The 5 Best Guitar Learning Apps (Reviewed and Compared)
Over a decade or two ago, learning to play the guitar was difficult. You had to learn through several lessons and a teacher. With the advancements in the internet, this has become easy for aspiring beginners. You have access to both paid and free lessons online delivered through course packs and mobile apps.
With these mobile apps, you get access to months of lessons in the palm of your hand. Not only are they accessible, but they are also very intuitive. Instead of going through lessons individually, some make the learning process fun through tests, goals, and achievements.
So, today let’s discuss some of the best guitar learning apps available. We have picked these apps as they are easy to access with free versions available for you to test out. Without much further ado, let’s get started!
Highlights: Guitar Learning Apps And Resources
Top 5 Guitar Learning Apps
- Yousician
- Fender Play
- Ultimate Guitar: Chords & Tabs
- Justin Guitar
- Guitar Tricks
Best Alternative
- Zager Guitar Lessons
Top 5 Guitar Learning Apps
1. Yousician
The Yousician app is a great app for guitarists of all levels. You get the option to personalize lessons and have them interactively delivered to you. The cutting-edge feature of this app is that it can listen to you play with real-time feedback.
Think of this app as your teacher that helps master your techniques. The lesson plan in the Yousician app has been created by expert music teachers and covers all aspects of the learning curve. It is great for both beginners and intermediate-level guitarists.
On guitar forums, many users have praised the Yousician app for the interactive way it delivers lessons. For many, it has been a game changer, whereas, for some, the free version did not do justice. One of the biggest requests from users is to include more free lessons to get a hold of the app initially.
Key Features:
- Real-time Feedback: The app listens to your playing and provides instant feedback on timing and accuracy.
- Step-by-Step Tutorials: Easy-to-follow lessons and tutorials guide you through each skill and song.
- Wide Range of Songs and Exercises: Access an extensive library of songs across various genres.
Pros:
- User-friendly interface
- Lessons cover techniques, maintenance, and theory.
Cons:
- Most advanced features require a subscription.
2. Fender Play
You know learning to play the guitar from an app run by industry leaders will be nothing but the best option. Fender Play is an app that streamlines the learning process by focusing on a structured lesson. The app has lessons chalked out between skill levels. They have manageable goals that you have to complete to proceed. You also get visual aids like videos, personalized learning paths, and a clear way to track progress. However, more advanced features are locked behind a subscription system.
The Fender Play app is generally praised by users for its overall structure. The ability to progress through lessons through a guided path helped many stay focused and engaged. Some even said that the app is like a personal tutor that you can carry around your pocket. However, some users continually request for a less expensive subscription price.
Key Features:
- High-Quality Video Lessons: Professionally filmed videos with close-up views of finger placements and strumming techniques.
- Guided Learning Paths: Customizable learning path according to personal preference
- Progress Tracking: The app tracks your progress as you complete each lesson
Pros:
- Access to lessons from professional instructors
- Well-organized curriculum
Cons:
- Limited content available in the free version
3. Ultimate Guitar: Chords & Tabs
Anyone who has tried to pick up songs on the guitar must have heard about Ultimate Guitar. What started as a website for guitar chords and tabs has now expanded to a mobile app. You get almost all the features of the website in the app. In the paid version, you get access to an even bigger collection of lessons and personal tutorials on learning the guitar. It is a great app to find the chords of almost any song you can think of.
Overall, Ultimate Guitar has been a fan favorite from the start. It is probably one of the oldest guitar aids available in the world. Users refer to it as the Wikipedia of guitar tabs. What is great about Ultimate Guitar is that it provides variations of chord diagrams for all levels of guitarists. It may not be entirely beginner-friendly, but it is a great resource to have for users.
Key Features:
- Large Database of Songs: Has over 1.4 million songs to choose from
- Chord Diagrams: Chords have proper diagrams with variations
- Offline Access: You can save songs and tabs offline.
Pros:
- Extensive song library
- Customizable tabs
Cons:
- Sometimes the content may be inaccurate.
4. Justin Guitar
Justin Guitar is the most beginner-friendly guitar-learning app out there. It was created by Justin Sandercoe who is a renowned guitarist. This app gives users access to an impressive collection of high-quality free lessons. The goal of the app is to make lessons simple and accessible to all. They have their lessons geared towards giving beginners a solid foundation in the basics.
Beginners guitarists rave about how accessible the Justin Guitar app has been in their journey. Geared towards absolute beginners, the free version of the app includes many lessons that cannot be found in other apps in the same class.
Key Features:
- Comprehensive Beginner Course: Has a well-structured course catered for beginners
- Play-Along Songs: You get to play along with the song of choice.
