a true world-wide community of people learnng guitar online.  I have been able to bounce musical ideas off people as close as my own neighborhood and as far as Australia.  I now have guitarist friends in England, France, Mexico, Canada, Sweden, China, and more. Just imagine the depth of experience I am able to draw from.

And that’s not even the best part.  The greatest part of my guitar learning is that I can, in all honesty, call guitar greats like Martin Taylor and Andreas Oberg my teachers.  I no longer have to muddle through what I “thought” someone meant by a lesson. I have direct access in a very real and personal way.  No method book could come close to equaling that.

Yes, technology certainly has its drawbacks, which are at least a nuisance at times, and  downright frightening at other times.  But here’s a thought that’s even more intimidating: what if the likes of any of the ArtistWorks teachers had this when they were young? What if Paul Gilbert could correspond directly with Jimi Hendrix? What if Martin Taylor could speak regularly to Django Reinhardt?  Yikes.

So power up, get connected, embrace the technology, and enjoy all the incredible advantages we have as guitarists in the 21st Century! The result will be improvements that years ago we could only imagine.

paul gilbert

X

Affordable Plans

Each subscription is for a single school. Pricing and features can vary slightly per school.

$35
1 Month membership
renews monthly
Unlimited Access to Lessons
Unlimited Video Exchanges
Exclusive Content
Forums
$35/month (prepaid)
$90
3 Month membership
renews every 3 months
Unlimited Access to Lessons
Unlimited Video Exchanges
Exclusive Content
Forums
$30/month (prepaid)
$240
12 Month membership
renews every 12 months
Unlimited Access to Lessons
Unlimited Video Exchanges
Exclusive Content
Forums
$20/month (prepaid)
X