Sonora vs Guitar Tricks, TrueFire and JamPlay
Guitar Tricks, TrueFire and JamPlay are on-demand video lesson libraries. You pay monthly or yearly and work through the lessons on your own. Sonora pairs you with a working guitarist who gives you feedback on your playing, plus a structured curriculum and live weekly group classes. It also costs much more.
This page is for intermediate players deciding between the two. It covers what each costs, what each does well, and when the cheaper option is the right one.
By Spencer Handley, founder of Sonora · Published · Updated
Side by side
The three libraries differ in catalog and teachers, but they work the same way, so they share a column here.
| Category | Guitar Tricks, TrueFire and JamPlay | Sonora |
|---|---|---|
| Format | On-demand video lessons, song tutorials, tabs and jam tracks. You choose what to watch and work through it on your own. | A structured curriculum, a dedicated mentor and live weekly group classes. |
| Feedback on your playing | None by default. The lessons cannot hear you, so you decide for yourself whether you are playing it right. | You send recordings of your playing and your mentor, a working guitarist, tells you what to fix next. |
| Structure | Learning paths and method courses you can follow, alongside a large catalog you can browse in any order. | A curriculum built for your level, with your mentor setting what you work on each week. |
| Live classes | Mostly recorded. JamPlay runs live webcam sessions with its instructors and TrueFire hosts occasional member events. | Yes, live weekly group classes with our mentors. |
| Price | Guitar Tricks: Full Access is $29.95 a month, and the annual plan saves $60 a year.TrueFire: All Access annual was $77.88 for the year, marked as 69% off, with a 7-day free trial.JamPlay: All Access (JamPlay plus TrueFire) is $29 a month, or $8.25 a month billed yearly. | Beginner Bootcamp: 12 weeks from $297, or $1,497 with a mentor. Core Program: 3 to 12 months, with tuition quoted after a free consultation (how tuition is set). |
| Best for | Self-directed players on a budget who want a huge catalog of songs and techniques to pull from. | Intermediate players who have been stuck for a while and want a musician to hear them play and give them a plan. |
Competitor prices checked on each company's own pricing page on November 13, 2026. They run sales often, so check the linked pages for today's price.
When a lesson library is the better choice
For a lot of players, a library is the right call. We would tell you so on a consultation, too.
- Your budget is tight. A full year of any of these costs less than the Beginner Bootcamp with a mentor.
- You learn well on your own. If you can watch a lesson, hear what is off in your own playing and fix it, you may not need anyone else listening yet.
- You mostly want songs. Song tutorials with tabs and slowed-down video are what these sites do best.
- You want range. Thousands of lessons across styles and teachers is more material than any one program will cover, and that is useful when you are exploring.
When a mentor is worth it
- You have been stuck for years. You know your chords and a stack of songs, and you sound about the same as you did two or three years ago.
- No one hears your playing. Without someone listening, it is hard to know whether the problem is your timing, your hands or what you are practicing. A mentor hears it and tells you.
- You need structure. If you open a library, browse for twenty minutes and end up playing the same things you always play, a plan built for you and someone checking in on it will help more than another course.
For a wider look that includes local teachers and lesson marketplaces, see our guide to online guitar lessons for adults.
What Sonora costs
- Beginner Bootcamp. 12 weeks for new players or anyone coming back after a long break. It starts at $297, or $1,497 with a mentor (see the Bootcamp).
- Core Program. For players who already play and feel stuck. It runs 3 to 12 months, and tuition depends on the length, the level of mentorship and how you pay. We recommend a program and quote tuition after a free consultation. Two students in the same program on the same payment plan pay the same.
- Live weekly group classes with our mentors come with enrollment.
Read how Sonora tuition is set for financing and payment plans.
Common questions
Is Sonora an app?
No. Sonora is a mentorship program. You get a structured curriculum and a dedicated mentor, a working guitarist who reviews recordings of your playing and tells you what to work on next, plus live weekly group classes and a private community of players at your level.
Can I use Guitar Tricks and Sonora together?
Yes, and some players do. A library is a good place to pick up a song or look up a technique. Your mentor can point you to what is worth your time and keep you from collecting lessons you never finish. The Sonora curriculum is built to fill your practice week, so a second subscription is optional.
Which is better for an intermediate player?
It depends on what is holding you back. If you are still making steady progress on your own and mostly want new material, a library is the better value. If you have been at the same level for a year or more and cannot tell what to fix, more videos rarely help. That is when someone hearing your playing is worth the extra cost.
How much is Sonora?
The Beginner Bootcamp is 12 weeks and starts at $297, or $1,497 with a mentor. The Core Program, for players who already play and feel stuck, runs 3 to 12 months. Its tuition depends on the length, the level of mentorship and how you pay, and we quote it after a free consultation. It costs much more than a lesson library.
Who teaches at Sonora?
Every Sonora mentor is a working musician, with touring, session and teaching careers. Full-time mentors include Arianna Powell, a touring and session guitarist currently with Olivia Rodrigo; Jamey Arent, a session and touring guitarist who teaches blues, jazz, funk, soul and rock; and Ross Martin, a bluegrass and acoustic guitarist. Guest lecturers teach as well. You can read every profile on the mentors page.
Not sure which one you need?
Watch the free training on getting past a plateau, or apply and talk it through with a mentor on a free call. If a library is the better fit, we will tell you.