# theDrumDictionary — user reviews > 131 indexed App Store user reviews of theDrumDictionary by Hawks Hill Software, LLC, rated 4.90/5 from 45 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thedrumdictionary/id341510632/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thedrumdictionary/id341510632.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 43 · 4★ 1 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 1 ## What do users think of theDrumDictionary? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 👍 Excellent learning tool for drummers of all levels - 🎵 High-quality audio samples and clear sound - 📚 Comprehensive collection of 40 rudiments - 🎯 Easy-to-use interface and navigation - 📖 Visual notation paired with audio playback - 🎸 Wide variety of drum styles and genres - 💰 No subscription required, one-time purchase - ⏱️ Practice tracking and timing features - 🎓 Great for music teachers and lessons - 📱 Convenient portable reference tool **Cons** - 🐛 Audio quality degrades when changing tempo - ⏸️ App stops playing when phone sleeps - 🔊 Bass drum not distinctive enough in mix - 📊 Limited number of beats per genre - ⚠️ Some audio samples don't match notation - 🎵 Metronome and drums can't play simultaneously - ❌ No background playback capability - 📉 Limited content for advanced drummers - 🎼 Inconsistent audio quality across samples **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on startup (older iOS versions) - Uneven single stroke roll with extra hits/flams - Audio warping when tempo changes - App stops when device goes to sleep - Inconsistent bass drum clarity - Notation mismatches with audio playback **Most requested features** - Tempo/speed control for practice - More beats and grooves across all genres - Odd time signatures (5/8, 7/8, 9/4, 11/4, 6/8, 7/4) - Highlighted note indicator during playback - Video demonstrations of techniques - Drum fills and fill variations - Background playback capability - Practice history and progress tracking - Ability to create custom beats - Accelerating/decelerating metronome - More complex and advanced patterns - Sorting beats by practice time - Export notation and beat lists - Multi-user/student support - Rudiments numbered in learning order - Double bass drum beats - Finger drumming exercises - Sync across multiple devices - Note highlighting (karaoke-style) - Longer beat patterns ## Newest reviews (17 of 131) ### 4/5 — Great app! *2022-04-29, version 3.3* Love the lessons, the rudiments dictionary, etc! Some great example beats with good audio to help reinforce. Wish that the audio didn’t stretch and warp so much when changing tempo tho. Other than that, it’s great. ### 5/5 — Legit!!! *2021-06-27* If you play drums…you probably want this app. ### 5/5 — Great App *2020-07-08* Absolutely amazing!!! ### 5/5 — Fantastic App For Drummers *2019-12-20* Even if you’ve been playing a long time like I have, this is still a great app for anyone! I was having some minor issues with my left hand and decided to get off the kit and work the rudiments for awhile. The audio alone is fantastic for strengthening your weak hand and gaining speed the right way! Highly recommended!👍🏻👍🏻 ### 5/5 — Hidden gem for drummers! *2019-06-27* I can’t believe this app doesn’t have a spot on the top apps list! The app is great for zoning in on your rudimentary drumming. If you’re playing the kit and you don't know your basic 26 rudiments YOU NEED THIS APP!! This app will teach you each rudiment through audio + visuals plus odd time signatures and multiple grooves from each genre of music! Learn the rudiments your favorite drummer is playing that make his/her playing style seem unreal! Do yourself a favor, download this app and USE IT! You’ll quickly add the rudimentary drumming vocabulary to your playing which will give you the ability to expand your fills/grooves to new heights! Must have for any drummer HANDS DOWN!—-JA ### 5/5 — Great *2016-06-09, version 3.2.2* Love this for getting some of the harder rudiments down and practicing them at slower and higher speeds. ### 5/5 — Great app *2016-01-01, version 3.2.2* Great app to walk you through from taking your baby steps to what ever drummer you want to be. ### 5/5 — Awesome!! *2015-10-25, version 3.2.2* More please!!! I'm a returning drummer needing to brush up. I no longer had any books. This was perfect to get back going! Thanks! ### 5/5 — Great resource *2015-06-20, version 3.2.2* Fantastic resource for learning the basic beat of every style ### 5/5 — Great App for any Serious Drummer *2015-02-01, version 3.2.2* Very useful. I wish I had this while I was in Music College! It's much more convenient than carrying around books. Great for teaching lessons and sight reading as well. Thank-You for this app! -Fermin Martinez ### 4/5 — Good practice tool *2015-02-01* The best part about this app is that the different beats are looped over and over again so that you can just play along with the beat on your kit and won't have to think about restarting any track on your device. It's simple and effective. Yes, all this information is floating around out there for free, but all of this compiled in one simple app makes it a great way to practice. If you are serious about cleaning up your playing and learning new rhythms from around the globe, this is a great way to get started. Nicely done. ### 5/5 — Love the so far *2014-09-06, version 3.2.1* I just downloaded the app. So far I love it, great app to learn new beats and track your practice time. One thing I would love to see would be the ability to export my lists. Being a drum teacher I would love to be able to email my students the notation of the beats we practice during the lessons. ### 5/5 — Love this app! *2014-08-23, version 3.2.1* Thank you for making this app, this a'a fantastic app to practice rudiments and a good drum reference. One suggestion for future improvement could be the