First – a bit of background. I’m not a novice guitarist, but have been playing for several years. I also play the piano and other instruments, and have a solid grounding in music theory. So the material in the Jamorama course isn’t really new to me. However, it’s always good to go over the basics again from time to time, and I found the course to be very valuable as a refresher and for filling a few holes in my technique. I bought it partly for my own benefit, and partly because Jamorama is among the most popular and well-known of the online guitar courses, and I wanted to try it myself so I could write a review for this site, which is after all, about all things guitar-related (in time I’ll also be reviewing some of the competing online guitar lesson courses in a similar in-depth way).

On this page I discuss what I liked and disliked about Jamorama. You can also read more about what Jamorama has to offer on the pages about the course content and bonuses.

My impressions – I like Jamorama because:

• The materials are high quality – I got the downloadable version of the course, and have found that the bonus software is easy to use, the text books are attractively designed and clearly laid out, and the video and audio materials are professionally recorded and produced to a high standard. It’s also presented by a professional, highly qualified guitarist and teacher (Ben Edwards).

• I especially like the video parts – you can clearly see the correct positions for both left and right hands, and there’s also a photo of the fretboard, showing the relevant finger positions, as well as graphical information about the chord changes and strumming patterns, which change in real time as the song or exercise is played.
• It’s easy to use – firstly it was very easy to buy and download Jamorama, and the member’s area of the website was easy to navigate. And secondly, the course itself has proved easy to follow so far (yes, I do already know most of the stuff it has covered so far, but I clearly remember what it was like to be a beginner, and this material is certainly better than what I learned from!). I especially like how you can instantly access the relevant videos and audio material from within the software, without having to go off and find the audio and video files to open separately.
• It’s fun – not dry and tedious like some music courses can be. You start playing ‘real’ music pretty much straight away, rather than having to wade through several lessons of pure theory first, as is often the case with more traditional courses.
• It’s flexible – good for those who want to learn popular styles on electric and/or or acoustic guitar. And I also like how the two versions of the course give you the choice of rhythm guitar techniques alone (in Jamorama Standard) or both rhythm and lead lessons (in Jamorama Deluxe), so you can choose whichever best suits your needs.
• Jamorama Standard covers all of the fundamentals of rhythm guitar as well as more advanced techniques too – basically, everything you need to learn to become a competent rhythm guitarist is in here (these skills are essential if you want to go on to play lead guitar too), and it’s laid out in a logical order, so you’ll progress in an efficient way.
• The jam tracks are great for practising playing with others, and can be a lot more fun than just playing solo exercises, even though they include the same techniques. There’s a wide variety of musical styles here too, which is a plus to me (although those who only want to learn a single style of playing might not enjoy them so much – but really, it’s best not to be musically narrow minded, especially when you’re just starting out).
• There are some great bonuses - the Jamorama bonuses will help you to tune your guitar, train your ear, learn to read music, play in time and to learn with maximum effectiveness. They complement the main course very well, and are not just useless filler like some of the bonuses that you get with digital products.
• The course is up to date, and the Jamorama team are responsive to customer feedback – since I purchased Jamorama early in 2009, the course has undergone a major update, and I’m pleased to see that the old Jamorama Maestro software, which was ok but not great (in my opinion), has now been retired in favour of a less resource-intensive format of separate text, video and audio files, and more material has been added to the course too. Some digital product creators just basically abandon their products after launching them, but that’s not the case with Jamorama, so it’s good to know that they are looking for ways to periodically improve the materials and provide even better value.
• It’s great value - Jamorama Standard currently costs $49.95 and Jamorama Deluxe $99.95, and provides around a year’s worth of lessons – this is less than you’d pay for a couple of private lessons with many teachers! Really, there aren’t many places where you’ll get this much bang for the buck (both courses are guaranteed for 60 days too, so you can get your money back if you don’t like them).

Jamorama’s negative aspects – what I’m not so keen on:

• I’ll admit that I find reading off a screen to be a bit of a pain, especially in the case of the jam tracks that stretch over more than one page. I put the downloads onto a small laptop that’s quite easy to position near where I play, but I’d still prefer a physical book. Still, this isn’t a major issue, and in the end I printed some of the course out anyway.

