Gibson: Learn & Play Guitar Reviews

by J Jones1234

I deleted Gibson after a week. My daughter and I both developed wrist pain and we feel it is due to using Gibson. At first it seemed helpful, but as the lessons wore on the video game aspect of it compelled us to stress out and try to get the note right at whatever cost to our technique.

Three nights ago I thought I was having a good session but all of the sudden I had shooting pain in my fretting hand. I looked down and my wrist was in a terrible position that no instructor could endorse. Now I’m taking at least a week off to let it heal before I try to play again, very frustrating.

Maybe some people don’t have this problem, especially those whose technique is already locked in and healthy. But from where I’m sitting I would recommend Fender Play or Guitar Tricks. This way you can go at a more controlled pace and not get sucked into “leveling up” in a video game when you should be keeping your hands in the correct positions. I expected more from this app. Maybe this is more cost effective for them than building out an entire curriculum with human instructors.

by Bruce McLeod

Gibson only runs in portrait mode, so it’s not a true iPad App, and just a blown up iPhone App. Since I always use my iPad in landscape mode (and that’s how my case supports it) I would never use Gibson on the iPad when playing guitar. This is unfortunate because the iPad presents a large screen to view the material, and the case allows a convenient, ‘no hands’ orientation to play and watch. Deleted, might review the iPhone version differently, but won’t be as convenient as a proper iPad version with landscape would be.

by Charliezx245

I really like your song selection and the interface is simple but elegant! That said, there’s pretty terrible lag whenever I slow down a song. Practicing even at 50% is almost impracticable. Practice at the slowest speed is basically impossible. Gibson also crashes not infrequently. Finally, for some reason, notes are not being picked up by my mic. I do have new headphones and they’re not terrible. I hope you address these issues soon. At the very least, I hope you make Gibson accessible on my Mac. If you fix these issues, you might even be a better app than Yousician. Good luck!

by Allyannehay

It’s a very good and useful app, but I’m not able to get over halfway through a daily session before it tells me that I have to pay $15 a month to play anymore. I’m worried that I won’t get the skills that I need if I can only do half of what is recommended. I’m not paying for unlimited and I don’t know if it’s worth it. If you’re willing to spend money, this is a great app. If not I’m with you and we need to find something else.

by Shidey17

I like the setup of Gibson much better than similar game style guitar learning apps and the song selection and leveling are both great. Gibson is fun and I usually end up getting really pulled in once a begin a session.

There are a few technical issues that make Gibson really frustrating though, and I don’t see myself continuing past the free trial unless they are addressed.

First off, there are major issues with note detection. I’ve used several different guitars and headsets and even played pretty loudly through an amp. I’m in a quiet room and it keeps missing notes. I’ve taken my headphones off and picked through individual strings.

The other major issue is lag when slowing down songs. It’s not just the first time. It happens on a redo even if I just played the song.

Finally, I’d like to see a bit more fine tuning with slowing down song sections and the ability to quickly choose certain sections without having to move the slider around and guess.

There is a lot of potential here and I really hope to see what future updates bring.

by Ridelikeyoustoleit

I been using your app for awhile, at first I used the chord recognition issues as an opportunity to refine my finger placement to get all strings to ring out perfect. I’m beating my head against the wall as it can’t be done...acoustic or electric thru a clean amp makes zero difference, I tune using the built in tuner...it’s frustrating at the very least. So, cut my losses on your open chord progression process and started the lead guitarist1 and soloing, you have no direction on what to bend string to...semitone or whole? Tried various bends to try and dial in the correct bend, no luck, either says “bend not heard” or something like that or wrong note. I don’t know where your issues lie, at least Yousician has a way to try and calibrate the microphone. I won’t be renewing my subscription if it doesn’t improve, for the beginning student, the frustration is high enough without these glitches already

by Bryan4viponly

Gibson is pretty and has a nice interface. I have played Rocksmith since 2014 and have been begging for a iPad app that could compete. Yousician didn’t, fender play didn’t, and from what I can tell this app isn’t looking so good either.

The issue with not paying the license for the songs is the unlistenable covers they use for backtracks. And the bad thing here is that Gibson doesn’t require a chord, but does require headphones and since it doesn’t emulate your guitar you cannot hear what your playing.. the notes have a horrible tone guitar emulation playing but it’s not an emulation of your own playing, but what should be played. I tried 30 seconds to Mars and the Chorus killed me. The singer on the backtrack could not hit the notes in the chorus and I had to stop it was so distracting.

by Michael_127

I’m really enjoying watching and learning how to play but when I need to slow down a song or rewind a video more than around 45 seconds it plays half a second of the song or video I’m watching over and over again. it won’t let me move the slider to go forward or back in the video. Other than that it’s a great learning app and would recommend to any new guitar players

by Buzzatraz

Great update! Compared to other apps with trivial updates this one is a big deal.

You truly care about your app experience fixing complex issues like these. I actually feel like I am learning compared to Yousician’s arcade exp. PreviouslyI loved your app except for the bend and lick lessons. Now they are working. Well done. We are one in this.

