MusicTools Music Dictionary vs Theory Lessons
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MusicTools Music Dictionary
This app provides a comprehensive music dictionary with thousands of definitions, abbreviations, and performance notations. It includes quick reference charts for tempo, symbols, and more, with support for multiple language variations. Designed for musicians of all levels, it aids in understanding both modern and historical musical terms.
- Comprehensive music dictionary
- Thousands of definitions and abbreviations
- Quick reference charts
- Multiple language variations
- Historical notation support
- Fast search engine
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MusicTools is a set of tools designed for music students, amateur, and professional musicians. This initial release contains a comprehensive music dictionary and a set of useful quick reference charts. MusicTools contains thousands of definitions, abbreviations and performance notations used in music from the 18th century through the present day. Future versions will contain additional tools to assist all levels of musicians with rehearsal and performance. This version features an extremely fast, easy-to-use dictionary search engine and an intuitive set of charts allows for quick use during lessons, practice sessions, and rehearsals. English, German, Latin, Italian and French variations of words and pronunciations are also provided. Musicians who play from older manuscripts will find MusicTools especially helpful in identifying older notations and abbreviations no longer listed in modern dictionaries. Features in this edition: * Comprehensive Music Dictionary based on Elson's original classic Pocket Music Dictionary * Abbreviations Chart * Accelerations Chart * Circle of Fifths Chart * Retardations Chart * Tempo Markings Chart * Musical Symbols Chart MusicTools is produced by musicians for musicians and is designed to help you be the best musician you can be!
Theory Lessons
Explore 39 animated music theory lessons covering fundamental concepts like scales, chords, and intervals. Deepen your understanding of musical structure and analysis with this comprehensive resource.
- 39 animated music theory lessons
- Covers staff, clefs, and ledger lines
- Explains note and rest duration
- Details major and minor scales
- Teaches intervals and chord inversions
- Includes Roman numeral analysis
- Features musical analysis examples
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Theory Lessons features 39 music theory lessons from musictheory.net, presented in their original animated versions. Complete lesson list: • The Staff, Clefs, and Ledger Lines • Note Duration • Measures and Time Signature • Rest Duration • Dots and Ties • Steps and Accidentals • Simple and Compound Meter • Odd Meter • The Major Scale • The Minor Scales • Scale Degrees • Key Signatures • Key Signature Calculation • Generic Intervals • Specific Intervals • Writing Intervals • Interval Inversion • Introduction to Chords • Triad Inversion • Seventh Chords • More Seventh Chords • Seventh Chord Inversion • Diatonic Triads • Roman Numeral Analysis: Triads • Diatonic Seventh Chords • Roman Numeral Analysis: Seventh Chords • Composing with Minor Scales • Voicing Chords • Analysis: O Canada • Nonharmonic Tones • Phrases and Cadences • Circle Progressions • Common Chord Progressions • Triads in First Inversion • Triads in Second Inversion • Analysis: Auld Lang Syne • Building Neapolitan Chords • Using Neapolitan Chords • Analysis: Moonlight Sonata
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Theory Lessons at none against MusicTools Music Dictionary's 3. Theory Lessons also leads on chart position (#21 vs unranked) and ratings volume (127 vs 23). MusicTools Music Dictionary's advantage is review sentiment (94% vs 83%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.8). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
MusicTools Music Dictionary costs $2.99 and Theory Lessons $2.99 up front. MusicTools Music Dictionary sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Theory Lessons asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for MusicTools Music Dictionary against 4.4 for Theory Lessons. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Theory Lessons has 127 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 94% of MusicTools Music Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 83% of Theory Lessons's.
MusicTools Music Dictionary ships an update every 7 months, Theory Lessons every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MusicTools Music Dictionary | Theory Lessons |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.4 (23 ratings) — better | 4.4 (127 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 94.3% of reviews — better | 83.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 23 | 127 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #21 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.8 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | OnStage Technologies, LLC | musictheory.net |
Customer experience
MusicTools Music Dictionary
Theory Lessons
Bugs and requests
MusicTools Music Dictionary
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Theory Lessons
Reported bugs
2 issues- Directional arrows and guidance symbols not working on iPad
- Text panels cut off at the bottom and unable to be resized
Requested features
4 requests- Add more advanced theory topics
- Incorporate practice exercises and quizzes
- Include support for other instruments beyond piano
- Integrate with the Tenuto app for a more complete experience
In-app purchases
MusicTools Music Dictionary
- Drum Rudiments Chart$0.99
- Circle of Fifths$0.99
- Precision Metronome$1.99
Theory Lessons
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is MusicTools Music Dictionary free?
Is Theory Lessons free?
Which has better reviews, MusicTools Music Dictionary or Theory Lessons?
Do MusicTools Music Dictionary or Theory Lessons have ads?
Which is updated more often, MusicTools Music Dictionary or Theory Lessons?
Other comparisons
