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?

• Correct playing position

• How to look after your guitar and gear
• How to maintain your motivation, get the most from your practice sessions, and develop as a musician
• How to read chord diagrams, tab and simple traditional notation
• Notes and scales in the first position
• A variety of major, minor, dominant 7th and suspended chords, plus chord progressions
• Rhythm and lead guitar techniques
• Plus you’ll have practiced playing with a band in a variety of styles, via the jam tracks

Overall, I’m impressed with the Jamorama course so far. It’s not perfect – I’ve spotted a couple of typos, and the digital format has its limitations (like trying to follow the tab for the jam tracks when they take up more than one page – I recommend printing them out for easier reference). However, on the whole this is proving to be a high quality course that is easy and interesting to follow. The jam tracks and videos are well-produced, and really do make the learning process easier and more enjoyable – Jamorama doesn’t have the ‘dry’ quality of the tutor books that I used to use!

Best of all, you start to see results and progress pretty quickly, and at each stage along the way you play ‘real’ music, and not just exercises. By the end of Book 1 you’ll have made a lot of progress, and will be playing rhythm and lead patterns that will probably impress anyone listening, even though they’re not hugely difficult technically.

Lesson 14 takes a major step forward, and introduces suspended chords and the major scale. Three new chords are covered, plus the C major scale. There are two jam tracks this time, one of which incorporates the C major scale, which many people will find more interesting than just practising the scale in isolation (though there’s no getting away from the fact that to be a good guitarist you’ll have to practice scales, arpeggios etc – but they can actually be interesting if you really focus on what you’re doing, and always try to play as well as you can).

Must have a whinge here unfortunately, as there is a minor typo in the Esus4 chord explanation. I’ve rarely seen a music book (or a normal book for that matter) that doesn’t contain at least a couple of errors, and it looks like Jamorama is no exception. It’s pretty obvious in this case though, so if you’ve understood all of the material so far you shouldn’t find it confusing.

Lesson 15 is relatively short, and gives tips for additional ways to expand your practice routine and increase your skill, and introduces two new suspended chords, with exercises and a jam track to practice with.

This lesson is followed by an ‘Outro’ section, which invites readers to submit testimonials, and there’s also an illustrated chord reference, showing major and dominant 7th chords in open position (including lots that haven’t been covered in the course so far – this would be handy to print out).

And that’s it – you’ve now finished Book 1 of the Jamorama course! (Next: my Book 1 summary)

Lesson 12 provides a recap of the first position notes (with both tab and traditional notation), and also introduces a simple but effective bass note picking pattern. Things are really sounding good now, as you’ve learned a wide variety of chords, notes, progressions and rhythmic patterns to play with!

Lesson 10 continues in the same vein, with more increasingly complex rhythms, as well as two new chords, and a great tip for measuring your progress and increasing your motivation. I think that the course could be improved by using traditional notation to – erm, notate the rhythms, rather than just relying on a combination of tab and up/downstrokes. I realise that the existing method is probably easier to follow for those without a music theory background, but it would be nice if there was a choice (many guitar tutor books do use a combination of the two). Still, that’s a minor gripe, and it’s forcing me to use my rather rusty tab skills more than I usually do, which isn’t a bad thing.

Another new chord is introduced in this lesson, along with eighth-note rhythm and the chromatic scale. As usual, there are plenty of exercises, diagrams and videos to ensure that you fully understand the new material.

Lesson 8 is a pretty long one, and you’ll learn about dominant 7th chords. Three are introduced, along with alternate fingerings, which I think is a nice touch, as it’s always good to be able to play different versions of the same chord – it’s not essential, and most people usually stick with the easiest version of each, but taking the time to go beyond that will add to your versatility as a guitarist and musician. There are lots of new sequences to practice, which incorporate the new chords, as well as a jazz-influenced jam track to finish off. This is the most challenging lesson so far, and by this point in the Jamorama course you’re playing a good variety of chords and the pace at which you play is speeding up too.

