Guitar Start Guide
If you are searching for a Pickup Music review, you probably want to know three things: what you get, what it costs, and whether it beats the other guitar subscriptions. Pickup Music is a modern, teacher-led platform that is best suited to learners who like structured pathways and live classes and who do not mind a yearly subscription. This page covers the lessons, the teachers, the price, who it suits, and how it compares with Fender Play, Guitar Tricks, JustinGuitar and Jamorama. It is based on Pickup Music’s own published pages and public feedback, not on personal use.
Song-based lessons that listen to your playing and give instant feedback — a low-pressure way for beginners to start.
Try Simply Guitar free →- What it is: Pickup Music is a subscription for structured video lessons in guitar, bass and piano, taught by working musicians, with a 14-day free trial.
- Price (October 2026): $29.99 a month, or $179.99 billed yearly ($14.99 a month) on the official pricing page. Prices and plans change.
- Best for: players who want a modern, teacher-led curriculum and are happy to keep paying a yearly fee.
- Main limit: it is a subscription, so access depends on staying subscribed, and recorded lessons cannot hear you play.
- If you would rather pay once: a one-time course such as Jamorama is a different model, covered below.
Disclosure: this page contains affiliate links to Jamorama. We may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you (how we are funded). We have no commercial relationship with Pickup Music and are not paid by it. Pickup Music is a trademark of its owner; this page is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Pickup Music.
What is Pickup Music?
Pickup Music is an online music-learning platform. According to its official site, it covers guitar, bass and piano, with drums listed as coming in 2027. One membership covers the instruments, which is unusual: most guitar-focused services sell guitar only. The founder, Sam Blakelock, is described in third-party coverage as a jazz guitarist with a master’s degree in jazz guitar, though we have not verified that independently.
The site pitches the service as an alternative to private lessons. It compares a yearly membership with the cost of weekly in-person teaching, which is a fair way to frame it: the realistic alternative for many adults is not another app but a teacher.
How the lessons work
Pickup Music’s core product is the Learning Pathway. On the official pricing page, the guitar curriculum is organised into six grades. Each grade is described as daily lessons and practice exercises that explain what is happening behind the music, with play-along exercises and interactive workouts. Each grade builds toward playing a song with a live-recorded backing band.
A few practical points from the official description:
- Self-paced. Lessons are on demand and the “days” in a pathway are suggestions, not deadlines.
- Short courses. Many titles are framed as “in 7 days” or “in 10 days” (for example, a walking bass course), which suits learners who want a quick, focused win.
- Live and personal support. The site mentions weekly live lessons and one-to-one video feedback from coaches on playing you submit. The pricing page does not spell out which of these come with which plan, so confirm what your plan includes before you pay.
- Devices. The site says it syncs across desktop, tablet and mobile. Some older reviews mention no mobile app, so check the current state in your app store.
Like most video platforms, it cannot hear you. You watch, copy and self-correct. That is the same limit we flag in our Fender Play review and it is the main reason some learners add a mic-based app or an occasional teacher. Our guide to apps versus a teacher covers when that matters.
Who teaches on Pickup Music?
The official site lists a large roster of working musicians rather than one on-screen face. Guitar instructors named on the homepage include Karl Kerfoot, Seth Rosenbloom, Dr. Molly Miller, John Storie, Sam Blakelock, Spencer Askin, Daniel Donato and Melanie Faye. Bass and piano have their own teachers. Third-party reviews describe the instructors as likeable and engaging, though we cannot judge that ourselves.
The upside of a big roster is variety of style and personality. The downside is the one every multi-teacher platform has: you may click with some instructors and not others, and the voice of the course can change between grades.
How much does Pickup Music cost?
