# Drum Charter — Text-based drum chart editor > Text-based drum chart editor (iPhone/iPad app by Ralf Brauchler.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-charter/id6753308840 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Ralf Brauchler](https://appshunter.io/developer/1837167411) - Category: Music, Productivity - Price: Free - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 147 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2025-10-02 - Data updated: 2026-08-27 - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drum-charter/id6753308840/reviews.md ## What is Drum Charter? Drum Charter is a professional drum notation app for creating, editing, and playing drum charts using an intuitive text-based format. Perfect for drummers, music teachers, and composers who need a fast, distraction-free way to write drum patterns. KEY FEATURES * Text-Based Notation Simple ASCII symbols represent drums: 'x' for hi-hat, 'o' for snare, 'Q' for kick. Triplet notation with the ³ symbol for advanced rhythms. Fast to type, easy to read. * Staff Notation Read the same chart as real drum notation on a five-line staff: noteheads per instrument, beams, rests, triplets, flams, ghost notes, repeat signs and rehearsal marks. Switch per song with [notation: staff] or live in Concert Mode. * Smart Symbol Palette Context-aware buttons show only relevant symbols by cursor position. * Real-Time Audio Playback High-quality drum sounds powered by FluidR3_GM soundfont. Hear patterns instantly with professional MIDI-based playback. * Flam & Ghost Notes Two expressive symbols for snare: Flam for quick grace notes before the main hit, Ghost for subtle quiet notes. Perfect for Jazz, Funk, and dynamic playing. * Lyrics Mode Create charts without drum notation - just lyrics, chords, and cues. Perfect for multi-instrumentalists with mixed setlists. Section headers in teal, cue lines in gray. Embedded drum bars automatically detected. Chord symbols highlighted in blue. * PDF Export Export as PDF — as the character grid, or as engraved staff notation on A4. Works on iPhone, iPad and Mac. * MusicXML Export Export to MuseScore, Sibelius, Finale and more — with triplets, repeats, flams, ghost notes and rehearsal marks. * MIDI File Export Export as Standard MIDI Files with two-voice layout. Configurable stem grouping. Import into any DAW. * Practice Mode A full-screen practice room for your e-drums. Loop any range of bars, with an optional count-in. Every hit you play appears on the notation, colour-coded by accuracy, with missed notes marked. A calm readout shows whether you rush or drag and how even you are - the two things that actually help. Output latency is compensated automatically. Repeat counts are honoured, so you practise the phrase as written. * Concert Mode with Playback Controls Full-screen performance view with large custom font (10-40pt). Beat grouping with adjustable opacity. Metronome click. Playlist with folder navigation. Play, skip, and navigate with on-screen controls and keyboard shortcuts. Native macOS fullscreen. Multi-column lyrics with [columns: N]. * Multi-Time Signature Support Full support for 4/4, 3/4 (Waltz), and 6/8 (Compound Time). UI picker for quick time signature changes. * Swing & Shuffle Support Authentic Jazz/Blues feel with standard swing notation. Write "Shuffle" for classic 67% swing, or specify 50-75%. UI button with 5 presets. * BPM Control via Metadata Set tempo in the chart with [140 BPM], 60-200 BPM. * Smart Bar Management Auto-numbering up to 999 bars. Repeat notation (4x) for efficient charting. Move bars up/down. Section headers for song structure. * Combination Symbols Three symbols for simultaneous Snare+Tom hits: p (Snare+Tom1), d (Snare+Tom2), g (Snare+FloorTom). Perfect for complex fills. * Multi-Column Export Export in 2, 4, 6, or 8 bars per line format. Optional "Replace rests with spaces" for LogicPro compatibility. * Universal App - iPhone, iPad, Mac Native experience on all devices with seamless iCloud sync. Start on iPhone, continue on iPad or Mac. WHO IS THIS FOR? - Drummers learning new songs - Music teachers creating lesson materials - Composers sketching drum parts - Multi-instrumentalists with mixed setlists - Anyone who prefers text over complex notation software PLATFORM SUPPORT - iPhone (iOS 15.0 or later) - iPad (iPadOS 15.0 or later) - Mac (macOS 12.0 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel) - Optimized for all screen sizes Perfect for drummers who want professional results without complexity. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.2 — 2026-08-18 Version 2.2 - The Notation Update Your charts can now be read as real drum notation - on stage and on paper. STAFF NOTATION * Real Notes, Same Chart Switch any drum chart to notation on a five-line staff: noteheads per instrument, stems, beams, rests, ledger lines, drum clef and time signature. Nothing about your charts changes - it is the same text, read a second way. * The Details Are There Triplets with their bracket number, flams as grace notes, ghost notes in brackets, real repeat signs with a repeat count, and rehearsal marks above the system. * Per Song, or Per Moment Set [notation: staff] to keep a song in notation, or flip between Grid and Staff in the Concert Mode settings whenever you like. Both readings are meant as equals: the grid shows time by position, the staff is what most players already know. * One Control, Not Two The staff always fills the width, so "bars per line" also sets the note size - fewer bars, bigger notes. Your choice is remembered now, and on iPhone the staff offers larger steps than the grid. * A Bar That Cannot Be Notated Says Why If a rhythm has no standard note values, that one bar shows its raw text and the reason, and the rest of the page carries on. No song can lose its page over one bar. PDF * Print What You See The PDF export can render the same engraving, broken across A4 pages, always black on white. Header with title, tempo and time signature on the first page. UNDER THE HOOD The notation model behind the MusicXML export now feeds the screen as well, so what you export and what you read can no longer drift apart. Held notes reach the next structural boundary instead of stopping at every beat, which turns a kick on 1 and 3 into two half notes instead of quarter-rest-quarter-rest. Bravura, the reference music font of the SMuFL standard, is embedded (SIL Open Font License 1.1). All existing charts work unchanged. Settings preserved across updates. iPhone (iOS 15+), iPad (iPadOS 15+), Mac (macOS 12+). iCloud sync across all devices. ### 2.1 — 2026-08-14 Version 2.1 - The Practice Update Practice Mode is no longer a panel at the bottom of the editor. It is a room of its own. PRACTICE * Full-Screen Practice Mode Large notation that scales to your device instead of a fixed 14pt. Nothing else on screen. Open it with the Practice button or Cmd-Shift-P. * Free Loop Range Loop any range of bars, not just one or two from the cursor. Step the start and end bar by bar. Optional count-in. * See Every Hit Each hit you play appears on the notation where it landed, colour-coded by accuracy - green, yellow, orange. Notes you missed are marked with a ring. * Rush or Drag, at a Glance A calm gauge shows your systematic tendency and how even you are. When your tendency is smaller than your own natural spread, it simply says so instead of showing a number you could never bring to zero. * Repeat Counts Are Honoured A bar marked (4x) now loops four times, so you practise the phrase as it is written - including the transition out of it. The notation still shows the bar once, with a repetition counter. * Latency, Handled Output delay is measured and compensated automatically, whether you listen through the speaker or over Bluetooth. If anything is left over, the app offers to take it. * Mute the Chart Practise to the count alone while the app still tracks and rates every hit. CONCERT MODE * Font Size per Song Set the Concert Mode font size for a single chart with [fontsize: 20]. The plus/minus buttons still adjust it live, but a song carrying the directive keeps its own size instead of overwriting your default for every other song. * One Concert Mode Single songs and folder playlists now run on the same code. The larger exit button and the clean re-layout on font changes are no longer missing in playlist mode. UNDER THE HOOD Practice Mode now runs on its own drift-free sequencer instead of borrowing the playback clock. Playback and rating read one and the same schedule, so what you hear and what you are graded against can no longer disagree. All existing charts work unchanged. Settings preserved across updates. iPhone (iOS 15+), iPad (iPadOS 15+), Mac (macOS 12+). iCloud sync across all devices. ### 2.0 — 2026-06-12 Version 2.0 - The Export & Stage Update Drum Charter 2.0 is the biggest update yet. Export your charts to professional notation apps and DAWs. Perform with full playback controls on stage. A new app icon completes the refresh. EXPORT * MusicXML Export Export drum charts to MusicXML - the universal notation exchange format. Open in MuseScore, Sibelius, Finale, Dorico, or any MusicXML-compatible app. Full support for all time signatures (4/4, 3/4, 6/8), triplets, repeats with play counts, flam grace notes, ghost noteheads, swing/shuffle markings, and rehearsal marks. Proper beaming and two-voice layout. * MIDI File Export Export as Standard MIDI Files (.mid) with two-voice layout. Cymbals separated from kick/snare/toms for clean DAW import. Configurable stem grouping. Works with Logic Pro, GarageBand, Ableton, and any DAW. STAGE * Concert Mode Playback Play, pause, skip forward/back - all from the stage view. On-screen controls in the BPM widget plus keyboard shortcuts (Space, Arrow keys). Editor playback stops automatically when entering Concert Mode. * Multi-Column Lyrics New [columns: N] directive for multi-column lyrics in Concert Mode. Fit more text on screen during performance. Columns adapt to screen width. N = 1-3, works on