Strum Machine - Backing Tracks
For bluegrass, fiddling, etc.
Free · In‑App Purchases
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 1,400 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, for free!
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
Audio powered by the FMOD Engine, © Firelight Technologies Pty Ltd.
more The customizable features of strum machine are amazing! For musicians at ever level, this app was clearly designed by a musician to help other musicians develop in all the essential ways. The preloaded songs are awesome! But, so is the ability to change them, change keys, add my own songs, and change speeds. Every musician knows there are those tricky phrases and this app let's you conveniently highlight those and practice them over and over, at whatever speed you need to get them into muscle memory. I also love the auto- speed up feature with settable top speed to practice playing faster at a settable bpm rate (I usually increase by 2 bpm) which is a fantastic way to develop skill! I also like being able to set which backup instruments are playing. I am learning mandolin, so when practicing chop chords, I turn off the mandolin chop in strum machine so that I fill that roll with the bass and guitar. I use the preloaded songs to practice improvising using major, pentatonic, minor scales and arpeggios. I can't say enough about how thoughtful this app is and how helpful it is to any developing musician. Well done and thank you!!!
The customizable features of strum machine are amazing! For musicians at ever level, this app was clearly designed by a musician to help other musicians develop in all the essential ways. The preloaded songs are awesome! But, so is the ability to change them, change keys, add my own songs, and change speeds. Every musician knows there are those tricky phrases and this app let's you conveniently highlight those and practice them over and over, at whatever speed you need to get them into muscle memory. I also love the auto- speed up feature with settable top speed to practice playing faster at a settable bpm rate (I usually increase by 2 bpm) which is a fantastic way to develop skill! I also like being able to set which backup instruments are playing. I am learning mandolin, so when practicing chop chords, I turn off the mandolin chop in strum machine so that I fill that roll with the bass and guitar. I use the preloaded songs to practice improvising using major, pentatonic, minor scales and arpeggios. I can't say enough about how thoughtful this app is and how helpful it is to any developing musician. Well done and thank you!!!
I was struggling trying to get Band in a Box to perform the simple task of giving me backing tracks. A friend told me Band in a Box is great and on that (bad) advice I spent $100 on it. It's so convoluted and tedious to set up. And then all of their Bluegrass backing tracks sound like just noise. I couldn't figure out how to get just a boom chuck strum with mandolin chops. And I couldn't get it to sound right in split time. I'm sure with a lot of work and study, it is possible to get it sounding great but I don't have time to master a programming language just to get some backing tracks. Anyway...I heard about Strum Machine from Marcel and it seemed like an option, but I had some questions:-Can I use it offline?-Can I put in my own songs?-Does it provide the solid rhythm I need?-Is it easy to use?-Can I use it on my ipad? And is the app easy to open and activate each time?The answer to all of these is "yes". Strum Machine has been nothing but a joy to work with. It's so simple to set up and gives me exactly what I need for backing tracks. I can't say enough good things about it.
I was struggling trying to get Band in a Box to perform the simple task of giving me backing tracks. A friend told me Band in a Box is great and on that (bad) advice I spent $100 on it. It's so convoluted and tedious to set up. And then all of their Bluegrass backing tracks sound like just noise. I couldn't figure out how to get just a boom chuck strum with mandolin chops. And I couldn't get it to sound right in split time. I'm sure with a lot of work and study, it is possible to get it sounding great but I don't have time to master a programming language just to get some backing tracks. Anyway...I heard about Strum Machine from Marcel and it seemed like an option, but I had some questions:-Can I use it offline?-Can I put in my own songs?-Does it provide the solid rhythm I need?-Is it easy to use?-Can I use it on my ipad? And is the app easy to open and activate each time?The answer to all of these is "yes". Strum Machine has been nothing but a joy to work with. It's so simple to set up and gives me exactly what I need for backing tracks. I can't say enough good things about it.
I started playing bluegrass around the start of COVID. As a result, I did not have an opportunity to play with anyone else. I thought that I was doing pretty well until I got Strum Machine. I now realize that I had a lot to correct. I was, well, awful.After using Strum Machine for about an hour on Whiskey Before Breakfast, my playing got tolerable. That was a BIG improvement.I expect to use it almost every day from now on. I can't imagine a better tool for learning to play. I even found it easy to create a new version of Whiskey Before Breakfast that uses an Em that I use. I'll probably attempt to create a whole song one of these days. Being able to slow the music down is an unbelievable advantage. Allowing it to automatically speed up is icing on the cake. I absolutely hate using a metronome, but this is a type of metronome that is actually fun to use. I expect this to increase my bluegrass learning exponentially. There are no downsides as far as I can see.
I started playing bluegrass around the start of COVID. As a result, I did not have an opportunity to play with anyone else. I thought that I was doing pretty well until I got Strum Machine. I now realize that I had a lot to correct. I was, well, awful.After using Strum Machine for about an hour on Whiskey Before Breakfast, my playing got tolerable. That was a BIG improvement.I expect to use it almost every day from now on. I can't imagine a better tool for learning to play. I even found it easy to create a new version of Whiskey Before Breakfast that uses an Em that I use. I'll probably attempt to create a whole song one of these days. Being able to slow the music down is an unbelievable advantage. Allowing it to automatically speed up is icing on the cake. I absolutely hate using a metronome, but this is a type of metronome that is actually fun to use. I expect this to increase my bluegrass learning exponentially. There are no downsides as far as I can see.
