Comparison

mKer vs Know the Notes

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

Head to head
About

mKer

A versatile MIDI step sequencer designed for music creation. It offers multiple outputs, extensive pattern and lane customization, and advanced step editing. Best used within an AUv3 host app for sound generation.

Highlights
  • 8 MIDI outputs
  • 64 Patterns with 16 Lanes each
  • Customizable Steps and Step Size per Lane
  • Advanced Step Parameters (Pitch, Velocity, Probability, etc.)
  • Flexible Editor with Step Entry Keyboard
  • 32 Clips with Repeat Functionality
  • Performance Tab with Assignable Sliders and Morphing
Features
Read full description

*** Note *** Although mKer can run as a stand-alone app, the recommended way to use it is as an AUv3 plugin from inside a suitable AU Host app that supports MIDI Processors such as AUM, Audiobus, Cubasis etc. Please also note that mKer is a MIDI app/plugin. That means that it does not produce sound itself - it needs to be connected to an audio source that can receive MIDI. mKer is a versatile, multi-output MIDI step sequencer with an extensive range of features. These include: - 8 MIDI outputs - 64 Patterns - 16 Lanes (aka tracks) per Pattern - Independent number of Steps (1-32) and Step Size (1/64-256 beats) per Lane per Pattern - Every step can play either a single note, an interval (2 notes) or a chord (3 or 4 notes) - Lane Step parameters: Play Cycles, Skip Cycles, Play Offset Cycles, Pitch, Velocity, Probability, Offset (can be used for ‘swing’ like effects), Repeat (rachet) and Gate - A flexible Editor that includes a step entry keyboard, parameter sliders and a variety of options and utilities designed for to make the workflow intuitive and fast - 32 Clips with 1-8 Steps per Clip, 1-128 repeats per step (every clip step has one pattern) - 3 Play Modes: Pattern, Clip, Sequence (all Clips) - A Performance tab with 10 fully assignable MIDI sliders, a 12-snapshot bank and morphing function between the snapshots... - MIDI step input and real-time recording - 12-track beat generator with six genres, density, intensity and GM beat mapping ... and more!

About

Know the Notes

Features
Read full description

Unlock your musical potential with Know the Notes, the ultimate ear training companion for musicians of all levels. Whether you're a beginner learning to identify notes or an advanced player refining your pitch, our app offers a responsive simple to use practice environment. Realistic Audio Experience Forget static, low-quality samples. Know Your Notes uses advanced real-time audio synthesis to generate sounds instantly. Piano: Rich, synthesized piano tones. Guitar: Plucked strings using the Karplus-Strong algorithm. Tone: Pure sine waves for focused frequency training. Practice Mode: Freely explore notes on an interactive keyboard with immediate visual feedback. Track your streaks and improve at your own pace. Quiz Mode: Test your skills with customizable quizzes. Choose your quiz length and difficulty. Delayed Feedback enhances real ear-training exams by hiding results until the end of the quiz. Customizable and Learning Difficulty Control: Toggle sharps and flats (black keys) to match your skill level. Settings: Adjust quiz lengths and feedback styles to suit your learning preference. Stop guessing and start knowing. Download Know Your Notes and tune your ear today!

Screenshots

Know the Notes3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Know the Notes at $1.99 against mKer's $3.99. Know the Notes also leads on device support (3 vs 1). mKer's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On update cadence, 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

mKer costs $3.99 and Know the Notes $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

mKer ships an update every 3 weeks, Know the Notes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
mKer versus Know the Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermKerKnow the Notes
Price$3.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.5 (22 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews63.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings22 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size57 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAxart Labs OUDAVID MAYR LERNER

In-app purchases

None

mKer

No in-app purchases

None

Know the Notes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is mKer free?
mKer costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Know the Notes free?
Know the Notes costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do mKer or Know the Notes have ads?
Neither mKer nor Know the Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, mKer or Know the Notes?
mKer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Know the Notes fortnightly. Most recently, mKer was updated on October 6, 2026 and Know the Notes on October 2, 2026.

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