iPad and Mac. * Native macOS Fullscreen Concert Mode enters its own fullscreen Space with auto-hiding menu bar. True immersive stage view. * Background Audio Mixing Play along with Apple Music, Spotify, or any other app. Drum Charter mixes audio instead of interrupting it. PRACTICE * MIDI Hit Visualization Cyan stripes show exactly where your hits land on the notation. Instant visual feedback for timing accuracy. * Bar Loop with 2-Bar Mode Loop individual bars or two consecutive bars. Practice transitions across bar lines. * Metronome Click Audible Wood Block reference in Practice and Concert Mode. Visual metronome with beat indicator. IMPROVEMENTS * New App Icon - fresh design with teal accent * Improved MIDI connection stability and reconnect behavior * Concert Mode BPM widget stays reachable near screen edges * macOS multi-window keyboard command routing fixed * iPad multi-scene document command guard * Larger touch targets for Concert Mode controls * Improved beat grouping stripe alignment at all font sizes BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY All existing charts work unchanged. New features are additive. Settings preserved across updates. iPhone (iOS 15+), iPad (iPadOS 15+), Mac (macOS 12+). iCloud sync across all devices. ### 1.16.2 — 2026-04-08 Version 1.16.2 - Another bugfix of the Playbar on old iPads. New Design. MIDI Hit Visualization, 2-Bar Loop, Bar Loop Playback & Metronome Click NEW FEATURES * MIDI Hit Visualization See exactly where your hits land! During bar loop playback, cyan stripes appear on the notation showing your MIDI drum hits in real-time. Instant visual feedback for timing accuracy - see if you're rushing, dragging, or right in the pocket. Works with any MIDI e-drum kit. * 2-Bar Loop Mode Practice two consecutive bars in a continuous loop. Toggle between 1-bar and 2-bar mode with a single tap. Perfect for transitions, fills across bar lines, and longer phrases. Both bars display side by side with independent hit visualization. * Bar Loop Playback Practice individual bars from your document in a continuous loop. Select any bar in Practice Mode and it plays repeatedly at your target BPM. Perfect for drilling difficult passages until they're second nature. * Audible Metronome Click Wood Block click sound in Practice Mode and Concert Mode. Toggle on/off independently. Clear, professional timing reference without external metronome hardware. Synchronized with visual metronome pulse. * Configurable Latency Compensation New setting in Settings > Practice Mode (0-60ms slider). Adjusts the alignment of MIDI hit stripes to compensate for audio output latency. Different audio interfaces have different latencies - dial in the perfect offset for your hardware. * Improved BPM Detection Filters out Note-Off messages from MIDI drums. E-drum pads send Note-Off when you release, which created phantom onsets and degraded BPM accuracy. Detection is now cleaner and more reliable. IMPROVEMENTS * Clear Hits Button Trash icon appears when hit stripes are visible. One tap clears all recorded hits for a fresh start without restarting the loop. * Hit Debouncing Simultaneous MIDI notes (e.g. hi-hat + kick) are grouped into a single visual stripe using a 20ms onset window. Prevents cluttered overlapping stripes. * Close Document Button New button on iPad (iOS 15) to easily return to the file browser. * Concert Settings Toggle Visibility Redesigned toggle controls in Concert Settings are now clearly visible on dark backgrounds. Custom capsule-style switches with animated thumb and color-coded state. * BPM Widget Auto-Hides When Detection Is Off When MIDI BPM Detection is disabled, the Concert Mode overlay hides the runway, live BPM, and sparkline — showing only song title, target BPM, and optional metronome. * Unified Accent Color Consistent teal accent color throughout the entire app — editor, playback bar, Practice Mode, and Concert Mode. Replaced inconsistent mix of cyan, green, and hardcoded color values. * UI/UX Polish Modernized styling. Haptic feedback on iOS. Smoother animations and transitions. PREVIOUS HIGHLIGHTS (v1.14) * Flam & Ghost Notes: Two expressive snare symbols for dynamic playing * Enhanced Lyrics Mode: Charts with lyrics, chords, and embedded drum bars * PDF Export: Professional PDF output with beat grouping stripes PREVIOUS HIGHLIGHTS (v1.12) * Time Signature Picker: Quick switch between 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8 TECHNICAL * Reference-type context container for correct closure state in SwiftUI * Font-metric-based overlay positioning for pixel-accurate hit stripes * Audio output latency compensation with user-configurable offset * Note-Off filter in MIDI packet processing for cleaner BPM detection BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY All existing drum charts work unchanged. New features are additive. Settings preserved across updates. Full support on iPhone (iOS 15+), iPad (iPadOS 15+), and Mac (macOS 12+). iCloud sync across all devices. ### 1.16.1 — 2026-03-23 