At the time of writing (October 2026), the official pricing page lists two plans and a free trial:
| Plan | Price shown | Billing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $29.99 a month | Monthly | Cancel from your account page |
| 12 months | $14.99 a month ($179.99 billed yearly) | Yearly | Labelled “Save 50%” by Pickup Music |
| Free trial | 14 days | None during trial | You are not charged if you cancel during the trial; Pickup Music says it sends a reminder before it ends |
Pickup Music also advertises a 60-day money-back guarantee for first-time customers who sign up through its website, if you are not satisfied with your progress. The pricing page does not explain how the trial and the guarantee interact, so read the terms and help centre before you rely on it. Prices and plans change and can vary by region, and older reviews quote different figures, so check the live page.
For context, the yearly plan is the one that matters if you intend to keep going: it is far cheaper per month, but it is a commitment of roughly $180 up front. For how this compares with other monthly models, see our guides to Fender Play cost and Guitar Tricks cost.
What do users say?
On Trustpilot, the Pickup Music profile showed a TrustScore of 4.9 out of 5 from 783 reviews when we checked in October 2026. Reviewers most often mention structured pathways, engaging instructors, live lessons and feedback, and the value of one membership covering several instruments. Common complaints are that the mobile app can feel buggy and that some course content felt basic. Trustpilot itself notes that the company had not recently invited customers to review, so the sample may not be representative. Treat this as one data point, not a verdict.
Strengths and limits
Where Pickup Music looks strong
- A real curriculum. Six grades with a performance goal give a clearer spine than a loose library.
- Teacher variety and style range. Working musicians teaching in their own genres.
- Live and feedback options. Rare among video subscriptions, if included in your plan.
- Multi-instrument value. Useful if you also want bass or piano.
- A longer-than-usual trial. 14 days is enough to judge the teaching style.
Where it may not fit
- It is a subscription. Stop paying and access ends. You never own the lessons.
- No real-time feedback from software. It will not tell you when a note is wrong unless you submit playing to a coach.
- Higher monthly price than some rivals. $29.99 monthly is steep if you only stay for a couple of months; the yearly plan is the sensible one.
- App experience unknown to us. We have not used it, so we can only point to public feedback about the app.
Pickup Music vs Fender Play, Guitar Tricks, JustinGuitar and Jamorama
| Feature | Pickup Music | Simply Guitar | Fender Play | Guitar Tricks | JustinGuitar | Jamorama |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Pathways, live classes, coach feedback | Song-led app lessons that listen to you | Song-first video | Large video library | Free structured lessons | Ten-part video course |
| Cost model | Subscription ($29.99 monthly or $179.99 yearly) | Free first lessons, then monthly or yearly subscription (7-day trial on the yearly plan); price shown in the app | Subscription | Subscription | Free lessons (see our guide) | One payment (about $97 on the vendor page, 30 Sep 2026) |
| Listens to you | No (coach feedback available) | Yes (through the phone mic) | No | No | No | No |
| Other instruments | Bass, piano (per its site) | Guitar (piano via the sister app) | See our review | See our review | See our guide | Guitar course only |
| Best for | Curriculum plus live support | Nervous beginners, kids, song-led practice | Song-driven beginners | Breadth and depth | Zero budget | Pay-once beginners |
We have not re-verified current prices for Fender Play, Guitar Tricks or JustinGuitar for this page, so we leave out their numbers; see our Fender Play review, Guitar Tricks review and JustinGuitar guide and check each official site. The comparison points are about format, not price tags. If you want an app that listens to you play, see our Simply Guitar review.
Free and cheaper options worth trying first
Before paying anyone, use what costs nothing. Pickup Music’s own 14-day trial is one route. JustinGuitar is another, covered in is JustinGuitar really free. Our list of free guitar apps and the roundup of guitar lessons with no monthly fee are good places to compare. If you want broader choices, the best online guitar lessons page lines them up.
