Here are our favorite apps that help musicians improve pitch.
Introduction
Ear training apps allow you to hone your musical skills anytime, anywhere: they offer a quick and easy way to train your ears that can have a phenomenal impact on your musicianship.
The problem is that there are dozens of ear-training apps out there, so choosing one and being consistent (which is the most critical part) can become quite complex.
So we decided to test and compare our favorite ear-training apps, and give you an overview of what each can offer. Unsurprisingly, all the apps mentioned below are great at what they do, but the exercises and learning process provided can be very different, so choosing one that fits your learning style is very important.
Let’s dive in!
Why Are Ear-Training Apps Important?
Simply put, ear-training apps offer you a way to improve your relative pitch and get better at improvising or playing by ear. As a result, you can become a more prolific songwriter, who can instantly recognize scales, intervals and chords, and craft melodies that work with the rest of the song.
Ear training is as important as practicing your musical instrument; it helps you connect with the music you play and musicians you play it with, as well as expand your sonic palette in new and surprising ways.
The Best Ear-Training Apps
Perfect Ear
Platforms: iOS and Android
Price: Free with upgrade options
Perfect Ear is an all-around ear-training companion featuring exercises in intervals, scales, chords, solfège, rhythm, note singing, sight-reading, and beyond.
The app comes with an intuitive design that makes it accessible and engaging. However, what makes it stand out is the customization option: the virtually endless content library and customizable practice paths make it useful for beginners and professionals alike, who can adjust their training sessions to their needs.
Pros: Highly customizable.
Cons: Can feel overwhelming for absolute beginners.
Tenuto
Platforms: iOS only (iPhone & iPad)
Price: One-time paid app (~$4.99)
Tenuto is a beautifully-designed musical theory app available on iOS, which comes with 24 customizable drills, including notes, intervals, chords, scales, and key signature identification. An interesting feature for teachers is that it can tailor and even assign exercises via shareable links for progress tracking.
Pros: Excellent for teachers; no subscription fees.
Cons: Only on iOS.
Music Theory Helper
Platforms: iOS & Android
Price: Free with upgrade options
Music Theory Helper is a fantastic app that offers plenty even in its free version: from theory to ear-training, notation, the circle of fifths, articulation and more. A useful and visually appealing interactive builder can help visualize scales, chords, and modes to reinforce conceptual learning.
It also includes ear-training and sight-reading drills, alongside “Practice Helper” sequences that randomize elements like scales and chords to improve improvisation skills.
Pros: Rich reference tools; interesting interactive builders.
Cons: Less focused ear-training features compared to other apps.
EarMaster
Platforms: iOS and Android
Price: Free or paid license
EarMaster is a popular multi-platform ear-training suite that is often used in music schools. It comes with thousands of exercises that cover anything from sight-singing, melodic dictation, jazz progressions and more. A great feature is the real-time audio or MIDI input with adaptive AI, which can give you real-time feedback on your progress.
It supports cloud syncing (EarMaster Cloud), progress tracking, and modules designed for vocal training and ABRSM exam preparation.
Pros: Exceptionally thorough.
Cons: Steep learning curve for beginners.
Functional Ear Trainer
Platforms: iOS and Android
Price: Free with subscription option
A bit different from all the other apps, Functional Ear Trainer focuses on helping users understand musical notes by showing how they work together on a scale. Instead of just learning the names of the notes, it teaches you the role each note plays within a key.
This approach is based on Alain Benbassat’s program, and helps improve your ability to recognize pitches in a more natural way. All in all, Functional Ear Trainer is a great app for anyone who wants to understand the intricacies of music better, with a design that’s simple and friendly.
Pros: Intuitive and beginner-friendly.
Cons: Narrow focus.
Complete Ear Trainer
Platforms: iOS and Android
Price: Free with upgrade options
Complete Ear Trainer is a fun and interactive way to practice your listening skills. It has over 150 exercises that help you learn about music intervals, chords, scales, progressions, and melodic dictation. The program is organized into four levels with 28 chapters, and each chapter comes with a useful theory guide. You can share your scores or compete with friends to stay motivated, and its enjoyable format is great for both kids and adults with short attention spans!
Pros: Highly engaging gamified format.
Cons: Less depth in advanced theory.
Final Thought
Dedicating 10 minutes per day to ear training can change the way you compose and play music. So how about you choose the best ear training apps for your needs, and start the next chapter of your songwriting career?
After you’ve trained your ears to perfection with one of these excellent apps, you can get in touch with us, and we’ll help you take your musical skills to the next level.
Good luck, and stay creative!