Anyone using other online lesson resources?

[Dave O]

In addition to Active Melody, I have subscribed to Artist Works bluegrass lessons from Bryan Sutton and blues from Kieth Wyatt. I also have a Truefire subscription. I tend to bounce around a lot, but like Active Melody the most due to the focus on learning solo pieces. I also use the random YouTube lesson (e.g., Rusty’s, Justin Guitar, etc.).

Do you guys have any favorites in addition to Active Melody (the best of course)?

[GnLguy]

Hey Dave
I think that many here are using various sources in their learning approach.

Like you, I’m a long time subscriber to Truefire; I like their approach in that they teach by subject. If I want to study R&B/Soul Rhythm, Slide Guitar, CAGED, etc, they have various courses specific to those topics. They have built such an amazing collection of not only lesson materials but also instructors, some of which are very famous performers (Robben Ford, Larry Carlton, Keb Mo, Joe Bonamassa, etc)
Being a huge Allman Brothers fan for many many years, having courses by Andy Aledort & Scott Sharrard, both of whom played with Dickey Betts & Gregg Allman is invaluable

I’ve probably studied more with materials from Stefan Grossman, I really like Stefan’s material with it being older fingerstyle blues song. Stefan studied directly with Rev Gary Davis for several years and learned from the likes of Mississippi John Hurt, Son House, etc as he would promote “concerts” for the forgotten acoustic bluesmen that had laid the foundation of the music that we all love
I’ve also used materials from Happy Traum, who like Stefan, learned from one of the original bluesmen when he studied with Brownie McGee.

You Tube instructors that are standouts to me are Alex Farran, Eric Haugen, Andy Paoli, Howard Hart, Paul Davids and Adrian from Anyone Can Play Guitar

I’ve seen this type of question posted in the past and I hope that we don’t have a repeat of what was done in response back in the day
No, by discussing this, we are not saying anything bad or derogatory about Brian or what he has accomplished with Active Melody. Having been here for 2-3 years prior to it becoming a subscription site, I’ve seen Brian’s struggles and how he persevered to make AM into what it is today

Keith
aka GnLguy

[Denise]

Hi Dave
Besides the 95% I am absorbed with Brian’s AM I watch YT instructors like Eric Haugen and Mark Zabel.
Denise

More Blues!

[Dieter]

In addition to AM, I have had good experiences with Marty Schwartz for blues & rock guitar and with Homespun from Happy Traum, which specializes primarily in acoustic picking (blues, folk, bluegrass …) and offers an incredible number of instructional videos by highly qualified and well-known musicians.

Dieter

[charjo]

Dave,
I agree with Keith that many of us use various sources to supplement our learning, especially with teachers that have an orientation toward our favoured styles of music.
There was a time Brian didn’t appreciate advertising for his rivals on his own forum but now even he talks about his fellow YouTubers. I think Brian is confident in how established he is.
One of my other favourites is Jeff McErlain who has a strong inclination toward blues. He is a gigging musician who has many Truefire courses as well as his own independent courses and Zoom “masterclass” sesions. I, too, have discovered Rusty. His site is full of great compact, readily applied concepts. Keith mentioned Alex Farren who seems to appeal to more advanced players but, again, his teaching is oustanding.
One thing becomes clear when you look at the pay structure of other sites, though. Active Melody is an incredible value.
John

[Dave O]

Brian’s content and methods are unique and differentiated from anything out there, so there is no comparison. In fact, Active Melody is far and away my favorite. However, variety in perspective is powerful for learning. Also, no one resource can cover everything for everybody.

I think the video submission and feedback concept with Artistworks is pretty useful. I have had several lengthy direct responses from Bryan Sutton that have been super helpful.

As far as I can tell, Active Melody is the best for learning concepts, improvisation, performance and a musical vocabulary all at the same time. It is the most “musical” in my opinion.

Thanks for the glimpse into how you guys learn. Very insightful.

[Michael W]

For me personally, I find that being excited about something newly discovered is the biggest driver for making me wake up in the morning and want to get to the guitar ASAP. Having a variety of instruction material keeps the excitement high, and just sticking to one approach I’ve noticed my enthusiasm dropping and my playing time reduce. I am a member of AM and Truefire, and I use those as well as Rusty, Adrian from ACPG, Brett Papa, and Jack Ruch. I seem to spend about a month on one source, and then want to switch it up. That is what works for me, and when I return to AM after time away it is very refreshing to jump into the 100s of great lessons on this AM site focused on the fundamentals of improvisation in the genres of guitar I like the best.

