Blue Devils vs Beam Music
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Blue Devils
Access exclusive media content, including over 1500 videos and 350 audio tracks, from a renowned drum and bugle corps. Stay updated on event schedules with integrated maps and calendar saving. Explore historical data, connect with members, and view competition scores.
- Watch 1500+ videos
- Listen to 350+ audio tracks
- View 85,000+ photos
- Submit user content
- Event maps and calendar integration
- Full season information (1971-present)
- View DCI scores
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The official app of the DCI World Champion Blue Devils, Blue Devils B, and Blue Devils C MEDIA - Watch over 1500 current and historical videos - Listen to over 350 audio tracks of shows, rehearsals, parking lots, and more - View over 85,000 photos - Submit your own photos and text posts - Use AirPlay to listen/watch on your own speakers or TV screen SCHEDULE OF EVENTS - Maps to shows, rehearsals, warm-up and housing sites, parades, etc. - Save events to your own calendar ROSTER, TOUR, AND SHOW INFORMATION - Full season information from 1971 through present day - Connect with current members and alumni - Maps of each season's tour route SCORES - View scores from all current DCI shows *** If you have any problems/crashes with the app, please get in touch via https://bluedevils.org/website/tech-support/ and we'll help you out! ***
Beam Music
Easily import, organize, and annotate music files for ensembles. Share access and collaborate with section leaders. Live Mode synchronizes music across all devices instantly without internet.
- Import PDFs from cloud storage and local files
- Edit and crop music pages
- Annotate with pencil, highlighter, and text tools
- Collaborative notes for section leaders
- Real-time music synchronization via Live Mode
- Organize music into collections and set lists
- Backup music library
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IMPORT AND ASSIGN FILES WITH EASE - Import PDFs from Dropbox, Google Drive, and Local Storage - Assign full files or single pages - Crop, cut, and edit parts - Give edit access to student leaders ANNOTATE YOUR MUSIC - Pencil tool: Draw on the music - Highlighter: Mark key areas - Text tool: Add important notes - Shared notes: Section leaders can add notes for the entire section STAY IN SYNC WITH LIVE MODE Activate Live Mode to automatically connect everyone in the ensemble to your device. When you select a piece of music, everyone’s individual parts for that song are instantly displayed on their personal device. All without the need for internet. ORGANIZE YOUR LIBRARY - Create a collection of songs - Add songs to a set list in a specific order - Add the duration of the song - Back up your library with Beam Backup
Screenshots
Verdict
Blue Devils and Beam Music both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 78% of Blue Devils's written reviews are positive against 36% of Beam Music's. Beam Music's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (283 vs 55). On price, rating, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Blue Devils holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Beam Music has 283 ratings behind it against 55, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Blue Devils's written reviews are positive against 36% of Beam Music's.
Blue Devils ships an update every 5 months, Beam Music every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Blue Devils | Beam Music |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (55 ratings) — better | 4.4 (283 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews — better | 36.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 55 | 283 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 159 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | BD Performing Arts | Ultimate Drill Book |
Customer experience
Blue Devils
Beam Music
User reviews
Blue Devils
From 55 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎵 Access to extensive music library
- 🏆 Great content for Blue Devils fans
- 📱 User-friendly interface
- 🌟 High-quality videos and audio
- 🆓 Free content available
Room to improve
- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- ⚠️ Inconsistent performance
- 💰 Some content requires payment
- 🔄 Outdated content in some areas
- 🚫 Cannot save photos
Beam Music
From 283 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 📱 Centralized music library in one app
- 🎵 Convenient for marching band use
- ✍️ Annotation and note-taking features
- 📋 Setlist functionality for quick song switching
- 🔄 Live mode for synchronized performance
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing
- ⏱️ Severe lag and unresponsiveness
- 🔋 Excessive battery drain (40-90% per hour)
- 🌡️ Phone overheating during use
- 📝 Annotations randomly disappear or delete
Bugs and requests
Blue Devils
Reported bugs
9 issues- App crashes when clicking on dates under schedule tab
- App crashes when attempting to save a photo
- App requires update even after updating
- App crashes when opening roster
- App crashes when hitting Videos
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- App crashes every time it's opened
- Audio playback is inconsistent
- Content not loading or playing for more than 4 seconds
- First show of the season locked after one listen
Requested features
7 requests- Make the app Android compatible
- Add playlist functionality
- Include DCI and DCP news
- Optimize for newer iPhone versions
- Add Airplay support
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- Opensource the app or offer development kit to other corps
- Add more BDB and BDC content occasionally
Beam Music
Reported bugs
14 issues- App crashes constantly, especially when needed
- Lag makes page turning and note-taking difficult
- Annotations disappear after using live mode
- Zoom level resets when orientation changes
- Portrait mode activates unexpectedly
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- Notes from other songs appear randomly
- Search feature fails to work reliably
- Music fails to load when switching between pieces
- Auto-download feature doesn't work
- App becomes unresponsive with frozen screen
- Battery drains excessively fast
- Phone overheats during rehearsal
- Annotations won't save, erase, or stick properly
- Screenshot returns white page instead of music
Requested features
12 requests- Horizontal page lock (like FlipFolder)
- Ability to save zoom level with vertical scrolling
- Live session annotation capability
- Auto-select correct part for user
- Mass select parts instead of individual selection
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- Highlighter tool for dynamics
- White pen/eraser for marking corrections
- Screenshot capability for backup
- Access to music files in Files app
- Rotation lock that maintains landscape orientation
- Better customization options
- Improved search functionality
In-app purchases
Blue Devils
No in-app purchases
Beam Music
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Blue Devils free?
Is Beam Music free?
Which has better reviews, Blue Devils or Beam Music?
Do Blue Devils or Beam Music have ads?
Which is updated more often, Blue Devils or Beam Music?
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