“I am very impressed with YGA. Their video explanations are thorough, and the supporting images, text and tabs are well thought out and very useful. Other video tutorial services (and especially YouTube producers) tend to neglect the importance of supporting reference materials.
I was first introduced via their Jimi Hendrix style course, which explained this man's techniques and underlying theory much more thoroughly than any other sources I've found.
After YGA switched to the subscription model, I took a few steps back and am working my way through the Intermediate Pathway. It is filling in some gaps in my knowledge that will help better prepare me for the Hendrix and David Gilmour material, and beyond.
Highly recommended - high quality lessons produced with care, and very affordable.”
“YGA has given me all I need to progress as a guitarist. It is a structured learning program, so you have a clear learning path. The video presentations are clear and complete, and as an extra bonus, you can try to emulate your guitar heroes. I am starting to sound like B.B. King. I never thought that would ever happen.”
“The YGA Club is simply a great return on investment. Having access to so many learning courses and an excellent community chatroom is brilliant. Also, I think what makes an immense difference when compared to other guitar learning sites is the sense that we are not just "another" member. Dan and his team take the time to know us personally and in my case respond to specific targets I am setting myself in the hope of becoming a better guitar player. Love it!”
“What are the essential ingredients of an effective learning regime? There may be many opinions, but most of them will include
• A clear, concise, and structured teaching and learning program.
• Quality instructors who not only know the material, but also are able to translate this into meaningful chunks to impel students to new understandings.
• A community of learners willing to share their experiences and to provide mutual support in a strong collaborative environment.
• Constructive feedback that alerts the learner not only to where they are now, but also points them to the ways they can move to the next stage.
Over recent years I have become a “collector” of guitar instruction courses, YouTube videos and material from guitar tab websites. While they all provide insights to a guitar “destination”, few clearly articulate the nuances of the journey or provide the various resources to surmount the myriad hurdles on the way to that destination.
Recently I found “Your Guitar Academy(YGA)”, and in a very short time have found it to be the closest thing to the “effective learning regime” outlined above.
• YGA provides each student with a structured pathway of learning experiences based on a brief set of answers about experience and interest. The pathway is not necessarily unique to every student, but it is supplemented with a diverse array of other learning units that can be explored alongside this pathway.
• Through the associated Discord community, YGA allows students to upload a progress review video once a month for other students and YGA mentors to provide feedback. This takes place in a collaborative and mutually supportive environment.
• The mentors not only “know their stuff” but are able to point to issues with technique and other elements of guitar craft that identify what students might explore to develop and improve.
• These mentors also provide quality supplementary instructional material to complement the lesson pathways on the YGA club website.
• Students can record the amount of time spent on the various parts of their learning path which provides an element of self-assessment of progress.
I am neither an experienced, nor particularly talented guitarist, but in a month with YGA have made a significant leap in my understanding of the instrument, the theory of music and the repertoire of meaningful and enjoyable rhythm and solo guitar playing. YGA does not of itself make you a better player, but it does provide the tools and stimulus to guide anyone who makes a commitment to becoming a better player. Having a clear map of the journey, a powerful set of learning experiences, and quality feedback provides the scaffold for learning. It also nurtures during those moments of self-doubt about whether you have what it takes to be a more proficient guitarist.”
“For an online learning platform, the communication and approach is very personal. The learning path that is generated based on the specified level fits perfectly. I am enthusiastic about what is on offer.”
“YGA Club... is the number one place to be if you're looking to learn guitar in a very well-thought-out structure in a friendly community of like-minded guitarists. If you're like me (a beginner) and tried to learn the guitar by scouring different sites on the internet and learnt a few things along the way (including some bad habits!) and have not been able to have face-to-face lessons due to time, other commitments and cost, then you need to check out their site! It's superb! My guitar eventually became your typical piece of art and sat getting dusty on the wall but now I can't put it down!
What is great about the YGA club is it provides you with a learning pathway to follow as your core learning which will teach you all the essential skills needed to reach your goals. There are player studies along the way too to help you understand the way they play and how that links into the skills you have learnt so far. The music theory lab is also very easy to follow and helps you understand what you're playing on the guitar and why it works. The pathway has been very inspiring for me as it’s given me properly structured lessons with goals and milestones to aim for and already I can see improvements.
The discord community is another great feature where you can submit your progress and receive feedback from the mentors as if you were having face-to-face lessons. It's also a great place to ask any questions on playing, equipment and general advice with others in the club.
Thanks to Dan and the rest of the YGA team for putting this great site together!”
