Are you just learning to play the acoustic guitar and looking for the best app to guide you along the way? In this article, we'll explore the best apps to learn acoustic guitar for beginners and help you take your first steps toward becoming a guitar pro.
With so many options, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. But don't worry; we've researched for you! We've tested and reviewed the top 10 apps for learning acoustic guitar for beginners, so you can find the perfect one to fit your needs.
Whether you're a beginner or just looking to improve your skills, these apps will help you improve your technique and take your playing to the next level.
What is an Acoustic Guitar App?
An acoustic guitar app is a digital tool that can help beginners learn to play the acoustic guitar quickly and easily. These apps typically provide interactive lessons, tutorials, and practice tools such as virtual fretboards, tuners, and metronomes. They offer a structured approach to learning and allow users to progress at their own pace.
The best acoustic guitar app for beginners will depend on the individual's learning style and preferences. Both paid and free options provide comprehensive instruction and support for learning to play the acoustic guitar. Whether you're a beginner or looking to improve your skills, an acoustic guitar app can be a valuable resource for anyone looking to learn to play the guitar.
What Should I Learn First on an Acoustic Guitar?
When learning to play the acoustic guitar, it's essential to start with the basics. Here are some things you should focus on learning first:
- Proper guitar posture and positioning: this includes sitting with good posture, positioning the guitar against your body, and holding the pick correctly to ensure you're comfortable and can play easily.
- Basic chords: Start with chords such as G, C, D, and A. These chords are commonly used in many songs and are relatively easy to play. This will give you a foundation for playing more complex chords and melodies.
- Strumming techniques: Learn the basic strumming techniques, such as downstrokes and upstrokes. This will help you to play songs with a steady rhythm.
- Basic fingerpicking: learn basic fingerpicking patterns to help you play melodies and songs differently.
- Music notation: Learn to read sheet music and guitar tabs. This will help you to understand how songs are written and how to play them.
It would be best to focus on these basics when learning to play the acoustic guitar. The best free guitar learning apps will help you to understand these basics and more in an interactive and fun way.
What Are the Top 10 Tested Acoustic Guitar Apps for Beginners?
Guitar Tricks
Guitar Tricks is an online learning platform that has been around since 1998. They offer vast instructional content for guitar players of all skill levels. You can find beginner-friendly overviews, advanced techniques, and lessons on specific genres, artists, and songs. The platform has accumulated over 1,000 song lessons as of 2022.
The well-organized courses allow you to explore different paths based on your interests and help you navigate the vast library. The platform also has a mobile app that lets you learn on the go. Additionally, some of their teachers offer one-on-one Zoom lessons for those who want more personalized instruction.
Although the platform doesn't offer interactive features like some others, it is an excellent resource for guitar enthusiasts who want a library of high-quality video lessons.
The platform is available for a limited free version and full access for $29.95/month. It is available on the web, Android, and iOS.
The Gibson App
Gibson has recently released a smartphone app for guitarists of all skill levels. The app offers a tuner, play-along tabs, and easy access to Gibson's online store. The app's key feature is what the brand calls Audio Augmented Reality.
The app allows you to access tabs for songs by various artists, such as Eric Clapton, BB King, Tom Petty, Dolly Parton, Santana, Aerosmith, The Beatles, Foo Fighters, and Thin Lizzy. Each song can be adjusted to your skill level. The app also features tabs for more contemporary artists, such as Billie Eilish.
A unique aspect of the app is that it offers a free one-on-one video consultation with a professional Gibson guitar tech. The video call will cover various basic guitar tune-up and maintenance tasks, which can be especially helpful for beginners who want to take care of their new instrument.
This platform is available for both Android and iOS users!
- Pricing: £13.49/$14.99 a month or £79.99/$89.99 a year
TrueFire
TrueFire is a well-established video lesson platform that offers instruction from renowned guitar teachers such as Joe Bonamassa, Grech Koch, Tommy Emmanuel, Kirk Fletcher, Tim Pierce, Steve Vai, and many others. The platform offers courses, from introductory lessons to more advanced instruction on particular topics or genres.
The courses can be purchased individually, but this can become costly if you plan to take multiple classes. Alternatively, you can subscribe to their All Access plan, which grants unlimited access to the entire TrueFire library for a monthly or yearly subscription.
The sign-up fee for the All Access plan is on the higher end, but it may be worth it, given the breadth of TrueFire's catalog. It's possible to use the platform on the web, iOS, and Android.
- Pricing: $29/month per course or $249/year.
Fender Play
Fender Play is an app that provides hundreds of easy-to-follow lessons and guides to help you improve your guitar playing skills. After you sign up, you'll answer a series of questions about your preferred instrument and genre. Your responses will be used to create a customized curriculum that includes personalized "learning paths."
The platform was developed with educational advisers from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. It employs a progressive micro-learning strategy designed to keep you engaged and focused.
This app is available on both Android and iOS.
- Pricing: the app is £15.99 a month, but it offers high-quality instruction and research, making it a good investment for guitar players.