Where Jamorama fits (a different approach)
Jamorama is not a Pickup Music clone, and we do not claim it is better. It is a different model. Jamorama is a ten-part guitar video course taught by Mark McKenzie. You pay once rather than subscribing, and per the vendor it runs from first chords through blues, fingerstyle and lead playing. The vendor page showed about $97 on 30 September 2026, with a 60-day refund handled by ClickBank. Prices change, so check the live offer.
Who might prefer which? Pickup Music suits you if you want several teachers, live classes, possible coach feedback and one account for guitar plus bass or piano. Jamorama may suit you if you want one fixed course, one payment and no renewal date. Jamorama is also guitar-only, has no live classes, and does not listen to you either. One more thing to know: public Trustpilot reviews of Jamorama include 2023-2025 complaints about account access and support, as we note in our full Jamorama review. If that worries you, the refund window exists for a reason, and you can read the numbers in Jamorama price and the head-to-head Jamorama vs Guitar Tricks.
Check the current Jamorama price on the official page →
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Price and refund wording checked 30 September 2026; confirm before buying.
Is Pickup Music worth it?
For a learner who values teacher personality, a graded curriculum and live support, and who will commit to a year, the published information suggests Pickup Music is a serious option, and the free trial lets you check the fit at no cost. It is less compelling if you only want a few months of lessons, expect software to correct your playing, or dislike subscriptions. Start with the trial, decide on the yearly plan only after a couple of weeks of actual practice, and set a reminder before it ends.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pickup Music good for beginners?
Yes, it is built with beginners in mind: the guitar curriculum starts at grade one. Reviews note that some early material can feel basic for people with prior experience, which is a reasonable trade-off for a true beginner.
How much does Pickup Music cost?
At the time of writing (October 2026) the official page lists $29.99 a month or $179.99 billed yearly. Check the live page, as prices and promotions change.
Does Pickup Music have a free trial?
Yes, a 14-day free trial is listed on the pricing page. You are not charged if you cancel during the trial, and the company says it sends a reminder before it ends.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Pickup Music advertises a 60-day money-back guarantee for first-time customers who sign up through its website. Read the terms for how it works alongside the trial.
Can I cancel Pickup Music anytime?
The site says you can cancel with a button on your account page, and that membership stays active until the paid period ends. Confirm the current terms before subscribing.
Does Pickup Music teach acoustic and electric guitar?
The official pages describe guitar courses broadly and do not set out a separate acoustic or electric syllabus, so check the course catalogue for the style you want.
Is Pickup Music better than Fender Play?
It depends on what you want. Pickup Music emphasises graded pathways, teacher variety and live support; Fender Play emphasises song-first lessons and polished production. Compare both trials where available, and see our Fender Play review.
Is there a one-time-payment alternative to Pickup Music?
Yes. Jamorama is sold as a one-time payment (about $97 on the vendor page on 30 September 2026) rather than a subscription. It is guitar-only and has no live classes.
Does Pickup Music listen to my playing?
Based on its published description, the lessons are recorded video, so there is no automatic note detection. The site does describe one-to-one video feedback from coaches on playing you submit.
How we reviewed this
Last checked: October 2026. This page is based on Pickup Music’s official homepage and pricing page, its help centre, a public Trustpilot summary, third-party coverage, and our own site’s pages on the other services. We have not used Pickup Music or completed any of its lessons, so our comments on teaching quality rely on published information and public feedback. Prices and plans change; region may vary. Spotted an error? Tell us via the contact page and we will check and fix it. See our editorial policy.
What to Read Next
- Fender Play Review
- Guitar Tricks Review
- Jamorama Review
- Best Online Guitar Lessons
- Reviews & Comparisons
Prefer one structured course with no renewal date? Jamorama is a ten-part video course sold as a single payment, with a 60-day refund through ClickBank (vendor page, checked 30 September 2026).
See what’s inside Jamorama → Read our reviewAffiliate link: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We earn the same commission whatever you think of the course, and we have not used it ourselves; our comments are based on the vendor’s published information. Pickup Music is a trademark of its owner; this page is independent.