My minor ask now are improve seeking and looping sections. Yousician does seeking and resuming within a track more cleanly. The UX for looping a section takes a step or more than it needs to, just seems a awkward every time I do it.

by MOBAFanatic

Why the H-E-Double hockey sticks do you teach the player to use their pinky on the G-chord? Do you know how near impossible that is to do without muting some strings? Why are you teaching such a hard way to play the G-chord when there is an easier way that doesn’t require the pinky finger?

I was really enjoying Gibson (better than the competition in some aspects) until I ran across this lesson...I got so frustrated trying to learn the way Gibson wanted me to, that I went back to Yousician to learn the G-chord there instead, only to find that there is an easier version of the G-chord that Amped does not teach you... After trying that version I went back into amped to complete the lesson but it was very confusing to be told to use my pinky...I really wish Amped would change this, and because there is no way to contact the developer on their website I decided to use this form instead.

I highly recommend Gibson to those of you that are not the developers reading this, and just because I think their way of teaching the G-chord is frustrating and dumb doesn’t mean I don’t recommend Gibson still, I really enjoy it, for the most part.

by ORHobbes

This is a great app for learning to play guitar as well as some other features. I particularly love that it listens to you while you play and gives you feedback, even though it only works if you use headphones.

However, the only issue I have with Gibson is that there is no search function in the songs tab. So if you want to look for a tutorial on how to play a specific song, there’s no way to find it other than just scrolling through random list of songs and hoping you locate the one you want. If they add in a search function for songs/artists, Gibson would be five stars for sure.

It would also be really nice if they gave you a 10% discount on guitar and accessory purchases like the Fender play subscription does, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers.

by JTG1315

Gibson is immersive. The lessons are easy to follow. I try to perfect each lesson and nail it with three stars before moving on. I’ve been at it for a week or so and I’m trying to decide if headphone augmented reality is how I want to learn guitar. What comes through the headphones is not what is actually being played on the guitar. I get that it’s working finger dexterity on the fretboard but it makes me feel like Gibson is attempting to trick me into thinking I’m doing something that I’m not. I realized yesterday I haven’t plugged my guitar into my amp for several days. Do I want to play an app or guitar? I know my basic open chords and the chord section throws me off because I want to go straight to the shape I know but Gibson builds it up slowly finger by finger. Gibson requires rigidly following this pattern which makes me overthink what’s going on. All that said, I’m going to stick with it to see how it goes.

by SalvatoreAntonioMazzotta

I’ve been playing guitar for 14 years and hold two degrees in music, so I know my way around the guitar. I’ve also spent a few years teaching on and off.

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My daughter is 7 and started playing a few months back. She loves the guitar but easily gets discouraged when she runs into things that she can’t do right away. It’s difficult to get her to stay motivated though those moments especially when you’re lucky enough to have a Nintendo Switch readily available. Amped makes it fun for all of us. She’s only been using it for a few days, but she seems to enjoy it much more than the leading competitor app. I believe this is directly related to the pace at which the information is delivered. The lessons increase very gradually and even overlap each other, which is great for learning.

Of all of the educational programs using the Guitar Hero model, Amped has the best presentation. While you could definitely learn guitar from Amped alone, I think it would be best used in parallel to a guitar teacher or related online sources.

I’ve peeped ahead to check out some of the future lessons. So far, my only notes are on the technical side.

-The tracking, especially when playing chords, needs some improvement.

-It’d be very cool if Amped supported all usb class-compliant audio interfaces and not just the iRig. I know at least one of the competitors supports this.

Overall, excellent app. We love it.

by Big Ham 57

The this app app is so good it can really help you learn guitar it has so many songs and videos and a whole learning course for you! The customer service is great! They are always there if you have a question, they answered me and were patient. The this app app is a amazing learning environment of any guitarist at any skill. Whatever genre of music you want to do the this app app can get you there! It is well worth the money I suggest Gibson to any guitar player and anyone who wants to learn! Great app keep up the amazing work!!!

by Jtdiesel1

I love Gibson! I never practiced so much until I started using Gibson. It isn’t perfect, but for the most part it recognizes what note/chord it hears.

I wish there was a better way to track progress. When you open up your track it starts at the beginning and you have to scroll back to where you were, no biggie though.

by Alegis Construction

I am 7 weeks in and more than 350 lessons and I can feel the change. The option between classical, folk, country, rock and metal keeps it interesting. The practice features that allow you to slow down and practice a piece are excellent. I would love to be able to isolate and repeat trouble spots.

