Functional Ear Trainer vs Ear Trainer Master

Have you (or maybe one of your friends) ever wanted to learn to transcribe or play music by ear? It is so important for a musician to know what you are hearing. A good musical ear helps when you are composing, improvising, transcribing melodies, or playing with others. Most likely you have already tried different programs to learn to recognize intervals or even to acquire perfect pitch. However, although such programs develop your ear, but can you actually play any melody you hear as soon as you listen to it? Imagine you could understand music... It is like when somebody is talking to you, you not only hear pleasant sounds, but you recognize words and their meaning. One day I came across Alain Benbassat's program called "Functional Ear Trainer" and have been using it ever since. It is based on Alain's method to learn to recognize tones. The main difference between the Functional Ear Trainer and other methods is that it teaches you to distinguish between tones in the context of a particular musical key. You begin to recognize the role (or function) of each tone in this key, which is incredibly similar to its role in other keys of the same scale. And it is *guaranteed* anyone can gradually develop this skill. It does not matter: - who you are - an absolute beginner in music or a virtuoso professional musician; - how old you are - a 3 yo kid or a 90+ adult; - what musical instrument you play (you don't even have to play one). The only requirement is to practice for 10 minutes a day. I was so excited about this ear trainer that I have developed a mobile app based on the Alain Benbassat method. I hope you will find it useful.

Ear Trainer Master — the ear training and music theory app with a guitar fretboard, piano keyboard, and 133 structured lessons. Train intervals, chords, and chord progressions with visual aids no other app offers. GUITAR EAR TRAINING • See chord shapes on a real fretboard while you train — open voicings, barre chords, and a voicing style toggle • Guitar chord identification with visual feedback on every answer • Switch between acoustic guitar, electric guitar, classical guitar, and bass • The only ear training app that shows you the fretboard as you learn PIANO EAR TRAINING • Watch piano keys light up as intervals and chords play • Interval recognition and chord identification with keyboard visualization • Tap individual keys to compare notes and build your inner ear • Expand to full-screen piano for detailed analysis 133 EAR TRAINING LESSONS • Ascending Intervals — 24 lessons from pitch recognition to compound intervals across all 12 keys • Descending Intervals — 18 lessons with song associations, mixed directions, and random tonic training • Chord Identification — 31 lessons: triads, suspended chords, inversions, seventh chords, and extended jazz chords (9ths, 11ths, 13ths) • Cadences — 12 lessons on authentic, plagal, half, and deceptive cadences • Functional Harmony — 15 lessons: tonic/predominant/dominant functions, pop loops, circle of fifths, and turnarounds • Applied Dominants — 8 lessons on secondary dominants and tonicization • Discover — 25 style collections SURVIVAL MODE • One wrong answer ends the run — the difficulty climbs as your streak grows • A leaderboard per mode, tracking your best streak and accuracy DISCOVER REAL PROGRESSIONS • 25 hand-authored collections across classical, pop, rock, ballads, and funk • Each collection walks an era, and finishing one unlocks the next LEARN MUSIC THEORY BEFORE EACH QUIZ • Concept intro lessons explain what to listen for and why it matters • Song anchors help you remember interval sounds • Core concepts break down chord quality, voice leading, and harmonic function • Prerequisites guide you through a structured learning path PRACTICE IN ANY KEY • Tonal center selector — choose C, D, E, F, G, A, or B as your practice key • Random tonic mode for advanced ear training across all keys • Moving tonic mode for real-world modulation practice • Customizable playback: melodic, harmonic, block, or arpeggiated INTELLIGENT LEARNING SYSTEM • Two modes: Free Mode for open exploration or Tutor Mode with 80% mastery to advance • Multiple quiz formats: true/false recognition, matching, and identification • Instant feedback with correct answer display • Progress tracking with accuracy statistics and streaks • Auto-advance with configurable timing PROFESSIONAL AUDIO • High-quality MIDI synthesis with professional SoundFont technology • Adjustable tempo, volume, and sequence speed • Works offline — practice ear training anytime, anywhere WHO IS THIS FOR • Guitar players who want to recognize chords by ear • Music students preparing for ABRSM, RCM, or university auditions • Jazz musicians learning functional harmony, extended chords, and chord substitutions • Singers and vocalists building interval recognition and sight-singing skills FLEXIBLE & AFFORDABLE • Try free lessons in every domain before upgrading • Unlock all 133 lessons with PRO — one-time purchase, no subscription • Family Sharing support on iOS Download Ear Trainer Master and start training your musical ear today.