Better Ears vs Guitar Tricks

Better Ears is an ear-training and sight-reading app for musicians, students, and teachers, with exercises spanning listening and music reading. Its 15 exercises include rhythm recognition and rhythm reading; rhythm practice can use a count-in, metronome, triplets, and time signatures including 3/4, 4/4, and 5/4. Answers may be sung, played on a real instrument, entered with a virtual keyboard or guitar fretboard, or sent through a MIDI device. Four preset levels are available, and an editor lets users build levels, chords, scales, and chord progressions. The app includes six instruments, supports custom SoundFonts, and the site says Mac can use more than 100 sounds through DLS SoftSynth. It records correct and incorrect answers for each exercise and question. Levels, sounds, and statistics are described as syncing across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android, with Dropbox syncing for levels, statistics, and settings. Better Ears runs on Android, iOS, and macOS. Android costs CHF 2.60, paid once; the iPhone and iPad app costs $4.99, paid once. A free Mac Beginner edition and a free macOS trial are listed.

Guitar Tricks is an online lesson service built around learning guitar, with structured paths for beginners through experienced players. Its Core Learning System gives beginners a progressive curriculum, while a library of over 11,000 videos covers techniques, styles and songs. Song lessons offer scrolling notation and tabs, adjustable speed, looping, lyrics and jam tracks for playing along. The video player provides multiple 4K camera angles and lets learners slow or repeat sections. Practice tools include a tuner, metronome, scale and chord finders, a jam-track station and fretboard trainer. Members can submit playing videos for instructor feedback, request custom lesson plans or take private lessons. A forum connects learners with instructors and other players, and Guitar Insider publishes a weekly video with instructor Anders Mouridsen. Apps are available for Android and Apple devices, alongside the web service. Basic Membership is free with 24 lessons; Full Access costs $29.95 a month or $179 a year. A 14-day trial is listed, and Full Access has a 60-day money-back guarantee.