1. GuitarTuna
Platforms: Android, iOS Nothing says “amateur guitar player” like an out-of-tune instrument. Once upon a time guitar players who couldn’t accurately tune by ear would have to rely on expensive pedals or additional accessories to get in tune. Fortunately, there are tons of apps available for your mobile device that can help you accurately tune your guitar quickly.
What sets GuitarTuna above the rest if the fact that it can handle bass, ukulele, violin, cello, banjo, and a bunch of other popular string instruments, so you won’t need to find another app if you pick up another instrument later. Furthermore, the app supports hundreds of alternative tunings for more advanced players. Download: Android, iOS
2. smartChord
Platform: Android While a beginner may only be concerned with the five major chords, there are thousands of playable chords on a six-string guitar. (And that’s not even counting power chords.) Keeping track of all those chords along with all possible fingerings can be difficult even for a seasoned guitar player. Thankfully, using smartChord means you don’t have to.
smartChord is the ultimate chord referencing app. It contains almost all possible chord types and fingerings for guitar and other string instruments. The app supports both left- and right-handed players and has different modes to suit the user’s skill level. In addition, the app boasts lots of other useful features like scale and arpeggio training. One of the most useful (and interesting) features of the app is the reverse chord finder. This feature allows you to nominate the fingering, and the app will identify which chord that fingering relates to.
3. Real Guitar
Platforms: Android, iOS Sometimes the creativity itch strikes you, and you just have to scratch it. Unfortunately, your guitar may not always be within arms reach. This is where Real Guitar comes in. As a guitar simulator, it can simulate both acoustic and electric guitars, and it works on both tablets and smartphones. Real Guitar can be useful for those wanting to learn how to play the guitar or folks who want to practice without lugging their guitar around.
Be aware that you’ll need a device that supports multi-touch, as you’ll need it to perform chord fingerings. Furthermore, Real Guitar has a recording mode with the ability to export to MP3. This means you can actually compose songs on the go without even having a physical instrument! Download: Android, iOS
4. The Metronome
Platforms: Android, iOS Rhythm – some people are just born with it. You could memorize every chord, but if you don’t have a sense of rhythm, you can quickly become frustrated with your guitar playing. Fortunately, this is where a simple metronome can elevate your playing. Like tuners, there are tons of metronome apps available. However, The Metronome by Soundbrenner is one of the best thanks to its rich features, which are totally free to use.
In addition to allowing users to set the BPM and jam along, The Metronome also allows users to tap out customized rhythms. Furthermore, the app can be synced with other players, meaning everyone at band practice can be on the same page. The Metronome is a slick, feature-rich timing app that can help both beginners and professionals tighten their guitar playing. To top it off, The Metronome is 100% free and completely ad-free! Download: Android, iOS
5. Ultimate-Guitar
Platforms: Android, iOS Any guitar player, regardless of whether they are a beginner or a seasoned veteran, is familiar with Ultimate-Guitar.com. Ultimate Guitar is home to the world’s largest collection of guitar tabulatures and lyrics, with over 1,000,000 songs in its extensive database. Furthermore, since Ultimate Guitar is made up largely of user-generated tabs, the number of songs available increases every day.
The Ultimate Guitar app allows you to browse the UG database and download tabs for offline access. This means that no matter where you are, as long as you have your phone, you can pull up your favorite tabs and start jamming. There is a premium version of the app which eliminates some of the more intrusive ads, but regardless of which version of the app you go for, Ultimate Guitar is a must-have. Download: Android, iOS Have we forgotten to mention your favorite guitar app? Let us know in the comments!