Lesson 6 introduces minor chords, which makes a nice contrast to the major chords covered so far. To digress a bit, I do take issue with Ben’s assertion (that nearly all music books/sites I’ve read make) that major chords sound ‘happy’, whereas minor chords sound ‘sad’. I think this is a totally subjective, culturally-influenced viewpoint, and I know that while in western music most people associate minor chords with a melncholy feel, I personally find minor key music to be very joyful and uplifting. I know I might be in the minority there though!

This lesson also introduces notes on the fifth string, and there’s a catchy jam track based on a simple turnaround chord progression, as well as a second one with a lead melody. Also, there’s a discussion about the nature of musical talent, and what it takes to become a great guitarist. I agree that constant, disciplined practice accounts for most of it, although I do think that some people have an inborn extra ‘gift’ that can make the whole learning process easier. But no matter how naturally playing the guitar comes to you, you’ll never reach your full potential without plenty of work at it!

Lesson 3 discusses some more basic music theory, including note time values, an introduction to time signatures and reading notes on the treble clef. The you learn about note picking, and the main notes on the first and second strings. Exercises are included to practice the new notes, and then you can play along with the second Jam Track – unlike the first one, this one involves picking out a simple melody, rather than strumming chords. Both aspects of playing the guitar (note picking and chord strumming) are equally important, so it’s good that Jamorama introduces them both early on.

Lesson 4 introduces the E major chord, plus notes on the third string. Again there are practice exercises, plus another fun Jam Track which includes the new chord.

I’m still impressed with how Jamorama is shaping up – everything is well presented, and the Jam Tracks are lots of fun. However, I want this review to be an objective one, so I’m also going to discuss the things I don’t like so much about the course. My main annoyance (now that it has started to include long pieces of tab) is that when using the reader within the software, only one page is displayed at a time, and you have to scroll down to get to the next page. Normally this isn’t a problem – but when you’re playing from a piece of tab that is spread across two pages, it is! So it would be better if you could opt to display adjacent pages side by side on the screen, like you can with Adobe’s PDF reader. As it happens, the course is currently available in the older format, which includes PDF versions of the text, so I could use those if it gets to be a real nuisance. And printing them out is another option too – so this isn’t a huge issue, but it is a bit annoying, and I’m surprised that the designers of the software didn’t take it into account. Hopefully future updates of Jamorama will address the issue.

There is one other thing that bothers me – the E major chord is wrongly described in Lesson 4 as being ‘constructed of the notes E, Ab (A flat) and B’. This is not true – it should be E, G# (G sharp) and B. Yes, Ab and G# are the same enharmonically, so the chord will sound correct, but in terms of music theory the statement is incorrect – the E major scale doesn’t contain the note Ab (and a complete beginner isn’t likely to know this, so the mistake is misleading). So, a black mark there!

You then learn to play two of the most common major chords – A and D. As well as illustrations, videos are used to show you exactly how the chords should look and sound. The videos are high quality and professionally presented, showing the correct positions of both hands, as well as a chord diagram – and as mentioned earlier, they can be accessed automatically by clicking the ‘video’ icon within the text. You’re also introduced to tab notation and basic strumming.

I’m rather impressed with the first Jamorama lesson. It is clear and well presented, and covers enough material to feel like you’ve really made a start and can actually play something, but not so much as to be overwhelming for a complete beginner.

The Table of Contents provides a useful overview of the topics covered in each chapter.

The Preface is basically a welcome message from Ben Edwards, Jamorama’s creator, that explains what you can hope to gain from the Jamorama guitar course (in a nutshell, the ability to fluenty play pretty much any song you hear).

The Introduction tells you how to get the most out of the Jamorama course by explaining how it’s laid out, and then shows you the basics that you absolutely must understand before you actually begin playing – that is, how to hold the guitar correctly in both sitting and standing positions, how to position your right hand to play the notes cleanly and avoid injury, how to fret the notes and how to hold the guitar pick. There are also labelled photos of the acoustic and electric guitars, so you can learn to identify the different parts.

So far, so clear – next, in Lesson 1, you actually begin playing the guitar.