10 Great Music Theory and Ear Training Apps (2024)
Today, music theory can be learned through apps. It’s a fun, creative, and modern way to approach learning with apps like Perfect Ear, Tenuto, Ear Master, and many more.
Did you know you can learn a lot about Music Theory just by using an app on your phone? Did you know you can learn to recognize differences in relative pitch just by playing quizzes and games on your iPad?
There are hundreds of Music Theory and Ear Training apps available for both Android and iOS. They all claim to teach you Music Theory and help train your ears in an interactive way that is easy, fun, and stimulating.
Some of these apps are little gems you wish you knew sooner. They are all pretty useful for any musician out there, no matter their level.
Here’s a list of the Music Theory apps that are loved by most.
Contents
1. Perfect Ear
Perfect Ear is a comprehensive Music Theory and Ear Training app you can use in plenty of ways.
Available for both Android and iOS, it comes in either the free or the premium version. We recommend the latter, which is really cheap but full of functionalities.
Perfect Ear is divided into three main sections: theory, ear training, and rhythm. It also has some bonus exercises to make you excel at specific music skills. Let’s have a closer look at every section.
The theory section provides the rudiments of intervals, scales, chords, modes, rhythm, and the circle of fifths. You can also access the theoretical explanation of each topic through ear training and the rhythm sections.
In the ear training section, you’ll be able to practice your aural skills through interval identification and comparison, interval singing, and interval sight-reading. You can also practice the identification of scales and chords.
In the rhythm section, you can familiarize yourself with rhythmical figures that get progressively more complex or practice how to keep the beat.
2. Piano Companion
This app, available for both iOS and Android, is particularly useful for piano students, but it can benefit anyone wanting to find out more about Music Theory.
You can choose between the free and the premium version. The free version is quite comprehensive, although it limits some features, such as the possibility of building and saving chords in your personal dictionary.
Piano Companion features chords and scales dictionaries that can be very useful for reference at any time. It also explains the circle of fifths and chord pads to practice chord progressions.
Last but not least, it features a virtual piano (excellent to compose on the run) and a section dedicated to both free and paid piano courses.
3. Tenuto
iPhone users can practice Music Theory with the 24 exercises, ranging from ear training to chord recognition, provided by the app Tenuto.
It is only available as a premium app but for a small and affordable amount. Nevertheless, it is still worth the money, seeing as you get a great app to teach you Music Theory.
Its twin app, Theory Lessons, provides interactive and animated Music Theory lessons that progressively become more advanced.
4. Music Theory Basics
Music Theory Basics offers a wide range of lessons, starting from note reading to complex rhythms and chords.
Another great Music Theory resource for iOS comes at a slightly higher price. Nevertheless, it is still a really fun and educational app, perfect for getting to know the basics. It has quizzes and games to engage and stimulate your learning.
5. EarMaster
This app features exercises on interval identification and chord identification, all introduced by a theoretical explanation. It is also very useful to practice sight-singing.
iPad users can master Music Theory and ear training with this free, super-comprehensive app.
EarMaster is particularly interesting because it supports the use of external microphones and MIDI controllers. You can plug in your favorite microphone to practice your sight-reading and have instant feedback on your results. Or you can plug in your MIDI keyboard to submit your answers to Music Theory exercises.
Unfortunately, EarMaster is only available for iPad.
6. Complete Ear Trainer
This Android and iOS app, available in full version for an affordable price, is what you need if you want to develop a full relative or absolute pitch.
It also offers precious insights into Music Theory to help you better understand the ear-training exercises presented.
You can use Complete Ear Trainer in three different modes: the Easy Mode, presenting more than fifty progressive drills over twelve different chapters; the Classic Mode, with more than 150 drills; and the Arcade Mode, a sort of challenge made of 21 drills.
You can also create Custom Training to suit your specific needs.
Each chapter, before the exercises, presents a sort of welcoming card with all the theoretical explanations you’ll need to undertake the challenge.