GarageBand for iOS
GarageBand is a popular digital audio workstation (DAW) now available as a mobile app. It's perfect for capturing your musical ideas on the go, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned musician. Thanks to its impressive range of onboard amplifiers and pedal simulations, the app allows you to turn your iPhone or iPad into a powerful DAW.
You can record using a Touch Instrument, microphone, and guitar, with support for up to 32 tracks. The app also offers a variety of free virtual instruments via the sound library. The app also features a virtual drummer that will keep you on time with your track. Recording, mixing, and exporting your song can be done at 24-bit audio resolution.
Additionally, you can upload your track directly to YouTube and SoundCloud. With GarageBand, you can write your masterpiece with your phone and a drink.
The app is available for free and is only available on iOS.
Yousician
Yousician app is a comprehensive tutorial platform for guitar, bass, and ukulele players. It offers step-by-step video lessons with a library of over 1,500 "missions" and exercises, and can provide instant feedback on your performance.
This app is free to download but requires a premium subscription for unlimited and uninterrupted access across all platforms.
You will find a user-friendly app, very easy to navigate! Therefore, it's really accessible for players of all skill levels. The app is available on desktop, Android, and iOS.
- Pricing: the subscription service is offered at a starting price of £14.99/$19.99 per month.
AmpliTube
AmpliTube is an app that offers an extensive collection of realistic virtual versions of some of the most sought-after gear in the music industry.
The app is user-friendly and easy to use, allowing you to drag and drop bags to create custom rigs. It uses the same digital signal processor as the acclaimed AmpliTube Custom Shop for Mac and PC, making it a popular choice among musicians.
The app comes with a great collection of gear, including 11 pedal effects (delay, fuzz, overdrive, wah, envelope filter, chorus, flanger, phaser, octave, noise filter, and distortion), five amplifiers (clean, crunch, lead, metal, and bass), five-speaker cabs, and two microphones (dynamic 87 and condenser 87).
BandLab
This BandLab app provides unlimited cloud storage and a convenient mastering tool, allowing you to complete your mixes without needing additional apps or programs. The new BandLab Sounds feature offers a vast library of free loops to create your backing tracks.
If you're not feeling inspired to compose your music, the app also allows you to discover and stream millions of tracks created by both emerging and established artists to reignite your creative spark.
The app is entirely free and does not require any paywalls or subscriptions. It is available on desktop, Android, and iOS platforms.
Songsterr Guitar Tabs & Chords
Songsterr has long been popular among campfire guitarists due to its user-friendly interface and extensive library of over 500,000 tabs and chords. The app sets itself apart by offering high-quality transcriptions with just a single account per song and ensuring that the music creators and writers are paid for their work.
This platform also offers features such as a count-in, the ability to solo instruments, and the ability to loop selected measures. The tabs will display and scroll across the screen while the song is played, which may take some time for beginners.
The app is reliable, updated regularly, and is available on desktop, iOS, and Android platforms.
- Pricing: reasonable cost of £3.56/$4.99 per month.
Chordify
Chordify is a program that offers similar features to Songsterr and Ultimate Guitar but with the added benefit of a capo option and the ability to download songs as MIDI files for easy editing.
The platform has a vast library of over 8,000,000 songs. It seamlessly integrates with YouTube, automatically recognizing the chords through the audio signal and synchronizing it with your theme in an innovative music player. The program is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it accessible for players of all skill levels.
- Pricing: The price for the app is £4.99/$6.99 per month, and it is available on desktop, Android, and iOS platforms.
What Are the Benefits of Using an Acoustic Guitar App to Learn?
Acoustic guitar apps offer many advantages for individuals looking to learn the instrument. One of the most notable benefits is convenience. With an app, guitar learners can access lessons and tutorials from anywhere, at any time, and at their own pace. This allows for flexibility, making it easy to fit guitar practice into a busy schedule.
Another benefit of using an acoustic guitar app is its cost-effectiveness. Many apps, such as the best free guitar learning app, offer a comprehensive range of lessons and tutorials at no cost. Individuals can learn guitar without investing in expensive classes or guitar teachers.
Furthermore, apps for learning guitar also offer a variety of features, such as interactive tabs, virtual fretboards, tuners, and metronomes, which make it easy for beginners to practice and improve their skills.
These apps are also a great idea for those who want to learn electric guitar. You can find a fun and interactive way to learn guitar, with an excellent tool for beginners to improve their skills and reach their musical goals.
Wrapping Up: How to Choose the Perfect Acoustic Guitar Learning App for Your Needs
Choosing the right acoustic guitar app can be challenging, as many options are available on the market. It's essential to consider your individual needs and preferences when making your decision.
For instance, if you're a beginner, you may want to look for an app that offers a comprehensive range of beginner-friendly lessons and tutorials. If you're looking to learn a specific style of guitar, such as the ukulele or electric guitar, look for an app that specializes in that style.
Additionally, it's also essential to consider the app's features, such as its virtual fretboard, tuner, and metronome. These features can be beneficial for improving your playing skills and keeping you on time. And also the price, if you're on a budget, look for an app that offers a free or low-cost subscription.
