Jam Maestro Lite vs Guitar Tabs X
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Jam Maestro Lite
Compose music with a guitar and drum sequencer. Explore harmonies and note relationships with a unique interface. Share tab ideas instantly with others. This lite version has limitations but offers a glimpse into powerful music creation.
- Guitar and drum tab sequencing
- Compose short musical ideas
- Realistic instrument samples
- Unique interface for harmony
- Share tab ideas
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Jam Maestro is a powerful music composition tool for musicians interested in making guitar-centric music. In LITE version: Sequence 1x Guitar and 1x Drums in guitar tab/drum tab format, to a max of 4 bars. No save/open ability. In FULL version: Sequence up to 16 instruments together, including Guitar, Bass and Drums, and compose songs in guitar/drum tab format. Midi sequence and play background apps in your compositions using the Midi and Inter-App Audio instrument types. Easily construct harmonies and see the relationship between notes thanks to a unique interface. Instantly share tab ideas with friends and bandmates via Dropbox. Playback with highly realistic samples. Full version features: (NOTE: Not available in the Lite version) - 5 Instrument types: Guitar, Bass, Drums, Midi, Inter-App Audio. - Inter-App Audio Host and Node support. - Connect up to 4x Inter-App Audio Effects. - Effects: Reverb, Delay, EQ, Chorus, Flanger, Vibrato, Tremolo. - Full Midi In/Out compatibility - Midi Sequencing - Import Guitar Pro 3-5 files - Export/Import Midi files - Export tab to PDF/TXT file. - Create your own Drum Kits. - Audiobus 3.0 support, including State Saving - AudioCopy support. - Ableton Link VIDEOS: www.jammaestro.com --------- This is the LITE Version of Jam Maestro, in which you get: • 1x Guitar, Drums • Standard Tuning • 4 bar limit on the guitar tab sequencer • No save/open ability plus a few other limitations. --------- Upgrade to the FULL VERSION inside the app to get: INSTRUMENTS: • Realistic sound, OVER 4000+ (painstakingly) recorded samples. • Full guitar fretboard (24 frets). • Palm muted equivalents for every guitar note for that heavy CHUG sound. • Supports 6/7 string guitar, 4/5 string bass. • Any custom guitar tuning in the range of Standard to Drop A possible. (In most cases alternative tunings have been fully resampled for most realistic sound.). Expanded range of tunings beyond this now available. • One-touch Chords allow you to forget tricky finger position (+ define up to 25 of your own). • Unique interface allows dynamic key changing as you play. • Use guitar fretboard or drum pads as a midi controller to play background apps/midi devices. • iPad version ‘Dual Mode’ allows you to play 2 instruments simultaneously, including 2 separate midi compatible apps/devices. DRUM KIT CREATOR: • Use own samples or background midi app sounds. • Up to 20 pads, each which can be assigned with 2 sounds for cut off (eg. Open and Closed Hi-Hat). • Drum Kits using local samples are fully Midi In compatible. • Create Interfaces for background midi drum apps and sequence using internal sequencer. • Easily import and export your custom drum kits and share with others. SOUNDPACKS (* = available in Lite version) All Soundpacks now come unlocked in the Full Version. • Guitar: Acoustic*, Metalcore*, Shimmer, Stoner Doom, Bright Clean, Epic lead. • Bass: Studio Tone, Blacklisted, Hazzard. • Drum: Metal Drums*, Rock Drums. Metal Drums Pro, Rock Drums Pro, Power Drums, Punk Drums, Vintage Drums, Jazz Drums, Vinyl Drums, Bongos, Drum Machine 808, Tabla, Industrial, Atmosphere, Percussion Kit, Timpani TAB: • Guitar/Bass/Drum Tab Sequencer. • Midi Sequencer • Intuitive interface - program in notes just by touching them, rather than messing around with a numpad. • Play in almost any time signature. • Key analysis tools. • Jam Mode means you can record all instruments to tab simultaneously as you jam over your backing instruments. • Tempo/Repeat/Mixer/Panning Control. EXPORT: • Save tabs in .jam format - export via iTunes or straight to Dropbox to share with friends/bandmates instantly. • Export tabs as pdf/txt/midi/wav/m4a files. www.jammaestro.com
Guitar Tabs X
Create, edit, and save professional-looking guitar, bass, and ukulele tabs. Preview and play your compositions, and export them as PDF or MIDI files. Ideal for musicians of all levels to capture and organize musical ideas.
