# ThumbJam > Multi-instrument music performance app with extensive scales and expressive controls. (iPhone/iPad app by Sonosaurus LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thumbjam/id338977566 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Sonosaurus LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/338977569) - Category: Music, Entertainment - Price: $8.99 - Rating: 4.70/5 from 218 App Store ratings · 298 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 8.0 · 215 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2009-12-15 - Data updated: 2026-09-05 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thumbjam/id338977566/reviews.md ## What is ThumbJam? ThumbJam is a powerful musical performance experience. You get over 40 high-quality real instruments multi-sampled exclusively for this app. Hundreds of included scales allow you to effortlessly play in any style from rock to classical, whether you are a musical novice or a seasoned professional. ---====--- Jordan Rudess, the world-renowned keyboardist for Dream Theater says: "ThumbJam stands at the very top of the overcrowded music app world. The sounds included absolutely rival those found in pro instruments and making music on the app is a total joy. The only problem I have with this app is that I did not make it myself! Luckily, I'm able to work with the developer and offer a few good feature ideas as well as some choice sounds from my personal collection!" ---======---- Even if you've only played air guitar, ThumbJam lets you sound like a pro. Pick an instrument and jam -- with all the scales to choose from you'll never hit a wrong note. The high quality instrument samples will make you sound like you just skipped years of music lessons. For the performing musician, this app is awesome for soloing on an instrument you didn't bring along. Play in any key, any style -- go from a string ensemble to a wailing guitar. ThumbJam was developed and tested by musicians to feel and sound like a real instrument. You'll be surprised at how expressive it can be, make sure to check out the videos and audio at thumbjam.com. ThumbJam makes use of tilt and shake to add vibrato, tremolo, note bends, and volume swells for more realistic and expressive results. It supports up to five (eleven on iPad) simultaneous touches and up to 32 voice polyphony, for each of up to 8 loaded instruments! Delay and stereo reverb add depth to the sound, and a resonant lowpass filter gives you more tone shaping power. Put on your headphones or plug in to your home stereo to experience some of the highest quality instruments in the App Store, even after all these years! Build your own loops from the ground up or import your favorites and jam from there. Layer as many loops as you want, with different instruments for each. Export your loops as audio files via WiFi. Copy and paste audio from other apps using AudioCopy/Paste as well the general pasteboard, via email, AudioShare, iTunes Document Sharing, Files, or open directly in another application. Supports Audiobus and InterApp Audio for streaming sound to/from other apps in real-time, including state save/restore with Audiobus 3. Extensive MIDI input and output support over WiFi or Bluetooth, with any CoreMidi compatible device, or other apps on the same iOS device with virtual MIDI. Now also supports Ableton Link for tight sync between apps on the same network. Supports MPE input and output (and did so before it was even a thing)! New powerful arpeggiator feature lets you play patterns with perfect time sync, from the screen or via MIDI control. The app includes a huge variety of scales, from western to eastern. Save your favorites for quick access, or create your own in-app. You can even import new scales in the Scala format for complete flexibility. You can also record your own multi-sampled instruments using a built-in or attached microphone, or from file import. Included instruments: + Cello, Violin, Viola + Upright Bass (plucked and bowed) + Several drumkits + Darabukka + Djembe + Electric Guitar + Electric Bass + Trumpet + Trombone + Tenor Sax + Flute + Low Whistle + Acoustic Guitar + Hammered Dulcimer + Mandolin + Cittern + Grand Piano + Drawbar Organ (2 types) + Rhodes + Pipe Organ + Synth Strings + Synth Choir + Theremin + Sawtooth Waveform + Sine Waveform + Triangle Waveform And from Jordan Rudess: + JR Zendrix + JR Smooth Steel Many more for immediate FREE download in the app including several drumkits, Mellotron, basses, banjo, tabla, ukelele, guitars and more! Go to the Sound menu under Download Samples.... ## Key features - Over 40 high-quality multi-sampled instruments - Hundreds of included scales for any style - Expressive controls using tilt and shake - Loop building and audio export - Extensive MIDI and Audiobus support - Powerful arpeggiator feature ## What do users think of ThumbJam? