I started JustinGuitar almost 20 years ago. It's crazy how time flies.

It used to be me, a camera, a laptop, and some incredible friends helping me along the way. It looked just like this - not long ago!

Over the years, JustinGuitar accumulated more than 2,000 free guitar lessons and became an incredible Community of people from all walks of life who have one thing in common: the guitar. We're over 650,000 registered students and 2 million subscribers on my YouTube channels!

Whether you've been around for a while or just arrived, you probably know that my mission is to provide high-quality guitar education to everyone, regardless of circumstances. That's why I don't charge for most of my lessons and run the website as paywall-free as possible.

👉 The Donation System started as a way of making it possible to grow the site and still keep most of it free! If you can contribute, please consider doing so. :)

My business exists to help you meet the musician in you, inspire change, and do no harm. :) And that's how I lead my team and run my business, making sure most of the content and features available on this website are free of charge. At JustinGuitar, we believe good things will come to good people. That's always been my mantra, and that's how JustinGuitar took form.

And it's even weird to talk about this as a "we" thing or even as a business. But the thing is that it's been a few years now that I can't do it all on my own. The website has grown - you can see it, can't you? It gets better every day.

💭 And more and more great updates are coming, but that is also a topic for another day! :) From new courses to Dashboard improvements…

I've been lucky to gather an incredible Team to help me! They allow me more time to work on new lessons and courses, help me be closer to you and keep teaching guitar to as many people as possible.

But this all comes with a big responsibility and a huge bill. Maintaining a responsive website that hosts thousands of lessons and, hopefully, soon, a million students isn't a regular job! Especially when you operate all over the globe. :)

Guitar friend, don't read me wrong. I'm not complaining about the hard work that JustinGuitar requires - neither is my team working hard backstage to make JustinGuitar grow. We love what we do and love that you love it too. Over the years, JustinGuitar became a movement.

💙 The Independent once said that JustinGuitar is "one of the most influential guitar teachers in history."

I know that is keeping my pay-it-forward philosophy strong at our core. The idea is simple - it relies on the fact that we will is to give back and destinate part of our money - or time, or energy! - to help others whenever you can, without expecting back, rather than making your part in making this world a better place.

👌 Science shows that the best way to care for yourself isn't about you! ;) Learn more about the science behind paying it forward. ;)

But the most heart-warming feedback comes from my direct messages, emails, and comments. I get testimonials from all over the world from people who wouldn't have been able to learn without my lessons. The shy, people with low income, and those simply too busy to make regular lessons.

The Donation System

I count on donations to keep growing the website as paywall-free as possible, keeping a huge amount of content and resources available free of charge to anyone with an internet connection. That's my way of ensuring that my teaching can reach millions of people who can't afford paid tuition.

A 100% paywall-free website is my absolute dream - although I know this is a utopia because I work with the music industry and copyright and licenses are a reality. :)

🚨 Some things are just out of my control, like charging for verified Tabs or even pricing and availability of my guitar app. That's why these products are, at least for now, outside of JustinGuitar ASSIST - a program I want to keep growing which offers free access to paid products for students who can't afford them. But this is one more topic for another day!

For now, I just wanted you to understand why a large chunk of the site runs on donations. Without them, JustinGuitar wouldn't exist the way it does, and thousands of people would miss out on the chance to play their beloved six-string.

What Does a Donation Do?

A donation means you voluntarily contribute to the site, which doesn't include access to any of my paid products. You can set up monthly donations that you could cancel anytime or send some money here and there - whatever is better for you!

By donating, you get a truly special place in my heart and appreciation from my entire team. You help us hire more hands and brains to help us improve all the technology behind the website. 💙

But a few courses that could be free on the website, such as Music Theory, are behind a paywall. Well, here's why!

It's because, although we have over 650,000 registered students and millions of learners each year, very few percent donate - it doesn't come to 0,5% - which I get. Loads of people just genuinely can't afford to, and that's ok - that's more than ok. They are why we will always work hard to make everything as affordable as possible if I can't give it away for free!

But because of the bill that comes with the site - a few courses, like Music Theory or Strumming 1&2, can't be free - yet, at least.

🤝 Don't forget! Just contact us and we will assist you if you want to learn from an eligible paid product but can't afford it. We will give it to you!

How to Support JustinGuitar?

First, just by sticking around! :) I believe that if you choose to learn with me, it's because we vibe, and that's already making the movement stronger. Be an active member of the Community, and help beginners who arrive every day. That's paying it forward and money-free.

If you have the means, you can directly support JustinGuitar by making a monthly donation. You decide the amount and can adjust or cancel that subscription anytime from your Dashboard!

You can also send one-time contributions whenever you want. It could be every time you finish a new module or have nailed a song you love. It could be when something cool happens to you.

By donating, we're helping to keep most of JustinGuitar.com free, making it available to thousands of people who can't afford them. You help new people begin and pursue their guitar journey every day!

Do you support my free lessons? Come to say hi! :) I would love to get y'all to know each other and share a bit about your guitar journey!

What if you can't afford to donate or even buy stuff?

Absolutely nothing to worry about. And that's when the paying it forward way of life comes in. :) It's not about money; it's about doing good for other people, no matter how small that might seem.

I produce loads of free content because I know somehow you will give back to the universe! You can pay it forward without money:

Teach guitar to friends, family, and colleagues. Or someone less privileged than you?
Build a repertoire, and play a concert at a retirement home. How magical!
Make music with children! Help them discover a new activity they might love and build incredible memories with them.
Create beautiful music to express yourself. Music is a great way of showing gratitude and appreciation.
Donate old gear or instruments to charity instead of throwing them away.
Buy a coffee for the person behind you in line. Or compliment them!
Get second-hand guitars and gear instead of new ones to help the environment.
Recycle more - you can even recycle your strings!

What about one kind act to someone in your local Community for every free lesson you watch at JustinGuitar? :) The possibilities are endless. You can pay it forward every day without restructuring your life! Be alert for moments when you can make a positive difference in the world, and be brave enough to take that step.

Want to support JustinGuitar financially? Donate now!