While I am an accomplished musician of many years it is really good to fine a way to practice with accompaniment. If you are looking for an Application that will change you and produce results get Gibson, get and use it. Trust me you will not be sorry.

by FuzzyRaccoon

I learned so much in the short time I played. Today (when I wrote this) was my second day of playing and I learned more then I ever thought! I’ve felt the improvement this whole time. If you are stared out on your instrument Gibson is perfect for you! I swear Gibson was the 5th one I tried out and that was my last! It’s perfect; No adds popping up, easy to learn and it makes it stress-free!

by U2rocker

What a great way to learn guitar. Pretty much Guitar Hero but for a real guitar. I consider myself advanced intermediate and am still finding plenty to keep me busy. I’m sure this is a app in process with more content to come. Only suggestion so far is it would be nice to “save or mark” songs you are working on so you can access quicker.

by TKrome21

Let me start by saying that out of every guitar teaching app I have tried, This one is the only one that I DONT get frustrated with. Even when it’s trying to teach me to use my fingers in a way that I’m not used to, I usually end up realizing later in the learning path that it really makes changing chords a much smoother experience than whatever “easy” way I was trying to force through.
The whole experience is of a quality that just isn’t matched by anyone else. They lead you through quick, achievable lessons that build skills, raise confidence and keep you motivated!
Before you know it, you’ve completed 2 of the learning paths, and you’re feeling like learning the guitar is no longer this overwhelming, foreign, and out-of-reach longing in your soul.

And then I lost my progress.

by Bob81456

Started playing 4 years ago at 61 , had tried several App’s but have used one 95% of the time , still enjoy it , but so far this has been an excellent change , I’ve ready subscribed. I play daily since I’m semi retired looking forward to seeing more progress. Thank you.

by Merrilles

I have MRI hearing aids which are connected to my iPhone XS Max. I would have to disconnect them in order to use headphones and reconnect them afterwards. Not hard to do, but an annoyance. Also, I would have to buy an adapter in order to use my headphones with my phone. We all know that Apple got rid of the headphone jack. Another extra expense in order to use Gibson . There are other good guitar apps out there to use. The developers need to look into these issues, especially if they want iOS users to use Gibson without extra cost.

by Burned Arcadia

I started to use this because I'm trying to get back into learning the guitar but this does not seem to work. It wants to use headphones & I'm using my Bluetooth but it keeps not recognizing that I’m using them. It even when I got it to work it doesn’t respond hearing my guitar even with my phone next to it. I stopped playing & still got a perfect score. So this leads me to believe that it’s a fake teaching guitar app!

by Spiderman8199

After installing the required update, Gibson no longer works. Rebooted device, nothing.

Update: got a response from “Daniel”. His support solution is that I buy a newer device so I can use an app that was running perfectly just days ago!! Btw I have an iPad Air 2, so although it’s not a spring chicken, it’s hardly a dinosaur. Have had zero issues on it with any other app.

DO NOT use download Gibson until they have some real solutions to the problem.

by Jestlui

Overall I find the song selection better than Yousician, but their note recognition isn’t to par yet. I can play Yousician for hours with only a few moments where it misses a note I’ve played, but Amped is lucky to get 4 out of 5 at times. I’m still using it because regardless of what Amped thinks I’m playing, I know I’m playing correctly and the practice is fun. Improve your recognition, add more songs to library, and this is a great app.

by Mikeymal18

I really like Gibson and even more than Yousician. I feel like the microphone sync is way more accurate than Yousician’s but the huge downfall to Gibson it has no slow down feature to play songs at a slower pace like Yousician can and no ability to rewind in songs also in like Yousician can. If these two features were added I would give Amped 5 stars.

by App Recomeder Guy

I saw Gibson today and I really like it. But, I have 2 complaints about Gibson.

One is the headphones. I am not saying that I don’t have headphones but I feel really bad for people who don’t have headphones.

Two is the mic. Whenever I play a high E string, it says it cannot hear me

by Dough-Moh

5 stars because I like the concept and I want to support but I’m having issues with Gibson closing on me. It might be my phone but I want to make sure that it’s not just Gibson . It keeps closing on the intro lessons on Frets 2. Everything else works perfectly fine. So idk if it’s that specific lesson that my phone that can’t handle it. I have an iPhone 7

by Great Spud

Hi! Been loving Gibson & the way it teaches. However my biggest issue is that with each new session I want to play Gibson won’t start (crashes trying to load!) and only works if I uninstall/reinstall it

by Eliza.A.Wagner

It help me track when I practice and continue to practice instead of quit so I completely recommend this if you are learning to play

by BrazaBrStra

First, some ”psychological factors”: first, I was skeptical about this because Gibson has a lot less reviews compared with other apps. For that reason my mind automatically thought that it would not be worth it to download it. Second, I downloaded anyway because I liked the rock and row vibe of Gibson . Other guitar learning apps have these childlike interface, which turns me off. Besides the psychological factors, I think it is the best guitar learning experience someone can get in an app. It is intuitive, immersive, they don't take your intelligence for granted making ridiculous basic lesson. I don't understand why it's not more popular, but I am happy that I found this. I am just not sure how much silence on the background I need to practice, or if the problem is my headphones (the wired one that cokes with the Iphone 8), but I am able to get good feedback only if I am in a completely silent place. Summarizing, thank you for Gibson and for bringing the experience of playing real things from lesson one.

by Beckythebluellama

I just got Gibson and I almost got the the tutorial but every time we get the frets three Gibson closes itself.