Learn an instrument in lockdown

Ever fancied yourself as a musician? Whether it’s rocking out on the electric guitar or composing a beautiful ballad on the piano, it’s all music to our ears. To set you on your way to stardom we’ve compiled a list of some great beginner apps that’ll teach you everything you need to know.

Every great musician has to start somewhere and that’s usually learning to read notes. It can be a little daunting – after all, it’s a whole new language – but there are lots of great resources that can help you on your way.

• Notes Teacher app (iOS)
• Music Tutor app (Android)
• If you prefer something real, there are lots of book available online that will teach you the basics.

As you start to get the hang of sight-reading, you can turn your attention towards the instrument you want to play. Apps are a great way to learn basics techniques that’ll help you master anything from a guitar, to drums and the piano.

Yousician

Perfect for beginners, Yousician is a fun way to learn the guitar, bass, ukulele or even improve your singing. The app provides you with access to tutorials that cover all the basic skills, as well as songs, exercises and lessons to practice with. It even gives you real-time feedback as you play.

Free to download, you’ll get 20 minutes of free feedback a day. But for £25.99 a month, you can upgrade to premium plus, with unlimited feedback and full access to instruments and learning resources. There’s also currently a 7-day free trial which should give you a good taster of what Yousician has to offer.

The app is available on iOS , Android and desktop.

Piano by Yousician

If piano is more your thing, Yousician have an app dedicated just to that. The principle is the same; you get live feedback with a game-like style of learning. Pricing is also the same as the generic version – free to download and £25.99 per month for the premium plus upgrade.

The Piano by Yousician app is suitable for all levels of learning, but perfect for complete beginners and is available on iOS and Android.

Trala: Learn Violin

For any budding violinists out there, Trala is a great app to help you get to grips with strings. Alongside video lessons from top violinists, Trala gives live feedback of your pitch and rhythm.

The app is free to download, but requires a monthly subscription of £19.49. Although there is a 7-day free trial, so you can test out if it works for you.

Trala is available on iOS and Android.

Udemy

If you’d looking for a more formal teaching format, Udemy offers courses on almost anything you might want to learn, instruments included. Take this best-selling beginner guitar course at only £39.99. That’s a pretty great deal!

With some hard work and dedicated practice, you’ll soon be ready for your first concerto.

Good luck!