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If you are looking for the best guitar apps, the 2024 is looking bright for you. Today we are going to talk about some of the top-rated learning Android and iOS guitar apps for beginners, both free and paid ones. We’ve made sure to include the apps that are as efficient as they are user friendly. So, without any further ado, let’s get straight to it.
Here are the best guitar apps 2024:
1. AmpliTube
The AmpliTube is loved by beginners just as much as experienced guitar players love it. It’s an app that can be used to do pretty much anything; from playing around with different sounds, over tuning, to record demos and actual songs.
This app is actually more of a studio as it boasts a broad selection of virtualized sound models from world-famous guitar gear. Furthermore, it’s not a type of guitar application built exclusively for guitarists, as bass players can use it just as well.
Despite the fact that it has a ton of pretty cool features, it is still quite simple to use. Most of the work can be done with the easy drag-n-drop method, although you will need some experience with actual amps and effects if you want to find proper sound models.
AmpliTube rocks a wide variety of stompbox effects, including delay, fuzz, wah-wah, chorus, flanger, overdrive, octave, phase, and distortion. On top of that, you’ll be wiring the effects via five amps, five cabinets, and two microphones. It’s quite safe to say that you will be able to find the sound you are looking for with it.
This guitar app is essentially free; you will get the Custom Shop, the app, and a dozen gear pieces to start, but the ‘expansion gear’ costs a couple of dollars apiece. AmpliTube might be the best guitar app for iPhone/iPad users.
Image credit: IK Multimedia Check App Store |
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2. PocketAmp
PocketAmp is exactly what it sounds like, it’s a portable amp device which doubles for an actual amp if you have any kind of instrument adapter. If you are looking for an app for learning how to play guitar, this one shows quite a bit of promise.
Basically, you’ll need a plug which would convert your guitar cable’s jack into a smartphone-compatible jack, plug your guitar into your phone, and start the amp. From there you will gain access to four different amps, seven guitar pedal effects, and four cabinets.
You will probably be surprised to find how authentic the tone of PocketAmp is, however, going overboard with distortions and overdrives might thump your speaker, so try to avoid going too crazy on it.
The best thing about this guitar app is that it allows you to simulate an entire guitar rig directly from your phone. Although it isn’t free, it’s available at a rather attractive price. It’s a massive, and probably one of the best apps to learn guitar for beginners.
Image credit: Pocketlabworks Check App Store |
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3. OnSong
The OnSong is a guitar app made for performing guitarists. It’s basically a chord chart app which was intended to replace physical chord charts with digital and interactive ones.
There are many musicians who struggle with memorizing dozens of songs, especially if they are complex in nature, that’s where OnSong comes in. It has a massive storage capacity where you can store huge chord chart collections and access them quite easily.
Furthermore, it’s compatible with various online store apps, such as Dropbox and Cloud; you can use these to import your songs directly to the OnSong app. To utilize this app’s full potential, combine it with a foot pedal; then you will be able to scroll down your charts hands-free. It’s easily one of the best guitar apps for iPad out there.
Image credit: OnSong Check App Store |
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4. Play Guitar Hits
The Play Guitar Hits is one of the most well-rounded guitar apps you can find on the App Store. It’s completely free to download, doesn’t take up much space, and you’ll get a variety of features at your disposal.
One of the best things about Play Guitar Hits app is that you can customize the interface to best suit your preferences. You can choose between standard tablatures, slash, and the classic fretboard view.
What makes Play Guitar Hits different from other guitar apps is that it offers a highly interactive learning mode – you will get to learn your favorite songs and techniques while watching play-through videos.
Simply put, the Play Guitar Hits comes with a dual-screen feature: on one side you’ll see the interactive tablature while on the other side of the screen you’ll see a play-through video of your song (if it’s available).
Furthermore, you will get the opportunity to choose different levels; the fact that there are four selectable ‘experience’ levels means that this guitar app offers a unique and entertaining mode of progression.