This app is absolutely FANTASTIC!Strum Machine’s advertised purpose is as a practice tool, doing backing tracks that are much more interesting than a metronome. Perfect!But wait, there’s more. Do you like using Nashville Numbers style charts for gigs? Strum Machine is perfect for that too. It has a very easy and intuitive editor to set up cleanly formatted NNS style charts. You can easily add lyrics into the notes field. And then easily build set lists. The whole shebang displays nicely on your iPhone, so you can clip your iPhone to your mic stand. It’s wonderful. It just works!
This app is absolutely FANTASTIC!Strum Machine’s advertised purpose is as a practice tool, doing backing tracks that are much more interesting than a metronome. Perfect!But wait, there’s more. Do you like using Nashville Numbers style charts for gigs? Strum Machine is perfect for that too. It has a very easy and intuitive editor to set up cleanly formatted NNS style charts. You can easily add lyrics into the notes field. And then easily build set lists. The whole shebang displays nicely on your iPhone, so you can clip your iPhone to your mic stand. It’s wonderful. It just works!
Uses a new default audio engine, custom-built just for Strum Machine, with improved reliability and slightly lower battery usage.
1.425.0 09/18/2025
This version includes a newly-rebuilt audio engine (opt-in for now) that should be more reliable. If you've had any issues with audio playback recently, please go to the top-left menu > Advanced Settings and enable the new September 2025 audio engine.
1.424.5 09/10/2025
Changed version of bundled FMOD audio engine, in the hopes that it will resolve certain infrequent issues that some users were experiencing. (If you have problems with playback, please write Luke through the Help menu. Thanks!)
1.422.0 08/26/2025
Removing the new audio engine for now as there were a couple reports of the app crashing when opening it. Will add it back after more testing and fixing.
1.421.0 08/13/2025
New opt-in audio engine available under Advanced Settings in this update. See Version History in the top-left menu in Strum Machine to read about other features that have been added/updated recently!
1.420.0 08/13/2025
Bug fixes and minor improvements in this update. See Version History in the top-left menu in Strum Machine to read about other features that have been added/updated recently!
1.418.0 07/24/2025
Bug fixes and minor improvements in this update. See Version History in the top-left menu in Strum Machine to read about other features that have been added/updated recently!
1.417.3 07/21/2025
Tweaks to the audio engine to improve behavior around other audio-playing apps.
Last update:
Some new features in the editor like beat pushes, codas, and mid-song time signature changes, plus lots of work under the hood to keep Strum Machine running smoothly.
1.416.7 07/09/2025
Some new features in the editor like beat pushes, codas, and mid-song time signature changes, plus lots of work under the hood to keep Strum Machine running smoothly.
1.416.5 06/29/2025
Band Settings 3.0 update! Expanded preset library, improvements to the interface, new abilities for the mandolin (chop dryness and rhythm accents) and standup bass (four-notes-per-bar walking bass lines), plus bug fixes and improvements.
1.408.0 12/09/2024
Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the app to immediately close upon opening, if it had not been used for awhile.
For more information on past updates to Strum Machine, open the app and then go to the top-left menu > About / Version History.
1.399.0 08/04/2024
Minor improvements, plus an experimental (opt-in) metronome feature. Learn more by going to the top-left menu, then tapping About / Version History.
1.398.0 06/10/2024
We've redesigned the editing interface from the ground up to be smoother and easier to use, with new features like number-chords in the editor and a whole slew of new extended/jazz chords you can use in your charts!
1.397.7 05/26/2024
A small update that makes links to the Strum Machine website open in the app.
1.392.2 12/09/2023
A huge update to the band settings and guitar capabilities, eight months in the making! (Plus iOS 17 improvements.)
Band settings menu updates:
• Redesigned menu that is easier to read and navigate
• More prominent Presets button for quick access to band presets
• Improved rhythm pattern visualizations that mirror what you hear as you customize the settings
• Volume/pan sliders now affect the current song immediately – for global settings, continue using the Audio/Mix panel
Guitar - All boom-chuck–based strums updates:
• Choose between hearing alternating bass notes or the root note only
• Add automatic leading notes: transitional notes before chord changes (guitar only for now, bass coming soon)
• Add automatic guitar bass runs, picked based on the chord progression and your preferences
• Change the strum to be more boom-heavy or chuck-heavy
• Specify the "voicing" to use (chord shape, capo position, drop-D or standard tuning, etc.)
