Strum Machine vs Start Jamming with Grass
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Strum Machine
Generate realistic backing tracks for practice with real instrument audio. Customize chord progressions, keys, and tempo. Features a large song library, song editor, and band customization options. Works offline and syncs across devices.
- Realistic instrument audio backing tracks
- Customizable chord progressions, keys, and tempo
- Extensive song library
- Simple song editor
- Band and instrument customization
- Cross-platform syncing and offline mode
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Elevate your music practice with customizable backing tracks generated with audio from real instruments (guitar, mandolin, and standup bass). Strum Machine can play any chord progression, in any key, at any speed. It's the only backing-track app built specifically for players of bluegrass, old-time, fiddle tunes, and other such genres. (Although it works pretty good for some jazz/swing now, too!) Why musicians of all levels love Strum Machine: • Realistic Sound: Backing tracks are assembled in real time from studio-quality instrument recordings. • Quick Adjustments: Instantly adjust the speed/tempo, change the key, loop part of a song, etc. • Auto-Speedup: Gradually increase the BPM at the end of every repetition for training purposes. • Chord Reference: Clean, beautiful chord charts, which can be displayed in letters or numbers (i.e. "1-4-5"). • Extensive Library: Over 1,300 songs (mostly from bluegrass and old-time) ready to go, with thousands more posted on the community forum. • Simple Song Editor: Add your own songs (or edit existing ones) in minutes. Almost every chord you can play on a guitar is available for use. • Customize the Band: Choose from a variety of built-in band styles, then optionally customize each instrument individually – adjust the strumming pattern, add automatic bass runs, and more. • Organize & Share: Create song lists for practicing or even performing, and share them with your friends or on the community forum. • Cross-Platform: Sync your custom songs, lists, and preferences with any device you use Strum Machine on: phone, tablet, or computer. (It works offline, too!) • Responsive Support: If you run into any problems or have questions, write us an email or post a message on the forum and someone will get back to you within a few days! Strum Machine is under active development and we're always working on ways to make the app even more useful to our users... while keeping it uncluttered and intuitive first and foremost. Discover how Strum Machine can improve your music practice today! Download Strum Machine and play a handful of demo songs instantly, without signing up. For the full experience, including access to all built-in songs and the ability to create your own, start a free trial. Terms of Use: https://strummachine.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://strummachine.com/privacy
Start Jamming with Grass
Learn bluegrass music with a comprehensive song library, including chords, lyrics, and demo videos. Discover over 700 bluegrass jams nationwide to connect with other musicians. Practice with built-in backing tracks at adjustable tempos.
- Extensive song library with chords and lyrics
- Demo videos for jam standards
- Jam finder for local bluegrass events
- Track played songs and share with friends
- Automatic backing tracks with adjustable tempo
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Grass is your companion for learning bluegrass music. Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your skills, this app provides everything you need to join the bluegrass community. Key Features: - Song Library: Chords, lyrics, and demo videos for over 400 jam standards, filterable by category and artist. - Jam Finder: Meet new friends to play with at 700+ bluegrass jams across the country. - Lists: Track what you've played, or "go live" and help your friends follow along - Practice Tools: Built-in automatic backing tracks at adjustable tempos. Perfect for: - Beginning musicians interested in bluegrass - Intermediate players looking to expand their repertoire - Anyone wanting to join the bluegrass community - Musicians searching for local jams
Screenshots
Verdict
Strum Machine and Start Jamming with Grass both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 89% of Strum Machine's written reviews are positive against 33% of Start Jamming with Grass's. Strum Machine also leads on ratings volume (120 vs 11) and chart position (#138 vs unranked). Start Jamming with Grass's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Strum Machine sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Start Jamming with Grass asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Strum Machine against 4.8 for Start Jamming with Grass. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strum Machine has 120 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of Strum Machine's written reviews are positive against 33% of Start Jamming with Grass's.
Strum Machine ships an update fortnightly, Start Jamming with Grass weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Strum Machine | Start Jamming with Grass |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (120 ratings) | 4.8 (11 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 88.7% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 120 — better | 11 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Best chart rank | #138 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 77 MB | 75 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Luke Abbott LLC | Elijah Jacob Mayfield |
Customer experience
Strum Machine
Start Jamming with Grass
In-app purchases
Strum Machine
- Monthly Subscription14 Days trial$4.991 Month
Start Jamming with Grass
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Strum Machine free?
Is Start Jamming with Grass free?
Which has better reviews, Strum Machine or Start Jamming with Grass?
Do Strum Machine or Start Jamming with Grass have ads?
Which is updated more often, Strum Machine or Start Jamming with Grass?
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