# Essential Elements Interactive — user reviews > 52 indexed App Store user reviews of Essential Elements Interactive by Hal Leonard Corp., rated 2.90/5 from 279 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-elements-interactive/id936937248/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-elements-interactive/id936937248.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 94 · 4★ 22 · 3★ 28 · 2★ 26 · 1★ 109 ## Newest reviews (18 of 52) ### 2/5 — This app needs some serious upgrades *2024-01-21* I am a college student using this app so I can access my method book. It makes me wish I had purchased the physical copy due to the constant crashing and having to log in every time the app is opened. When I’m in class and the app crashes, it gets super frustrating, especially when it says it can’t find my account despite the log in information being correct. Please fix these issues. ### 3/5 — It only worked once for me… *2023-05-29* I literally just downloaded the app to help me by playing some songs in my book. Apparently it worked really way for the first day. There were no bugs or crashes like everyone was talking about. Now it’s not even working. I tried to get back on but my screen is just plain white the next day. There’s actually so many bugs in this app so now I can’t even get back on. It seriously needs an update. Now I know what everyone is talking about. There are other people that need help understanding music and learning about it. So please consider making this better. ### 3/5 — A few bugs and something that really annoys me *2023-02-06, version 2.1.4* The app is great. It helps me submit from home my assignments in band, but there’s one problem. On specific songs it continues to kick me out of the app. Like for exercise 147 book 1, when I tried to record, it just kicked me out of the app. This app is very slow at loading and it’s somewhat inefficient when I have to login every single time again. Please fix these bugs! ### 2/5 — Bluetooth *2022-09-07, version 2.1.4* I would like it if the sound could connect to Bluetooth, then we can play violin with the accompaniment during private lessons. The sound from the phone is too soft ### 2/5 — Needs lots of work *2022-07-01, version 2.1.4* The GUI is horrible and the app is buggy, logs you out every time you close the app, and doesn’t work well on a phone. The app barley functions. ### 2/5 — Disappointed *2021-10-24, version 2.1.4* I downloaded this app in hope to learn an instrument. The only thing I got out of it is stress. I hate the feature having to log in each time you close the app window and I hate the fact that it doesn’t have individual login so I have to make an account all over again. Highly disapprove of that feature. I own a book and when I realized that I couldn’t use the same book twice and I couldn’t log in to my account that was a huge turning point for me (and not a good one) I do not recommend using this app I suggest you go out spend at max $20 bucks and just buy a book. It is a lot faster process and is a way better way to use the Essential Elements InterActive curriculum. ☹️😡👎🏽🙅🏻 ### 2/5 — Not built for newer devices *2021-10-05, version 2.1.4* Current device: Iphone 11 pro max. Issue: Got stuck on the TOS paper as the button to exit was in an area I couldn’t tap. ### 2/5 — Short *2021-05-03, version 2.1.4* I cannot change the accompaniment to off. It is very distracting trying to play while I have the melody plating in funk. Unlike on computer the only volume you can change, is your microphone volume. ### 3/5 — Potential *2021-03-26, version 2.1.4* Every time I close out of the app I have to log back in which is annoying. And while playing along with the melody, my phone screen will go dark from being inactive, which stops the app from playing anything, it then glitches to where it won’t play anything and then I’m forced to close out of the app and go through the whole process over again. But I really do love the opportunity to play along and make sure I’m doing everything correctly for ✨free✨ even with one of my old books from 7years ago 🤯 Overall not great, but I’d rather have it than nothing at all. ### 3/5 — Doesn’t have enough options *2020-12-09, version 2.1.4* Needs an update so it’s less laggy and more options like make your own recording and like a share with people so people can go and listen to your playing. ### 2/5 — Not as Functional as I'd Hoped *2020-12-09, version 2.1.4* The sound from this app will not connect to my Bluetooth. It will only allow the sound to come out of my phone. All other apps are playing through my Bluetooth, so I know this is not a problem with my devices. My Bluetooth devices allow me to hear things much better. It is less than ideal to have the sound only go through the phone. Also, it is frustrating that everytime I play a new song, I have to readjust the app to play the melody. The app automatically goes to "metronome" for each new song. I already own a metronome; it is not helpful for the app to play the metronome. It is more helpful to hear the melody, especially on a fretless, stringed instrument where one is trying to train one's ears. Can you please allow us to change the default of our practice settings? I think it would be far more helpful if I could just play the next song in a functional way without having to change the settings each time. Lastly, it would be great if there was a "next" button so that students could easily move on to practice the next song without having to scroll down each time. Sometimes I feel I spend more time fighting with the app than I get to spend playing my instrument. I