- Interactive tablature interface
- Special tab editing keyboard
- Insert chords with a slide
- Export tabs to PDF
- Export song to MIDI
- Supports bass and ukulele tabs
- Preview and play tabs
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Guitar Tabs X is a powerful guitar tabs editor. It is intended as the guitar and bass players' notebook so you can easily write and save your ideas and songs as pro looking guitar tabs. As an addition the app supports ukulele tabs. All tabs can be previewed and played. Supports bass tabs. Great tool for bands, composers, guitar schools and even beginners. With Guitar Tabs X you can write your chords fast so you never again forget your ideas. Guitar Tabs X exclusive features: - Interactive tablature interface - Special tab editing keyboard (like fretboard) - Insert chords with a slide - Full screen guitar tab read and edit - Smart bar metrics algorithms - dedicated tab file format - readable and small - easy chord edit - export tabs to PDF ( print ready ) - export song to MIDI (which you can import to any DAW) other features: - Fast tempo change - One touch bar metrics change - Copy, paste, insert, delete and clear bars - In-place edit title, artist and author - legato - bend up and bend down - vibrato - P.M. - Bass tabs support - Ukulele tabs support - undo last actions - send songs via email - send songs to server - free guitar tabs server - fast repeat chords - distortion guitar and bass sounds You can access your tabs via iCloud or iTunes share feature. To export songs as MIDI or PDF and to store more than 5 songs on the device you should unlock the PRO features via In-App purchase. All other features are available free and the app has no ads. Should you choose to upgrade to a Pro features, payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your may choose monthly subscription (paying per month),yearly subscription (paying per year) or one-time payment. (Price may vary by location.) Your subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the end of the current period and cancellation of the current active subscription period is not allowed. Auto-renewal may be turned off in your Account Settings in iTunes after purchase. You can also manage your subscriptions in Account Settings after purchase. Guitar Tabs X Terms of Service: http://guitartabsx.com/termsandconditions/ Guitar Tabs X Privacy Policy: http://guitartabsx.com/privacypolicy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Guitar Tabs X at Free against Jam Maestro Lite's $0.99. Guitar Tabs X also leads on ratings volume (360 vs 58). Jam Maestro Lite's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.1) and review sentiment (76% vs 55%). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Guitar Tabs X is free to download; Jam Maestro Lite costs $0.99 up front. Jam Maestro Lite sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Guitar Tabs X sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Jam Maestro Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Guitar Tabs X has 360 ratings behind it against 58, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of Jam Maestro Lite's written reviews are positive against 55% of Guitar Tabs X's.
Jam Maestro Lite ships an update every 4 months, Guitar Tabs X every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Jam Maestro Lite | Guitar Tabs X |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.5 (58 ratings) — better | 4.1 (360 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.9% of reviews — better | 54.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 58 | 360 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 10.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 292 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | David Blake | Aleksandar Mlazev |
Customer experience
Jam Maestro Lite
Guitar Tabs X
Bugs and requests
Jam Maestro Lite
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Guitar Tabs X
Reported bugs
13 issues- Songs automatically deleted when creating new tabs
- Multiple songs overwritten to same filename
- File save not confirmed properly
- App freezes with 'stop playback to edit' message
- Playback stops at high tempos (150+ BPM)
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- Ties/slurs ignored across measure boundaries
- Incorrect note playback in certain tunings
- Double copy when changing song title
- Accidental delete function too sensitive
- No sound on some newly created tabs
- Pro version purchase breaks save functionality
- Slider tempo control glitchy and unresponsive
- Coding issue with special characters in composer field
Requested features
26 requests- Capo/Capodastre functionality
- Hammer-on and pull-off notations
- Custom tuning editor for any string configuration
- 7-string and 8-string guitar support
- 5-string bass support with more tuning options
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- Chord names above tabs
- Tempo changes mid-song
- Additional time signatures (6/8, 7/4, 8/8)
- Dotted note options
- Rest/silence notation
- Harmonics and pinch harmonics
- Slides and bend notations
- Copy and paste functionality
- Multiple tracks/instruments in one project
- Text annotations and lyrics
- First and second ending markers
- Better metronome and tempo control
- Auto-save functionality
- Larger font sizes for printing
- Ghost notes support
- Glissando notation
- Percussion/drum tabs
- Better sound samples for guitar
- Shuffle rhythm option
- Bar numbering
- Search functionality for saved tabs
In-app purchases
Jam Maestro Lite
- Bass: Blacklisted SoundpackFree
- Bass: Hazzard SoundpackFree
- Guitar: Stoner Doom SoundpackFree
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- Guitar: Shimmer SoundpackFree
- Guitar: Bright Clean SoundpackFree
- Guitar: Epic Lead SoundpackFree
- Effects Pack 1$1.99
- Jam Maestro Full Version$7.99
Guitar Tabs X
- Guitar Tabs X Pro - monthly$0.991 Month
- Guitar Tabs X Pro - yearly$5.991 Year
- Guitar Tabs X PRO features$11.99
Questions
Is Jam Maestro Lite free?
Is Guitar Tabs X free?
Which has better reviews, Jam Maestro Lite or Guitar Tabs X?
Do Jam Maestro Lite or Guitar Tabs X have ads?
Which is updated more often, Jam Maestro Lite or Guitar Tabs X?
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