# ScaleBud - AUv3 MIDI Keyboard — user reviews > 16 indexed App Store user reviews of ScaleBud by Cem Olcay, rated 4.30/5 from 31 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scalebud-auv3-midi-keyboard/id1409125865/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scalebud-auv3-midi-keyboard/id1409125865.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 24 · 4★ 2 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 4 ## Newest reviews (2 of 16) ### 5/5 — Very neat scale chord app.. unique! *2018-08-19* Clear UI, easy to understand. I don't know of any other app offering this functionality within auv3. Currently an issue with Beatmaker 3: Worked in auv3 for about a day then crashed in beatmaker 3... Since the crash it no longer shows up in auv3 list. This is an issue with BM3 rather than scalebud. ### 5/5 — Fantastique *2018-08-18* Excellente idée pour connaître ses gammes, ses accords et la théorie musicale.Le tout en Auv3.Bravo ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — DO NOT BUY *2022-02-07* Won’t function with Arturia midi controllers. This is the OLD version, very limited function. APPLE wrongly packages it with Cem’s other apps. Buy ScaleBud 2 from him instead - it works. DO NOT BUY APPLE’S PACKAGE DEAL. ### 1/5 — Does not work as advertised *2021-02-05* This app does not work with BeatMaker 3. There is little to no instructions on how to use or trouble shoot problems with the app. Simply put, this is a total waist of money. ### 4/5 — Very good but one major flaw *2020-05-02* I really like this app and I'd give it five stars if it had a way of making the text black. Right now the text VERY light grey on a white background. It's almost completely illegible ### 4/5 — Crashes with GarageBand. *2019-11-26* Everytime I try to use it with GarageBand it crashes. Not sure if it’s on GarageBand’s end or not. Other than that this is a killer app **Developer response:** Hello, thanks for your feedback, but unfortunately Garageband doesn’t support AUv3 MIDI apps. I’m recommending apps like AUM, apeMatrix, NanoStudio, BeatMaker or Cubasis. ### 5/5 — Unexpected Awesomeness *2025-12-16* I’ve tried many apps to find one that can show the chords for the modes and other scales. I don’t use ScaleBud for the intended purpose but for my purpose it is better than any other chord/scale app I’ve found. Version 1 is unfortunately a better layout for my use case than v2. ### 5/5 — Scaler *2025-08-05* Does exactly what it says, keeps me sounding great! ### 5/5 — Thank you so much *2021-05-18* Thank you sir for this great app, it really helps creating chord progressions on the go on the fly!✈️ highly recommended 👍🏼 ### 5/5 — Favorite Controller *2021-02-26* This is my favorite way to play keys. I use it with Ableton and Studio One on Mac. As others have mentioned, this doesn’t play well with BM3 as a midi effect. This has to do with how midi is implemented in BM3, not this app. You can find the same issue on desktop when looking at Maschine. Ironically enough, BM3 at it’s core, is Maschine for iPad. And the way you have to implement midi for pads that can also be played chromatically will always cause a software to not play well with MIDI FX. There are a couple work arounds.. but suffice to say, this is not the developers fault. Love the app. Peace ### 5/5 — Worked for me as a plugin *2021-02-02* Update: This app has worked for me, when launched inside AUM or Cubasis 3. I've found it to be well-designed and functional. I couldn't get this app to connect to either AUM or Cubasis 3 when launched in standalone mode, so I'm wondering if it's meant to be a plugin (?). This was confusing to me. **Developer response:** Hi, you can use it in standalone mode as well. Just open the settings menu and connect the ScaleBud's MIDI out to the app you want to control. There's a youtube video for the ScaleBud's MIDI connection, just search "ScaleBud MIDI Modes". Thanks! ### 5/5 — Okay *2019-11-14* Epstein didn't kill himself **Developer response:** As stated in the description clearly, ScaleBud is a MIDI controller app that does not produce audio - but controls the audio apps by sending MIDI data to them. You can use it with your audio apps like Garageband or AudioKit Synth One, as well as your MIDI-capable audio hardware, either in AUv3 mode, Audiobus mode or Standalone (Core MIDI) mode. You can request a refund from Apple customer service as well. I'd appreciate it if you update your review/rating, thanks. ## Most praised reviews (4 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Full of cool features *2019-11-06* Great interface. Easy to use. Tons of stuff. Just an excellent midi sequencing app. ### 5/5 — Good app *2019-06-10* Great app for learning how to play chords. Developer is very nice and cares about the app. ### 5/5 — Indispensable tool *2019-03-02* Scalebud is a must-have midi controller. I love the chord types offered (as another review suggested I also would like to see more chords added including sus2 and sus4). The fact that also works as an audio unit means I can use multiple instances to play keys and chords at the same time. Thanks to the developer for making this wonderful app. ### 5/5 — Finally, I can play complex chords and without logic! *2018-09-11* You should put out more videos on this amazing controller, as there’s nothing to see other than the app page! But it now allows me to learn and play complex 11ths and more! Hopefully in future updates, you’ll add sus2, sus4, add2, augmented, diminished, and 6/9 chords as well, it’s very well a recommended addition. As for now, it’ll go very nicely for ambiance and could possibly be arpeggiated. Everyone, if you wish to have easy access to a chord dictionary that works well with your synths, try this! --- *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.*