Guitar - Boom chuck with upstrokes updates:
• Make the pattern more strum-heavy (think Jimmy Martin) or pick-heavy (think cross-picking)
• Change the feel of the strum with a new "2D slider" control – see and hear your changes immediately as you drag the slider around
Guitar - Syncopated boom-chuck strum updates:
• Revamped syncopated (D DU UDU) strumming pattern that is more configurable and works better in more situations
Guitar - Dampened strumming patterns updates:
• A new "in-between" option for onbeats: a "short strum" that only plays 2 or 3 strings
• Adjustable sustain duration for dampened strums, anywhere from full sustain (no dampening) to almost no sustain (dampened immediately) – moderate sustain sounds great with slower ballads, for example
• Adjustable backbeat emphasis (softer onbeats and louder offbeats)
Standup bass instrument updates:
• Choose which octaves you'd like to hear the bass use: low, middle, or high (plus a "mix" option that currently needs work)
• Disable root-fifth alternation and hear the bass "pedal" the root note instead
• Fine-tune the amount of sustain you want to hear from the bass
On my to-do list for the future:
- Add many more built-in presets and styles to reduce the need for fine-tuned customization in common genres
- Add more mandolin strumming patterns to match the guitar offerings
- Add leading notes and chord walk-ins to the bass
- Add walking bass (four notes per measure) for jazz/swing genres
- Continue adding more strumming patterns to the guitar, such as a syncopated waltz strum, a simpler DUDDUD jig strum, and many more
- Add more jazz/swing chords
- ...and more, depending on what folks want to see!
As always, please let us know about any issues you encounter, or if you have any feedback or suggestions for improvement. Thanks!
1.392.1 12/08/2023
A huge update to the band settings and guitar capabilities, eight months in the making!
Band settings menu updates:
• Redesigned menu that is easier to read and navigate
• More prominent Presets button for quick access to band presets
• Improved rhythm pattern visualizations that mirror what you hear as you customize the settings
• Volume/pan sliders now affect the current song immediately – for global settings, continue using the Audio/Mix panel
Guitar - All boom-chuck–based strums updates:
• Choose between hearing alternating bass notes or the root note only
• Add automatic leading notes: transitional notes before chord changes (guitar only for now, bass coming soon)
• Add automatic guitar bass runs, picked based on the chord progression and your preferences
• Change the strum to be more boom-heavy or chuck-heavy
• Specify the "voicing" to use (chord shape, capo position, drop-D or standard tuning, etc.)
Guitar - Boom chuck with upstrokes updates:
• Make the pattern more strum-heavy (think Jimmy Martin) or pick-heavy (think cross-picking)
• Change the feel of the strum with a new "2D slider" control – see and hear your changes immediately as you drag the slider around
Guitar - Syncopated boom-chuck strum updates:
• Revamped syncopated (D DU UDU) strumming pattern that is more configurable and works better in more situations
Guitar - Dampened strumming patterns updates:
• A new "in-between" option for onbeats: a "short strum" that only plays 2 or 3 strings
• Adjustable sustain duration for dampened strums, anywhere from full sustain (no dampening) to almost no sustain (dampened immediately) – moderate sustain sounds great with slower ballads, for example
• Adjustable backbeat emphasis (softer onbeats and louder offbeats)
Standup bass instrument updates:
• Choose which octaves you'd like to hear the bass use: low, middle, or high (plus a "mix" option that currently needs work)
• Disable root-fifth alternation and hear the bass "pedal" the root note instead
• Fine-tune the amount of sustain you want to hear from the bass
On my to-do list for the future:
- Add many more built-in presets and styles to reduce the need for fine-tuned customization in common genres
- Add more mandolin strumming patterns to match the guitar offerings
- Add leading notes and chord walk-ins to the bass
- Add walking bass (four notes per measure) for jazz/swing genres
- Continue adding more strumming patterns to the guitar, such as a syncopated waltz strum, a simpler DUDDUD jig strum, and many more
- Add more jazz/swing chords
- ...and more, depending on what folks want to see!
As always, please let us know about any issues you encounter, or if you have any feedback or suggestions for improvement. Thanks!
1.392.0 12/03/2023
Fixes an issue in the audio system that would occasionally cause the app to crash.
1.381.14 10/25/2023
We've updated the app's audio engine to work better with iOS 17.
1.381.11 09/24/2023
Lots of under-the-hood changes to pave the way for future features coming this year, including more strumming patterns and instrument abilities.
1.381.4 03/02/2023
Lots of under-the-hood changes to pave the way for future features coming this year, including more strumming patterns and instrument abilities.
1.381.2 02/28/2023
Lots of under-the-hood changes to pave the way for future features coming this year, including more strumming patterns and instrument abilities.
1.381.0 02/27/2023
New strumming patterns! Check out the new "band settings" menu (next to the key switcher) to explore all the new options. More on the way!
1.376.0 11/28/2022
- New audio engine, paving the way for more complex strumming patterns to be released later this year!
- Restored compatibility with iOS 12.
1.372.7 11/10/2022
Fix for dissonant audio on a few chords with the new audio engine.
1.372.4 11/03/2022
Using a brand new audio system, powered by the FMOD. This new advanced audio system uses less power/battery and paves the way for new strumming patterns coming in the near future!
1.372.0 11/03/2022
Uses a new default audio engine, custom-built just for Strum Machine, with improved reliability and slightly lower battery usage.
more Version 1.425.0 09/18/2025
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