- Practice Schedules: You can customize your lesson pack to your liking
Pros:
- The majority of the content is available for free
- Lessons are methodically organized
- Ideal for those starting the learning journey
Cons:
- Has fewer resources compared to other paid apps
5. Guitar Tricks
Guitar Tricks is another app that has been in the game for a very long time. Like Ultimate Guitar, they were one of the first ones in the industry that earned a good reputation in the guitar learning community. It was established way back in 1998 and has been a go-to app for online guitar lessons for the masses. You get access to articulate lessons that aim to teach you all things guitar for all levels of guitarists.
Guitar Tricks is loved by intermediate to expert guitarists. They have the most diverse collection of lessons that even tap into advanced levels of skills. Users love the step-by-step approach to learning new songs with quality better than most.
Key Features:
- Step-by-Step Video Lessons: Very detailed and structured video tutorials
- Variety of Music Genres: Additionally you get access to categorize genres
- Interactive Tools: Has tools like chord finder, tuner, and metronome
Pros:
- Lessons created by experienced instructors
- Great for those looking to learn advanced techniques
- The diverse content covers a wide range of techniques and styles, suitable for any guitarist looking to broaden their repertoire.
Cons:
- Pricer than others on this list
Comparison of the Top 5 Apps
| App Name | Usability | Content Quality | Cost | Overall |
| Yousician | User-friendly interface | High-quality tutorials and a broad song range | Free version with subscription | Real-time feedback |
| Fender Play | Structured, easy-to-navigate | Professional, high-quality videos | Limited content in the free version | Structured lesson plan with a step-by-step learning path |
| Ultimate Guitar | Extensive resource with chord diagrams | Extensive collection of user-contributed tabs | Mostly free; premium features are found in the pro version | Vast library for players |
| Justin Guitar | Extremely user-friendly for beginners | High-quality beginner lessons | Mostly free; donations accepted | Excellent for beginners |
| Guitar Tricks | Straightforward with helpful tools | Diverse lesson content | Subscription required for full access | A bit pricey but worth the investment for serious users |
Choosing the Right App for You
When selecting a guitar learning app, here’s how you can narrow down your choices and pick the right app for you.
| Choosing the Right App for You | Details |
|---|---|
| Identify Your Learning Style | Visual Learners: Fender Play, Guitar Tricks (high-quality videos) Auditory Learners: Yousician (real-time audio feedback) Hands-On Learners: Ultimate Guitar (chords and diagrams) |
| Set Your Goals | Beginners: Justin Guitar (comprehensive beginner courses), Yousician (step-by-step tutorials) Intermediate Players: Guitar Tricks, Fender Play (broad techniques and styles) Song Learning: Ultimate Guitar (vast song library) |
| Try Before You Buy | Explore Free Trials: Guitar Tricks, Fender Play Use Free Versions: Justin Guitar, Yousician Check for Flexibility: Look for flexible subscription plans |
Great Alternative: Zager Guitar Lessons
Zager Guitar Lessons is a great alternative to check out if you want a simple yet descriptive way to learn how to play the guitar. It was designed by Denny Zager himself, and aimed at speeding up the process for beginners and intermediate players. Members can access over 150 hours of streaming lessons and a vast collection of Easy Play tabs
Key Features:
- Comprehensive guide Zager guitar instruction manual (8th edition)
- Lifetime membership to constantly updated resources.
- Numerous courses on writing & arranging music
- Insights on Zager’s unique easy-play finger pattern system
- Live guitar lessons with Denny Zager
- Content created for children and young adults
- One-to-one conversations from the Zager team
- Personal instruction sections of up to 104 hours.
- More than 1700 fully illustrated easy-play guitar tabs
- More than 270 in-depth demonstrations
- Private in-studio videotaped guitar lessons and guitar set-up, tuning & adjustment videos
Frequently Asked Questions
Justin Guitar and Youcisian are great apps for beginner guitarists. They have a vast number of free lessons but are still locked behind a subscription after a trial period. Youcisian is especially great since you get real-time feedback.
Most of these apps are suitable for advanced players. These advanced lessons are available behind a subscription wall. However, you have access to 11,000 lessons that cover everything from techniques to play styles.
Since all of these are mobile apps you don’t need anything but a guitar. You may invest in a good microphone but the built-in ones will do just fine.
Yes, you can learn guitar on your own using these apps. They are designed to guide you from the basics to more advanced techniques, providing structured lessons and feedback. Many users have successfully learned to play guitar to a competent level using these apps alone, supplemented occasionally by other resources like online forums and additional practice materials.
Here is a cost breakdown of these apps:
– Yousician and Fender Play: a limited free version with subscriptions ranging from $10 to $20.
– Guitar Tricks: $19.95 per month
– Justin Guitar: Mostly free with a few paid courses.
– Ultimate Guitar: Free with the Pro version for $10 per month.
Find The Right App For You!
Overall, these apps are a blessing for beginner guitarists and veterans alike. They are highly customizable and cater to everything from building blocks to complex techniques. You can take your time learning the guitar or try and become a maestro with dedication. If you want to take things to another level, you can even opt for the Zager Guitar Lessons pack which is an all-inclusive solution to learning the guitar.
