Still have dreams of being the next Jimi Hendrix or Elton John? But your guitar or piano/keyboard is now gathering dust in the corner because you don’t have the time or the money to spend taking lessons, right? Well, dust it off, because online lessons may be the answer to your dilemma.

 

Online lessons are much cheaper than in-person lessons, which typically cost $50 or more an hour; you can take a lesson at home whenever you want, or even on the go with a laptop and portable instrument; and with streaming video you can see exactly how your instructor plays the melodies and chords. Also, unlike package deals that send you DVDs and books, online material is not static—new lessons are continually added, and in some cases you can select from a variety of instructors. Online lesson forums also allow you to get feedback from your teachers and have them or other students answer your questions, listen to your music, and more.

 

Below are recommended sites for subscription-based online lessons to help you become the rock star you've always dreamed of becoming.

 

 

Becoming a Guitar God

 

GUITAR TRICKS

 

Lessons taught by: 45 professional guitarists

 

For: Beginning to advanced guitar students

 

Style(s) taught: Acoustic, alternative, blues, bluegrass, classical, country, folk, funk, jazz, metal, rock, rockabilly, surf, world; also over 40 different guitarist styles including Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, John Mayer, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Jimmy Page

 

No. of free lessons: 24

 

Membership includes: Access to all 3800+ lessons as well as free software including a tuner and metronome, ability to jam along with over 140 backing tracks and interact with/learn from other musicians in the member forum

 

What you'll learn: Alternate picking, bending, hammer-ons/pull-offs, harmonics, slide guitar, slap guitar, sweep picking, tapping, tremolo, music theory, etc.

 

New lessons added: Daily

 

Multimedia offered: Downloadable video; printable sheet music, chord charts, tab

 

Quality of A/V: Very good; clear view of picking/strumming and fingering on fretboard, graphic overlay showing what note to play when

 

Additional: Some lessons include gear settings such as delay/amp combos to achieve a certain sound

 

Cost: $14.95/mo.

 

 

JAMPLAY

 

Lessons taught by: 14 professional guitarists

 

For: Beginning to advanced guitar students

 

Style(s) taught: Blues, bluegrass, classical, Hawaiian slack key, jazz, rock, metal

 

No. of free lessons: 10

 

Membership includes: 116 hours of lessons, 24/7 help from teachers, access to full chord library, ability to interact with other members in the JamPlay community forum

 

What you'll learn: Tuning and setup, barre & power chords, modes & scales, fingerstyle, tapping, sweep and alternate picking, jazz techniques, etc., as well as songs including “Message in a Bottle,” “Brown-Eyed Girl,” “Purple Haze,” “Back in Black.”

 

New lessons added: Weekly

 

Multimedia offered: High–def video; printable tab, chord charts, exercises

 

Quality of A/V: Excellent; includes clear view of picking/strumming and fingering on fretboard

 

Additional: 100% money-back guarantee in first week if not satisfied

 

Cost: $19.95/mo.—limited-time offer

 

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Becoming the Piano Man

 

PIANO MAGIC

 

Taught by: Michael Anderson, performing musician for over 40 years

 

For: Beginning to intermediate piano students; best for beginners, as teaches you a certain way to approach music

 

Style(s) taught: Solo piano—applies to all styles

 

No. of free lessons: 5

 

Membership includes: 13 hours of video, discussion, and demonstration; access to 50 additional videos on a range of topics; piano chord finder; access to student forum, where you can ask questions, meet other members, and share music

 

What you'll learn: Chord variations; progressions; playing melody and harmony; the circle of 5ths; how to quickly pick out the melodies of songs you know and harmonize them, making up new arrangements; how to improvise and compose on the fly; and more. You start off with 27 lessons, which you go through in order. At the end of each lesson you are given an assignment to work on

 

New lessons added: Monthly

 

Multimedia offered: Downloadable videos and/or audio samples (download the free Flip4Mac program to access the video files)

 

Quality of A/V: Fair

 

Cost: $189/yr.

 

 

QUIESCENCE MUSIC

 

Taught by: Pianist/composer Edward Weiss, piano teacher for 15 years

 

For: Beginning to advanced piano students who don’t know how to improvise

 

Style(s) taught: New age (think George Winston)

 

Free lessons: 1, plus 5-day e-course “Play New Age Piano Now”

 

Membership includes: Over 100 lessons, downloadable 56-pg workbook, booklets on how to compose and get gigs, access to 250+ article Lesson Archive, piano course certificate, message board for comments and questions

 

What you'll learn: Open chord positions in all 12 keys, followed by a set of exercises for each key; ostinatos; modes and scales; improvisation

 

New lessons added: Monthly

 

Multimedia offered: Audio and video examples in Flash format

 

Quality of A/V: Good; including clear fingering diagrams

 

Additional: Full refund within 10 days if not satisfied. Students who stay with the program for 3 months get a free month of additional lessons

 

Cost: $19.97/mo.

 

 

CREATIVE MUSIC ADVENTURES ONLINE

 

Taught by: Jazz musician/performer Michael Stegner, graduate of the University of Miami jazz program

 

For: Adult beginning piano students

 

Style(s) taught: Solo, blues

 

No. of free lessons: 4

 

Membership includes: Lessons, practice tips and key concepts, short-term and long-term exercises, play-along recordings with band accompaniment

 

What you'll learn: Ear training and music theory, playing by ear, improvisation and popular stylings

 

New lessons added: N/A

Multimedia offered: QuickTime video; slow and fast play-along arrangements

 

Quality of A/V: Good

 

Cost: $19.95/mo.—limited-time offer