Thanks to the advance in technology, people can learn all sorts of things through the internet. I learned how to properly insert a mason jar into my ass without having it break. But I know you reader, you try to go to YouTube and learn how to play guitar through YouTube, but you get frustrated. Everyone on there is just shredding and doing these insane Pantera riffs and all you can do is barely string out Hot Cross Buns on your Wal-mart six string. It is ok, because I have found the perfect website and community for you. It is called Guitar Master Class.

Guitar Master Class contains How To instructional videos for aspiring guitar players, intermediate guitar players, and Eddie Van Halen. Each video can be sorted by song, style (Blues, Country, Rock, Oldies etc), difficulty, artist (Slash, Dimebag, etc) or level of expertise. You can't get that anywhere else on the 'net. Another reason I like this website is because my first guitar teacher, Snake, wanted to teach me how to play all these boring old songs that I hated playing just so I learn the scales, theory, bars, blah blah. I lost interest and never picked up the guitar again. I now play a mean triangle, but that is beside the point.

Since I can't play the guitar, I had our resident Snake, aka Vic Wettner, check out the site and provide me with a few thoughts on it.

In order to get a good feel for the site, Vic chose to view the lesson for a song that he has played in the past, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, the Guns N' Roses version. The site has a lesson specifically covering Slash's class solo.

The lesson is recorded and moderated by Zsolt Galambos and breaks the song into chunks. First, you can see Zsolt play the entire solo at regular tempo. Then, you can view his step by step instructions. This should appease the types of learners who have to "do," in order to learn.  However, some people find that to be a little difficult with guitars.

One challenge with this particular lesson was Zsolt's broken English. It made it a little hard to understand, but the amazing amount of content and tools more than made up for this. I don't suspect that to be a problem throughout the site though.

Some of the features that stand out:

• The ability to adjust the tempo on the videos
• A metronome for timing
• backing tracks with full volume control
• a note-taking function for your own notes
• a user forum to share tips

I asked Vic for an overall review of the site and here was his quote:

The Guitar Master Class is the first internet based instructional tool that I've come across that gives you the guidance that you need to sound like you are actually putting some emotions behind your guitar playing. 

In the meantime, here are a few guitar links to get you started depending on your style of play:

Beginner guitar lessons|Blues guitar lessons|Jazz guitar lessons|Country guitar lessons|Acoustic guitar lessons
Flamenco guitar lessons|Rock guitar lessons|Metal guitar lessons|Shred guitar lessons