Our story · since 1992

From hobby to the leading guitar platform of the Low Countries

What began as a passion for guitar grew into the leading online learning platform for 65,000+ guitarists in the Netherlands and Belgium — built by Jan van der Heide.

65.000+

members

25.000+

songs & chords

4.7★

600+ reviews

1992

where it began

Jan van der Heide, founder of Gitaartabs

Founded & run by one guitarist

Hi, I'm Jan

How nice that you want to know who's behind Gitaartabs. It started in 1992, at technical college: I wanted to learn to play guitar and borrowed a classical guitar from a friend. Because I had a lot of music theory from playing piano in my head, I started translating it to the guitar — and wrote everything down on paper. That was, without me knowing it, the beginning of Gitaartabs.

At engineering college (Industrial Automation) in Utrecht we had to build a website for a programming course. I set one up at home too; the guitar lessons caught on the most. From 30 visitors a month I went to 100 a day. I converted my lessons to HTML, uploaded everything via the 56k modem and made the images in Paint. I never had any doubt about the name: Gitaartabs.

To turn it into a real learning platform, I started working with trained guitar teachers, a cameraman and a studio. Since then Gitaartabs has grown into the leading online guitar platform of the Netherlands and Belgium — with ProTabs to play along live, our own guitar book and an app. And I still build on it every day.

“Gitaartabs has one goal: to help every guitarist learn to play better — whether you're picking up your first chord or reaching for the next level.”
— Jan van der Heide, founder

I don't do it alone: together with experts like Levi Akkerman (lead guitarist & co-author of the guitar book) and Lucas Steenvoorden (ProTabs guitarist) we keep the lessons, tabs and ProTabs at a high level.

From 1992 to now

1992
The beginning
Jan van der Heide wants to learn guitar at technical college and borrows a classical guitar. He translates his piano theory to the guitar and writes out his own lessons, tabs and chords — without knowing it, the beginning of Gitaartabs.
1998
Engineering + music
During his engineering studies (Industrial Automation) in Utrecht, Jan builds a website for a programming course. The guitar lessons on it catch on the most — the first online version of Gitaartabs is born.
The very first site: “Nederlandse Top TABS” at turn.to/guitar (1998).
2000s
Growth of the website
From 30 visitors a month to 100 a day. More and more lessons, tabs and chords go online, and Jan starts working with trained guitar teachers for his own studio recordings.
The classic Gitaartabs photo banner from the years after.
2013
Breakthrough & innovation
Thousands of visitors a day. The platform launches ProTabs: interactive streaming tabs you can play along with live.
2017
Our own guitar book
Publication of the 'Step by Step Guitar Lesson Handbook', written by Jan van der Heide and Levi Akkerman.
2020
Market leader in the Low Countries
Gitaartabs is considered the largest guitar-focused website in the Netherlands and Belgium.
2022
App launch
The official Gitaartabs app appears in the App Store — lessons and ProTabs, anywhere and always at hand.
Today
A renewed learning platform
The latest chapter: a completely renewed, lightning-fast learning platform with 65,000+ members, 25,000+ songs and lessons from beginner to advanced. Newest addition: ProChords — chords that are recognised automatically and follow along with the video.