Learning to play the guitar from your phone is possible thanks to apps designed to learn music. Would you like to know how to play the guitar, but have you abandoned it because it seemed difficult? Don’t worry, technology offers you a way to learn to play this instrument using only apps. And if you want to know how to learn to play the guitar from scratch and easily and simply, you are in the right place.
Of course, like everything, no matter how much information you receive, if you don’t spend time and patience practising, it will take a long time to see results.
If you think that knowing how to play any instrument well is a challenge for many people, it is not something easy and simple that we can learn overnight. Most people who can play the guitar decently have either had a teacher, gone to the conservatory, or spent hours and hours understanding tutorials.
The guitar, as with other instruments, takes time and effort for you to see results. Fortunately, some applications and programs will help you understand how the guitar is played and tuned.
There are even apps that are useful for both classical and Spanish guitar.
Best Guitar Learning Applications for Android and iOS
1. Coach Guitar – Play easy guitar with chords
This application is very easy to use as it is perfect for beginners using a video lesson system. Thus, thanks to this visual method you will not get bored reading and you will learn faster than only if you do it while learning theory.
No theory, no tablature, no chords… just choose the song you want to learn. On the screen, you will see the exact position of your hand using coloured dots that represent your fingers.
You’ll find GreenDay songs like “Wake Me Up When September Ends” or “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin, as well as hits by Bob Marley, AC/DC, Metallica, The Beatles, Guns’n’Roses, Eagles and many more.
You can learn in slow motion (perfect for beginners) and watch the lesson videos in high quality.
2. Guitar Lessons by Guitar Tricks
This application offers one of the best experiences when it comes to learning to play the guitar. It is a very intuitive program with which you can learn step by step from your electronic device.
It is available for Android and iOS. You have videos and lessons and record your learning. It also allows you to know the basics of the guitar with various levels of learning and simple songs, for both beginners and more advanced users.
Although it is a free application, it has some paid functions, so you must register once you install it. The good thing is that you have a free lesson every week.
It has more than 95 different lessons and about four hours of video in a row that will help you play this instrument.
The great thing about Guitar Lessons by Guitar Tricks is that you can choose your teacher from a selection of different professional guitarists sorted by style, popularity, and difficulty.
3. Yousician: the best app to learn music
If you thought you were lacking in the string instrument par excellence, Yousician has come to your rescue. We are not talking about just any app, but rather the number one music application in more than 30 countries, with a total of 12 million users. Not bad at all, don’t you think?
What we like the most is its much more modern approach than the typical traditional chords (and which has stuck to more than one of us).
It works for both acoustic and electric guitars and acts as a teacher: he listens to you, corrects you and gives you advice to master the guitar. It is fun and somewhat addictive because you can take it as a game. A different way of learning is aimed at beginners, experts and music teachers.
Furthermore, it is not exclusive to learning to play guitar. It also works for other instruments and even as an app to learn to sing.
4. Guitar MasterClass: app for beginner and expert guitarists
If what you want is to learn chords without theory and have an extensive list of songs at your disposal, Guitar Master Class will not disappoint you. And you will find the most classic songs by artists like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, AC/DC, Nirvana and Daft Punk, among others.
The application offers 200 courses that are updated every week. These are intended for both novice users who are starting to practice the instrument, as well as more advanced users who want to perfect their technique.
Among the features of the tool are the left-handed view, the possibility of learning in slow motion, finger position diagrams and the free tuner.
As if that were not enough, learn directly from guitarist and certified teacher Yann Armellino and become an expert. You won’t find a free app with so many songs!
5. Justin’s course for beginner guitarists
Justin’s course is an app to learn to play the guitar created by Justin Sandercoe. Includes pop, classic rock, country, traditional and R&B genres. The interface features an interactive style, adaptable lyrics, easy chords, and backing tracks.
It has 50 exclusive videos that explain how to play guitar. On the other hand, it has a self-evaluation system to measure progress. Includes chord change counter exercises, strumming pattern, and capo demo, as well as over 200 songs.
Being a guitar-playing app, it also offers an accurate and easy-to-use tuner. As if that were not enough, the sound and rhythm of the songs can be adjusted to your liking.
6. Learn to play guitar: lyrics, chords and more!
Learning to play guitar is one of the most famous apps to play this instrument. Includes lessons, classes and courses for any level of electric, acoustic, flamenco and Spanish guitar.
It is free and has more than 500 video tutorials. The lessons are theoretical and practical and adapt to the pedagogical teaching processes.
It has a metronome, which will help you master any song and plan your learning. The interface is well-organized and easy to use. It is compatible with Android.
7. Uberchord: learn guitar quickly and easily
Uberchord is an app to learn to play guitar that has lessons on chords, songs and rhythms. The application listens to everything you touch in real-time. Also, make corrections based on the position of your fingers.
You will learn to play the guitar easily thanks to an instructor who will teach you how to play the most famous songs. It is compatible with electric and acoustic guitars.
It also allows you to make chord transcriptions and includes a high-precision tuner.
8. iReal Pro: a music band in your pocket
iReal Pro is an app for professionals to practice anywhere. Simulates a band that accompanies the musician in his practices. And you have the option to create and collect sheet music of the chords of your favourite songs.
You can personalize your lessons with a wide variety of sounds for piano, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and other instruments. Unlike other guitar-playing apps, with iReal Pro you can record yourself while you sing or play. Finally, it allows you to download and edit songs.