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🎨 Great sound quality - 🎹 Versatile and expressive instrument - 🎶 Excellent for music creation and improvisation - 💻 Powerful MIDI capabilities - 🎨 Realistic instrument samples - 🙌 Consistent updates and support - 🤖 Innovative features like voice-to-MIDI - 🧠 Intuitive and user-friendly interface **Cons** - 🔍 Lack of chord mode - 🔢 Difficulty with precise note selection - 🔀 Issues with loop recording and syncing - 🔋 Battery drain concerns - 🚫 Compatibility problems with newer devices/OS - 🎨 Limited editing options for recorded loops **Commonly reported bugs** - Instrument muting when switching apps or opening help - Inconsistent behavior and freezing after recent updates - Inability to load/save recorded sets or mixes **Most requested features** - Add chord mode for easier chord playing - Improve loop recording and syncing capabilities - Implement quantization options for tighter timing - Expand instrument library with more diverse sounds - Add support for Audio Unit (AUv3) to integrate with DAWs - Improve interface for adjusting octave/span across multiple instruments ## Recent user reviews (10 of 298) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thumbjam/id338977566/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Brilliant with The Improvise Approach *2026-08-04, version 2.6.11* We’ve been using ThumbJam with The Improvise Approach for over 15 years…it is superb for anyone who has difficulty manipulating, holding a regular musical instrument. Try it out for yourself. See it in action with young students who have severe and profound learning needs. www.improviseapproach.com ### 5/5 — Still the best! 2026 + *2026-07-13, version 2.6.11* Can someone tell me why the sounds on this app are better than my $3000 keyboard? Plus it's easier to play. This is a solid five star app. I do wish there was a robust sequencer though. ### 5/5 — Still the best music app on iPad *2026-06-27, version 2.6.11* This is the greatest innovation in musical instruments since the piano. Years later and this is still my go to app on the iPad for writing music. It just works, it's fast, and it plays nice with everything else. ### 5/5 — Still one of the best iOS apps in the AppStore! Great expression and natural sounding instruments! *2026-06-06, version 2.6.11* I’ve used this app on many of the songs I’ve recorded, and I’m never disappointed! Whether you play Heavy Metal, Rock, Trap, Hip Hop, Gospel, Country, Pop you will find 1000 uses in your mix! So many great instruments that you can use in your mix.. The use of the iPads touch screen is in full display with this app, the ability to bend strings, on the guitar, modulate the Organ, Vibrato, etc etc, the amount of instruments that come with this one IAP is untouchable by any other app! I am not sure if the developer is still working on new apps, but whatever they’ve released has always been TOP quality! From the GUI to the tone, Thumb Jam has NOT be outdone yet! Thank you guys! ### 5/5 — Live performance *2026-05-17, version 2.6.11* Just used the trumpet sample to give a Mariachi style backing to a Father John Misty song… went really well and lots of enquiries about “what did you use for that?” Very happy with ThumbJam! ### 1/5 — Kapert aggressiv das mp4 dateiformat *2026-04-29* An sich ist die app nicht schlecht, diese übernimmt aber mp4 Dateien die es auch nicht wiedergeben kann, und das abspielen von mp4 clips muss dann jedes mal umständlich aus der app Dateien heraus über „öffnen mit“ autovorschau geöffnet werden. Das Problem kann nur durch dauerhafes entfernen von ThumbJam gelöst werden. ### 5/5 — Thankyou *2026-02-11, version 2.6.11* Thank you so much for making this app. It’s incredible. I really appreciate you for that.✌🏽❤️🤘🏽🙏🏽 ### 4/5 — Great app for making music *2026-01-20, version 2.6.11* This is a great app. It has many features that are nice. I wish there was an update to it since it has been three years ago. They need to add a chord mode so that you can play a chord with one note press. ### 5/5 — Just love this. Still. *2025-07-08, version 2.6.11* Time tested favorite. ### 5/5 — Great *2025-04-25* Is Au3 support planned for the future? That would be the icing on the cake. ## Frequently asked questions about ThumbJam ### What is ThumbJam? ThumbJam is a powerful musical performance app that offers over 40 high-quality, multi-sampled real instruments. It includes hundreds of scales, allowing users to play in any style, from rock to classical, regardless of their musical experience. The app is designed to feel and sound like a real instrument, with expressive controls. ### What are the key features of ThumbJam? Key