7. Music Theory Helper
This free app for Android gives you insightful information about chords, intervals, scales, the circle of fifths, and all the basic Music Theory concepts.
It also features a few ear training and reading exercises, despite being more focused on the theoretical approach. Although the theoretical approach is not always bad, sometimes you need a little more theory before diving in further.
8. Functional Ear Trainer
Functional Ear Trainer is an app for both Android and iOS, available for free but requiring in-app purchases, designed to enhance your aural skills.
Developers claim that, through their app, you will develop perfect aural skills with just ten minutes of practice a day.
The app is surely very effective, especially because it puts each tone in the context of a particular musical key, encouraging the development of a perfect relative pitch.
Music Theory used to be boring, but now, with new technologies constantly reshaping our world, it can be an exciting challenge.
All the apps described in this article will help you improve your Music Theory, aural, and rhythmical skills on the go in a simple and fun way.
9. Theory Lessons
This app is very diverse in the sense that it has several useful lessons that cover notes, notations, scales, intervals, chords, and much more.
Theory Lessons is another useful app; it’s only usable on an iPhone or an iPad and serves the purpose of teaching you music theory. It’s perfectly suited to get you to the next level regarding your musical journey.
It’s also very informational since it has great explanations that are perceived through really detailed images to learn more successfully. Its diverse nature allows for a good overall learning experience of music theory that also involves the name of the notes, their values, and also explaining time signatures.
10. Music Tutor (Sight-Reading)
It can teach you how to decode standard musical notation and can also help you learn to read sheet music with an emphasis on sight-reading skills.
Music Tutor is considered a pro music app suited for successful musical theory learning.
We all know that being able to read sheet music is an invaluable talent for any musician. So, this app helps you focus on that skill to bring it up to a whole new level.
You’re going to learn how to increase and develop your speed reading sheet music, as well as useful tips on how to quickly identify music notes within certain time sections.
Notable Mentions
Ear Gym (Android)
Ear Gym is an app designed to improve your musical ear through various ear-training exercises. It typically includes exercises related to pitch recognition, interval identification, chord progressions, and more. Ear Gym is suitable for musicians and music students looking to enhance their musical perception and performance.
The ET – Ear Trainer (Android, iOS)
The ET, or Ear Trainer, is an application dedicated to teaching intervals, chords, harmony/analysis, and more. It often offers exercises that help users develop relative pitch, perfect pitch, and harmonic understanding. Musicians, especially those studying music theory or preparing for ear tests, may find this app beneficial.
Relative Pitch (Android, iOS)
Relative Pitch is an app that focuses on training users to recognize and differentiate musical intervals and chords by ear. Using solfege syllables for note identification, the app helps musicians and music students improve their ability to play by ear, transcribe music, and understand the relationships between notes and chords within a piece of music.
Soundgym (Website)
Soundgym is not an app but an online platform designed to help users improve their listening and audio skills. It offers a variety of interactive exercises and games that focus on training your ears enhancing your ability to identify and manipulate sound elements, such as frequencies, EQ, and spatial positioning. Soundgym is suitable for audio engineers, musicians, and anyone interested in developing a keen ear for audio production.
Teoria (Website)
Teoria is also an educational website, not an app, designed to help users learn and practice music theory. It offers a wide range of lessons and exercises that cover various aspects of music theory, including notation, scales, chords, harmony, and more. Teoria is a valuable resource for music students, musicians, and anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the theoretical aspects of music. It provides a structured approach to learning and reinforces fundamental concepts in music theory through interactive lessons and quizzes.
Summary
There are a lot of music theory apps out there today, but these are the top ten in my opinion. They provide you with interactive material that allows you to learn and progress at your own pace.
Today, the use of apps is highly popular. Most of our devices can access apps, and most people enjoy playing and interacting with them. Regarding music theory, it has never been easier to learn and train your ears with interactive material.
Music theory learning can be a daunting task for anyone. It’s usually approached by reading and listening, then tested in practical application. But with this list of apps, you can learn and practice your ear training skills with interactive material on your phone or tablet.
