Free Guitar & Music Software

Good software doesn't have to be expensive. Whether it's a metronome, music notation, or multi-track recording software, there are some great free music programs. For example, if you want free music notation, chose Powertab, Tux and others that work great. 

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If you are willing to pay a little for something more, with realistic sound, a speed trainer and lots of other advanced yet intuitive features, I personally use and recommend:

Guitar Pro: a complete workshop for guitarists at an affordable price

Free Guiter & Music Software
Title Type Link Description
Audio
Convert to mp3 Audio http://lamexp.sourceforge.net/ I used this on XP but despite its name, it works fine on Win 7 64bit too. You need "lame" and other software for it to run. Links are provided during install.
Digital Recording
Audacity Digital Recording http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Very useful recording and editing multi-track software. With the "Lame" plugin you can also output mp3s.
Reaper Digital Recording http://www.reaper.fm/ Unrestricted trial license. Powerful, easy to setup and more intuitive than Cubase products that came with several of my recording devices.
Ear Training
Functional Ear Trainer Ear Training http://www.miles.be Basic & advanced versions available to practice relative pitch and note intervals. *****
GNU Solfage Ear Training http://www.solfege.org Nice ear training software. Free software - not totally polished but gets the job done and fun to use. Contains a help file with theory explanations.
Guitar Scale and Learning Software
Guitar Scale Viewer Guitar Scale and Learning Software http://www.sound.jp/scale_viewer/ Fretboard display with chords & scales, including greek modes, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese scales. A "must have" for anyone interested in scales and modes and chords.
NoteCard - fretboard learning software Guitar Scale and Learning Software http://familygames.com/freelane.html Goes up to 7th fret and also has piano notes
Transposer 2 Guitar Scale and Learning Software http://www.worshipmusic.com/gen-trans-pc.html This is a great little software. It raises and lowers pitch of mp3s. It also slows down or speeds up. Trial version does all this but can't save to a file.
Metronome
Metronome EXP Metronome http://download.cnet.com/Metronome-EXP/3000-2133_4-75442512.html Nice BIG display. Easy to use. A current favorite. Has features I didn't explore yet.
Web Metronome Metronome http://webmetronome.com/ Simple and very nice. There is nothing to download, just set the tempo and beat, then click and play.
Weird Metronome Metronome http://www.weirdmetronome.com/ Despite it's name, this is a nice easy to use metronome that can also create MIDI drum sequences.
Music Notation Software
Finale Notepad Music Notation Software http://www.finalemusic.com/ An inexpensive and functional version ($10?) of the Finale suite called Notepad gives usable standard notation and tab. Some limitations may make you want to upgrade. I personally use PrintMusic.
Impro-visor Music Notation Software http://www.cs.hmc.edu/~keller/jazz/improvisor/ Notation and improvisation software. Stumbled upon it, but not spent time with it yet. Looks like an awesome open-source contribution from Mr. Robert M. Keller. of Harvey Mudd College
LilyPond Notation Software Music Notation Software http://lilypond.org/web/ If you have patience to learn this, you can make great looking standard notation on this open source software.
Noteflight Music Notation Software http://www.noteflight.com Free limited online account with paid upgrades including advanced MIDI options. Standard notation only - no TAB.
Power Tab Music Notation Software http://www.power-tab.net/guitar.php Download and play 1000s of tab songs that play on Power Tab software. Create your own Guitar and Bass TAB & standard notation.
Scorio Music Notation Music Notation Software http://www.scorio.com Online score writer for standard notation (no TAB). Save music online. Free accounts.
Tux Guitar Music Notation Software http://www.tuxguitar.com.ar/ Free TAB and standard notation software - reads and writes Guitar Pro files. I still love the advanced features of GP, but this is a great free alternative.