The best music theory apps for iPhone

Corridor classical music app is an interactive, game-based music theory and ear training app created by leaders in popular music education. This music theory app for iPhone is modern music education solution that teaches music using the "See it. Hear it. Play it." method:

• Visual Recognition. These games help you to recognize musical materials based on how they look on the staff, on an instrument and represented by popular musical symbols. 
• Aural Recognition. These games engage your ear and help you to recognize music materials based on how they sound.
• Practical Application. These games develop your understanding of musical materials by applying them to an instrument.

Sonid is a music theory learning app that teaches you about music theory in a fun and orderly manner. It focuses you to learn about a single topic at a time expanding your knowledge about the harmonies in music theory step by step. Sonid is made for beginners and more advanced musicians that would like to broaden their musical mind.

• Learn about a musical subject: a natural note, the perfect prime interval, the ionian major scale, a major seventh chord and many more
• Unlock classes to continue and expand your musical knowledge
• Complete classes and lessons and earn experience points to buy badges and compete with your friends.
• Display the notes from any scale/chord or interval in the playground.

The Music Theory app will help improve and develop your listening skills and tone control, learn about your favorite classical composers, increase your knowledge base of music theory, and identify complex written chords. It uses Brainscape's established cognitive science techniques so you will learn faster and more efficiently than with other apps. The app includes 15 audio decks of flashcards that you can use whether you have 10 minutes free to study, or a chunk of time set aside. Use it at home or while out and about to advance your ear-training and theory anywhere. Try it for free and then pay to unlock it all.

• 15 audio decks like Name That Chord, The 7 Modes, and Composer Trivia
• Use it anywhere
• Advance your ear-training and theory
• Improve and develop your listening skills and tone control
•  Free with in-app purchase to unlock

Jamn Multi-tool is an interactive reference tool for people with basic music theory knowledge. It helps to visualize a song's hidden chord progressions and structure by showing the relationships among scales, keys, and chords for piano, guitar, ukulele, and bass. You'll be able to jam on your own or with a band, go deeper into music theory, find chords that belong together, and personalize existing songs with more chords. The app features a massive chords library, the patented Jam Wheel, in-key chords and scales for every key, free updates, and a built-in tuner for ukulele, bass, and guitar.

Jamn app review

• Explore different keys and scales
• Go deeper into music theory
• Huge chords library
• Built-in tuner
• Find chords to belong together to become a better song writer

This app claims to stand apart from the rest of the pack. In fact, it says that there’s never been an app like this before. If you take a look at this app, they might just be right. It’s a journey of learning how to create melodies and chord progressions. The app presents it in a way that’s fun, easy to understand and very practical. There are 41 interactive exercises and 94 audiovisual examples from some of the world’s most popular musical artists. Hooktheory I is worth every penny!

• Teaches how to create melodies and chord progressions
• Fun, easy to understand and very practical
• The app has 41 different interactive exercises
• There are 94 audiovisual examples from musicians
• The app is in the form of a music book

Waay gives you an introduction to practical music theory that is easy and engaging. It uses video lessons, interactive lessons, and progress tracking so you can improve your songwriting skills. It teaches applied music theory so you can take what you learn right to your instrument and use it. The first course, Melodies, comes included with the app and has eight video lessons and nine interactive exercises. The next course is called Chords and is available through an in-app purchase. The second course has eight video lessons and 11 interactive exercises.

Waay app review

• Sync among devices
• Built-in tools track your progressing
• Small lessons and interactive exercises
• Learn practical music theory
• Lesson one comes with app

Chordelia Seventh Heaven will give you the skills you need to recognize “Seventh Chords.” It can be hard to tell them apart in context, and most musicians never get past this stage. The app will teach you how to hear the important types of seventh chords easily and reliably. You will be able to add interest to the basic minor/major chords of an existing song, transcribe and improvise over jazz standards, and compose more innovative chord progressions. Training mode has 10 unlockable lessons, Testing mode will check your progress, and Custom mode allows you to set up a tailor-made training and testing session to work on problem areas.

• Explanations and illustrations of each chord type
• High-quality sound samples
• Training, Testing, and Custom modes
• Background material on the theory of seventh chords
• Free with in-app purchase to upgrade to Pro

Theory Lessons from musictheory.net offers 39 animated music theory lessons. For less than an expensive coffee you'll get some decent lessons that will offer you basic music theory. This app is especially useful to those who have had basic music theory lessons elsewhere but beginners will get a lot out of this app as well. It's easy and fun, and will help anyone gain a better grasp of music theory with lessons like Odd Meter, Rest Duration, Diatonic Triads, Circle Progressions, Using Neapolitan Chords, Introduction to Chords, and The Staff, Clefs, and Ledger Lines.

Theory Lessons app review

• From musictheory.net
• 39 animated music theory lessons
• Basic music theory you can study anywhere
• For beginners and more advanced musicians and students of music
• A lot less expensive than private lessons

Music Theory Pro offers dynamic drills that will help you gain musical fluency. This app is for people who have a base knowledge in music theory but want to know more. You'll be shown a key signature, chord, note, interval, tempo, or scale, and you have to identify what you hear or see as quickly as possible. The faster you identify it, the higher your score. You can go up against people from all over the world or keep your scores to yourself. The app also has several features for beginners, too.

• For beginners or more advanced users
• Become a pro at music theory
• Different activities and exercises
• Compare your scores against others' from all over the world
• Sharpen your ears and increase your skills

UCLA Music Theory was designed as a supplemental resource for students to practice ear-training with four different training modules. They include Dictation, Intervals, Chords, and Sight Reading. There are currently two modes for each section: Practice Mode, which is untimed and your score is tracked, and Survival Mode, which is timed and your end score is recorded in high scores. You'll practice your ability to recognize notes and note formations in both modes. This is a free app.

• Supplemental resource
• Practice ear-training
• Four different training modules
• Two modes for each section
• Free music theory app for iPhone