think this could be designed to be more seamless. ### 4/5 — It’s great! *2020-11-28, version 2.1.4* This app really helps me with my instrument (CLARINET)! I have both books of the Essential Elements and I use the app and the book at the same time. Only bad thing is that it somewhat takes some time to load. ### 1/5 — I don’t reccomend *2020-11-06, version 2.1.4* My teacher uses this app and im not sure if she is conscience about the amount of times the app crashes. Its un-usable and my only option for submitting my tests at home, it really has affected my education. ### 3/5 — Developer- Please adjust how often the app times out *2020-10-08, version 2.1.4* As a teacher, this app would be even more useful if we wouldn’t have to re-sign in so frequently. It slows the pace of lessons when the app times out every 10 to 20 minutes. Having to stop teaching to re-enter my credentials takes up valuable teaching time. Would you please consider lengthening the time between needing to sign in? Thank you! ### 1/5 — I literally can’t listen to the music. *2020-10-05, version 2.1.4* I’m pretty sure that this app is already dead, most reviews are 1 star. This app was ok on the first time I opened it. Then it stopped. It works well when it’s not broken. but when it is, it’s easier to list off how many things they haven’t broken than things they have ### 1/5 — Will not save. *2020-09-26, version 2.1.4* Poor. The recordings won’t save for my daughter to turn in her assignments. I’m running the latest iOS with an iPhone 11. It’s quite unnerving that she’ll receive a failing grade due to this. ### 1/5 — Logs You Out Everytime *2020-09-13, version 2.1.4* This app sounds great, but works terribly. It would be really helpful to play along with an accompaniment, if it actually worked. Whenever I try to start it, it either doesn’t start, or highlights the whole page. I have to log on every time I open the app, and I cannot save my password. This app is very annoying. It took me 45 minutes to get 20 minutes of actual practice time in. It loads very slow, and sometimes randomly switches songs while I’m playing. My younger sister has this app on a different device and she cannot log her practice time, and she does exactly what I do when I can. This app is very buggy and needs to be fixed for students using this for distance learning. ### 1/5 — How do you create an account? *2020-05-27, version 2.1.3* I am an independent user of this book, I don't take lessons in a school. When I tried to create a separate account, the question for my birthdate came up. All fine and dandy, EXPECT when I entered my birthdate....Month: JA, Day: 13, Year: 2005, it said "please enter your birthdate." I just did. How can I create an account when it is saying my birthdate is somehow wrong? I went on to your website for help, no luck. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Annoying *2023-02-10, version 2.1.4* First of all it won’t let me make an account it keeps on saying login second of all it won’t let me delete the app ### 1/5 — Worst App Ever Created *2023-01-24, version 2.1.4* This is by far the worst app I have ever used on an iOS platform, and I rarely write reviews for any app. The app never saves your login information, and consistently closes when I start using the metronome to being a practice session. The only way to use the online feature for Essential Elements is through the web rather than the app. ### 1/5 — Needs work :( *2023-01-02, version 2.1.4* My teacher doesn’t make us use this app but I’m using it to practice with along with the book. Good things: plays the songs so you can hear them and play along. I can record myself playing with the music! It keeps my recordings. Bad things: lots of glitches. I have to log back in a lot; very inconvenient. The app often quits or freezes up. Hard to navigate through the app for me. When you’re viewing the music there’s a button that says “Levels”, but all it has is volume and that doesn’t even work. Needs to have but doesn’t: option that you can change the speed of the songs. I think the app was updated recently, but only how it looks. All the worst glitches and inconveniences are still there. Please update the app!! ### 1/5 — So many bugs *2022-08-18, version 2.1.4* The app basically opens up a webpage on your phone which then tells you that you can download the app from the App Store. You have to login each time use it, even when you ask it to remember you. If your phone screen locks out you have to force close the app and start it back up and start considering that the book was E book is $10. you would help the app would perform a like an app and less like an out of date webpage. All the features are really cool and I love the practice log and ability to record your practice. However this app is very desperate for an update. Might have to use a laptop to get real use out of it. as other people have said it’s better than nothing but, I expect more from this company given their long history in music education. ### 1/5 — Garbage app *2022-01-23, version 2.1.4* App constantly crashes and freezes. Couldn’t go more than a minute without it crashing. I have to close it, reopen it, and log in, even though I checked off “keep me logged in.” This completely interrupts practice. The app won’t play on my external speaker and my phone speaker isn’t loud enough. Even if it did work, it’s hard to navigate. There’s no option to go back to the old way of downloading the songs from the website as music files so you can just play them or load them into an app that actually works. This is such a mess. It’s unusable. We can’t