ability to sync your practice time between several devices ( I use it on an iPad and an iphone). But this is minor. This app is awesome! ### 4/5 — Yes *2014-07-07* I'm a middle school band director with a jazz band (occasionally two). My students use two electric kits with headphones to practice on. When they are ready to join the band I let them play the acoustic set. I've always taught drummers through grooves and fills. This app is awesome for a young player! It has a variety of styles. I just want MORE grooves. There's 2-5 for each style. For example, a young player needs to learn coordination on 8th note rock grooves. There's only 5 grooves for this offered. I would love to see 40+ in additive combinations with syncopated, then dotted quarter. And if you add 1,2, and 3 bar fills I will be VERY grateful :) ### 4/5 — The drum dictionary *2014-04-21, version 3.2* Good app ### 4/5 — Good but could be great *2014-02-19, version 3.2* Nice collection of beats. Great for practicing to to play along to. However, it won't keep playing in the background. You have to keep the app open. Just when I got the perfect time/beat for a tune, it just stops when I switch to OnSong to pull up the chart. Would be great if the app would keep playing in the background. ### 4/5 — WOW *2014-02-19, version 3.2* Why didn't I think of this!!!!!!!!!!!!! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Bad uneven examples *2016-09-25* The single stroke roll reminded me of someone starting a car and not getting fuel, it is uneven with extra hit, sort of flam, accents. I didn't take enough time evaluating the free version. ### 1/5 — Not worth the price *2016-07-18, version 3.2.2* Changing tempo effects the sample audio quality a lot to the point that its better not to change tempo, not many beats available compare to the free version also you can't hear the metronome and the drums at the same time ### 1/5 — Really? *2012-04-01, version 2.1* I can not believe I just paid for this! Where are the odd time signatures? How do you not have 5/8, 7/8, 11/4, 9/8???? I think this program is amazing but doesn't live up to the price tag. ### 1/5 — Myke8329 *2011-06-29, version 2.1* Inability to control tempo is frustrating and renders this app useless for a beginner. ### 1/5 — Too basic *2010-12-31, version 2.0.1* This is way to basic for any drummer that's played more then 3 months ### 2/5 — tDDictionary *2014-03-13, version 3.2* Has potential but the only clear sounds are the snare, cowbell and ride cymbal. Bass drum needs to be more distinctive. Prefer "Drum School" app due to more clarity in sound and visual demo. ### 2/5 — App should stay open *2013-10-30, version 3.0.2* This app would be wonderful if it didn't stop every time your phone goes to sleep; I need longer than a minute at a time to practice. Really simple to fix, guys. Also, a metronome that can accelerate and decelerate over a selection of durations is something I'd gladly pay an extra dollar for. But that's a want. I need the thing to stay on until I turn it off. ### 2/5 — Good app without sound *2013-03-16, version 2.3.1* I like the app the musical notes are correct. But many of the audio files play the music wrong. Get new audio set to a metronome.. Decent app. ### 2/5 — Pretty average *2011-05-22, version 2.1* I'm 16 and I've been playing drums for 10 years, and I could play every beat on there first time, would be good for a beginner, but pretty average for experienced drummers who already know there stuff, although the rudiments allright ### 2/5 — Was hoping for more *2011-01-14, version 2.0.1* Some videos of grooves with technique examples would be useful. I was expecting a little bit more to this app. Hope it gets better over time. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Top Notch *2025-11-27* This app is remarkable!Playing along with these on my e-kit have really upped my timing and groove game. ### 5/5 — What an App!! *2023-12-16, version 3.3* I’ve just rediscovered this app after so many years and I am super happy with it!! You can use it in any context and it’s so easy to use!! Use it on gigs and for lessons and just practicing I cannot fault this it’s all you need to improve your drumming and timing!! Thanks guys!! Derrick ### 5/5 — All the rudimentary drum patterns ! *2023-10-30* Thank you to everyone who made this. ### 5/5 — Fantastic *2023-08-27* Excellent drum app! Excellent for learning and practicing. My only request: would you make a feature which sorts all beats and rudiments by time practiced? Most to least, and least to most? And then add a feature which allows the user to click on the beat or rudiment and go directly to practice! Also, would be helpful to show an average/ history of bpm practices so the user can log his or her progress! Overall 10/10 fantastic app!!! ### 5/5 — Still loving this app! *2023-03-24* Not sure when the last build was created but it works well on my iPad that runs ios 16.3.1. Great refresher material for all drummers, with no subscription required. Strongly recommend it. ### 5/5 — SICK *2023-02-17* Thank you this is awesome ### 5/5 — Rally happy with this app *2022-08-09* Really good tool to help focus practice time on the basic skills of rudiments, time signatures, and a large sample of different grooves. For these skills, this might be the only app you need to focus your practice time. As with so many things, get the basics down pat and other stuff will come a lot faster. ### 5/5 — Thank you ! *2022-02-06* Whoever put this together is a genius ! Hidden gen for drum students ### 5/5 — So GOOD *2021-12-26* Thank you so much for making this fantastic resource! I’ve been looking for something like this for years!! Please continue to support and expand this hugely valuable resource! ### 5/5 — Glad I found this app! *2021-07-12* Love this app! More please! 😀 --- *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 2026-09-18.*