Of course, you will always be able to halt the tracks if you think that you should practice certain parts a bit more. Additionally, you can morph songs into backing tracks and practice with isolated instruments for a better, real-time feeling.
The Play Guitar Hits is a very versatile guitar application that you can download for free on the App Store; it’s certainly one of the best guitar learning apps available on the market, as well as among the best free guitar apps.
Image credit: Play Guitar Hits Check App Store |
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5. Anytune
Anytune is not your average guitar app. It’s unique in a way that it lets you play around with different tempos of the songs, but without interfering with their pitch.
The value of this guitar app actually depends on how you use it, and luckily, it has a nearly limitless potential. You will be able to slow the songs down if you’re struggling to nail certain parts, or speed them up to experiment. Additionally, you can start a bit slower and pick up the tempo as you go.
Image credit: Anytune Check App Store |
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6. Ultimate Guitar: Chords & Tabs
Ultimate Guitar is one of the most famous guitar tablature websites on the internet, and if you are looking for a quality app, you might as well start with this one. This guitar app boasts the largest chord & tab database, so it’s pretty safe to say that whichever tablature you were looking for, you can find it here.
The Chords & Tabs app comes supplied with GuitarTools pack which is comprised of a metronome, a tuner, and a personalized chord library. Most beginners start out by using Chords & Tabs and find themselves browsing through the vast tab database even years later, so it’s easy to say that it’s perfect for both beginners and pros.
With the auto-scroll feature, the UG Chords & Tabs is a perfect tool for home practice. Moreover, it’s available for free on the App Store and Google Play. If you happen to like what it has to offer, you can upgrade to Ultimate Guitar Pro with the in-app purchase of additional content.
Image credit: Ultimate Guitar Check App Store Check Google Play |
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7. Fret Trainer
Fret Trainer is an app designed for beginner guitarists, that much is certain. It’s an application that utilizes different ‘games’ to help new players understand the basics.
You will be able to switch between several instruments and game modes, including the scale explorer, name note, color match, staff and fretboard, and many others.
Although the game appears to be somewhat childish and focused on the younger population, it actually uses the simplest method to teach something that is taught in very specialized schools for years on end. If you’re looking for the best guitar lesson apps, feel free to check out the Fret Trainer.
Image credit: Strong Apps Check App Store Check Google Play |
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8. Guitar Pro
Guitar Pro is, hands down, one of the best guitar tab apps that you can find. It might take you some time to get used to the interface, but once you do, it will feel so natural to you that you’ll wonder why you even ever considered any other app before.
The Guitar Pro app is packed with features that are equally useful to both musicians and song composers. You will actually be able to learn a great deal of music theory by just using this app.
The Guitar Pro application is built in the spirit of GP’s desktop variant, although there are very little similarities between them in terms of user’s interface. You’ll be able to pack several different instrument tracks on top of each other and tweak them to perfection. The only downside is that Guitar Pro uses MIDI, which might not appeal to everyone.
Image credit: Guitar Pro Check App Store Check Google Play |
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9. Fender Tune
Fender is a huge name in the guitar world, and obviously enough, their tuner is one of the best guitar tuner apps that money can buy.
In a nutshell, this is a simple app which can be expanded with in-app purchases; initially, it offers the Pro Tuner, Rhythm, Scales, and Chords modes. The tuner mode itself offers automatic tuning and manual (tune by ear) options.
Aside from being a very reliable tuner, all of the other features of the Fender’s Tune app are quite great too. You’ll be able to learn quite a bit of scales and warm-up exercises with it, as well as discover the vast world of music theory.
Image credit: Fender Check App Store Check Google Play |
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Final thoughts
Even though some guitar players might tell you that learning how to play a guitar is tough, it’s actually quite easy. At least handling the fundamentals is. The truth is, it’s up to you to decide whether you will take an easy road, or a hard one. By using the apps we’ve suggested, you’ll certainly thread on the former.