# Wolfram Music Theory Course Assistant — user reviews

> 53 indexed App Store user reviews of Wolfram Music Theory Course Assistant by Wolfram Group LLC, rated 5.00/5 from 2 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wolfram-music-theory-course-assistant/id410595605/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wolfram-music-theory-course-assistant/id410595605.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 2 · 4★ 0 · 3★ 0 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 0

## Newest reviews (13 of 53)

### 2/5 — Weak

*2014-12-22*

This is a good example of what happens when software engineers overreach. (I am one; I understand the failing.)

This is a weird mix of dictionary-ish articles and  obscure stuff that reminds me of the feeling of reading the CIA Factbook.  A buffet of random facts that does little to educate. 

Perhaps hiring a music teacher who can product manage a redesign would help.

### 2/5 — Thoughts from a musician and a music teacher...

*2012-06-04*

Stick with mathematics, Wolfram. No one does it better. 

Since math and music are inextricably linked, I wrongly assumed that Wolfram's music theory app would be as thoughtfully organized as their other sub apps (calculus, algebra, etc). Not even close. I deleted this memory sucker pretty quickly, since I already have access to Wikipedia. 

So...please make this app free, or better yet, in an update of this app, make it music centric instead of, as another reviewer so aptly called it, a "smaller dictionary".

### 1/5 — Trivial - and update broke it

*2011-11-02*

Not worth your trouble even before the latest update, which breaks it so it won't even launch!

### 1/5 — Not what I expected

*2011-09-23, version 1.0.1*

Not worth the money, this app lacks a lot!

### 1/5 — Disappointed

*2011-09-18*

I have always held the Wolfram software company in high regard - ever since the early days of Mathematica - so I had admittedly high expectations for this app.

Unfortunately, this app disappoints on all fronts. 

It is painfully slow.  It is of surprisingly little substance.  It requires a network connection for every feature.

Apps like this are a vivid reminder of why I hate Apple's no refund policy.

### 1/5 — Waste of money

*2011-08-27, version 1.0.1*

Horrible app

### 2/5 — Needs work, but I'll hang in there!

*2011-06-18, version 1.0.0*

This is a really good idea, but it is a bit slow and underdeveloped so far. I hope it develops into the really useful musical reference it could be...

### 1/5 — Terrible!

*2011-05-31*

Poorly designed. Definitions copied out of a non-music dictionary. Others poorly worded or just wrong!  Pitch and interval sections are too laborious for anyone to learn anything.  It takes 4 steps just to get to middle C!  This app is of no help and a waste of money.

### 1/5 — Don't buy it

*2011-05-03, version 1.0.0*

Definitely not worth the money.  The dictionary doesn't even work

### 1/5 — Oh man

*2011-04-29*

As with many Wolfram Alpha powered apps, this is not even as good as just going straight to Wolfram Alpha, which is free. Why pay for something which just accesses Alpha?

### 1/5 — Broken

*2011-04-28*

Sound doesn't work!

### 1/5 — Slow and unstable

*2011-01-30*

Right after download I was very satified, even though I could not understand why it would keep accessing the web for each request. It took longer than I wish and it would improve a lot if it could work offline.
But then... Now it is really hard to get response from the servers. 99% of the time I get a timeout and end up empty handed.
A shame I hope Wolfram fixes asap.

### 1/5 — Should have been free

*2011-01-26, version 1.0.0*

Why charging that much for an application like this? This is simply a joke similar to the one that the Wolfram App was initially selling for 30 or so pounds..

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — What a scam...

*2017-01-09, version 1.2*

This app has no content as the only thing it does is sending queries to WA (for which I have already paid buying WA app!). I doesn't have anything stored offline so it's completely useless unless when connected to a fast broadband.

### 1/5 — Don't bother

*2014-01-25, version 1.1.0*

Yep! Don't bother, is a waste of time.

### 1/5 — Useless

*2014-01-13*

Do not waste your money.  Cumbersome interface with, in my opinion, little useful content.  It  needs to talk to the mother ship to do something as simple as the playing a single note.   The "dictionary" implementation is simply ludicrous.  Not worthy of the Wolfram name (which I have great respect for).  review written Jan 13, 2014

### 1/5 — Don't

*2013-11-22, version 1.1.0*

What a waste of time, don't do it.

