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There are literally endless options for finding out how to do something on YouTube nowadays. Want to learn that song? That riff? That solo? You are sure to find someone demonstrating it on YouTube. There’s everything from "How to Solo Like SRV" to "The One Scale You MUST Learn".
While YouTube videos are plentiful and free, here are 3 reasons why YouTube is sabotaging your progress on guitar.
1. Too many sources of information is just plain confusing.
Getting information on one thing from many different sources is sometimes helpful. However, in the case of learning guitar, this can leave you feeling confused and overwhelmed.
If you're learning to play guitar here at BJM, we are intentionally showing you a specific way to play, with a specific goal in mind.
If you then go watch someone else do it on YouTube it will be different. Guaranteed.
Sometimes what you find on YouTube is easier than what we are teaching. While that short-term ease might bring you some in-the-moment satisfaction, it may prevent you from learning what you need to learn for the future.
2. The self-proclaimed “Expert Guitar Teachers” aren’t actually really expert teachers and they aren’t invested in your success.
The beauty of YouTube is that (just about) anyone can post (just about) anything. Is that self-proclaimed “Expert Guitar Teacher” really even qualified? How can you tell?
What you know for sure is that all of the teachers at Bones Jones Music have invested in their education, especially Billy. He has a degree in music from Berklee College of Music and has spent many years investing in specific training in group guitar teaching with an internationally recognized guitar teaching master named Tom Hess.
All of the instructors here are dedicated to employing the best methods to get you where you want and need to go with your guitar playing. They are 100% invested in your success. They know you and your playing first hand and want to teach you the skills and techniques required for you to meet your goals.
Even if the YouTuber you are watching is actually a guitar teacher, they are definitely not personally invested in your success like your BJM teachers are!
3. You waste a lot of time being entertained when you could use that time for practicing.
Why are you spending your practice time on YouTube instead of practicing what we worked on in class?
The answer is actually pretty simple. YouTube videos are entertainment.
Watching someone play or demonstrate that cool riff or song you love is equivalent to scrolling through your Instagram feed or watching a show on a streaming service. It’s hard to stop once you get started. YouTube leads you from one video to the next automatically to keep you watching.
As you already know, this is a huge time suck. There's definitely something you should be practicing instead of watching someone else play. The things that you need to do the most can often be the most boring and hard to get through. Avoiding practice time by watching YouTube is a mistake that will hinder your progress.
Here’s what to do instead of watching guitar videos on YouTube:
When the “I’ll just look on YouTube” urge comes on, set a timer for 10 minutes and practice something you know you need to work on before you open up that browser.
You just may find that you end up having an amazing practice session.
Subscribe and watch the Bones Jones Music Channel.
If you really want must scratch the YouTube guitar videos itch, check out and subscribe to the Bones Jones Music channel.
You’ll find backing tracks to use for your practice, videos you can use to review of songs you’ve been learning in class, recordings of past performances to help you get excited about our upcoming summer concert series.
Not a BJM student yet?
Join us! If you keep getting stuck down the YouTube rabbit hole, we can help. You'll really
learn what you want to learn and have a practice routine that will put you on a proven path to success.