For anyone interested in learning about music theory, such as professional musicians, students, and those with a love of music, there are a number of apps designed to help you with this learning process. This list takes a look at options that can be used by both beginners and those with advanced knowledge. You will be able to learn about music theory, put it to use, and broaden your skill set.
The best music theory apps for iPad
8 May 2021, by  Christine Pamintuan
This app helps you to prepare for Levels 1 - 5 of ABRSM. MyMusic Theory is one of the best music theory apps for iPhone. With this music theory app, you can practice music theory and train your sight-reading skills. Learn all important topics of music theory. Start with simple notes in treble clef for total beginners up to identification of exotic scale modes in mezzo-soprano clef.
- Key signatures up to 7 accidentals of major or major scale
- Intervals including compound intervals (up to double octave). In identification mode can be double sharps or double flats used.
- Chords including triads, sixths, sevenths, extended chords (9ths, 11ths), suspended chords, open voicing, inversions...
- Scales including all scale modes of major or minor scales (modes of harmonic or melodic scale), Neapolitan scales, pentatonic scales
- Diatonic chord degrees on major or minor scale as triads or seventh chords
This Music Theory with AUDIO app will help dramatically improve and develop your LISTENING SKILLS and tone control, identify complex written CHORDS, increase your knowledge base of MUSIC THEORY, and even learn all about your favorite classical COMPOSERS. With the latest in Brainscape’s proven cognitive science techniques, you’ll learn faster and more efficiently than with any other music app on the market! This good music theory app for iPhone includes a range of AUDIO decks including the following:
- Beginning Chord Theory and Music Symbols
- Key Signatures and Closely Related Keys
- Name That Chord, Non-Chord Tones
- The 7 Modes
- Chord Ear Trainer and Interval Ear Trainer
- And MORE…
Children’s Music Whiz is a great little iPad app meant to help kids and adults learn basic music skills, or to help them improve upon the skills they have. It was developed by a music teacher and will help users improve ear training and music reading using a game-like, fun way. Features of the app include staggered progression, a wide range of instruments, three game levels (the first three games in each level are free), and two games to help users practice what they’ve learned. This app is great for absolute beginners as well as those who have a bit of a knowledge base and want to build upon and improve their knowledge.
- Suitable for all ages
- Will help users play a wide range of instruments
- Three stages, each with 10 games
- Play Ear Training and Pop The Balloon to practice what you’ve learned
- Free with in-app purchases
"Piano theory" is a music theory game app。it designed to help you learn music theory knowledge.Through the built-in music knowledge , you can easily learn music theory knowledge.At the same time, there are many music theory practice tools in the app, these tools can be used to help you quickly learn music and piano playing skills.Using fragments of time every day, continuous practice, you can quickly enough to play the real piano skills.
- Customized practice: according to your daily learning.
- Practice tools are applied at the same time with learning theory.
- Professional theory lessons: brings together a number of music teacher's experience summary.
- Statistics of your everyday learning and practicing.
This app constitutes more than 200 educational documents to help aid your music theory learning including blank notation and tab sheets, flashcards, chord charts, instrument diagrams, and much more. All content is organized in PDF format and shared across mobile devices, computers, and printers. The app is also AirPrint compatible. Users can ask the developers for new content to grow the app's resource library.
- Over 200 educational documents
- Includes tab sheets, flashcards, instrument diagrams, and much more
- All documents in PDF format
- Request developers for new content
- AirPrint support
The Theory Lessons app provides users with 39 different lessons they can work their way through. The lessons are straight from the musictheory.net website and are provided in their original format along with animations. These lessons include such things as an introduction to chords, the simple and compound meter, rest duration, diatonic triads, and building Neapolitan chords. Move through the lessons and the app with ease as there are no confusing menus or options to weigh you down. The lessons all feature text instructions that are clear and concise giving users the feel of their own private teacher.
- Access 39 music theory lessons from musictheory.net
- The lessons are shown in their complete form along with animations
- Move through the app with ease
- The lessons are clearly explained
- The user interface has been kept basic without confusing menus to navigate
If you're looking for a complete offering when it comes to music theory the Music Theory and Practice by Musicopoulos app may be able to fill your needs. This one combines exercises with music theory lessons so that you aren't just reading it you're actually doing it. Lessons include inverted intervals, modes, introduction to intervals, relative minor scale, key signatures, and many more. The goal of this app is that you will actually be training and developing your ears as you learn the theory. The default instrument in this app is the piano but there are other instruments available.
- Learn music theory with a hands-on approach
- You will be working on exercises to go along with the theory
- You will be training and developing your ear as you learn
- The default instruments used in the app is the piano but there are other instruments available
If you're looking to learn about music theory, not just in a basic sense but all the advanced theory as well, then the Music Theory Pro app could prove to be a great option. This one has been created by an individual who attended ear training and music theory training classes at USC and APU. The developer then took all of this information and built it into an engaging skill-building style of game. It’s not your typical introduction to music theory and that’s exactly what makes this one so unique. You will be playing for the high score and you'll be facing off against other players all around the world. You can play as a pro or as a beginner.
- Learn music theory for beginners and pros
- The app makes learning into a game
- You will face off against other players around the world
- Work to obtain the highest score
If you are looking to take your knowledge of music theory to the next level then the Tenuto app might be the way to go about it. This one offers users 15 different exercises, all of which are customizable. This means the app will be something different to each user. The lessons include such topics as staff-based exercises, fretboard-based exercises, keyboard-based exercises, and ear training exercises. To top it off there is also five different music calculators you can make good use of. The app can be used by beginners and advanced students who are looking to broaden their knowledge base.
- The app is ideal for music theory students
- It can be used by beginners and advanced music theory students
- The exercises are all customizable
- There are also music calculators which can really help you out