• For those who (like me) prefer to read from traditional notation rather than tab, some parts of the course may be a bit annoying. I personally found the more complex rhythms that feature in the later lessons to be more difficult to read in tab, and Jamorama doesn’t cover much in the way of rhythmic notation, so the rhythms aren’t written out in traditional form too. I guess this won’t be an issue for most people though, since so many guitarists seem averse to learning to read music, or prefer to read tab (and you can always write them out yourself on the blank stave above the tab line anyway).
• I’ve come across a small number of typos in the text – no more than I’ve seen in other music books, but it’s a bit annoying nonetheless, especially as the course is so professionally put together otherwise. However, these few mistakes are pretty obvious, so I don’t think that any student who is understanding what they’ve learned will be too confused by them.

Is Jamorama right for you?

My overall opinion of Jamorama is a positive one, but I don’t think it’s the best choice for everyone. I’d recommend it to those who:

• Want to learn to play the guitar in the comfort of their own home

• Want to learn rhythm guitar (electric or acoustic), or who want to learn lead guitar, but don’t yet have a grounding in rhythm techniques (it’s best to learn rhythm techniques first). If you’re only interested in learning rhythm guitar, choose the Standard version, and if you want to follow up with lead skills too, go for Jamorama Deluxe.
• Want to learn in their own time and at their own pace without having to conform to someone else’s schedule.
• Have a decent computer and internet connection (it doesn’t have to be super-fast – but there is a lot of stuff to download).
• Are beginner or intermediate level guitarists who want a solid grounding in the fundamentals as well as to learn more advanced techniques (I don’t recommend it for advanced students, who will probably know most of what it covers already).
• Want a course that covers various musical styles (but with a focus on popular styles – it’s not a good choice for those wishing to focus on classical or flamenco guitar).
• Want to learn the techniques that will enable you to play your favourite songs (but it’s not for those who need to be spoon fed the actual songs – Jamorama doesn’t show you how to play any specific songs. Instead you’ll need to learn them by ear, or find the tab/notation elsewhere). Having said that however, remember that one of the Jamorama bonuses is a free trial membership to SongPond.com, which does provide video lessons which show you how to play a huge range of popular songs.
• Are self-motivated and don’t need continual prodding from a teacher to keep going (don’t get it if you’d rather learn from a teacher in person, or if you can’t motivate yourself to keep going).
• Want to get a great value complete guitar lessons course for less than the cost of a couple of lessons with a private teacher.

Jamorama Review – Summary

I’ve found Jamorama Standard to be a very good course overall, and it provides a solid grounding in rhythm guitar techniques, making it a great choice for those who want to learn rhythm guitar, and Jamorama Deluxe is equally well-suited to those who eventually want to play lead guitar, as you really do need a good grasp of rhythm skills in order to play lead guitar well. The multi-media format makes learning easy and fun, the bonuses are genuinely useful supplements to the main course (not just ‘filler’ to make it look like a good deal), and on the whole the course is very professionally put together.

It’s not perfect however – as mentioned, there are a few typos (though not a lot), and the downloadable format isn’t as flexible as physical products in some ways, although printing out the books helps a lot. It’s also not the best choice for everyone, but if you want a great value, easy to use, fun guitar course that will provide a thorough grounding in the practical and theoretical knowledge you’ll need to play popular music (and get you playing ‘real’ music quickly, rather than getting bogged down in theory), I can definitely recommend Jamorama. Remember that it’s guaranteed for 60 days, so you can try it with confidence.

The Course In Detail: Jamorama Review Blog

If you want to read more details about the various components of the Jamorama lessons, check out my individual posts below:

Welcome
Introductory post.

Buying Jamorama
My buying experience.

Jamorama Contents
A detailed look at the inside of the Jamorama member’s area, as well as at the contents of the course.

Jamorama Bonuses
Details about the seven Jamorama bonuses, complete with screenshots.

