This great new way to learn guitar is not so NEW. Back in the mid to late 80's a lot of 'top-notch' players were already making VHS videos with lessons showing the particular techniques they used in live performances. Guitar, bass, drums and keyboard professionals were starting to teach their 'secrets' on video. This was a real milestone in the lessons industry and helped the 'average Joe' on the street to really progress and become a guitar hero.
The 80's brought about a real revolution in guitar learning strategies. Eddie Van Halen had shocked the world in 1979 with his tapping and rhythm techniques and every kid on the block wanted to play like him, so other already professional guitarists wanted in on the action and went back to 'guitar school' again to learn with the best teachers money could buy.
Conventional music lessons were revolutionized, and what blues masters took a lifetime to achieve could be taught in less than two years of lessons by these re-schooled professionals; and their students ended up wanting more. They wanted to play better and faster than anyone.
That's when video lessons came of age. You didn't need a teacher anymore, because you had this guitar guru right in your living room giving you a private lesson. You could rewind or fast forward the tape as much as you wanted (although the VHS player would very often end up eating the tape, if you weren't careful!). You wanted to learn every single movement the guy made. This was an incredible breakthrough!
These first videos were great, but they could only cover so much on a 2 hour tape. They were mainly for people with an intermediate or advanced playing level already. But ...what about beginners? Well, they were left out in the cold for the most part and had to keep paying for private lessons or buying a book to get some kind of backing first and then try tackling one of these 'awesome' videos. Although some of us were brave (or stupid, as I now realize) and would go straight to the video anyway; "Do not pass go, do not collect a proper understanding of musical theory first".
With personal computers coming of age in the late 80's, we started seeing primitive programs that could help you learn music, but they were still a poor substitute for a real teacher. Internet started to become a household word in the mid to late 90's and people were doing searches to find a way to beat their neighbours to learning how to play guitar, but all they could find were lessons books for sale at online stores.
It was then when music teachers saw an opportunity to develop online courses with all the bells and whistles, but weren't able to materialize them properly until a few years ago due to the shortcomings of the internet system and dial-up connections.
Now, and with all these new advances, you can get video lessons for all levels that no longer cost you an arm and a leg. Some are a monthly installment and others are a one time fee. Any 40 year old would have sold his brother back in the early 80's to get their hands on what you can now get for practically peanuts!
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