Why the Gibson App is one of the best apps for learning guitar

Here’s why the Gibson App is one of the best guitar lesson apps available today and why it’s worth it for beginners, experienced players, and everyone in between 

If you’re a beginner or a lapsed guitarist looking for structured lessons, gamified practice, and real‑time feedback, the Gibson App offers an accessible and very fun way to learn guitar at your own pace. With a seven‑day free trial and an annual subscription starting from $129.99 *, it’s worth it if you want to make guitar lessons fun.

Click here if you're ready to start your free seven-day trial of the Gibson App. With new features launching soon, including AI feedback and community tools, the Gibson App just keeps getting better every month. Right now, music lovers who purchase a Gibson, Epiphone, or Kramer guitar, and/or a MESA/Boogie® amplifier on Gibson.com or at the Gibson Garage will receive three months of the Gibson App free. So there’s never been a better time to start taking online guitar lessons.  

There are plenty of guitar lesson apps available, so in this article, I’ll break down what the Gibson App offers in terms of guitar lessons, how much it costs, how it compares to others like Fender Play and Yousician, and whether it’s right for beginners and returning players. Hint: it’s perfect for everyone.

What is the Gibson App?

The Gibson App is an all‑in‑one guitar lesson platform for your phone or tablet. When I say all-in-one, I mean a guitar lesson platform, tuner, amp simulator, and even a progress tracker. It provides step‑by‑step guitar lessons while the app listens to you as you play, offering instant feedback. That means you’ll know right away if your timing or finger placement is off, which helps build muscle memory faster than just watching videos by themselves. Lessons range from basic chords to advanced solo techniques and full songs to single riffs, and the app keeps track of progress automatically, so you can gamify it and make it more rewarding the more you play. This makes it one of the best guitar lesson apps for children, as it gives them a fun reason to keep coming back as they earn badges.

What makes the Gibson App so different? 

The Gibson App stands out from other guitar lesson apps because it listens to you through your device’s microphone while you play, analyzing what you’re doing to judge pitch and timing. When you’re learning a song, riff, or a solo lick, the app compares the sound of your guitar to the target notes in the lesson. If you hit the wrong fret, miss a note, or fall out of time, the onscreen display highlights the mistake and prompts you to try again—much like a rhythm game. Don’t worry, it gives you plenty of chances to get it right. This real‑time feedback loop is what makes the app interactive: it doesn’t just show you how to play, it actively monitors your performance and guides you toward proper technique just like having an instructor there with you.

How much does the Gibson App cost?

You can try all features for free with a seven‑day free trial. After that, the annual subscription is $129.99, which works out to about $11 per month. As an added purchase, you can access additional songs for an additional $2.50 per month*. Pricing and song catalogue differs between countries. You can find more information on the Gibson app here.

What’s included in your Gibson App subscription?

• Structured courses: Beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons created by professional musicians. No more wondering where to start. We’ll take you from beginner to intermediate to pro in a structured way. 
• Gamified practice : Each lesson feels like a music game. Progress tracking, badges, and real‑time feedback make practice sessions fun and keep you coming back to nail that song.
• Song library: Loads of songs from various genres made into simplified or original versions. Learn them step-by-step in manageable parts. Famous songs require premium+ which is an added $2.50 per month. Choose which works for you. Pricing and song catalog differs between countries.
• Built-in tools: A chromatic tuner, metronome, practice calendar, all rolled into your app—no need for separate apps. There’s even access to Gibson TV in-app so you can learn how to set up your guitar with Jim DeCola or play along with your heroes on Riff Lords. 
• Learn from the artists: Enjoy exclusive lessons from the guitarists who wrote or perform the songs onstage, including Ryan Roxie of Alice Cooper, Jared James Nichols, and Richie Faulkner of Judas Priest, with more artists added regularly.
• Amplifier built in: You even have an amplifier with effects built into the app, which you can use to jam new ideas with and record demos. Songs have also been preloaded with amplifier and effects settings to help you sound like your guitar heroes. 
• Ongoing updates: New lessons and songs are added regularly, and you can preview content on the Gibson App YouTube channel.
• Community forum: A dedicated space where users can connect, share tips, and celebrate progress together.
• Competitive leagues: Test your skills against other players, climb the rankings, and make practice more rewarding.

And we’re just getting started—the Gibson App is about to get even better.

