Comparison

UltimateScale vs Chord Progression Lab

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

Head to head
About

UltimateScale

Features
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UtimateScale is a music scale learning assistant. Are you confused and tired of difficult terms and complex scale structures such as Mixolydian and Locrian? With UltimateScale, you can learn by looking at a composition in staff score, directly touching a synth keyboard key on the app, listening by ear, and moving freely in key. In addition, you can learn the scale efficiently through a quiz using the Leitner System, which is famous for learning by memorization. In addition, you can upload and share comments of various scales and your own learning know-how through the Internet Archive. - Learn the scale by looking at the sheet music and listening to the sound. - The built-in touch synth keyboard allows you to learn while directly pressing the keys. - This app does not support only C key. You can transpose from C to B and see how it performs in different situations. - You can adjust the speed and octave during playback, and you can set the playback instrument as you like. - In the quiz menu, learn various scales by solving problems and using flashcards. - For quiz questions, effective learning is possible using the famous Leitner system as a memorization method. - You can share and download new scales that have not yet been discovered through the Internet Archive, scales with comments containing your own learning know-how, etc. This app is also - Support dark mode. - Compatible with both iPad and iPhone devices. - Press scales using a hardware MIDI keyboard connected via Bluetooth or USB. - MIDI keyboard is also supported in quiz mode.

About

Chord Progression Lab

Features
Read full description

Chord Progression Lab turns music theory into a sandbox. Pick a key. Pick a style. Listen. Tweak. Export. That's the whole loop β€” and it's surprisingly addictive whether you're a songwriter looking for your next progression, a producer hunting for a starting MIDI, a music student studying voice leading, or just a curious listener who wants to know what a Phrygian dominant actually sounds like. 25+ music-theory approaches, from familiar to far-out: β€’ Pop, Doo-Wop, Pachelbel's Canon, Circle of Fifths β€’ 12-Bar Blues and Jazz β€’ Rock and Punk power-chord progressions β€’ Epic Minor and Andalusian cadences β€’ Indian Raga (Bhairav), Arabic Maqam (Hijaz), East Asian Gōng pentatonic β€’ Japanese Hirajōshi, Indonesian Gamelan (Slendro) β€’ Klezmer Freygish, Flamenco Phrygian, Celtic Mixolydian, Slavic minor β€’ Bulgarian 7/8 Balkan, West African Highlife β€’ Bossa Nova, Reggae, Hawaiian slack key β€’ Avant-Garde quartal stacks and tone clusters All 12 keys. Transpose any progression β€” instantly. Dissonance dial. Great for ear-training, jazz studies, or just hearing how a vanilla I–V–vi–IV mutates when you add tension. Tempo control. Drag from a slow 40 BPM crawl to a 200 BPM sprint. Each style starts at a tempo that fits the genre. See it as you hear it. A piano keyboard lights up with the active chord tones in real time, and the chord sequence scrolls along showing Roman numerals and the actual chord name in the current key. Export MIDI. One tap saves a standard MIDI file you can drop into any DAW β€” and the share sheet sends it anywhere: AirDrop, Files, email, Messages. No accounts. No ads. No tracking. No internet required. Everything runs on-device with a built-in synthesizer. Whether you're studying theory, writing a song, prototyping a beat, or just curious what a Bulgarian 7/8 progression sounds like β€” Chord Progression Lab gets you from idea to audio in two taps.

Screenshots

UltimateScale4 screens
Chord Progression Lab2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: UltimateScale at Free against Chord Progression Lab's $0.99. UltimateScale also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 26.5). Chord Progression Lab's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

UltimateScale is free to download; Chord Progression Lab costs $0.99 up front. UltimateScale sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Chord Progression Lab asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard4 real differences Β· 2 level
UltimateScale versus Chord Progression Lab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUltimateScaleChord Progression Lab
PriceFree β€” better$0.99
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsβ€”
AdsYesNo β€” better
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 β€” better26.5
Further details β€” not scored
Size60 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBum Tae YoonDavid Mickey

In-app purchases

1 purchases

UltimateScale

One-time1
  • 1: Remove all ads$4.99
None

Chord Progression Lab

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is UltimateScale free?
UltimateScale is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Chord Progression Lab free?
Chord Progression Lab costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do UltimateScale or Chord Progression Lab have ads?
UltimateScale shows ads; Chord Progression Lab does not.

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