ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer vs Notes.fm
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer
Quickly create complex chord progressions with a powerful music theory engine. Explore scales, borrow chords, and customize chord details in real-time. Supports multiple patterns and MIDI control for advanced music production.
- Chord progression creation
- Music theory engine
- Scale exploration
- Modal interchange (borrowing chords)
- Customizable chord modifications
- Multi-pattern support
- Real-time editing
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ChordBud 2 is a MIDI chord sequencer for building unique chord progressions in minutes. Under the hood is a powerful music theory engine with over 40 scales. Select the scales to work with and see them laid out top to bottom on one screen, with the chords inside each scale running left to right, compare scales side by side, or borrow chords from one another through modal interchange. By default, every chord inside the current scale and key is presented at once, and the key can be changed anytime. The settings menu also offers chord progressions to work within, showing only the chords that belong to the selected progression. Build as many patterns as needed, each with its own key, scale, and chord progression. Long-press a pattern to copy, paste, or delete it, with full undo/redo backing every edit so experimentation stays risk-free. Patterns can be triggered via MIDI CC messages, enabling automation or a full song mode. Triads are just the starting point — chords can be extended with add/sus/6/7/9/11/13 and more modifiers. Tap any chord on the timeline to open the chord editor and adjust its mode, velocity, octave, inversion, key, or division. Edits apply live while the sequencer plays, so changes are audible immediately. On the timeline, chords can be repositioned by dragging, or resized by dragging their right edge. Pinch to zoom in or out, or zoom in further to work precisely within subdivisions. Standalone, ChordBud 2 includes a built-in piano sampler for instant playback with zero setup, alongside MIDI, virtual MIDI, and Bluetooth MIDI connectivity for hardware and software instruments. An AUv3 plugin version is also available, dropping straight into any DAW to drive instrument tracks from inside a session. Note: ChordBud 2 AUv3 plugin is a MIDI sequencer app. It does not produce sound itself. You need an audio app in order to get sound. Just route ChordBud 2's MIDI Out to your audio app's MIDI in and arm the sequencer.
Notes.fm
This app helps musicians track and collect all their music royalties in one place. It identifies missing registrations and unclaimed money across over 50 platforms, simplifying royalty collection for artists, songwriters, and managers.
- Collect all royalties in one place
- Identify missing registrations and unclaimed shares
- Estimate unclaimed royalties
- Verify songwriter, performer, and producer credits
- Track catalog health across 50+ platforms
- Share credit and registration data
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NOTES Notes is the easiest way to understand and collect all of your music royalties in one place. Every musician deserves all of their royalties. But more than $1 billion goes unclaimed every year, and 50+ platforms each require individual collection. Royalty registrations are fragmented and manual — Notes makes sure you aren't missing money. Collect all of your royalties for your entire catalog. Review your registrations across The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC), Performing Rights Organizations (PROs), SoundExchange, and more, and see exactly where royalties are going unclaimed. WHAT NOTES DOES - All your songs in one place — import your existing catalog by artist, playlist, release, or song - Review your catalog for registration issues, including missing registrations, unclaimed shares, and unmatched recordings - See clear, data-backed estimates of unclaimed royalties, built on real stream counts and current mechanical rates - Verify songwriter, performer, and producer credits for the songs in your catalog - Look up the identifiers behind your songs — International Standard Recording Codes (ISRCs), International Standard Musical Work Codes (ISWCs), and Interested Party Information (IPI) numbers - Review recording and songwriting splits alongside the registrations they affect - Track catalog health across 50+ royalty platforms - Share song credits and registration data with your team using the native iOS share sheet WHO IT'S FOR - Musicians tracking their own royalties - Songwriters verifying registrations across PROs and the MLC - Managers reviewing catalog health for the musicians they administer - Labels and publishers monitoring registrations and splits - Anyone who wants to understand the credits behind a song BUILT FOR IPHONE AND IPAD Notes keeps you connected to your catalog wherever you are. Pull to refresh your review, pick up where you left off with a persistent session, and share anything straight from the app. If you lose connectivity, Notes lets you know and reloads automatically when you're back online. Start with a free account at notes.fm. MUSICIAN SUBSCRIPTION Upgrade to Musician in the app for your earnings on your Home Screen, Lock Screen and Control Center, plus notifications when royalties arrive, a statement is ready, or a payment reaches you. Musician is an auto-renewing subscription, billed monthly or yearly to your Apple Account, and renews unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel it anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://notes.fm/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://notes.fm/legal/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Notes.fm at 100% against ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer's 44%. Notes.fm also leads on price (Free vs $5.99) and rating (5.0 vs 3.1). ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (24 vs 2). On update cadence, ads, monetization model and device support 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
Notes.fm is free to download; ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer costs $5.99 up front. Notes.fm sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Notes.fm holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer has 24 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer's written reviews are positive against 100% of Notes.fm's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer | Notes.fm |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.1 (24 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 44.1% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 24 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Cem Olcay | Notes Frequencies, Inc. |
Customer experience
ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer
Notes.fm
In-app purchases
ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer
No in-app purchases
Notes.fm
- Musician$4.991 Month
- Musician (Yearly)$49.991 Year
Questions
Is ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer free?
Is Notes.fm free?
Which has better reviews, ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer or Notes.fm?
Do ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer or Notes.fm have ads?
Which is updated more often, ChordBud 2 AUv3 MIDI Sequencer or Notes.fm?
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