Fingering Strings vs Sheet Music Direct
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Fingering Strings
This interactive guide helps string instrument players visualize fingerings for various hand positions across different clefs. It allows users to see and hear notes, intervals, and chords, aiding in learning and practice.
- Multiple instrument support (Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass)
- Extensive hand position library (Simandl, Rabbath)
- Visual "beginner tape" display
- Multi-note display (up to 4 notes)
- Hear notes, intervals, and chords on piano
- Support for Treble, Alto, Tenor, Bass clefs
Read full descriptionHide full description
The highest rated and most comprehensive fingering guide available for Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass (Simandl and Rabbath positions). See up to 4 notes at the same time. Decide which hand position would be best for the interval or passage. See and hear the written note, interval, or chord on the piano. Support for Key Signatures to more easily find a fingering in the music you're working on. • Hand Positions: 15 positions on the Violin, 15 positions on the Viola, 16 positions on the Cello, and 12 Simandl positions or 6 Rabbath positions on the Double Bass. • Display "beginner tape" on the fingerboard as well as string names and colors. • Notate one to four notes in Treble, Alto, Tenor or Bass clef. How to Use: Pick a written note (touch the staff) and have the fingering displayed and concert pitch played on the piano. Play a concert pitch on the piano, and have that pitch's fingering displayed and the transposed note written on the staff. Written and concert pitches are the same for all but the double bass, which transposes, sounding an octave below what is written. • Use the ‘Play' button(s) to repeatedly hear the note(s) being displayed. Selecting a Pitch: Using the Staff (transposed for the current instrument): Simply touch and slide up and down on the staff to select the note, slide to the right or left of the note for sharps and flats. Using the Piano (concert pitch): drag in the area below the keyboard to move the keyboard, touch to play notes, touch & slide to change the pitch. When you glissando up the keyboard, notes will be notated as a raised value (sharps), when you glissando down, notes will be notated as lowered values (flats). Use the up and down arrows to move chromatically up and down without touching the music staff or piano keyboard.
Sheet Music Direct
Access over 2.2 million premium sheet music arrangements and guitar tabs. Features include instant transposition, score playback, set lists, and offline mode. An optional subscription offers unlimited streaming and access to a vast library.
- 2.2 million+ sheet music arrangements
- Interactive score playback
- Instant transposition
- Set lists for organization
- Offline mode
- Bluetooth pedal support
- Printable sheet music
Read full descriptionHide full description
Sheet Music Direct is the best sheet music app to discover, learn, and perform all your favorite songs. Instantly access over 2.2 million premium sheet music arrangements and guitar tabs from dozens of top sheet music publishers including Hal Leonard, the world's largest source for music publications. Enjoy interactive scores with powerful tools like instant transposition, score playback, set lists, offline mode, and more. **BETTER WITH PASS UNLIMITED** Upgrade your app experience with a PASS subscription to enjoy unlimited sheet music streaming in the app and on the web. Get started with 30 days free! AN APP DESIGNED FOR MUSICIANS BY MUSICIANS Convenient and easy to use on iPad and iPhone • Access your sheet music anywhere: Your library automatically syncs between the app and web to access on any device. • Turn pages with ease: With a simple swipe, get to the next page and never miss a note. Or, turn hands-free with support for Bluetooth pedals. • Download for offline use: No internet? No problem. Download your music in the app to play anywhere. Digital sheet music tailored to you • Instantly transpose to any key: Six sharps not your idea of a good time? Find a key that's comfortable for you. • Change music note size: Ease eye strain with larger notation or reduce it for fewer page turns. • Audio playback with tempo control: Listen to the score for practice, or play along to perform. • Print your sheet music: Need a hard copy? Sign in to your web account and connect to any home printer. Keep your digital sheet music library organized • Bookmark your favorites: Add songs to a wish list, or save your favorites for easy access. • Create custom set lists: Organize songs into lists for