 
Then the following posts are about my experience as I worked through the course – I don’t mention every little thing that’s discussed in each lesson, but you’ll get a good idea of the main topics that are covered. These posts cover books 1 and 2 of the rhythm guitar lessons that are included in both the Jamorama Standard and Jamorama Deluxe packages; I’ll also be posting similar details about my experience with Jamorama’s Acoustic Focus lessons (previously Jamorama Acoustic, and also included with Jamorama Standard and Deluxe) and the Jamorama lead guitar lessons (previously Jamorama Lead, now part of Jamorama Deluxe only) soon.

Jamorama Book 1 – Beginner Lessons

Getting Started

Book 1, Lesson 1

Book 1, Lessons 2, 3 & 4

Book 1, Lessons 5 & 6

Book 1, Lessons 7 & 8

Book 1, Lessons 9 & 10

Book 1, Lessons 11 & 12

Book 1, Lessons 13, 14 & 15

Jamorama Book 1 Summary

 
Jamorama Book 2 – More Advanced Lessons

Book 2, Lessons 1 & 2

Book 2, Lessons 3 & 4

Book 2, Lessons 5, 6 & 7

Book 2, Lessons 8, 9 & 10

Book 2, Lessons 11 & 12

Book 2, Lessons, 13, 15 & 15

Book 2, Lessons 16 & 17

Book 2, Lessons 18, 19 & 20

Book 2, Lessons 21 & 22

Book 2, Lessons 23 & 24

Book 2, Lessons 25, 26 & 27

Book 2, Lessons 28 & 29, & Summary

 
More Jamorama Articles

I’ve also written some additional Jamorama-related articles:

Tips For Getting The Most From Jamorama’s Guitar Lessons

Is Jamorama a Scam?

Bonus #1: Guitar Tuner Pro

In order to learn to play the guitar effectively, one of the first skills you need to master is tuning the guitar. This is a simple process, but many beginners struggle with it, as it can take time for the ear to develop the sensitivity required, especially if you are tuning to a source that has a different timbre to that of your guitar strings (such as a piano, tuning fork or pitch pipes, for example).

With Jamorama’s Guitar Tuner Pro bonus, tuning is made very easy. This simple piece of software features recordings of a guitar, playing the appropriate notes. All you have to do is select which tuning you want, and then click on the relevant string, and tune your guitar to the note that is played. The tunings available within the software include the standard six string tuning EADGBE, plus six of the most commonly used alternate tunings for guitar, and bass tunings for four, five and six string bass guitars.

Although just about all guitarists master tuning to a variety of sources eventually, Guitar Tuner Pro is a real boon to beginners who are having trouble, and who just want to get going with the course rather than spending hours trying to get the guitar to sound halfway decent. And of course it’s a useful tool for everyone else too.

Bonus #2: GuitEarIt!

The next Jamorama bonus, GuitEarIt!, is a useful ear training program. Being able to correctly identify notes and chords by ear is a valuable skill to have a musician, and even if you’re not born with perfect pitch, you can greatly improve the accuracy of your ear with consistent practice.

With GuitEarIt!, you start off on level one, which involves identifying which of a sequence of chords is being played. There are four to choose from, and if you get the correct answer first time, you get 10 points, with six points for one mistake, three points for two and no points if you get the answer wrong three times. The exercises become progressively more difficult as you proceed, and you have to get to 240 points to advance to the next level.

All in all this is a fun game, and I know from past experience that exercises of this type really do help to improve the accuracy of pitch perception. My own aural skills are pretty good by this point, but there’s no harm in I’m still going to use this software until I can get through all the levels with a perfect score.

Bonus #3: Jamorama Metronome

Playing in time is a fundamental skill, and its importance can’t be stressed enough – particularly if you want to play with others. Poor timing is also one of the most common errors of amateur guitarists, and once you’ve got into the habit of playing out of time, it can be challenging to correct.

Perhaps the best way of developing good timing skills at an early stage in your career as a guitarist is to practice with a metronome. Traditional metronomes are large, somewhat clunky devices, but modern ones are much more compact, and of course they are now available in digital form too. Some electronic guitar tuners include a metronome function also, but if you don’t have one of those, or even if you do, you’ll find that Jamorama’s metronome software will help you to develop good timing habits from the start, or retrain yourself out of old bad habits, if need be.

