theDrumDictionary vs Rudiments Trainer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
theDrumDictionary
This app is a comprehensive resource for drummers and musicians to expand their rhythmic knowledge. It features all standard rudiments and a large collection of drum set beats with adjustable tempo audio and notation. An integrated metronome and practice tracking tools make it an ideal practice companion.
- 40 standard snare drum rudiments
- Over 100 drum set beats
- Tempo-adjustable audio examples
- Integrated metronome
- Practice time tracking
- Customizable beat lists
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"If you’re looking for a great resource to develop and maintain your beat vocabulary and rudimental proficiency, this is a great place to start." - Modern Drummer theDrumDictionary is a great tool for drummers, band leaders, producers, or anyone looking to learn more about drums. It includes all 40 standard snare drum rudiments and over 100 full drum set beats in a variety of styles. For each example, there is notation and tempo-adjustable audio. theDrumDictionary also includes a built-in metronome, making it a great all-in-one practice tool. For Practice: • Make the most of your practice time with the built-in metronome • Adjust the tempo of the example audio to help learn those tricky parts or to push your skill to the next level of speed • Keep track of your time spent practicing each beat or rudiment Lists: • Create a list of your favorite beats in different styles • Create lists for what you'd like to practice • Drum instructors, create a separate list for each of your students theDrumDictionary is also great for non-drummers who are interested in knowing a little about drums: band leaders who want to communicate better with their drummer, musicians who want to program realistic drum parts in their songs, and the list goes on... Entries include • All 40 standard snare drum rudiments • Over 100 drum set beats in a variety of styles: Rock, Jazz, World, Funk and more Contacts: • @GigBagApps • support@GigBagApps.com, for support, questions, suggestions • www.GigBagApps.com
Rudiments Trainer
Practice 39 international drum rudiments with audio samples and sheet music. Track your BPM progress even when the app is closed to monitor your daily growth and improve stick control.
- 39 international drum rudiments
- Audio samples and sheet music
- BPM tracking
- Progress monitoring
- Accent exercises
- Stick control improvement
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A rudiments practice app supervised by an active drum instructor. The app includes 39 of the 40 international drum rudiments, excluding the multiple bounce roll. Practice fundamental stick control with sheet music and sample playback. FEATURES - Play and practice every rudiment - Record practice time on a calendar - Browse practice records from previous months - Pro adds saved BPM history, last-BPM recall, Auto BPM, and Today's Practice PRACTICE TIP Start slowly and build a clean, relaxed form. Once the movement is stable, raise the BPM gradually to develop accurate and fast stick control. TERMS OF USE https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: theDrumDictionary at 76% against Rudiments Trainer's 27%. theDrumDictionary also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). Rudiments Trainer's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price 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
Both are free to download. Rudiments Trainer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. theDrumDictionary asks for nothing beyond the download.
theDrumDictionary ships an update every 2 months, Rudiments Trainer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | theDrumDictionary | Rudiments Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (45 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 76.3% of reviews — better | 26.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 45 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 8.4 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hawks Hill Software, LLC | Daishi Nakamura |
Customer experience
theDrumDictionary
Rudiments Trainer
Bugs and requests
theDrumDictionary
Reported bugs
6 issues- App crashes on startup (older iOS versions)
- Uneven single stroke roll with extra hits/flams
- Audio warping when tempo changes
- App stops when device goes to sleep
- Inconsistent bass drum clarity
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- Notation mismatches with audio playback
Requested features
20 requests- Tempo/speed control for practice
- More beats and grooves across all genres
- Odd time signatures (5/8, 7/8, 9/4, 11/4, 6/8, 7/4)
- Highlighted note indicator during playback
- Video demonstrations of techniques
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- Drum fills and fill variations
- Background playback capability
- Practice history and progress tracking
- Ability to create custom beats
- Accelerating/decelerating metronome
- More complex and advanced patterns
- Sorting beats by practice time
- Export notation and beat lists
- Multi-user/student support
- Rudiments numbered in learning order
- Double bass drum beats
- Finger drumming exercises
- Sync across multiple devices
- Note highlighting (karaoke-style)
- Longer beat patterns
Rudiments Trainer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
theDrumDictionary
No in-app purchases
Rudiments Trainer
- Unlock$1.991 Month
- Cancellation of restriction$4.99
Questions
Is theDrumDictionary free?
Is Rudiments Trainer free?
Do theDrumDictionary or Rudiments Trainer have ads?
Which is updated more often, theDrumDictionary or Rudiments Trainer?
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