I owe Justin Sandercoe a great debt for being the one with a 3 minute video which said “don’t be that guy who has owned a guitar for 10 years and can’t play anything…learn 5 songs start to finish” for kickstarting my last 1.5 years of passion for the guitar…I was that guy for the prior 20 years who sounded like garbage and couldn’t play a single song. And then for some reason Charlie Wallace from Guitar Mastery Method broke through and convinced me that I could possibly learn lead guitar…his excitement and promise that learning CAGED pentatonic/major scales was the stepping stone to becoming a real guitar player worked for me and 15 days later I knew all the positions and was entering intermediate guitar player land. I don’t really use either anymore, but using different sources through my journey has really worked for me.

Happy playing all!

[Richard G]

Regards my acoustic journey my initial inspiration came from Chet Atkins and Ralph McTell but I owe a lot to the teachings of Stefan Grossman, I learnt an awful lot from those Kicking Mule Studio days. I follow a number of online tutors that have already been mention but other than Brian’s excellent Active Melody I also subscribe to David Hamburger’s Fingerstyle Five. As the name suggests David concentrates purely on fingerstyle blues acoustic guitar.

Richard

[sunjamr]

I’ve learned a lot of cool tricks from Paul Davids. I subscribe to his channel and check it every so often to see what’s new. I love the way he starts with a simple motif or chord sequence, then bit by bit turns it into beautiful jazz, funk, lo-fi, or whatever by making sequential easy changes.

I also went through Justin Sandercoe’s jazz lessons and learned some useful stuff which I now mostly forgot.

Sunjamr Steve

[Dave O]

David Hamburger’s playing and teaching is excellent.

[GnLguy]

I agree, David is amazing. I was subscribed to his site for a while but had to stop out due to an extensive shoulder surgery.

I mentioned Stefan Grossman and Happy Traum – their materials are exceptional for the way that they teach the original and historical blues
David can take those originals and help a person to further arrange them and to improvise over them

He also has 3 courses on Truefire that are true master classes – all are nearly 3 hours long and covers rhythm & lead
Blues Alchemy
Blues Architect
Slide Shop

And if all of that isn’t enough, he’s written several instructional books and countless magazine articles

[GnLguy]

And let’s not overlook Griff Hamlin of Blues Guitar Unleashed.
In addition to some great blues instruction, no one emphasizes timing and the need of counting quite like Griff

One thing about him in his live performances, he’s trying to be the second incarceration of SRV.
He can play a great SRV inspired guitar but his voice is far from Stevie

[Alan L]

I’m about 90% AM.

I visit Justin Guitar for technique and practice tips.

Tim Lerch for theory and soloing.

And I’m working through this Clapton course, recommended by our own John H
https://www.guitarclub.io/courses/eric-clapton

[Mark H]

I’m very promiscuous, there are so many great player/teachers with YouTube channels. I have bookmarked all, I think, of the folks mentioned above. Ones not yet mentioned who I really like and continue to learn from include, in no particular order:

Corey Congilio
RJ Ronquillo
Guthrie Trapp
Blue in Vancouver
Jamey Arent
Tim Daley
Everglades Rhythm
Levi Clay
Jules Guitar
Tao of Twang
<others>

…all of whom have particular strengths in their playing, theory application, genre leanings and the teaching thereof. And they’re all just so darn entertaining.

[Bill]

Of course, there is so much great info out there these days…it’s a bit overwhelming!

The past couple of months I’ve been working through a course at Peghead Nation on Swing Guitar Soloing by Matt Munisteri. I’m about to wrap that one up and look forward to continuing with his Western Swing course there.

I also regularly watch Alex Farran and Guthrie Trapp for lessons and inspiration.

Tommy Harkenrider is another great one if you like Jump Blues, Swing, or early Country.

Also Damian Bacci is succinct and inspiring for various genres from Jazz to Rockabilly.

But I return to Brian’s lessons often, and for the community here at AM. The monthly challenge gives me something to aspire to.

[Author]

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