9. Guitar Tuna: Tuner, Chords, Tabs
Unlike other apps to learn to play guitar for free, Guitar Tuna is designed to tune your string instrument. It is compatible with guitars, ukuleles and basses, among others. Its interface is easy to use and well-organized.
This guitar tuner for Android also has games to learn and practice your chords. And it includes a metronome to program the time and speed.
The app has more than 100 tunings, such as standard or dropped D. You can use it even if there is a lot of noise because it has noise cancellation. It is considered one of the best apps for guitarists because of its settings for advanced players.
10. Songsterr: tabs and chords
Songsterr is an app to learn to play guitar with more than 500,000 chords and tablatures. Plays realistic and high-quality guitar sounds. It has various instruments, each with its own configuration tab. Its interface is intuitive and easy to use.
It not only works for playing the guitar but also for tuning them. Songsterr includes speed control and an offline mode to play tabs without the need for a connection. It is compatible with Android and iOS mobile phones and tablets.
How to learn to play the guitar at home with apps: tips for beginners
If you are a newbie or have not practised for a long time, the best option is to use one of the guitar applications that we have recommended today. However, first, we are going to give you some advice.
Know the guitar posture
There are different types of guitars and each one has a position to use. This influences the sound that is emitted. Therefore, one of the most important aspects is knowing the correct posture.
Additionally, free apps to learn to play this instrument do not work well when it is not positioned correctly.
Tune the guitar
Guitars must be treated with delicacy and skill. Over time, they can go out of tune and damage sound quality. This can happen for various reasons, such as excess humidity, high temperatures, age or continued use.
It is advisable to tune guitars with a physical tuner. There are also some apps to play the guitar with a tuner.
Change the strings
This instrument is delicate and complex. Not only do you have to tune the strings, but you will have to change them if the guitar is old or you use it a lot.
It is advisable to change the strings periodically. Failure to do so may result in compromised sound quality. Additionally, a poorly tuned guitar will slow down your practices.
Learn how to read tablature and sheet music
Reading tablature and sheet music can be very complicated for beginners. Although it is not necessary to understand them when starting the practice, it is best to learn to read them.
The best apps to learn to play the guitar have tools to understand tablature and sheet music. That makes them excellent options.
Start with the easy melodies
It is advisable to start with the easiest songs first. When you master them, you can increase the difficulty. Start by practising single notes. They are not strums or rhythms, but it is the first step in getting familiar with the guitar.
Learn the basic chords and rhythms
In addition to the fundamental melodies, you also have to learn the basic rhythms and chords. In other words, this stage of learning is based on the essential aspects of music (which are the most important).
All free guitar-playing apps have lessons on chords and rhythms for beginners.
Have lots of practice sessions
The only way to improve is to be consistent. The important thing is to practice every day, even if it’s just 20 minutes. And be persistent, although experts also recommend that the sessions be longer and longer.
Due to the complexity of stringed instruments, you will only notice improvements after a lot of training. Do not give up!
Use your favourite songs
Start with your favourite songs, this way you will feel more at ease. Any app to learn to play guitar has various songs, in addition to allowing you to use your favourite songs.
Of course, the songs you use must adapt to the style you are learning. For example, you can’t use a Metallica song if you’re learning jazz.
Try to learn more than one style of guitar
It is normal that at the beginning you focus on one style. However, it is advisable to try to learn several. Although changing involves an adaptation process that can be somewhat complicated.
There are some applications to learn to play the guitar that can help you with this. For example, iReal Pro has 50 guitar styles and several lessons for each style.
Learn from your mistakes
This is the best advice if you are starting. You will notice that certain melodies sound better than others. But, normally, you have some errors at the beginning.
To improve quickly, it is advisable to identify your mistakes and try to correct them.
Applications to learn to play guitar: everything you need to know
What is the best app to learn to play guitar?
It is very difficult to know which is the best of all. According to user opinions, Yousician is an excellent app for learning to play guitar and other instruments.
There are also applications focused on how to learn to play the guitar exclusively. Some are available on Android and others on iOS. An example would be iReal Pro, which offers 51 music styles. In the case of iOS, we are left with Uberchord and Songsterr. The first listen to you while you practice and makes corrections in real time. In the case of Songsterr, it is more focused on teaching how to read tablature and sheet music.
In any case, the best app to learn guitar for free will depend on your needs and your operating system.
How much does Yousician cost?
Yousician is a completely free application, although it has various plans with extra tools.
It offers two payment services. The first is the “Premium” version, with unlimited lesson time and one instrument. For users who want to use several, there is the Premium Plus. Includes all instruments, unlimited lessons, and all unlocked songs. Both Yousician Premium and Premium+ can be paid monthly or annually. In any case, it has a free trial of both.
What is easier to learn to play the ukulele or the guitar?
The guitar is a musical instrument very similar to the ukulele. Experts recommend starting with the ukulele, as it is easier to manipulate. Therefore, if you want to know how to learn to play the Spanish guitar at home, you can try the ukulele first.
The classical guitar (also known as the Spanish guitar) is a complicated instrument. With the ukulele, you only need to learn 3 chords (C, F and G) to play all musical styles. When you master it, you can move on to the guitar. In addition, the ukulele is cheaper and easier to transport.
When to learn to play guitar?
It is always advisable to start as soon as possible, given the complexity of some instruments. Although it is never too late to learn something new. All you need is determination and perseverance to practice every day.
It is proven that children learn to play instruments faster than adults. This is due to their brain plasticity, which allows them to acquire cognitive skills more easily.
For adults, there are applications to learn to play guitar for free that can help you with your practice.