Version 1.16.1 - Bugfix Playbar on old iPads. New Design. MIDI Hit Visualization, 2-Bar Loop, Bar Loop Playback & Metronome Click NEW FEATURES * MIDI Hit Visualization See exactly where your hits land! During bar loop playback, cyan stripes appear on the notation showing your MIDI drum hits in real-time. Instant visual feedback for timing accuracy - see if you're rushing, dragging, or right in the pocket. Works with any MIDI e-drum kit. * 2-Bar Loop Mode Practice two consecutive bars in a continuous loop. Toggle between 1-bar and 2-bar mode with a single tap. Perfect for transitions, fills across bar lines, and longer phrases. Both bars display side by side with independent hit visualization. * Bar Loop Playback Practice individual bars from your document in a continuous loop. Select any bar in Practice Mode and it plays repeatedly at your target BPM. Perfect for drilling difficult passages until they're second nature. * Audible Metronome Click Wood Block click sound in Practice Mode and Concert Mode. Toggle on/off independently. Clear, professional timing reference without external metronome hardware. Synchronized with visual metronome pulse. * Configurable Latency Compensation New setting in Settings > Practice Mode (0-60ms slider). Adjusts the alignment of MIDI hit stripes to compensate for audio output latency. Different audio interfaces have different latencies - dial in the perfect offset for your hardware. * Improved BPM Detection Filters out Note-Off messages from MIDI drums. E-drum pads send Note-Off when you release, which created phantom onsets and degraded BPM accuracy. Detection is now cleaner and more reliable. IMPROVEMENTS * Clear Hits Button Trash icon appears when hit stripes are visible. One tap clears all recorded hits for a fresh start without restarting the loop. * Hit Debouncing Simultaneous MIDI notes (e.g. hi-hat + kick) are grouped into a single visual stripe using a 20ms onset window. Prevents cluttered overlapping stripes. * Close Document Button New button on iPad (iOS 15) to easily return to the file browser. * Concert Settings Toggle Visibility Redesigned toggle controls in Concert Settings are now clearly visible on dark backgrounds. Custom capsule-style switches with animated thumb and color-coded state. * BPM Widget Auto-Hides When Detection Is Off When MIDI BPM Detection is disabled, the Concert Mode overlay hides the runway, live BPM, and sparkline — showing only song title, target BPM, and optional metronome. * Unified Accent Color Consistent teal accent color throughout the entire app — editor, playback bar, Practice Mode, and Concert Mode. Replaced inconsistent mix of cyan, green, and hardcoded color values. * UI/UX Polish Modernized styling. Haptic feedback on iOS. Smoother animations and transitions. PREVIOUS HIGHLIGHTS (v1.14) * Flam & Ghost Notes: Two expressive snare symbols for dynamic playing * Enhanced Lyrics Mode: Charts with lyrics, chords, and embedded drum bars * PDF Export: Professional PDF output with beat grouping stripes PREVIOUS HIGHLIGHTS (v1.12) * Time Signature Picker: Quick switch between 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8 TECHNICAL * Reference-type context container for correct closure state in SwiftUI * Font-metric-based overlay positioning for pixel-accurate hit stripes * Audio output latency compensation with user-configurable offset * Note-Off filter in MIDI packet processing for cleaner BPM detection BACKWARD COMPATIBILITY All existing drum charts work unchanged. New features are additive. Settings preserved across updates. Full support on iPhone (iOS 15+), iPad (iPadOS 15+), and Mac (macOS 12+). iCloud sync across all devices. ## Apps similar to Drum Charter | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Metronome by Clearbeat](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metronome-by-clearbeat/id6761890503) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Music | | [Timml - AI Drummer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timml-ai-drummer/id6760490097) | — | Free | Music | | [Pitchli](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pitchli/id6762160541) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Music | | [Drummer's Metronome](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drummers-metronome/id6758761501) | — | Free | Music | | [Ear Training: EQ & Frequency](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ear-training-eq-and-frequency/id6749213281) | 3.0 (2) | Free | Music | | [Audio Layrs - AI Vocal Remover](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/audio-layrs-ai-vocal-remover/id6772701185) | — | Free | Music | ## Related topics [drum chart builder](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/drum-chart-builder) · [drum notation by beat note](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/drum-notation-by-beat-note) · [drum notation](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/drum-notation) --- *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 2026-08-27.*