complete the assignments from the music teacher because we can’t get this app to work long enough. ### 1/5 — Can’t even log in *2021-11-04, version 2.1.4* When I downloaded the app and tried to log in, the only login options are teacher, student, or parent. I created my account on the desktop app as an individual and added my book there and can’t access it on the mobile app. ### 1/5 — Infuriating! Constant crashes during class time! *2021-09-02, version 2.1.4* This app WOULD be an excellent teaching tool and great use of interactive technology during class. Except it is HIGHLY unstable, crashes constantly, takes forever to load new exercises, has instructional videos that simply will not load, and requires you to log back in every time it crashes (which is 5-6 times per class period for me). I have emailed support multiple times with no response. Yes I have updated to the latest version. Yes I have uninstalled and reinstalled. Yes I have a current iPad that is supported. Yes I am running the latest iOS… …yes I am considering changing method books because this app is nearly unusable. ### 1/5 — Has potential... *2021-02-02, version 2.1.4* This app has potential but it crashes often and has no Bluetooth capabilities. Could be so much better if developer address issues from reviewers. ### 1/5 — Can’t create an account *2020-12-09, version 2.1.4* The idea seems great- but I can’t sign up. When I hit “create account” nothing happens. I went back out to check again- nothing. And froze again at create account. ### 1/5 — Needs update now! Horrible don’t recommend *2020-11-09, version 2.1.4* DO NOT USE!!!!!Bad! TERRIBLE! NEEDS A FIX ASAP Every time I go into the app and record it kicks me right out and I can only play one song until it kicks me off or freezes! Worst app I have had. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Works very well *2022-02-10, version 2.1.4* I use this for my school and it works perfect, everyone that says it’s bad, well you have been exposed because you are wrong. It works great and don’t say it’s bad it is ofc perfect ### 5/5 — I LOVE IT!! *2021-11-09, version 2.1.4* I use this in band and My band director introduced us to this app!! It helps so much especially the background music. I feel like I’m in a concert. The book also keeps track with the rhythm. I totally recommend this for beginners!! ### 5/5 — Internet connection connected yet app is not working *2017-11-15, version 2.1.3* Whenever I open the app I have a stable internet connect to my iPad. Whenever I do it says "Internet Connevtion Required." I can use other services requiring internet, just not EEi. ### 5/5 — Iphone/iPod *2017-10-05, version 2.1.3* Thank you for finally making this iPhone and iPod touch accesible. I just got a class set of iPod touches, discarded from the science department, and I am sooooo excited to be able to add this app to them. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! ### 5/5 — Built to Make a Difference! *2017-09-22, version 2.1.3* As a Director of Beginning Bands in an area where many families can only access the internet through their smartphones, this app will make using EEi (practice & assessment submission) now a reality. Hal Leonard is succeeding where other similar music assessment developers are failing. Bravo! ### 5/5 — From Red to Wow *2015-08-07, version 1.3* As someone who has used Essential Elements since the 1st edition, I was excited to try this new online tool. This app exceeds all expectations and has, one again, been positively transformative to both my students and I. My institution is now one-to-one with iPads and this app has allowed me to personalize communication, instruction and assessment in unprecedented ways. Bravo! ### 5/5 — A very innovative and useful app! *2015-07-14, version 1.3* This app offers band and orchestra directors an innovative technology tool to communicate, assess, and supplement their lessons. For students, the music studio helps motivate home practice with the unique accompaniment tracks. Additionally EEi provides a library of useful resources with solid pedagogy and appropriate sequencing. It’s hard to believe that this app is FREE when you own an Essential Elements book! There is literally no reason not to use it! ### 5/5 — Dfw director *2015-06-01, version 1.3* We have been utilizing EEi in our program for some time now. Adding the iPad app has done wonders for our students! It is very user friendly and has been working very smoothly for our kids. The music studio and recording capability specifically on the iPad have provided the greatest asset for our program ### 5/5 — Like Riding a Bike... *2015-05-22, version 1.3* I switched to another method a couple of years ago just because I had used EE for so long. I came back because of EEi and couldn’t be happier. Now that I tried other method books and have come back, I realize that EE just works. The new interactive program makes it really connect with the kids and this app works extremely well. My kids can use this app to practice, watch videos, and record themselves. The recording part has been really helpful - especially for my brass players. I can see major improvement in their performance. Great App!!! **Developer response:** Thank you for the review. We are glad you like it. ### 5/5 — Very well done *2015-05-21, version 1.3* This app is super easy to use and a lot of fun. The multiple styles of accompaniments are favs of my students, and all of the extra videos and PDFs are favs of mine. One request... please make an iPhone version! --- *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 2026-06-10.*