Guitar Start Guide
If you are still unsure whether you are even holding the thing properly, an app that listens and reassures you is worth the money for a while. That is Simply Guitar’s real strength and it is not a small one, particularly in the first month when nothing sounds like music yet.
If what you actually want is to be taught, in order, by someone who has already decided what comes next, a course fits better. Jamorama is ten sequenced modules from Mark McKenzie with jam tracks, $97 once against a $287 list price. Be clear about what you give up: nothing listens to your playing, nothing scores you, and the videos show their age. What you get back is a plan and one payment.
See why we recommend Jamorama →
Song-based lessons that listen to your playing and give instant feedback — a low-pressure way for beginners to start.
Try Simply Guitar free →This Simply Guitar review is for the beginner deciding whether a phone app can really teach you to play. Simply Guitar (from the makers of Simply Piano) is a song-based app that listens to your playing through your device’s microphone and gives instant feedback on whether you hit the right notes. It’s polished, friendly, and genuinely fun in week one — but is it enough on its own? Here’s our honest take after putting it through its paces.
What is Simply Guitar?
Simply Guitar is a mobile app built around a simple loop: it shows you what to play, listens as you play it, and tells you in real time whether you got it right. Lessons are short and structured around learning songs, so instead of drilling abstract exercises you’re working toward recognisable tunes almost immediately. It’s a freemium product — you can try a limited amount for free, then a subscription unlocks the full curriculum.
It’s the sister app to Simply Piano, and it shares that product’s biggest strength: a clean, encouraging design that makes an intimidating instrument feel approachable from minute one.
How the app teaches you
The teaching model leans heavily on hearing you play. That real-time feedback is the headline feature, and for the fundamentals it works well:
- It listens through the mic and highlights notes green when you nail them.
- Lessons are bite-sized, ideal for a few minutes of practice at a time.
- Songs arrive early, so motivation stays high.
- The interface guides you step by step, so you never wonder what’s next.
For learning where your fingers go and building basic timing, that immediate “right/wrong” signal is a real advantage over passively watching videos.
Strengths
- Instant feedback. Knowing immediately whether you played the note correctly shortens the beginner guessing game.
- Low intimidation. The design is warm and gamified enough to keep you coming back without feeling like a chore.
- Song-first approach. You feel like a musician quickly, which is huge for staying motivated in the first month.
- Great for kids and nervous adults. It lowers the barrier to just picking the guitar up daily.
Where Simply Guitar falls short
- Mic detection isn’t flawless. Background noise, cheap speakers, or an out-of-tune guitar can cause false “wrong note” reads that frustrate beginners.
- It can plateau. The app is excellent for absolute basics but thinner on deeper technique, theory, and advanced rhythm.
- Less “why” than “what.” You learn to reproduce songs, but the reasoning behind chords and progressions gets lighter coverage.
- Subscription adds up. Over a year it can cost more than a one-off beginner course.
How much does Simply Guitar cost?
Simply Guitar is freemium: a taster is free, and the full experience needs a subscription, usually billed annually for the best rate. Prices shift with promotions and region, so treat any number as approximate and check the app before committing. For a full breakdown of plans and how to avoid overpaying, see our guide to how much Simply Guitar costs. It’s also worth comparing against how much Yousician costs, since the two apps compete directly on price.
Simply Guitar vs Yousician
| Feature | Simply Guitar | Yousician |
|---|---|---|
| Listens via mic | Yes | Yes |
| Instruments covered | Guitar (piano via sister app) | Guitar, bass, piano, ukulele, vocals |
| Style | Song-led, gentle | Gamified, exercise-heavy |
| Best for | Nervous beginners, kids | Beginners who like challenges |
| Pricing | Freemium + subscription | Freemium + subscription |
They’re close competitors. For the full picture, read our Yousician review, and browse more head-to-heads in reviews and comparisons.
Who should use Simply Guitar?
It’s a strong fit if you’re a total beginner (or a parent teaching a child) who wants a low-pressure, song-driven way to build a daily habit and learn where your fingers go. It’s a weaker fit if you want deep theory, advanced technique, or a course you own outright rather than rent monthly.
If you want structure over guesswork: Simply Guitar is a friendly starting point, but readers who want deeper chord and technique work tend to graduate to Jamorama, which carries you further into real songs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Simply Guitar really teach you to play?
For beginner fundamentals — chords, simple songs, basic timing — yes, it teaches effectively thanks to real-time feedback. To progress toward intermediate playing you’ll likely want to supplement it with a course or lessons.
Do I need to buy the subscription?
You can start free, but the free tier is limited. The full curriculum requires a subscription. Try the free portion first to see if the mic feedback works well with your guitar and room before you pay.
Does Simply Guitar work with any guitar?
Yes, it works with acoustic and electric guitars because it listens acoustically through your device’s microphone. Keeping your guitar in tune and reducing background noise makes the note detection far more reliable.
Is Simply Guitar good for adults or just kids?
Both. The gentle, encouraging design suits kids and nervous adults alike. Adults who want more depth may find they outgrow it sooner and want to add a structured course.
What to Read Next
Prefer one structured course you own for life over renting an app? Jamorama is our top recommendation — a 10-part video course, pay once, with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
See what’s inside Jamorama → Read our reviewHow we reviewed this (updated 16 October 2026): this page is based on the vendor’s official information, pricing and policies and on public user feedback. We have not hands-on tested Simply Guitar.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we genuinely rate.
Related: is Simply Guitar free, is Simply Guitar worth it and lessons with no monthly fee.