Short version: if you need breadth (genres, styles, gear, songs, a bit of everything), a big library like JamPlay, GuitarTricks or TrueFire is the logical shape. If you've played for years and your solos still sound like the same three box shapes, a single focused method is usually a better fit. The catch is that a focused method only helps if its approach matches your problem. This page helps you work out which situation you're in.
Transparency note: this comparison is based on each company's public pages and general public information. We aren't claiming hands-on time with every platform. Libraries, features and prices change, so confirm current details on each official site before paying.
What you're actually choosing between
These are two different product philosophies, not just "bigger vs smaller."
- Huge lesson libraries (JamPlay, GuitarTricks, TrueFire) are built around volume: many instructors, many styles, many levels. You pick what you want and build your own path, or follow whatever guided routes the platform offers.
- One focused method (Adam Loves Guitar, as positioned in its own marketing) is built around a single outcome, better lead playing, taught through one consistent approach. Check the official Adam Loves Guitar page for what's included and how it's delivered.
Side-by-side overview
| Factor | Large libraries (JamPlay / GuitarTricks / TrueFire) | Focused soloing method |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Broad: many styles, instructors and topics | Narrow: lead playing and improvisation |
| Who sets your path | Mostly you, with some guided options | The course sequence |
| Teaching voice | Many, with varying approaches | One, consistent |
| Main risk | Choice overload; collecting lessons instead of finishing them | Wrong fit if you need other skills too |
| Best for | Variety, genre exploration, curious players | Players with a specific soloing plateau |
| Pricing and trials | Check each official site | Check the official site |
Where the big libraries genuinely win
- Range. Want to learn country chicken-picking this month and jazz voicings next? One subscription covering both is hard to beat.
- Multiple teachers. If one instructor's explanation doesn't click, another may. That matters more than people admit.
- Song and style lessons. Learning real material from named players or genres can teach phrasing in context.
For a deeper look at the subscription-vs-course question specifically for pentatonic playing, see Is a subscription site like GuitarTricks or TrueFire better than a one-off course for learning pentatonic soloing?
Where they tend to struggle for soloing plateaus
Being straight about it: the usual failure with big libraries isn't poor content, it's the lack of a forced sequence. Experienced players tend to cherry-pick licks, watch a few lessons, feel productive, and keep playing the same way. Licks are not the same as a system for choosing notes, targeting chord tones and building phrases.
If your problem is "I know the scales but can't make them sound musical," ask whether a library gives you one coherent route through that, or leaves you to assemble one. Some platforms offer guided paths, so check what each currently provides.
Recommended for youAdam Loves Guitar vs JustinGuitar: Free Structured Lessons or a Focused Soloing System?Where a focused method wins, and its tradeoffs
Wins: one vocabulary, one progression of ideas, less decision fatigue. If your goal is soloing, everything on the syllabus is supposed to serve it.
Tradeoffs:
- Less breadth. It won't replace a library if you also want rhythm styles, songs, or theory outside soloing.
- One teaching style. If it doesn't suit you, you have fewer alternatives inside the same product.
- No method fixes a lack of practice. Results depend on what you do with the material, and nobody can guarantee them.
How to decide: practical steps
- Record yourself soloing for two minutes over a backing track. Note what bothers you: repetitive phrasing, missing the changes, weak timing, or technique limits.
- Name the gap. Repetitive phrasing and chord-change awareness point toward a structured soloing method. Wanting new genres or songs points toward a library.
- Read the official curriculum pages. Check whether the content matches your gap, not just your level.
- Look at trials, refund terms and cancellation policies on each official site. Don't rely on third-party summaries, including this one.
- Commit to a 4-6 week test. Set a schedule, finish lessons in order, and re-record yourself at the end. If the recording sounds the same, the fit is wrong.
Can you combine them?
Yes, and plenty of players do. A library can supply breadth while a focused method handles the soloing work. Just avoid running both at once, because that leads to switching content constantly. Pick one primary track and use the other as a supplement.
Keep comparing
- For the full picture across competitors, start with Adam Loves Guitar vs Alternatives.
- If you're weighing multiple soloing options, see Best Guitar Soloing Courses Compared: Top Picks for Intermediate Players.
- Considering free lessons? Read Adam Loves Guitar vs JustinGuitar and Is JustinGuitar enough to learn to solo?
- Looking at beginner apps? See Adam Loves Guitar vs Fender Play and Yousician and Is Fender Play any good for intermediate guitarists who want to improvise?
- Curious about independent teachers? Try Adam Loves Guitar vs Guitareo, Marty Music, Rock Guitar Universe, Paul Davids, Guitar Mastery Method and ArtistWorks.
Bottom line
Choose a huge library if you want variety and you're disciplined enough to build your own path. Choose a focused method if soloing is the specific thing holding you back and you'd rather follow a sequence than design one. Either way, verify current content, pricing and terms on the official sites before you commit.
Keep reading
Adam Loves Guitar vs Fender Play and Yousician: Beginner Apps vs a Soloing Course for Players Stuck in a RutShort answer: Fender Play and Yousician are built mainly around getting new players going: chords,…
Adam Loves Guitar vs Guitareo, Marty Music, Rock Guitar Universe, Paul Davids, Guitar Mastery Method and ArtistWorksIf you've been playing for years and your solos keep circling the same three box shapes, the questi…
Is JustinGuitar enough to learn to solo, or do I need a separate soloing course?Short answer: JustinGuitar is a strong, well-regarded foundation, and it does include material beyo…