### 1/5 — Too elementary

*2013-09-28*

Not detailed enough to be helpful with college level music theory.

I expected so much more.

### 1/5 — Garbage

*2012-04-24*

This is, without a doubt, the single most useless app. It's a dictionary-that's it. Though it aggregates a collection of words relative to music to define - there are no examples. It defines a "fugue" as both a dissociative psych disorder and a style of composition. Thanks wolfram for a smaller dictionary.

### 1/5 — Useless

*2012-03-14, version 1.0.2*

A waste

### 1/5 — Not great

*2012-01-16, version 1.0.2*

I bought this app as I need to brush up on rhythm and note values.  I can find nothing to this extent.  Can I have my money back please?

### 1/5 — Does not work

*2011-12-24, version 1.0.2*

The UI for this is totally unresponsive. Basically it does not work at all.

### 1/5 — Doesn't explain anything?

*2011-11-21, version 1.0.2*

How about *explaining• the theory instead of just computing result?  Teach me the rules for constructing a minor 7th chord, don't just give me the results.

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Bass clef

*2025-06-28*

Great app. Need to show bass clef, especially chords. May be toggle from alto to bass and viceversa . Tnx

### 5/5 — Bass clef

*2024-01-07*

Great app. Need to show bass clef, especially chords. May be toggle from alto to bass and viceversa . Tnx

### 5/5 — Wonderful

*2011-09-30*

Great app- especially the many scales!

### 5/5 — Good App... Honest

*2011-02-03, version 1.0.0*

I really like this app. It has everything in that I need it's more comprehensive than music theory pro.

### 5/5 — Good app

*2011-01-22, version 1.0.0*

I love it

### 5/5 — Great app

*2011-01-22*

Nice app, but I would've liked to see a bass clef representation in the calculation. I'm a native trombone player and I read bass clef normally, so it would be a lot easier to have that rather than transposing treble clef. Overall it's a fantastic application though!

### 4/5 — Despite the bad reviews...

*2011-02-02, version 1.0.0*

This app really isn't as bad as people say it is, the only qualm I have all the info is stored online, not in the app, so you may find if not on wi fi it can take a short while to access the information.  HOWEVER the information it does access is excellent and very useful, give it a try!

### 4/5 — Wonderful!

*2011-01-15, version 1.0.0*

Why a great app - lovin it!

### 3/5 — Not sure what to think

*2011-10-29*

I think that the app is a bit misnnamed. I don't see it much of an assistant, but instead more of a (almost mathematical) reference tool.

Look up something like C Major scale, and you will be given the obvious information, such as the names of the notes in the scale, a drawing of it on a staff. But then you start to get into the less common info (alternate names, frequencies of the pitches in the scale, midi note numbers) and diving into the esoteric (results of various set theory operations).

As a music teacher, this is not an app that I would likely use. But, as a composer, some things are quite interesting. There is an almost encyclopedic set of scales that are fascinating to explore.

Some areas are very disappointing. The section entitled "Science of Music" turns out to be merely a tiny dictionary of a handful of technical terms, all with brief definitions that would teach little to the average musician.  Likewise for the section entitled "Song Types." For instance, I would expect a definition of gavotte to speak more of the typical rhythms involved, and what a missed opportunity in that no examples were offered. I was surprised that this same section didn't have an entry for "gigue."

The interface is annoying at times.  To look up a word, you must first identify its category (is it a style of music or a song type?), and then find the word in a picker menu. If you can not find the word, you may be left wondering if it is in another category.

It is also very limiting that you must have a web connection in order for the app to work. Frankly, I do not see enough information presented by the app to merit an Internet connection. The contents could easily be downloaded.  And there does not seem to be any complicated aspect of the interface that would be served well by centralized processing. 

This is not an app that I expect to use, although I might pick it up once and a while to explore its scales.  I am not sure what Wolfram had in mind for this app. Perhaps they expect to grow the knowledge base online over time so that the app will evolve to a comprehensive knowledge source.  In the meantime, I'd recommend waiting before purchasing it.

### 3/5 — : /

*2011-01-26, version 1.0.0*

It's ok, could be better

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*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.*
