With all of the gear out there, it might seem intimidating to get started with online lessons. It doesn’t need to be overwhelming!
All that you need to get started is an instrument, a good internet connection, and a computer with a microphone and web cam.
To get the most out of your lessons, you’re going to want the best audio quality possible. I’m going to break things down by explaining what items you need and why, then I’ll give a few suggestions based on price.
I’ve grouped all of these items on kit.co if you want to see it all grouped by budget.
Some of the links below are affiliate links. By using them, I receive small amount of compensation.
THE GUITAR
It’s always best to try an instrument out in person. If you know anyone who can play guitar, try to bring them to a local guitar shop and check out the less expensive guitars. The biggest issue with low dollar instruments tends to be quality control. You can find a $100 instrument that plays like $1,000. If you’re very unlucky, you can find a $1,000 instrument that plays like $100 as well. If that isn’t an option, you can use the links I provide to check out some of the most consistent models that I’ve found through my, and my students’ experience.
Acoustic guitars are generally physically more difficult to play than electric guitars. I suggest starting on an electric guitar, but if you would prefer the sound of an acoustic, I definitely suggest the Guild D-240E. Guild makes these very consistently. About a half dozen of my students have picked these up, and I’ve loved every one. It plays amazingly, sounds good, and comes with a gig bag. If that is too pricey, the Ibanez Talman TCY10 is the cheapest acoustic that I can suggest. Plays great, sounds like a cardboard box. That is a bad thing. At least the quality control is consistent. If you go the acoustic rout, you can skip the audio interface (though you would still need an interface for recording) and grab a usb microphone like this so that you can be heard clearly.
Glarry has some usable electric guitars, though reviews suggest quality control is not their strong suit. You will likely have to pay for a local guitar technician to set up your instrument upon arrival (which is a good idea for any guitar when it is shipped), but you can’t beat that price point. Though I haven’t ordered one myself yet, you can easily find reviews that suggest ordering direct from their site because they offer easy exchanges. I would avoid their acoustics, the reviews have not been favorable.
If you want to get an instrument that comes out of a more consistent factory, the next place to look would be Squier. They range from inexpensive to… Less inexpensive… There are other quality products in this price point, and above, feel free to reach out to me if you have any quality questions about a guitar you like. Above the $400 price point, you’ll likely want to pick something that is more personal to you.
THE ACCESSORIES
You’ll need a cable for your guitar, a strap (these Fender straps are great for the price), and a tuner. Luckily, these can all be found on reverb.com, very inexpensively. You can even get a spiffy orange cable. An inexpensive foot stool is unbelievably helpful in positioning your guitar while sitting, and it’s always nice to have a variety of picks to choose from.
If you’re going to upgrade any of these, start with a Couch Strap. They’re so high quality, I don’t know how they keep their prices this low. I’ll take my Racer X strap (so shiny) over most of my friends’ straps that cost over $100 any day.
My favorite tuner is the UniTune. They are much more accurate than the reverb tuner. The bottom line is that you’ll lose several headstock tuners, and it hurts less to lose a cheap tuner.
I don’t suggest an expensive cable like Monster or Mogami for a beginner. I do like PigHog cables because they’re inexpensive, very well built, and have a good warranty. Next it’s time to pick something to plug it all in to.
THE SOUND
Normally, you would be plugging your electric guitar into an amplifier, but we want the best audio quality we can get for your lessons. You can get much better audio quality with an audio interface and headphones.
Audio interfaces allow you to record audio to your computer by plugging in a microphone or an instrument. The least expensive option that is worthwhile is the a Behringer U-Phoria. This will do fine, most beginners don’t need more. Behringer’s build quality is somewhat lacking, but the audio quality is usually very good.
From there, you’ll need a program to simulate an amp. Guitar Rig 5 Player is free, and more than enough to get you started.
I strongly suggest picking up a microphone with a stand so that I can hear you speaking clearly as well. Microphone seem to break very easily, so I do suggest picking up a PigHog, they’re durable enough to warrant the price.
For headphones, you can go cheap or slightly more expensive. Tascam makes inexpensive, durable full range headphones that sound… just okay… Audio Technica makes some nicer ones, but they’re about double the price.
THAT’S IT
There are other things you could get, such as an amp, studio monitors, etc etc. Really, these are just suggestions, feel free to use whatever gear you like, or have at your disposal.