Coming Soon: New features

• AI teacher feedback: the first version is already live, but a more advanced version 2.0 will launch later this year, giving you even smarter, more personalized guidance as you play.

Wondering what the best guitar lesson app is? I compared the Gibson App to two of the most popular guitar lesson platforms today. 

Gibson App vs Fender Play vs Yousician

Who is the Gibson App best for?

• Absolute beginners: You get clear, polite instruction, instant corrections, and game‑like practice, making it ideal for someone picking up a guitar for the first time. It’s not scary at all and totally fun.
• Returning players and hobbyists: If you’re dusting off your guitar, the structured lessons help refresh technique while introducing new songs and styles without making you feel like you’ve never done this before.
• Curious learners: Even experienced guitarists enjoy exploring famous riffs or expanding into genres they haven’t tried before.

Does the Gibson App make you a better guitarist onstage?

People often ask if the Gibson App’s gamified approach leads to real improvement. Hint: it definitely does. Based on the countless reviews we’ve had, the consensus among users is yes: real‑time feedback on pitch and timing helps build proper technique, and the skills carry over when playing without the app because you actually get better every time you play. Let’s be honest: if you’re just watching videos alone, you can just skip past any mistakes, but the feedback function keeps you honest and makes you a better player as you learn from your mistakes. Don’t worry, it’s super friendly. 

What are the Gibson App reviews saying?

Here’s what Guitar World said about the Gibson App: “For those just starting their guitar journey, the Gibson App will be a godsend. The quality of tuition is second to none, and the UI is stunning. The instructional videos are outstanding, both in terms of content and style. Playing with Gibson’s Amp feature is possibly the most fun I’ve ever had with a guitar tuition app.”

And the reviews don’t stop there:

• “The Gibson App Is Changing the Guitar Teaching Game.” Rolling Stone
• “For those just starting their guitar journey, the Gibson app will be a godsend. The quality of tuition is second to none.” MusicRadar
• “This all-in-one app is a deep collection of instructional materials, song tutorials, a tuner, and a progressive learning path.” Premier Guitar
• “The instant feedback is great. Just watching videos didn’t work for me because I didn’t know what to practice or how to keep time.” Reddit
• “Really impressed with this app—it really helped me to improve after I picked my guitar back up after a long pause.” Apple App Store review

Tips for getting the most from the Gibson App

We know that guitar lessons can be difficult, no matter which guitar lesson app or platform you’re using, especially when you’re just starting, but here’s how you can get the most out of your Gibson App guitar lessons and keep the learning fun, even when you’re trying to nail that guitar solo for the 15th time. We believe in you—you can do this!

• Stick to a routine: Use the practice calendar to schedule regular sessions. Consistency builds muscle memory. It’s there to help you get better.
• Mix resources: Combine the Gibson App with YouTube tutorials available on the Gibson App YouTube channel. They’re free and we update them regularly.
• Check out Gibson TV: Watch artist interviews and behind‑the‑scenes content on shows like Riff Lords for inspiration on how your favorite artists play their songs.
• Embrace the game: Badges and challenges are designed to keep you motivated—have fun with them. 
• Get a guitar interface: You don’t need one to use the Gibson App, but a guitar interface that can plug into your phone will make using the amp settings that much better and help you really lock in to the lessons. 
• Use headphones: You don’t need them, but headphones help make the experience more immersive. 

The Gibson App is designed to be used without any additional hardware, but the video below helps you make the most out of your Gibson App experience. There’s also a cheeky discount code, too.

Is the Gibson App a good guitar lesson app for you?

The Gibson App is one of the best ways to learn guitar, and based on reviews, it’s a top choice for beginners, parents teaching their kids, and players picking the guitar back up after a short break—or even years away. It offers interactive lessons, real-time feedback, a gamified interface, and a reasonable price that works out to about the cost of two coffees a month. Best of all, it’s fun, and the built-in amp with tone presets lets you get surprisingly close to the sounds used by your heroes.

Choose your next step:

• Start your free seven-day trial — go straight to the purchase page
• Explore the world of the Gibson App today — visit the app landing page

Music lovers who purchase a Gibson, Epiphone, or Kramer guitar, and/or a MESA/Boogie amplifier on Gibson.com or at the Gibson Garage, will receive three months of the Gibson App free of charge. Pricing and song catalogue differs between countries.

*Prices subject to change