Learning to play the guitar is a challenging but rewarding pursuit, demanding practice and determination over a number of years to play to standard. For many, playing the guitar is out of reach, as the simply lack the time necessary to learn to play. Fortunately, this is now changing, thanks to the Internet, and the availability of guitar lessons online. Now, from the comfort of your own home in your own time, you can learn guitar through online tuition from some of the world's finest tutors, taking advantage of their own brand of teaching to improve your technique. But how easy is it to learn guitar online, and is it as effective as face-to-face tuition?

Traditionally, guitar tuition has been conducted through direct one on one correspondence, or in a group scenario, which has been thought to provide the optimum level of interaction necessary to perfect technique. Alternatively many people learning the guitar have taken to self-teaching methods, through a book or self-teaching course, and this too works well for some people, albeit results tend to take longer to show. The Internet, as a teaching platform, provides a hybrid of these two methods, with the visual and aural tuition of an instructor, and the flexibility and affordability of a book. Usually in the form of videos, online guitar lessons aim to actually show students what to do and how to do it – if you don't pick it up, simply replay the video until you do.

This is beneficial in as far as flexibility is concerned, and indeed in terms of money. If you find yourself sticking at a particular point, it's easy to replay the video to get over that hurdle. However, if you've got a guitar tutor charging $40 an hour, a sticking point can be quite expensive. With the video, you can repeat the lesson over and over again until you manage to progress at no extra cost and in your own time. For the busy professional looking for a hobby, learning to play the guitar online is a great way to fit in some relaxation around your schedule.

With online guitar tuition, you get the benefit of a visual display of how to play the guitar, whatever genre interests you. However, online guitar lessons lack the direct correction of a tutor. If you're not succeeding, there's no one over your shoulder to tell you why. It's up to you to take the initiative and work out where you're going wrong. On the plus side, the minimal cost and flexibility will save you time and money in the long run, so the lack of correction may not be so much of a deterrent.

Online guitar tuition is an increasingly popular way to pick up the instrument, and to learn how to play competently. The ability to learn as you like from your own home, and the fact that the tuition is significantly less expensive than one on one lessons makes it an attractive option for students looking to learn the guitar.