The best music theory apps for iPad

ScaleNet is a music theory learning app for novice musicians, young or old. Developed by two college professors, it is meant to help clarify how many of the basic concepts in music are connected by interrelated patterns. It uses a melody game to help new musicians learn skills they will use in a variety of different music genres ranging from Classical to EDM. Students will learn ear-training, not identification, simple key relationships, complex key relationships, and the graphic layout of keys on the staff. Te sight-reading and ear-training game introduces key info using touch-pad mirroring.

• Music theory learning app
• For young musicians
• Ear-training and sight-reading game 
• Key-sphere technology
• Free music theory app for iPad

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

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 for an introduction to music theory that isn't intimidating yet covers all the basics the Music Theory for Beginners app has been created to meet your needs. This one has been tested by all kinds of professionals to ensure that it is able to deliver on its goal. There are 22 lessons in total with more than 2,000 questions for users to answer. These questions range in difficulty which is exactly why you're rewarded with an achievement badge each time you take a quiz on a topic. Through the app you will learn to read rhythm and notes and get a grasp on basic harmony principals.

• There are 22 lessons to complete
• There are more than 2,000 questions to answer in the form of quizzes on each topic
• Earn Achievement Badges
• The app covers all the basics in a user-friendly manner

Teaching kids about music theory can be a tough undertaking and finding the right approach is key. The Treble Clef Kids Deluxe app takes them through the basics of learning to read music but in a way that is age appropriate for them and easy for them to understand. The app is an interactive offering, which helps to keep kids focused. It discusses four octaves on the piano in addition to both staffs of the musical clef. Kids are guided through the process and rather than bombard them with huge amounts of information at once it builds progressively through the lessons.

• The app has been created for kids
• Kids can learn the basics of reading music
• The app is interactive
• The content is built-upon progressively as they work through the lessons
• The user interface is kid-friendly

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