your next gig, rehearsal, or special occasion. • Bring the music you already own: Upload your existing sheet music PDFs to store all your music in one place. FREE SHEET MUSIC To get you started, a handful of titles are available to download completely free. Download the app, head to the Store, and look for the Free Sheet Music section. The selection may change from time to time, so make sure to download now and check back regularly. BEST SELECTION & NEWEST RELEASES There's something for everyone, from all-time classics to the hottest new pop songs. Hundreds of titles are added weekly, including new releases, bestsellers, out-of-print works, and more. EVERY INSTRUMENT & SKILL LEVEL Explore arrangements for over 35 instruments, including piano, voice, guitar, choir, ukulele, violin, saxophone, flute, trumpet, cello, drums, bass, and more. Plus, over 25,000 lead sheets, fake book, and official Real Book charts. MUSIC FROM TOP ARTISTS Play and sing all your favorite songs from The Beatles, Elton John, Taylor Swift, Queen, Adele, Leonard Cohen, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Billie Eilish, Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Williams, Beethoven, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Alan Menken, Pasek & Paul, Einaudi, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Alexis Ffrench, Bach, Lewis Capaldi, Olivia Rodrigo, Lizzo, Frank Sinatra, Josh Groban, Elvis, Louis Armstrong, Bill Withers, Eagles, George Gershwin, Yiruma, Idina Menzel, John Legend, Eric Clapton, John Denver, Chris Tomlin, Bill Withers, The Piano Guys, and many more. MUSIC FROM EVERY GENRE Musical styles are as diverse as the musicians who play them. Enjoy a wide range of songs from Pop, Classical, Movies & TV, Rock, Jazz, Broadway/Musicals, Disney, Christian & Religious, Country, Folk, Christmas & Holiday, Blues, Children's, New Age, Easy Listening, Patriotic, R&B, Soul, Funk, Traditional, Wedding, Latin, Punk, Video Games, Celtic/Irish, Reggae, and more.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Sheet Music Direct at Free against Fingering Strings's $3.99. Sheet Music Direct also leads on ratings volume (4.8K vs 4) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 17 months). Fingering Strings's advantage is review sentiment (92% vs 48%) and in-app purchases (none vs 12). On 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
Sheet Music Direct is free to download; Fingering Strings costs $3.99 up front. Sheet Music Direct sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Fingering Strings asks for nothing beyond the download.
Fingering Strings holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sheet Music Direct has 4.8K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Fingering Strings's written reviews are positive against 48% of Sheet Music Direct's.
Fingering Strings ships an update every 17 months, Sheet Music Direct every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Fingering Strings | Sheet Music Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | 4.6 (4.8K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 91.7% of reviews — better | 48.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 4.8K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 17 months | Every 4 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Patrick Q. Kelly | Sheet Music Direct |
Customer experience
Fingering Strings
Sheet Music Direct
Bugs and requests
Fingering Strings
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Sheet Music Direct
Reported bugs
4 issues- Disappearing music library after updates
- Playback issues with incorrect tempos and speeds
- Compatibility problems on newer iOS devices
- Inconsistent behavior when changing keys or transposing
Requested features
5 requests- Add offline access and printing capabilities
- Improve search and browsing experience
- Implement annotation and markup features
- Offer more affordable subscription options
- Optimize app performance and stability
In-app purchases
Fingering Strings
No in-app purchases
Sheet Music Direct
- Digital Music Score$0.99
- Digital Music Score2 variants$1.99
- Digital Music Score2 variants$2.99
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Digital Music Score2 variants$3.99
- Digital Music Score$4.99
- SMD Product$4.99
- Digital Music Score$5.99
- Digital Music Score$6.99
- Digital Music Score$9.99
Questions
Is Fingering Strings free?
Is Sheet Music Direct free?
Which has better reviews, Fingering Strings or Sheet Music Direct?
Do Fingering Strings or Sheet Music Direct have ads?
Which is updated more often, Fingering Strings or Sheet Music Direct?
Other comparisons















