Symphony Pro vs Music Theory Advanced
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Symphony Pro
Compose music notation on your iPad with intuitive handwriting recognition or traditional input methods. Create scores for various ensembles, import and export in multiple formats, and utilize a wide range of notational elements. Enjoy built-in instruments for playback and auditioning.
- Handwriting recognition for Apple Pencil and touch
- Compose for various ensembles
- Import/export MusicXML, MIDI, and more
- On-screen instrument input
- Real-time recording and transcription
- Wide range of notational elements
- Print via AirPrint
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Symphony Pro 6 is a complete and intuitive app for writing music notation on iPad. It allows you to compose music for just about any size ensemble, from piano, symphonies, band, lead sheets, chord charts, guitar tabs, and more. Starting Version 5, Symphony Pro now offers handwriting recognition as the only in-app purchase: Perfect with Apple Pencil, and works great with touch or capacitive stylus GETTING STARTED SP provides all of the key options to begin your work. Import a score via MusicXML, MXL, MIDI, or SP file from your computer, or from apps like Dropbox, Mail, iCloud Drive, or Safari. You can base your project on a template, or start a blank score and add additional parts later. EDITING To add notes, choose Pencil mode, and tap anywhere on a bar to begin editing right away. You can quickly specify note properties before or after placing notes. By switching to Select mode with one touch, you can also transpose, erase, cut, and paste multiple notes/tracks. With an on-screen instrument, a QWERTY keyboard, or Core MIDI compatible keyboard, you can quickly enter notes & chords in step entry mode. Record a part in real-time with on-screen instruments to transcribe into notation. Versions 4 & 5 take greater advantage of the iPad touchscreen. With shortcuts and contextual menus to edit note & bar properties, many of the commonly used editing commands are right at your fingertips. SP supports a wide range of notational elements for your composition. Including dynamics & articulations, time & key signature changes, clef changes, pedals, and repeat conventions. Edit chord symbols, lyrics, and annotations using the iPad’s standard keyboard. EXPORT & SHARE When you’re finished, print out your score with AirPrint, or export it as a PDF, MusicXML, AAC, MIDI, or Symphony file. Share files via email or directly to another computer or iPad via Dropbox/iCloud Drive. KEY FEATURES • Introducing Handwriting Recognition for Apple Pencil & touch • Starting Version 5, Handwriting is the only In-App Purchase to enable the complete app • Now download SP on your iPhone • 24+ professionally recorded and sound-designed acoustic instruments, free out of the box Earlier features offered free, to existing & new owners • 114 built-in instruments for playback, and auditioning the notes you entered • Create in standard music notation or tablature • Edit with an on-screen piano, QWERTY keyboard, or a MIDI input device • Dozens of shortcuts & gestures to edit & navigate • Reduce your score size, range, or combination of parts for viewing & editing* • Print directly to AirPrint • Up to 48 instruments, 100 staves, 4 voices/layers per score • Record a part in real-time with clicks at the beat with optional emphasis • Backup & sync your scores with iCloud* • Import MusicXML, MIDI, MXL, or Symphony files • Export as a PDF, MusicXML, MIDI, AAC, or Symphony file • Large selection of articulations & dynamics • Multi-measure rests, including automatic rests • Grace notes • Customizable noteheads & note colors • Chord symbol, lyric, and annotation tools • Edit the properties of multiple notes and rests simultaneously by multi-note select • Copy/Paste function supports partial & multi-bar/staff select • Unlimited undo/redo • Customizable stem directions & note beaming • Transposing & concert pitch score option • Change tempo or clef anywhere in score or bar • Stream audio or share your screen wirelessly with AirPlay • Advanced document management • Create your own custom project template or use a built-in one • Customizable part groupings for SATB and instrument families • Customizable chord symbol, lyric, and annotation font • Loop playback feature • Auto-save support * Previously paid, but now free upgrade in Version 5 For More information, please visit: • http://www.symphonypro.net • http://forums.symphonypro.net • Facebook page at www.facebook.com/symphonyapp • Learn about the iPhone-only app: bit.ly/symphonyiphone
Music Theory Advanced
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Music theory tests: Notes (Notation / Piano), Key Signatures, Intervals, Chords, and Rhythms, covering basic musicianship at an advanced level. Includes a 'Grade Book' list of all saved results that you can print or share. • Notes, Intervals and Chords include an Ear Training mode that quizzes by audio only, while Rhythms is customizable from easy to nearly impossible. • All pitched quizzes support Treble, Alto, Tenor and Bass clefs. • Interval and chord roots pitches can be random or set before each question. • Set a specific number of questions or grade only the number answered. Notes module tests music notation and piano keyboard knowledge. Key Signatures covers major and minor keys as well as the seven diatonic modes. Set separate maximum number of sharps or flats for the quiz. Intervals includes simple and compound intervals played harmonically, melodically up or down. Intervals covered are major, minor, diminished, augmented 2nds, 3rds, 6ths, 7ths, and diminished, perfect, and augmented 4ths, 5ths, and octaves. Chords include triads and seventh chords played harmonically, melodically up, down or broken. Triads are major, minor diminished and augmented. Seventh Chords are dim7, min7(b5), min7, min(maj7), dominant7, maj7, dominant7(#5), maj7(#5). Rhythms tests your rhythmic and polyrhythmic skills. Develop hand independence with two lines of rhythms. - Customizable options include; up to 16 measures in 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 or 5/4, one or two lines of rhythms, each with up to 3 pitches, include specific note/rest values, and exclude grading durations (for percussionists). - Included note/rest values: Whole, Half, Quarter, Eighth, Sixteenth, Dotted Half, Dotted Quarter, Dotted Eighth, Triplet Half, Triplet Quarter, and Triplet Eighth. The Grade Book is filterable by name and subject. Grades include the name, date and time the quiz was taken, all relevant settings (clef, number of questions, etc.), and score (percentage and letter grade).
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Music Theory Advanced at $4.99 against Symphony Pro's $14.99. Music Theory Advanced also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2). Symphony Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 18 months) and device support (3 vs 1). 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
Symphony Pro costs $14.99 and Music Theory Advanced $4.99 up front. Symphony Pro sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Music Theory Advanced asks for nothing beyond the download.
Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, Music Theory Advanced every 18 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Symphony Pro | Music Theory Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $14.99 | $4.99 — better |
| Rating | 3.8 (473 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 473 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Every 18 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.5 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 365 MB | 48 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Xenon Labs, LLC | Patrick Q. Kelly |
Bugs and requests
Symphony Pro
Reported bugs
5 issues- Project menu disappears unexpectedly
- Ties and tuplets not working correctly
- Inconsistent behavior when zooming and panning
- Instruments not transposing properly
- Frequent crashes when editing complex scores
Requested features
5 requests- Add guitar metronome
- Improve text and lyrics handling
- Allow more customization of page layout
- Implement better transposition and chord features
- Provide more orchestral percussion instruments
Music Theory Advanced
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Symphony Pro
- Version 4: Complete Features BundleFree
- Handwriting Recognition Tool$9.99
Music Theory Advanced
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Symphony Pro free?
Is Music Theory Advanced free?
Do Symphony Pro or Music Theory Advanced have ads?
Which is updated more often, Symphony Pro or Music Theory Advanced?
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