Comparison

ChordMaps2 vs Salome

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ChordMaps2

This music app allows musicians, songwriters, educators, and students to explore and improvise chord progressions, melody, and bass lines. It utilizes "Musical Maps" for intuitive chord exploration and can function as a MIDI controller for external synth apps.

Highlights
  • Explore chord progressions on Musical Maps
  • Improvise melody and bass lines
  • Supports major and minor keys
  • MIDI controller functionality
  • Demonstrate music theory concepts
  • Create ear-training exercises
Read full description

ChordMaps2 is a music app for iPad which allows musicians, songwriters, music educators, and students to explore and improvise chord progressions, melody lines, and bass lines, in both major and minor keys, most of the time tapping with just one or two fingers. The most powerful feature of ChordMaps2 is that users can explore and play common chord progressions by touching chord locations on "Musical Maps." You can work with ChordMaps2 as a... Songwriter - to explore melody lines, bass lines, and chord progressions when you are away from your guitar or keyboard. Music Educator - to demonstrate principles of music theory, (including major and minor scales, diatonic and secondary chords, common chord progressions like IV-V-I, ii-V-I, I-vi-IV-V, I-V-vi-IV, etc.) You can also create spontaneous ear-training exercises, and explore melodic lines and chord progressions with students in an interactive environment. MIDI Musician - to tap out chord sequences and hear them played by one or more of the synth apps on your iPad, or you can send the MIDI information out through a MIDI interface to a computer running a digital audio workstation (DAW) like GarageBand or Logic Pro. How ChordMaps2 Works... ChordMaps2 is a MIDI controller. It works by being paired with a synthesizer app that generates sound. (Example synth apps include ThumbJam, SampleTank, bs-16i, iM1, and many more.) ChordMaps2 sends the MIDI signal; the synth app responds to the MIDI information and creates the audio. Video demonstrations of ChordMaps2 are found at the website. (Click the Developer Website link or visit Mugglinworks.com/ChordMaps2).

About

Salome

This app lets you record or import sounds, transform them into seamless loops, and play them polyphonically using MPE or MIDI controllers. It offers a fast workflow with onscreen keypads and MPE/MIDI input/output for creative sound manipulation.

Highlights
  • Record or import sounds
  • Create seamless loops
  • Polyphonic MPE/MIDI playback
  • Onscreen MPE keypads
  • Latch mode for fader control
  • AUv3 plugin for iOS and macOS
Currently charting
Read full description

Salome is a tool for recording (or importing) sounds, turning them into seamless loops, and then polyphonically play them using MPE or MIDI. CONTROL: The onscreen keypads can be latched, turning them into 2-dimensional faders for controlling various modulations. Additionally, software and hardware MPE controllers can be used (or normal MIDI, in a pinch). WORKFLOW: The entire process from sampling to playing was designed to be a fast and fluid as possible. Speed > features. UNIVERSAL: AUv3 plugins for iOS (iPhone, iPad) and MacOS (ARM, Intel) are included*. - Full Audio Unit compatibility (note that not all hosts support all AU features) - Built-in MPE keypads for multidimensional onscreen control - MPE/MIDI input and output from the Audio Unit, so you can record your performance or even control other MPE synths - 12 mode filter, based on the Oberheim Xpander design - Latch-mode lets you play the instrument using faders - Basic standalone mode included (for connectivity use the AU plugin) - Record or import sounds (WAV, AIF, MP3) and instantly play them as a polyphonic instrument - Effortless seamless loops using the non-destructive X-Fade feature Find the user manual on ruismaker.com * not all MacOS DAWs fully support Audio Unit plugins. This is not a VST plugin.

Screenshots

Salome3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Salome at 4.7 against ChordMaps2's 4.1. Salome also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 months) and chart position (#195 vs unranked). On review sentiment, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

ChordMaps2 costs $9.99 and Salome $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Salome holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 30 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of ChordMaps2's written reviews are positive against 83% of Salome's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ChordMaps2 ships an update every 6 months, Salome every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
ChordMaps2 versus Salome: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChordMaps2Salome
Price$9.99$7.99 — better
Rating4.1 (26 ratings)4.7 (30 ratings) — better
Positive reviews82.1% of reviews83.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2630 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#195 — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.613 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMalcolm MugglinBram Bos

Customer experience

ChordMaps2

All ratings26 ratings
Positive76.9%
Neutral11.5%
Negative11.5%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive82.1%
Neutral10.7%
Negative7.1%

Salome

All ratings30 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral3.3%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral11.1%
Negative5.6%

In-app purchases

None

ChordMaps2

No in-app purchases

None

Salome

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ChordMaps2 free?
ChordMaps2 costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Salome free?
Salome costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ChordMaps2 or Salome?
Salome is rated higher. ChordMaps2 averages 4.1 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Salome averages 4.7 from 30 ratings.
Do ChordMaps2 or Salome have ads?
Neither ChordMaps2 nor Salome shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ChordMaps2 or Salome?
ChordMaps2 ships an update every 6 months, and Salome every 9 days. Most recently, ChordMaps2 was updated on October 20, 2026 and Salome on October 25, 2026.

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