features include a vast library of high-quality instrument sounds, a wide selection of scales for diverse musical styles, and expressive controls like vibrato and note bends using device tilt and shake. It also supports loop building, audio export, extensive MIDI input/output, Audiobus, and a powerful arpeggiator. ### How much does ThumbJam cost? Based on the provided information, ThumbJam is a paid application. There is no mention of free versions, subscriptions, or in-app purchases for core functionality. ### What devices is ThumbJam compatible with? ThumbJam is designed for iOS devices. It supports multi-touch and polyphony, with specific mention of eleven simultaneous touches on iPad. It also integrates with other apps and hardware via MIDI, Audiobus, and Ableton Link. ### Who would benefit from using ThumbJam? ThumbJam is ideal for anyone interested in making music on a mobile device. This includes musical novices who want to sound professional, seasoned musicians looking for a portable soloing instrument, and performers who want to experiment with different sounds and create loops on the go. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.6.11 — 2022-07-24 - Removed deprecated bluetooth collaboration feature so the app will run on iOS 16 - Fixed pitch bar issues - User imported scales are now sorted alphabetically (by filename) and are deletable now from the scales chooser - Fixed Scala file import issue - Fixed status bar overlap issue on older iPads, and correctly shows it on newer iPhones ### 2.6.10 — 2022-03-25 - Added new MIDI input option "Use Adaptive Mod Wheel (CC1)" which when enabled will treat incoming CC1 events according to what control settings are used in the preset. This restores a past feature which allowed you to use the mod wheel as volume or pan if those are enabled as touch controls in the preset. It already allowed using the mod wheel for filter cutoff if that was enabled. Please let us know if there are other items or issues you'd like to see added or fixed in a future update! ### 2.6.9 — 2021-11-14 In 2.6.9: - Fixed crash-on-launch issue on iOS 8. Just trying not to leave behind those old devices! From 2.6.8: - Ableton Link now works again - Fixed layout issues for when in split view on iPad - Now shows status bar on iPad, because why not, and that makes it easier to deal with Apple's new split-view menu - Fixed as-played order of arp for external midi - Fixed iTunes song control popup on iPad - Other small bug-fixes ### 2.6.8 — 2021-10-21 - Ableton Link now works again - Fixed layout issues for when in split view on iPad - Now shows status bar on iPad, because why not, and that makes it easier to deal with Apple's new split-view menu - Fixed as-played order of arp for external midi - Fixed iTunes song control popup on iPad - Other small bug-fixes ### 2.6.7 — 2020-11-15 This is a bug-fix and compatibility release, nothing too exciting! - fixed long-standing issue where the app could become unusable after a device update or restore - fixed some popup issues on iPad - updated Audiobus SDK ## Apps similar to ThumbJam | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Cubasis 3 - DAW & Music Studio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cubasis-3-daw-and-music-studio/id1207839273) | 4.6 (3,456) | $29.99 | Music | | [Scale Numbers Piano](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scale-numbers-piano/id1270369797) | 4.2 (12) | Free | Music | | [BandLab – Music Maker & Beats](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bandlab-music-maker-and-beats/id968585775) | 4.7 (501,721) | Free | Music | | [JamTracks+ Learn & Play Guitar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jamtracks-plus-learn-and-play-guitar/id436102935) | 4.5 (757) | Free | Music | | [Launchpad - Music & Beat Maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/launchpad-music-and-beat-maker/id584362474) | 4.8 (34,772) | Free | Music | | [Guitar Scales & Chords Power](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guitar-scales-and-chords-power/id647000751) | 4.8 (92) | $5.99 | Music | ## More apps by Sonosaurus LLC - [DrumJam](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumjam/id530162824) - [WARBL Configuration Tool](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/warbl-configuration-tool/id1445377915) - [yaleD - Reverse Delay](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yaled-reverse-delay/id1477503080) - [SonoBus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sonobus/id1523236365) - [PaulXStretch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paulxstretch/id1619014008) All apps by Sonosaurus LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/338977569 --- *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 2026-09-05.*