ScalePlay vs bismark CtrlSlide
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ScalePlay
This app generates intricate musical patterns and sequences using complex scale theory. It's a powerful tool for both music production and education, offering scale references, virtual instruments, and interactive playback features.
- Generates intricate ostinatos and sequences
- Applies complex scale patterns
- User-defined songforms and chord changes
- Scale references for hundreds of scales
- Nine virtual instruments and 128 sounds
- Visualizes scale relations
- Interactive playback with generated patterns
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ScalePlay is a generative music app capable of producing the most intricate ostinatos and sequences by applying complex scale patterns over user defined songforms and chord changes. It can be used in music production and is also a fantastic tool for music education. It includes scale references for hundreds of scales, nine virtual instruments and 128 instrument sounds. Its unique set of features allows the musician to visualize scale relations and to play along with generated patterns. Modern musicians often practice playing scales according to organizing principles like thirds. What is meant by that is to play a scale tone, then its third, then the second scale tone, the third on top of that one and so forth. The exercise would result in the scale tones 1, 3, 2, 4, 3, 5, etc. Not an easy feat at first, because before even getting started, one has to know the base scale. Playing patterns through different keys and scale types finally is a demanding task even for advanced musicians. ScalePlay constructs patterns like these and much more complicated ones by using two simple grids. Grids have been around in music apps for years, but they are based on half-tone steps and include all available notes of the spectrum. That leaves one difficulty on the table, namely that of correctly identifying the notes of a scale. These grids also don’t easily allow for patterning as in our scale in thirds. So a different solution is called for and ScalePlay provides just that and so much more. In the application songs are used as metaphor to organize different scale types into a harmonic context. They are constructed with chords which in turn determine what scale types are available at a given time. During playback the app then cycles through these virtual chords or as with TouchPlay allows to call them up at will. This architecture is very helpful for superimposing ScalePlay patterns over existing pieces and even practicing improvising over changes. For practicing ScalePlay shows a pattern's progression on the built-in instrument and also provides a music notation reference. One can slow things down to need and play along. With the pattern lock feature all patterns can be kept in the same general vicinity. So instead of raising all scale tones when a base chord moves from C to G for example, patterns stay in place. This allows guitarists to practice scale patterns over changes while remaining in the same position. ScalePlay is also a fabulous generative music app. That is because of the magic that happens when these self-repeating scale structures are put in motion. Fantastic music occurs. Since ScalePlay supports virtual MIDI and can be recorded into any iOS based DAW. It also features TouchPlay for advanced looping. With TouchPlay scale structures can be looped endlessly and out of order. The TouchPlay environment is superimposed over ScalePlay's main interface and allows live switching between different scale types with the tap of a finger in continuous or full pattern mode. Of course ScalePlay supports multi-app multitasking as well as split-view and split-screen to make this feature even more useful. Instruments • Banjo, Bass, Cello, Double Bass, Guitar, Mandolin, Piano, Viola, Violin Some other Features: • 211 scale types • Virtual MIDI • Advanced looping with TouchPlay • Full general MIDI instrument library
bismark CtrlSlide
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bismark CtrlSlide is a touch-based MIDI controller that allows you to send Control Change (CC) and Program Change (PC) messages to external MIDI devices or apps. With an intuitive multi-slider interface, CtrlSlide makes it easy to adjust MIDI parameters in real time. Whether you're controlling hardware synthesizers, virtual instruments, or exploring MIDI behavior, this app provides a flexible and reliable control surface at your fingertips. Designed for musicians, producers, and sound designers, CtrlSlide supports various MIDI connection methods including USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and virtual MIDI routing (depending on your device and operating system). Key Features: • Send MIDI Control Change (CC) and Program Change (PC) messages • Customize multiple sliders for flexible real-time control • Connect to external MIDI devices or other apps • Supports USB, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and virtual MIDI • Includes predefined CC numbers for quick setup • Clean, responsive interface optimized for touch Use CtrlSlide to fine-tune your synths, experiment with sound design, or enhance your live performance setup — all from your iPhone or iPad.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: bismark CtrlSlide at $1.99 against ScalePlay's $9.99. bismark CtrlSlide also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 3 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On 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
ScalePlay costs $9.99 and bismark CtrlSlide $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ScalePlay ships an update every 3 months, bismark CtrlSlide every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ScalePlay | bismark CtrlSlide |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (10 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 71.4% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RoGame Software | bismark LLC |
In-app purchases
ScalePlay
No in-app purchases
bismark CtrlSlide
No in-app purchases









