Comparison

BlueScalesTrainer vs AxeModes

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

Head to head
About

BlueScalesTrainer

Learn guitar scales with your own songs. Analyze music to find keys and display matching scales. Practice with visual fretboard views, adjustable speed, and effects. Supports foot pedal control and integrates with your iTunes library.

Highlights
  • Song key analysis
  • Visual scale patterns
  • Fretboard note display
  • Adjustable playback speed and pitch
  • Built-in audio effects
  • Foot pedal control support
  • Playlist management
Read full description

The BlueScalesTrainer was created by good motivation targets for 2019. Not loosing weight this year, but finally know where notes are on which fretboard position on my guitar to play solos. Like everywhere, this require a lot of practice and I started direct in the AppStore looking for suitable apps. Although there is a lot dealing with Scales, it is either too much, visually too small and often not helpful for practicing. The features I missed are now available in the BlueScalesTrainer: * The scales should be displayed while playing, so it needs a music audio player * New songs should be analyzed because I'm not able hear the key of a song * The scales should then be displayed individually in large size and as an overview, matching the selected song * Overview and single view of scale patterns should be switched by foot pedal * A fretboard view provides a complete overview and should also be able to hide notes. Thanks to my app BlueJamPlayer, I already had the basis for the audio player, song analysis and control via foot pedal. I also took over the effect section, so that you can use the 7 audio effects in the BlueScalesTrainer as well. Here are the extensive functions that I have integrated in the BlueScalesTrainer and everything without subscription, InApp Purchase or advertising: - The main Scales are included: Major, Minor, Pentatonic Major, Pentatonic Minor, Blues Major and Blues Minor - In total 360 scales for your training target to master your guitar solos - Per scale type each of the 12 keys and their 5 patterns according to the CAGED system could be selected - Scale view in 3 modes: Pattern single, Summary and Zoom view - New added large fretboard view, where either root notes, chord notes or all notes of the scale are displayed - Switchable display of the notes or note position in the scale - The player can also be controlled via Bluetooth from PagerTurner foot pedals - Alternative scale views can be switched via foot pedal - The pitch can be adjusted without changing the speed - Also the speed is adjustable without changing the pitch - Free configurable effects (reverb, delay, flanger, equalizer, filter) to improve the sound - All songs in your iTunes library can be used - Songs are analyzed for the key, so that the matching scale will be selected automatically - The BPM will also be analyzed and effects Delay/Flanger will be set to this BPM - In order to sort your session better, there is a playlist management with 16 playlists - Especially for practicing difficult passages, the A->B Play mode is optimal - For the direct start 14 loop songs of different styles already available Hope you enjoy learning Scales with BlueScalesTrainer!

About

AxeModes

This app helps guitarists learn various musical modes and scales from any root note. It features a dynamic fretboard, scale degree visualization, and audio playback for each note, along with chord accompaniment.

Highlights
  • Learn major, minor, and other scale modes
  • Dynamic fretboard display
  • Color-code and show/hide scale degrees
  • Hear individual note sounds
  • Play chord accompaniment
  • Context-sensitive help
Read full description

Learn all the associated Modes of the Major, Melodic Minor, Harmonic Minor, Harmonic Major, Double Harmonic Major, Hexatonic, Pentatonic, and Diminished Scales. Starting from any Root Note. (Hundreds and hundreds of combinations!) Dynamically generated Fretboard. Show between 2 and 22 Frets at a time. Color code any Scale Degree(s). Show or hide any Scale Degree(s). Click on any Note to hear what it sounds like. Play Chord accompaniment for any Scale/Mode/Root combination. Context sensitive help available on every screen.

Screenshots

BlueScalesTrainer4 screens
AxeModes3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AxeModes at 5.0 against BlueScalesTrainer's 4.0. AxeModes also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 5 months). BlueScalesTrainer's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $4.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.2). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

BlueScalesTrainer costs $2.99 and AxeModes $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AxeModes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BlueScalesTrainer ships an update every 5 months, AxeModes every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
BlueScalesTrainer versus AxeModes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBlueScalesTrainerAxeModes
Price$2.99 — better$4.99
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.2
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStefan ArnholdJoseph Svantner

Customer experience

BlueScalesTrainer

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

AxeModes

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

BlueScalesTrainer

No in-app purchases

None

AxeModes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is BlueScalesTrainer free?
BlueScalesTrainer costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is AxeModes free?
AxeModes costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, BlueScalesTrainer or AxeModes?
AxeModes is rated higher. BlueScalesTrainer averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while AxeModes averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do BlueScalesTrainer or AxeModes have ads?
Neither BlueScalesTrainer nor AxeModes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BlueScalesTrainer or AxeModes?
BlueScalesTrainer ships an update every 5 months, and AxeModes every 4 days. Most recently, BlueScalesTrainer was updated on November 2, 2026 and AxeModes on November 4, 2026.

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