tonebase is confusing! Am I missing something?

Stephen_McCurry
Yesterday
12replies

I find the tonebase website hard to navigate with no clear learning path that connects all of the videos. Am I missing something in the navigation?

- Michelle_Roper
- Yesterday
- Reported - view
Hello Stephen

I don't think you are missing anything. Whilst I think tonebase is a great site and has a lot of valuable learning courses I find that the courses offered are geared more towards intermediate to advance players. A lot of what is available is way over my pay grade. I am nowhere near experienced enough to take advantage of the material on offer.

Also there is no structure for a beginner to learn and develope into a better player.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

Michelle
- robertm923
- Yesterday
- Reported - view
While I don't completely disagree with you, I don't think there is a better website for classical guitar out there. It seems that they have super quality guitarist that often teach a short lesson on technique or skill, which I doubt you'd get anywhere else. However, your correct, there's not a lot off hand holding as in, first learn this and next learn that.

Maybe that is more geared to a slightly advanced player, but I feel it's worth the effort to map out your own journey. I think the quality of the teachers and what is being taught is exceptional you may need to find and build your own (sort of) program. I tried more than a few sites out there and this is the best (for me).
- Jacques_farmer
- Yesterday
- Reported - view
Completely. It’s very easy once you log in and create your own programme.
- Retired
- Andre_Bernier
- 20 hrs ago
- Reported - view
Many missed the structure provided by the Level System.

On the home page, just go to ''Your Level''. You can take the quiz that will help you define the level you are at. Then check your specific level. There is a full list of courses, thechnical lessons and repertoire you can work on.

For the repertoire you can also check in the Forum the Level system section.

This is not perfect but with these tools you can certainly developp your own learning path.

Good luck
- Michelle_Roper
  
  3 hrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Hi Andre I have done that. taken the quiz and it placed me in a level that was way too hard for me. When I joined tonebase I did the beginner course but going from that to the next level was just too hard. I have a private teacher and he said that level two was more for intermediate players not a beginner.
  
  Cheers
  
  M
- Ray_Matthews
- 20 hrs ago
- Reported - view
I agree. While I find an occasional lesson on a technique or piece of music helpful, the site doesn't seem to offer a clear pathway for beginners to progress through levels.
- “Do or do not. There is no try”
- Michelle_P
- 17 hrs ago
- Reported - view
I've been a Tonebase member since Sept 2024 and came onboard as a mostly self-taught acoustic guitarist. I'll admit that I found it confusing at first. Yes, there is the level system, and no, there is no real hand holding, And I did go through a few beginner programs elsewhere, and also passed the Grade 1 exams on another website. But I realized the amount of superior content here, and I knew I would appreciate it more and more as I moved along my classical guitar journey. I was smart enough to purchase a lifetime membership before I retired. And I'm taking advantage of coaching with Premium+. It's now become my favorite learning platform.
- Stephen_McCurry
  
  16 hrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Thank you for sharing. I was considering the Premium+ because of wanting more direction, but was hesitant due to my current impression of the site. Maybe I will try it out.
- Steven_Bornfeld
  
  16 hrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  I think it's likely to be money (and time) well-spent. I don't think of the membership as a substitute for a teacher, but more a way to enrich what you're learning and apply it to repertoire. I have a teacher, and a second that I see periodically. The coaching sounds as if it would be more like assuming the function of a teacher.
- Michelle_Roper
  
  3 hrs ago
  
  Reported - view
  Hi Steven, I agree with you. Whilst I struggle with a lot of the material that will not be always the case. I am a life member and for good reasons, because I can see that a lot of what is on tonebase will, in the future, be very valuable.
  
  Cheers
  
  M
- LIVE
- martin.3
- 2 hrs ago
- Reported - view
, you're not missing anything, Stephen, and this is exactly the kind of feedback we want to hear. tonebase started as a library of master classes, and the structural connective tissue between them is something we're actively working to add. Andre's pointer to the Level System is a helpful starting point, and the fact that the quiz placed Michelle Roper too high is exactly the friction we need to fix. We've launched a set of guided practice tracks for guitar that walk through specific pieces and techniques in a clear week-by-week sequence, with more coming to cover broader repertoire and levels. If you want a teacher's hand on the wheel inside the platform, Premium+ coaching is the closest thing to that.
- Richard_M_Levy
- 4 min ago
- Reported - view
I believe one of the challenges is that some of the videos assume a very high level of playing. For many of us who are not music students, fundamental issues, such as fingering, are often overlooked. In several cases, the videos focus almost entirely on interpretation, which is certainly valuable if you already know the piece. However, if there is only one lesson per piece and it is geared toward an advanced player, it becomes very difficult for others to learn the work at all.

Many of the videos are excellent, but it might be helpful to provide some guidelines for those creating content. For example, a simple template could ensure that key foundational elements, such as, fingering, basic technique, and initial learning strategies, are consistently addressed alongside interpretation