Pricing: Dual Licenses for $79.99
If you’re looking for a good deal, you’ll be happy to know that Guitar SightReader Toolbox’s standard package is a two-for-one offer that costs only $79.99. This is great if you tend to split your time between a desktop computer and a laptop, as you won’t need to spend more just to have the licenses needed to use Guitar SightReader Toolbox on both.
You can also contact Sean Clancy, the software developer, for group offers. Clancy accepts payments made through PayPal or major credit and debit cards like MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express.
9th Place7.8 out of 10Features
Guitar SightReader Toolbox veers away from the usual “watch and imitate” style of learning that you often see from other guitar learning software. Instead, this program tries to arm you with the knowledge and training needed to read, understand, and play musical notation. This approach can be a bit daunting, not just for beginners but even experienced guitarists who are used to working solely with tablature or chord charts. However, considering how this particular approach opens the way to a deeper understanding of guitar, as well as mastery of important skills like composition, many students will find a lot of reward for their effort.
Lesson Coverage
Aside from the sight-reading primer, ear-training module, and chord and lick libraries, the Guitar SightReader Toolbox doesn’t exactly come with lessons so much as tools to help you learn. That said, purchasing a license also gives you access to online lessons from Sean Clancy, who is also an accomplished guitar player and experienced instructor. Lessons cover everything from timing to sweeping and more. You can also opt for one-on-one, hour-long Skype lessons, though these come with a separate fee of $25 per session.
As for evaluation, you’ll be able to set up exams and quizzes for yourself using the Gutiar SightReader Toolbox’s exam module. You can create your own printable questionnaires on everything from key signatures to scale notes, as well as test yourself in the tool’s testing area.
Learning Tools
True to its name, the accompanying learning tools and resources are where Guitar SightReader Toolbox really shines. Aside from the SightReader module, you’ll get great features like the recorder and transcriber. The former lets you record and play back your performances, as well as adjust aspects like tempo and pitch so you can experiment with your sound. The transcriber, meanwhile, lets you slow down any song while retaining original pitch, giving you a way to break down that tricky riff. You can even bookmark certain sections and pin recordings of your own playing.
Other great tools include the chord and lick libraries, which store chord layouts and audio clips of riffs and licks. You can create and add your own material, modify or adjust playback for entries to help you study, and so on. Meanwhile, tools like the progression creator and the invertor give you ways to practice your composition. You can create and play around with patterns on a guitar neck, moving them up through chords or changing note groupings; you can create and practice chord progressions or learn from the built-in library. The possibilities are endless, thanks to Guitar SightReader Toolbox’s versatile and customizable features.
Great Extras
Pros and regular performers will appreciate some of the software’s included extras, like the practice session scheduler and setlist manager. On top of the features mentioned above, guitar instructors will love the fretboard diagram creator, too. There are a lot more features packed into this software, so you’re sure to get the most bang for your buck.
A Different Kind of Investment
As affordable as Guitar SightReader Toolbox is, though, the software does require a significant amount of time to master. There are video tutorials to help you get the hang of all its features, but even those demand a bigger time commitment from you than other options on this list.
Customer Support
Guitar SightReader Toolbox is run, developed, and managed by only one man: developer and guitarist Sean Clancy. You can reach him through email, phone, snail mail, or Skype. He doesn’t give any guarantees for response time, but he does respond to all messages. The site itself features a comprehensive overview of the software, and the brand maintains accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ that you can follow for updates.
What's the Verdict on Guitar SightReader Toolbox?
Guitar SightReader Toolbox Review 2020 – Conclusion
Guitar SightReader Toolbox can definitely be intimidating for guitar beginners, or even more experienced guitarists who aren’t well-versed in music theory. But in this weakness lies the beauty of the software, because it doesn’t simply teach you the instrument, but music as a whole. Put in enough time and effort, and you’ll be able to read musical notation, compose your own tracks, and tackle the process of acquiring more advanced skills, too. The dense feature set and cluttered interface might take some work to get through, but Guitar SightReader Toolbox promises to repay your time with a whole host of tools and resources to help you become an accomplished musician.
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