How it works

A clear next step, every day

Fretwork turns learning guitar into small skills with a check at the end of each one. You always know what to practise, and you can see yourself getting better.

Step 1

Find your starting point

Five quick questions: how much you’ve played, your guitar, the styles you like, your goal and how much time you have.

If you already play, a skill check tests five areas in about ten minutes: chords and rhythm, technique, fretboard and theory, ear, and songs and improvising. It includes a real timing test, a fretboard quiz and an ear test, so the result isn’t just a guess.

Your five skill areas

Chords & Rhythm

Strumming, chord shapes, grooves and accompaniment

Technique

What your hands can do, from clean notes to speed

Fretboard & Theory

Knowing the neck and how music fits together

Ear

Hearing music and playing what you hear

Songs & Improvising

Putting it to use: songs, riffs, solos, your own ideas

Step 2

A daily session that fits your time

Tell us 10, 20, 30 or 60 minutes. Each day’s session mixes a warm-up, the next new skill, a review, a short ear game and something musical to play.

Tick blocks off as you go. Your streak and practice minutes are tracked automatically.

Warm-up

1-2-3-4 finger exercise at 70 BPM

3 min

New skill

Chord changes: Em to Am

8 min

Review

Your first five chords: ring test

3 min

Ear gym

Major or minor?

2 min

Play

Pop backing track in G

4 min

Step 3

Every lesson ends with a check

Each lesson has four parts: Explain, See & hear, Practise and Check. Try two real ones below.

See & hear: your first melody

Ode to Joy on the top two strings. Press Play and follow the highlighted notes.

90 BPM

e|-0----0----1----3---|-3----1----0--------|----------------0---|-0-----------------|-0----0----1----3---|-3----1----0--------|----------------0---|-------------------|
B|--------------------|----------------3---|-1----1----3--------|--------3--3-------|--------------------|----------------3---|-1----1----3--------|-3------1--1-------|
G|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|
D|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|
E|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------|

Check: higher, lower or the same?

Timing test

Tap along with a click. We measure how steady you are, in milliseconds.

Quizzes

Fretboard notes, chord shapes, keys and theory, with instant feedback.

Ear tests

Pitch, major or minor, intervals, chords and scale degrees.

Play-alongs

Play with a backing track, then rate yourself on a short checklist.

The path

Ten stages, each with a milestone

Stage 0Getting StartedTune the guitar and play a clean note on every string.Free

Stage 1First ChordsChange chords in time and play a whole song.Free

Stage 2Rhythm & SongsPlay a four-chord song from start to finish with a strumming pattern.Player

Stage 3First Riffs & SolosPlay a riff, a 12-bar blues and a short solo of your own.Player

Stage 4Barre Chords & GroovePlay any major or minor chord and hold a 16th-note groove.Player

Stage 5Scales & KeysName the chords in any key and solo with the pentatonic anywhere on the neck.Player

Stage 6Lead GuitarPlay a solo with in-tune bends, vibrato and clear phrases.Player

Stage 7Playing the ChangesSolo over a progression and hit the chord tones as the chords change.Pro

Stage 8Advanced VocabularyTranscribe a full solo and improvise with tension and release.Pro

Stage 9ArtistryPlay professionally: any key, any style, with a band.Pro

Explore the skill map See pricing

What you need

A guitar and 15 minutes

Any guitar: acoustic, electric or classical. (Bends need steel strings later on.)
A phone, tablet or laptop with sound. Headphones help.
15–30 minutes, most days.

No guitar yet? Read our buying guide →

An honest note on this version. The app doesn’t listen to you play yet. Timing checks use taps, ear tests use your answers, and play-alongs use an honest self-rating. Microphone feedback is on the roadmap.

Start at your level

Free, no card. Takes 2 minutes to set up.

Start free