This metronome software ranges from 40 to 208 beats per minute, and has an adjustable volume. The design is clean and appealing, and traditional Italian tempo terms are also included at the relevant points. It’s very easy to use, and the graphic metronome bar swings back and forth, so you have a visual cue as well as an auditory one. although there’s no denying that playing with a metronome can be somewhat dull, it really is essential, so if you don’t have a standalone metronome of your own, this software should be helpful to you.

Bonus #4: Jayde Musica

The next bonus is a piece of software that helps you to learn to read musical notation quickly and easily. Now of course you don’t need to be able to read a note in order to learn to play the guitar well, since you could get by with learning by ear and from TABs, as many guitarists have done in the past. But it is a good idea to learn to read notation anyway, as it not only helps to make you a more well-rounded musician, but it gives you access to a vast array of music that isn’t available in other forms. Plus if you want to learn classical guitar at any point, being able to read notation is a must.

Some people are intimidated by the thought of learning to read music, but it really isn’t difficult – and it’s easier still if you learn in conjuction with learning a new instrument, so if you’re just taking up the guitar now, this is the perfect time to learn to read music too. But whether you already have any guitar skills or not, you can learn to read music more easily with the aid of Jamorama’s Jayde Musica software.

This is a game which tests your ability to recognise notes on the staff. There is some tutorial material which explains the basics of how to actually read notation, and then you can test your knowledge with the software. Various notes scroll across the screen, and you have to select the correct note name from a choice of options at the bottom. You can test yourself on the treble, bass, alto and tenor clefs (although for playing the guitar you’ll normally only need to be able to read treble clef, or bass clef for bass guitar). There are three levels of difficulty, so the game becomes more challenging as your skills improve.

I think that this is a useful piece of software, and can certainly help people to practice their note recognition skills. I did find the note selection area a bit confusing the first time I tried it, as the notes are numbered (A1, B2, C3, etc.), and at first I thought that the numbers were referring to the octaves in which the notes in question were located, but that’s not the case – I was just over-complicating things! As it is, the software is cleanly laid out, and very easy to use.

Bonus #5: How To Tune Your Guitar (PDF Guide)

As mentioned earlier, many beginners struggle with tuning their guitar, and this handy guide should help if that’s the case. It consists of seven short chapters that together provide an in-depth explanation of how to tune both six- and twelve-string guitars with minimal fuss, covering methods such as using an electronic tuner, tuning the guitar to itself and using open harmonics. There are also some general tips on mindset and maximising your progress as a guitarist.

Bonus #6: Advanced Learning Techniques For Guitar (PDF Guide)

This is a PDF guide that provides useful advice that will complement the material in the main Jamorama course. Despite the ‘Advanced’ in the title, it is really aimed at those who are just beginning the course, and doesn’t assume that you have advanced guitar skills already.

The topics covered are based around helping you to make the most of your practice time, and to learn most efficiently and effectively. The book is split into two main sections which cover learning and expertise, and memory. Among other things, it stresses the importance of mastering each basic skill in turn, rather than being in such a hurry to play the music you like that you end up skipping vital aspects of your development as a guitarist. The book also suggests some specific practice techniques that you can adopt to ensure that you get a good grip on the basics, as well as providing information about memory and its role in the learning process, and how you can boost your memory to make the learning process more effective.

Although I’m now past the initial learning stage as a guitarist, there are still new techniques that I want to master, and I found much of the material in this book to be interesting and relevant to me – and I’d certainly like to have had it when I was first starting out!

Bonus #7: 30 Days Free Access To Songpond

The final bonus that was on offer when I signed up (and which is still available at the time of writing) is 30 days free access to the Songpond website. Songpond is a membership site which offers video-based lessons that show you how to play popular songs on the guitar or piano.

I haven’t actually activated my trial membership yet, so I can’t currently comment on what the videos are like. SongPond is operated by the same people who produced the Jamorama course, so I expect that the material will be of the same high quality that I’ve observed so far.

 
So, these are the seven bonuses that you get if you sign up for the Jamorama guitar course. All of the ones that I’ve tried so far are high quality, easy to use and very useful, and will complement any course of guitar lessons very well.