Guitar Start Guide
My Fretboard Trainer is a free, browser-based set of quizzes for learning the notes, intervals and chord shapes on a guitar neck. According to its own pages, the exercises are free “and always will be”, and an optional Pro tier adds a 30-module program, progress tracking and weak-note detection, unlocked by “buying me a coffee” in any amount. We read the site’s pages on 1 October 2026. We did not play a guitar with it or listen to its sounds, so this is a read-through of what the site says and shows, not a performance test.
How we looked at it
We are an independent review site run by a marketer, not a guitar teacher or a developer. On 1 October 2026 we opened eight pages of myfretboardtrainer.com and read their text: the home page, About, Contact, Privacy, Pro, the Program page, and the Note Identification and Practice Chords exercise pages. We did not create an account, did not buy Pro, did not run the quizzes through a full session and did not hear any of the sound options. Everything below is attributed to the page it came from, and where we could not confirm something we say so.
What it is
The About page describes the project as built around “fluency in the actual notes, not just the patterns”, with “fast, repetitive, no-fluff exercises”, running since 2020 and maintained independently in spare time by one person. That matches what the home page shows: a menu of interactive exercises, scale charts and two theory tools, rather than video lessons.
The free exercises listed on the home page are:
- Note selection (find a requested note on a string), with a timed version.
- Note identification (name the flashing note on the fretboard), with a timed version.
- Interval identification, to recognise shapes and intervals.
- Select all locations of a note across the neck.
- Practice major scale and practice chords.
- Play the Changes, described as finding the right notes over a looping progression.
- Scales and modes: pentatonic and CAGED, modes of the major, harmonic minor and melodic minor scales.
- Theory tools: interval exploration and a circle of fifths.
On the two exercise pages we opened, the options are visible without signing in: for Note Identification you can choose a fret range from 1 to 24, which strings to include, whether to include flats and sharps, a sound (including electric clean, jazz and muted, and acoustic nylon and steel, or no sound) and the answer button layout (single row, grid or piano keyboard). Practice Chords lets you pick major, minor, dominant 7th and minor 7th, show intervals, and set the fret span. Both pages say “Sign in with Pro to save your settings”, so saved options are a Pro feature.
What Pro adds
The Pro page says Pro “adds a structured program, long-term progress tracking, and blind-spot detection”. In its own words:
- 30 systematic modules from a single string to the whole fretboard, each unlocked by hitting its target, plus an onboarding quiz that places you at a starting module. A second roadmap covers intervals, ending with naming them by ear.
- Progress tracking of accuracy, speed and day streak, fed by both the program and the free exercises.
- Blind-spot detection: notes you get wrong, or right but slowly, ranked weakest-first per string and direction over your last 30 days, with three attempts needed before one counts.
- A global leaderboard for speed challenges, listed on the home page. The Privacy page says you appear on it only if you set a nickname.
The unlock process, per the Pro page: buy a coffee (any size works), sign in with the same email you paid with, and Pro unlocks right away. The page does not state a price. We asked the developer, who replied on 2 October 2026 that Pro is a one-time unlock that does not need to be renewed, and that most people unlock it by buying one coffee at , although some contribute more.
Facts at a glance
| Question | What the site says | Source, read on 1 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of the exercises | Free, “and always will be” | myfretboardtrainer.com/pro |
| Pro unlock | “Buy me a coffee”, any size; sign in with the same email | myfretboardtrainer.com/pro |
| Pro price or term | One-time unlock, typically $5 (developer’s reply, 2 Oct 2026) | Pro page |
| Program | 30 modules for notes, plus a second roadmap for intervals | Pro page, home page |
| Who runs it | One independent developer, running since 2020 | About page |
| Account | Email magic-link sign-in; one sign-in cookie, described as strictly necessary | Privacy page (last updated August 2026) |
| Advertising or tracking | Privacy page says data is not used for advertising or profiling and not sold | Privacy page |
| Support | Email; “it’s just me answering” | Contact page |
| Mobile app | We did not check | n/a |
Who it is for
Based on what the site describes, it fits a guitarist who already has an instrument and basic chords but hesitates when asked to name a note on, say, the fourth string at the ninth fret, and who wants short, repeatable drills for that single skill. It also suits someone who likes studying scale shapes and modes on a chart, and anyone who wants to try before paying anything, since the exercises need no account. Learners who want to be told what to practise each day may find the Pro program more relevant than the free exercises.
Who it is not for
It is not a course. The pages describe drills and reference charts, not video lessons, songs or feedback on your playing. A complete beginner who has not yet learned to hold a guitar or play a first chord will probably want lessons first; our guitar music theory for beginners guide covers the order to learn things in. The tool also does not listen to your guitar: the descriptions we read show you clicking or typing answers on a screen, which trains recall of the fretboard rather than your actual playing technique.
Honest limits of this review
- We did not test it with a guitar, so we cannot say how well drilling the notes carries over to playing.
- We did not hear the sound options, so we cannot judge their quality.
- We did not buy Pro, so we cannot confirm the program, the blind-spot ranking or the leaderboard work as described, only that the Pro page describes them.
- The pages show no price for Pro, but the developer told us it is a one-time unlock, typically $5, and the site shows no reviews or ratings we could verify, so we give no star rating.
- The site is run by one person. That is a strength for focus, but the Contact page itself says replies “may take a little while”.
How it compares with other routes
These tools do different jobs, so this is about fit rather than a ranking.
- Free lesson sites. If you need structured lessons rather than drills, our note on whether JustinGuitar is free covers a route with free core lessons. A fretboard trainer can sit next to lessons like that, since it only practises note recall.
- Listening apps. Apps that respond to what you play are a different category. Our Yousician alternatives page looks at who each of those suits, and Is Simply Guitar free? shows what a typical app subscription looks like, for contrast with a pay-what-you-like coffee.
- Cost-conscious learners. If avoiding monthly fees is the goal, see guitar lessons with no monthly fee.
Should you try it?
Since the exercises are free and need no account, the cost of trying one is a few minutes. If you can already play a few chords and want to stop counting frets from the open string, open the Note Identification page and see whether it holds your attention. Decide on Pro only after you know you like the free drills, and check the Pro page for current terms first. The developer says it is a one-time unlock, typically $5, with no renewal. The official site is myfretboardtrainer.com.
FAQ
Is My Fretboard Trainer free?
The Pro page says the trainer is free and always will be. Pro is optional and, per the same page, unlocked by buying the developer a coffee in any amount.
Do I need an account?
The exercise pages we opened showed their options without signing in. Saving settings and Pro features need a sign-in, which the Privacy page says uses an emailed magic link.
How much does Pro cost?
The Pro page shows no fixed price and says any size of coffee works. The developer told us on 2 October 2026 that most people pay $5 once, and that it is not renewed. Check the page before you pay.
Does it listen to my guitar?
Nothing on the pages we read says it does. The exercises appear to be answered by clicking or typing on screen.
What does it do with my data?
The Privacy page (last updated August 2026) lists your email, sign-in activity, technical event records and your practice data, and says it is not used for advertising or profiling and is not sold. Read the full policy yourself before signing up.
This is an independent page with no affiliate links and no payment from the developer. All facts come from myfretboardtrainer.com pages read on 1 October 2026 and may change.