# Absolute Ear: Ear Training — Play by Ear, Notes & Intervals > Structured ear training for music students and musicians to develop aural skills. (iPhone/iPad app by David Ashworth.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absolute-ear-ear-training/id6758640410 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [David Ashworth](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787750006) - Category: Music, Education - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 5.00/5 from 7 App Store ratings · 4 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.1 · 117 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2026-03-09 - Data updated: 2026-07-23 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absolute-ear-ear-training/id6758640410/reviews.md ## What is Absolute Ear? ABSOLUTE EAR - EAR TRAINING Want to hear a melody and know exactly what notes it is? That's what Absolute Ear teaches. This is a structured ear training course that takes you from recognizing your first three notes all the way to mastering all 12 chromatic pitches, melodic sequences up to 5 notes long, all 13 musical intervals, chord recognition by function, and real chord progressions - at whatever pace works for you. WHAT YOU TRAIN NOTE RECOGNITION Hear a piano note. Name it. That's the foundation of playing by ear. Start with just C, E, and G. Unlock new notes as you demonstrate mastery. By the end, you'll identify all 12 chromatic notes across three octaves - including sharps - without needing a reference pitch. MELODIC DICTATION Identify sequences of 2, 3, 4, and 5 notes in a row. This is where note recognition becomes real musical memory. Each unit introduces new notes progressively, so you're never thrown in the deep end. INTERVAL TRAINING Master all 13 intervals: unison, minor 2nd, major 2nd, minor 3rd, major 3rd, perfect 4th, tritone, perfect 5th, minor 6th, major 6th, minor 7th, major 7th, and octave. Three tiers of difficulty: • Tier 1: Fixed C as your tonic - build the foundation • Tier 2: Random root per session - start to generalize • Tier 3: Root changes every question - true interval hearing CHORD RECOGNITION Hear a chord and identify it by its function in C major - not just its name. Every question starts with the I chord to anchor your ear, then you identify the target chord by scale degree. Five modules take you from the Big Three (I, IV, V) through all seven diatonic chords. You'll learn to hear the difference between the lift of IV, the tension of V, and the darkness of vi. CHORD PROGRESSIONS Once you know the chords, learn to hear how their order changes everything. A four-chord loop plays and you tap the degrees in sequence. Five modules cover the most common progressions in popular music - from the classic I-IV-V-I to the pop loop I-V-vi-IV - training you to recognize the patterns behind the songs you hear every day. HOW IT WORKS 60+ structured units span five exercise types across six chapters: single notes, note sequences, interval training, chord recognition, and chord progressions. Units unlock as you hit 80% accuracy - you move forward when you're actually ready. Each session is 30 focused questions. Listen. Answer. Get immediate haptic feedback. The app tracks exactly where you struggle and weights practice toward your weakest notes, intervals, and chords - so every session is time well spent. If you're flying through a session, an early-completion prompt lets you move on early. FEATURES • 60+ course units across five exercise types • Chord recognition by function - hear harmony, not just names • Chord progression training - recognize the loops behind real music • Intelligent practice: weak spots appear more often • Multi-octave training - notes across three octaves • 60+ badges to earn - including some hidden surprises • Detailed stats: per-note accuracy, confusion matrix, accuracy trends, daily practice time • Session history and streak tracking • Apple Sign In - progress saved to your account • Haptic feedback on every answer • No subscription required to get started WHO IT'S FOR • Musicians who want to play by ear without sheet music • Piano and guitar players who want to transcribe what they hear • Music students building aural skills for exams • Anyone who hears a melody and wants to know its notes • Songwriters who want to hear chord progressions by ear • Experienced players sharpening pitch, interval, and harmony awareness Start with three notes. Build from there. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.absoluteear.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.absoluteear.com/privacy ## Key features - Note recognition - Melodic dictation - Interval training - Intelligent practice - Multiple instrument timbres - Detailed statistics - Session history and streak tracking ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Monthly | $4.99 | per month | | Yearly | $29.99 | per year | **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (4 of 4) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/absolute-ear-ear-training/id6758640410/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Great app! *2026-03-13* As a trombone player ear training is very important to my routine. This app is the most fun I’ve had with practicing ear training so far! The lessons are engaging and interactive, and I can already tell that my pitch is improving! ### 5/5 — Fantastic training app *2026-03-13* I love this app! It’s got a very clean and intuitive design that allows you to move at your own pace and even track your progress across multiple devices which is awesome. My kids even love playing on it! Well done.