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Customizable backing tracks made from
real instruments.
Any song, any key, any speed.
Get the inspiration, motivation, and fun of playing with others… anytime, anywhere.
In bluegrass, old-time, and other “communal” music styles, the magic happens when multiple instruments are playing together.
Most of the time, though, you’ll find yourself practicing on your own. But if you can simulate playing with other instruments at home, you can:
- Improve your rhythm, timing, and improvisation skills
- Get comfortable and confident at playing with others
- Keep yourself motivated and inspired to practice more
But how? Prerecorded backing tracks can be a pain to find, and they’re not always in a good key or speed for you. And backing track software tends to be hard to use, cheesy-sounding, expensive, and/or not really designed for bluegrass/old-time/etc. players.
That’s where Strum Machine comes in.
Watch as I find and start playing a backing track in seconds!
Real instrument sounds, mixed together in real time
Strum Machine generates backing tracks by stitching together individual notes, chords, and strums recorded on real instruments: guitar, standup bass, and mandolin.
It’s not just more fun to play with realistic backing tracks; it also better prepares you for real jamming situations.
No matter what the tune or chord changes, it sounds real and it sounds great. I quickly forget I’m not playing with a real band.
Play at your speed with instant tempo adjustment
Just tap the −/+ buttons, or type in an exact BPM number, and Strum Machine will instantly adjust its playback speed. Since the audio is being generated in real time, there’s no quality degradation like you get with a “slow-downer” tool.
Interactive chord charts to guide you through the tune
Strum Machine highlights the current beat during playback, helping you stay oriented within the song.
Either letters or “Nashville Numbers” (“1 4 5” or “I IV V”) can be shown.
Loop any part of a tune simply by clicking and dragging, so you can zero in on a tricky phrase until you’ve mastered it.
Over 1,000 songs preloaded so you can get right to playing
Strum Machine's library is focused on bluegrass standards and jam favorites, old-time fiddle tunes, and songs from related styles. Lightning-fast search means you can find songs in seconds.
📃 View a list of preloaded songsAdd (or edit) songs with a simple song editor
Can’t find a song in Strum Machine’s built-in library? Want to play an original tune or a custom-made exercise?
With Strum Machine’s simple song editor, creating new songs is as easy as typing in the chords.
You can also modify existing songs with the same interface to quickly change a chord or rearrange sections of a tune, and share songs you create with your friends.
The interface to add songs is amazingly intuitive. I added a song in probably 2 minutes. All apps try to be “easy to use and intuitive” while this one actually succeeds.
Simple and easy to use on any device
Strum Machine has a simple interface that works on any computer, smartphone, or tablet. Just go to StrumMachine.com and log in, or install the app on iOS and Android.
I’m not a tech-oriented person, so this is a great alternative to complex software like Band in a Box. Many thanks for creating this simple, uncomplicated, easy-to-use service.
Plus these helpful features and more
Auto-Speedup
Nudge the tempo up with each rep of a song or looped section.
Song Lists
Quickly jump into whatever you've been working on.
Works Offline
Practice without an internet connection.
Print-Friendly Charts
Want a hard copy of a song's chords? No problem; just hit print.
Integrated Notepad
Jot down reminders, link to source recordings, paste in lyrics… whatever you like.
Song/List Sharing
Send a link to songs/lists you've created so your friends can access them.
Start for Free
No credit card required.
I've seen a huge improvement in my students' overall timing on fiddle tunes as well as bluegrass breaks and solos after a few months of using Strum Machine, and it has boosted their confidence in playing with other people 100 fold. We love it!
Strum Machine really has made me a better player and listener in a jam. I'm even getting better at counting into songs, something I've always struggled with. I practice/play my banjo along with it every day.
I’ve found that Strum Machine makes me want to practice more, even though I've been playing for 30 years. It has rekindled that spark of inspiration in my desire to enjoy my guitar time.
My guitar teacher and I really struggled to find something to help me become accustomed to playing along with others. Strum Machine has completely helped me in this regard. It's a great tool and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to any player, from beginner to advanced.
I’d only been playing the banjo for 5 months, and I was getting very frustrated. Three days with Strum Machine has already made a big difference in my playing!
My goal this summer was to work on improvisation – something I've always wanted to get better at, but never worked on consistently. Once I started using Strum Machine, I saw what an excellent tool it was for developing this aspect of my playing. The whole thing is easy to use, and the sound is fantastic.
Start for Free
No credit card required.
Pricing
(after your free trial)
$5
per month
or $49/year
- Unlimited use on up to five devices
- Support ongoing development and improvement of the app
- Annual payment option with 18% discount
- No hassles if you decide to cancel
- Prorated refund offered upon cancellation, even if paying annually
Questions & Answers
No problem. There’s a link to cancel your subscription in your account settings. Or, just send us an email and we’ll cancel your account. And yes, you’ll receive a prorated refund for the unused remainder of your subscription. (Note: Refunds are not available when subscribing through the App Store, due to limitations with Apple's payment system.)
How can Strum Machine improve your music practice?
Try out Strum Machine for two weeks, for free. We won’t ask for a credit card, so if you’re not happy with it, just let your trial expire and you’ll owe nothing.
Start for FreeNo credit card required. 14 day free trial, then /mo.