Beginner Guitar Lessons (Mac, $39.95/Win, $49.95) from iPlayMusic uses video, animation, and interactive technologies and takes advantage of Apple's GarageBand, iTunes, and iWeb to teach basic guitar techniques. Not only can students view the lessons on their Macintosh, but they can also view them on a Video iPod, allowing them to take lessons anywhere. The Windows version includes a bundled copy of Sony Acid XMC.

Levels 1 and 2 are combined in one program to give more than four hours of video in 140 lessons. Level 1 presents guitar basics, chords, strumming patterns, and transitions. Students are shown more than 25 popular rock, blues, and country songs by artists such as the Beatles and Eric Clapton. Level 2 introduces riffs, licks, and tricks that expand on the styles shown in level 1 and adds reggae and 12-bar-blues styles, including tunes by the likes of the Grateful Dead, Leadbelly, and Bob Marley. Students also record their performances and use iTunes to share them with friends.

For each lesson, the screen is divided into four sections so students can see the technique from various angles. Lessons include guitar-chord videos, scrolling lyrics, tips on riffs, and more. You can add or remove the guitar tablature and scrolling lyrics sections. iPlayMusic; tel. (866) 594-33 44; email sales@iplaymusic.com; Web www.iplaymusic.com.