Virtual Instrument
Virtual Guitar
Pick a chord, see the shape, strum it. Eight real sampled tones, every fret playable. Free, no install, no account.
Tap a fret to hear it, or pick a chord above
Eight authentic guitar sounds
Every sampled sound uses real recorded audio — not synthesis — so you hear the true character of each style and technique.
Steel ★
Acoustic steel-string — bright, full-bodied, and resonant. The quintessential acoustic guitar sound for folk, pop, and singer-songwriter.
Nylon ★
Classical nylon string — warm, mellow, and intimate. Perfect for fingerpicked melodies and flamenco-inspired patterns.
Clean ★
Electric clean — crisp, clear, and articulate. Ideal for jazz chords, funk rhythm, and clean blues playing.
Jazz ★
Hollow-body electric — dark, mellow, and smooth. The definitive tone for jazz leads and chord melody.
Muted ★
Palm-muted electric — percussive and tight. Essential for funk rhythms and downstroked rock riffs.
Distorted ★
High-gain distortion — gritty, aggressive, and powerful. The standard tone for rock and metal riffing.
Overdrive ★
Driven amp — warm breakup and crunch. Classic blues leads and classic rock rhythm in one tone.
Harmonics ★
Natural harmonics — delicate bell-like tones with long sustain. Beautiful for ambient textures and intros.
How to use the virtual guitar
Tap any fret to hear it
Press a fret on any string. The string vibrates, the note sounds, and its name appears under the neck.
Drag across the strings to strum
Sweep down the six strings to strum. Sweep back up to strum the other way, or use the arrow keys.
Pick a chord and watch it light up
Choose a root and a chord type. Every finger position lights up on the neck, and Play strums the shape.
Cycle the shapes until one fits
Hit Shape to move through the other ways to play the same chord — open position, barre at the 5th, and higher up the neck.
Mark the notes you want, then play them back
Turn on Mark and tap the frets you want to keep. Press Play or the space bar to hear them in order. Leave nothing marked and Play strums all six strings instead.
Send your marks to anyone
Copy the address bar and share it. Whoever opens the link sees the same frets marked and hears the same notes.
Find every place a note lives
Pick a note under Highlight and the neck shows you all of them at once — the fastest way to stop thinking in shapes and start seeing the fretboard.
Play with your computer keyboard
Each keyboard row is a string and the keys across it are frets 0 to 9: the number row is the high e, then QWERTY, ASDF and ZXCV. Hold Shift to reach the two bass strings.
Clamp a capo on, or retune
Move the capo to any fret from 1 to 7 and every note shifts with it. Switch to Drop D, Open G or DADGAD when a song asks for it.
Choose your tone
Start on Steel, then try Nylon, Jazz, Muted or Distorted. Each one loads the first time you pick it — choose Synth for sound with no wait. Short, Medium and Long set how long a note rings.
Go full screen, and tune up first
Expand the neck to fill your screen — turn your phone sideways for the most room. Playing along on a real guitar? Open the tuner, get in tune, and come back.
Frequently asked questions
What is a virtual guitar?
A virtual guitar is a browser-based instrument that simulates a real guitar using recorded audio samples. You can play it with your mouse or touchscreen — no physical instrument required.
Can I play chords on it?
Yes. Pick a root note and a chord type and the shape lights up on the neck, then press Strum or drag across the strings to hear it. Most chords have several shapes — open position, barre at the 5th, and further up the neck — and the Shape button moves through them.
Is this guitar free to use?
Yes, completely free. No account, no download, no install. Open it in any modern browser on desktop or mobile.
What guitar sounds are included?
Eight high-quality sampled sounds: Steel (acoustic), Nylon (classical), Clean (electric), Jazz (hollow-body), Muted (palm-muted), Distorted (high-gain), Overdrive (crunch), and Harmonics. Plus a Synth mode that works instantly without loading.
Can I play it with my computer keyboard?
Yes. Each keyboard row is a string and the keys across it are frets 0 to 9 — the number row plays the high e, then QWERTY, ASDF and ZXCV work down the neck. Hold Shift to reach the A and low E strings. The arrow keys strum up and down, and the space bar plays whatever you have marked.
How do I share the notes I marked?
Marks are saved in the page address as you make them, so copy the URL and send it. Whoever opens it sees the same frets marked and can play them with the space bar.
Does it support a capo, alternate tunings or left-handed players?
All three. Put a capo on any fret from 1 to 7 and every note shifts with it. Switch between Standard, Drop D, Open G and DADGAD. Turn on Lefty to mirror the whole neck. Chord shapes are written for standard tuning, so they sit out while you are retuned.
What is standard guitar tuning?
Standard tuning from the thinnest string to the thickest is: e4, B3, G3, D3, A2, E2. That is E-A-D-G-B-e, the default tuning for most 6-string guitars.
Can I create and export my own guitar tabs?
Yes. Use the full Guitar Tab Editor to draw notes, set fret positions and durations, then export as ASCII tab or MIDI. You can also share via URL with no account needed.
How is this different from the Guitar Tab Editor?
Play here, write there. This page is the instrument: tap frets, strum chords, and try shapes without setting anything up. The Guitar Tab Editor at /guitar-tab/ is where you write music down — draw notes onto a timeline, set capo and rhythm, then export as ASCII tab or MIDI.
Related tools
Strumming & Arpeggio Player
Edit and play strumming and arpeggio patterns over any chord.
Online Tuner
Tune your guitar with your microphone before you start playing.
Metronome
Practice with a steady click. Tap tempo and accent control included.
Virtual Bass Guitar
Switch to bass and lay down the low end with four sampled sounds.
Ready to go deeper?
The full Guitar Tab Editor adds chord helper, capo support, drag-and-resize notes, ASCII export, MIDI export, and URL sharing.
Open Guitar Tab Editor →