Online music tutorials (OMT) play a major role in current informal music learning, and their accessibility makes them appealing to amateurs and students within formal programs as well. Music self-efficacy (MSE) influences students' confidence and persistence, affects learning and performance and therefore is an important educational factor. The study explores the influences of users' OMT preferences (autonomy OMT vs dependent OMT) and their learning and playing habits, on their MSE. Results show prediction of high MSE through the use of autonomy OMT, co-playing, studying music with a teacher, hours spent playing per week and self-esteem, as well as a prediction of low MSE through the use of dependent OMT. Since MSE is crucial for students' learning process, we argue that during formal learning, music teachers should make a calculated reference to the informal learning habit of using OMT. We further discuss some implications and recommendations for educators addressing informal use of tutorials. Formal pedagogies nowadays are facing challenges from both private internet schools (Overland, 2017) and from the vast options available for the independent learner. Voices in the field of music education have been calling for the adoption of informal methods and materials, claiming it binds community learning with creativity and modern technology (Green, 2002, 2017; Burnard, 2007). A popular informal learning method is in the form of OMT, whether used by amateur musicians learning to play new pieces (Bhatia, 2018; Barthet et al., 2011) or by musical communities sharing information and methods (Waldron & Veblen, 2009). There are advantages informal education adoption of such techniques, as well as arranging, producing and online performing. Exposing students to those methods would help them acquire lifelong skills (Cayari, 2015). However, trying to learn something new online nowadays, particularly a new piece of music, means swimming in a vast sea of options that differ from one another in style and depth, and are so easily accessed (Lian, 2016). Identifying quality within the quantity becomes a challenge for the average user, as does appreciating the impact of selected OMT on one's music abilities and MSE. We believe that fostering an independent learner is part of an educator's responsibility; that independent learning takes an inevitable parallel path to formal learning; and that pointing students towards ways to elevate their MSE is achievable by imparting on them proper ways of evaluating materials and sorting them.

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