🎶👍🏻 ### 5/5 — Ear Training for non-musician *2026-03-12* This makes it so easy for anyone to learn perfect pitch in a fun and challenging environment. ### 5/5 — ⭐ Finally an Ear Training App That’s Actually Fun *2026-03-11* The exercises are straightforward, the interface is clean, and it actually makes practicing feel enjoyable instead of like a chore. After using it for a bit I can already tell my pitch and interval recognition are improving. Great app for anyone trying to train their ear, whether you’re just starting or already playing music 🎵 ## Frequently asked questions about Absolute Ear ### What is Absolute Ear's core purpose? Absolute Ear provides a structured ear training course designed to help users master note recognition, melodic dictation, and interval training. It aims to develop aural skills for musicians and music students. ### How does Absolute Ear's learning structure work? The app features over 60 structured units across three learning tracks. Units unlock progressively as users achieve 80% accuracy, ensuring they are ready for new material. Each session consists of 30 focused questions with immediate feedback. ### Does Absolute Ear offer different difficulty levels for interval training? Yes, Absolute Ear offers three tiers of difficulty for interval training. These range from a fixed tonic to random roots per session, and finally to roots changing every question for advanced interval hearing. ### What kind of statistics does Absolute Ear provide? Absolute Ear offers detailed statistics including per-note accuracy, a confusion matrix, accuracy trends over time, and daily practice duration. This helps users understand their strengths and weaknesses. ### Can Absolute Ear be used on multiple devices? Absolute Ear is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod. Apple Sign In allows for progress to be saved to your account, enabling seamless use across compatible Apple devices. ### How often is Absolute Ear updated? The latest version of Absolute Ear is 1.4.0, which was last updated on March 16, 2026. Updates typically focus on improving features and user experience. ### What is the user sentiment for Absolute Ear? Absolute Ear has a high user rating of 5.0 stars from 6 ratings, indicating a very positive user sentiment. Users appreciate its structured approach and effective training methods. ### Is Absolute Ear free to use? Yes, Absolute Ear is free to get started and does not require a subscription to begin training. The app does offer in-app purchases for additional content or features. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.5.0 — 2026-03-29 TWO NEW CHAPTERS: CHORDS & PROGRESSIONS Your ear training now goes beyond single notes and intervals. CHORD RECOGNITION (5 new modules) Hear a chord, identify it by its function in C major. Start with I, IV, and V, then unlock all seven diatonic chords. Every question anchors you with the I chord first - so you're always hearing chords in context. CHORD PROGRESSIONS (5 new modules) Hear a four-chord loop and tap the degrees in order. Covers the most-used progressions in pop, rock, and folk - from I-IV-V-I to the iconic I-V-vi-IV. ALSO NEW • 20 new badges for chords and progressions - including harmony, progression, and hidden categories • Badge screen with 60+ total achievements to unlock • Intelligent practice now weights toward your weakest chords and progressions too ### 1.4.0 — 2026-03-16 Improved learning experience for interval training. • New chapter introductions explain what you’ll learn and why it matters — tap “About this chapter” anytime to revisit • Interval modules now include educational sheets with familiar song references to help you recognize each interval by ear • Multiple song hints per interval so you can choose the one that clicks • Newly introduced intervals are now highlighted within each module Thanks for using Absolute Ear and continuing your ear training journey. ### 1.3.0 — 2026-03-15 • Audio engine upgrade — our industry-leading audio engine has been completely rebuilt for even richer, more realistic piano sound. • Full 88-key piano range — expanded from 4 octaves to the complete piano range for true-to-life pitch training. • Octave training control — a new octave selector in the learning phase lets you focus on specific ranges before starting the quiz. ### 1.1.0 — 2026-03-12 Free tier expanded: Try any five modules (based on the dependency matrix), not just the first five. Explore different training paths right away. Octave clarity: When octaves are introduced mid-session, you’ll now see an “Octaves On” indicator so you know exactly when the range expands. Smarter progression: Interval training now unlocks based on the solo notes you've learned so far. UI polish: Minor interface improvements and fixes. ### 1.0 — 2026-03-09 No release notes. ## Related topics [play by ear](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/play-by-ear) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-23.*