Comparison

Symphony Pro vs SessionBand Jazz 1

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

About

SessionBand Jazz 1

Create professional-quality Jazz music using chord-based loops. This app offers a wide range of Jazz styles and features for songwriters and musicians of all levels. Generate royalty-free tracks quickly and easily.

Highlights
  • Chord-based loop creation
  • 15 diverse Jazz styles
  • Automated mixing
  • Auto-transpose
  • One-touch live recording
  • Real-time tempo shift
  • Audiobus compatibility
Read full description

Create professional quality Jazz tracks to your own chords in minutes with Volume 1 of the award-winning SessionBand Jazz app - the world’s only chord-based loop app. It's the ultimate Jazz play-along and the perfect tool for Jazz songwriters – wherever you are and whatever your level of ability. Jamie Cullum: "An extraordinarily useful tool for jazz musicians of any ability" James Tormé: “ Ridiculously useful. They seriously nailed it" With over 16,000 precision-cut, chord-based Jazz loops (included in the download) performed and produced for SessionBand by 4 of the world's leading jazz musicians, SessionBand Jazz instantly converts the chords you select into great-sounding Jazz audio - wherever you are and whatever your ability. Volume 1 comprises 15 diverse Jazz styles from Slow Swing, Medium Swing, Bossa Nova and Afro Jazz to Fast Latin, Up Swing and many more. And with a host of pro features like automated mixing, auto-transpose, one-touch live recording, real-time tempo shift and Audiobus compatibility, it has never been easier or quicker to create your own studio quality Jazz - even if you can't play a note! SessionBand Jazz Volume 1 is a professional app - essential for anyone learning Jazz and perfect for Jazz musicians looking for the ultimate play-along. But equally, it's simple and quick enough for non-musicians who love jazz to create their own great-sounding, royalty-free music and share it with the world. SessionBand Jazz Volume 1 has reached Top 5 in the paid music app charts in no fewer than 59 countries since launch. Watch the video at sessionbandapp.com The fastest way to create studio-quality Jazz... • Simply pick one of 15 Jazz styles • Choose your chords • Stretch or shorten loops in seconds • Build up your track in minutes • Instantly hear your track across other different Jazz styles and tempos • Auto-transpose your entire track (not electronic pitch shift!) • Mix your track (manual or automated) • Adjust track tempo (+/- 15%) • Record direct to audio • Copy straight to other music apps (if you want to) • Share with the world! SessionBand gets 4 of the world's top Jazz musicians playing on your tracks... Drums – Ralph Salmins (Wynton Marsalis, Burt Bacharach, Elton John, Madonna, Robbie Williams, Quincy Jones...) Saxes / Flutes – Andy Panayi (Peter Erskine, Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Marsalis, Paul McCartney...) Bass - Geoff Gascoyne (Georgie Fame, Michel Legrand, Sting, Van Morrison...) Piano – Tom Cawley (Jack DeJohnette, Charlie Watts, Jane Monheit, Stacey Kent, Yaron Herman, Guy Barker, Peter Gabriel...) The ultimate mobile practice tool for Jazz students... • Practice with your very own world class Jazz quartet • Loop markers let you focus on specific sections • Mute/Solo instrument channels (manual and automated) • Transpose your whole track instantly But you don't have to be a musician to create seriously good Jazz tracks and release them royalty-free... • Simple, intuitive interface • Audition loops as you go • 'Track Builder' makes building a full track quick and easy • Intuitive mixing and record functions • Hugely educational Detailed Product Information • 15 diverse popular Jazz styles in tempo order: Ballad; 12/8; Slow Swing (2 feel); Slow Swing (4 feel); Medium Swing (2 feel); Medium Swing (4 feel); Bossa Nova; Shuffle; Medium 3 /4; Afro Jazz; Medium Up Swing (2 feel); Medium Up Swing (4 feel); Fast Latin; Up Swing (2 feel); Up Swing (4 feel) • Tempos from 60bpm to 220bpm • 10 chord variations for every root note in all 15 styles: maj7(9); maj7(#11); 7(13); 7(b9); 7(#5,#9); 7sus(13); m7(9); m7(b5); m(maj7); dim • The exclusive musical content in this app is not duplicated in any other SessionBand app • All loops are offered royalty-free and can be used freely in your own works

Screenshots

Symphony Pro4 screens
SessionBand Jazz 14 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: SessionBand Jazz 1 at 4.4 against Symphony Pro's 3.8. SessionBand Jazz 1 also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and price ($8.99 vs $14.99). Symphony Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (473 vs 69). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Symphony Pro costs $14.99 and SessionBand Jazz 1 $8.99 up front. Symphony Pro sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. SessionBand Jazz 1 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SessionBand Jazz 1 holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Symphony Pro has 473 ratings behind it against 69, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Symphony Pro's written reviews are positive against 70% of SessionBand Jazz 1's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, SessionBand Jazz 1 every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Symphony Pro versus SessionBand Jazz 1: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSymphony ProSessionBand Jazz 1
Price$14.99$8.99 — better
Rating3.8 (473 ratings)4.4 (69 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.9% of reviews69.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings473 — better69
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.512.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size365 MB860 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperXenon Labs, LLCUK Music Apps Ltd

Customer experience

Symphony Pro

All ratings469 ratings
Positive70.1%
Neutral9.8%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews476 reviews
Positive55.9%
Neutral16.4%
Negative27.7%

SessionBand Jazz 1

All ratings69 ratings
Positive88.4%
Neutral2.9%
Negative8.7%
Written reviews166 reviews
Positive69.9%
Neutral7.8%
Negative22.3%

User reviews

Symphony Pro

From 473 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Handwriting recognition is great
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🎨 Flexible for composing and arranging
  • 💰 Good value for the price
  • 🎹 Works well with Apple Pencil

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Clunky and unintuitive interface
  • 🔊 Poor sound quality of instruments
  • 🔒 Issues with saving and exporting files
  • 🤔 Steep learning curve for some features

SessionBand Jazz 1

From 69 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎵 Realistic, high-quality instrument sounds
  • 🎸 Excellent for jazz practice and improvisation
  • 🎼 Easy to create custom backing tracks
  • 🎹 Great piano and drum voicings
  • 🔄 Flexible tempo and key transposition

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
  • ⚠️ Limited chord selection and extensions
  • 🎺 Repetitive and predictable saxophone phrases
  • 🔧 Unintuitive interface and navigation
  • 📱 Poor performance on older devices

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

SessionBand Jazz 1

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • App crashes frequently, especially in edit mode
  • Stuttering and jerky playback on iPhone
  • Audio lag after tempo changes
  • Screen freezes and becomes unresponsive
  • Cannot access fill style options on iPhone (below page)
Show 6 more
  • Chord data lost when switching styles
  • Compatibility issues with older iOS devices
  • Audiobus feature doesn't work
  • App stuck on single chord with no controls displayed
  • Erratic starting behavior and background mode issues
  • Performance degradation with many saved tracks

Requested features

15 requests
  • Add missing chord types (m7, m6, 7, m11, maj7+, aug, dom9, dom7#11, dom7b5, slash chords)
  • Play/stop button in edit screen
  • Custom time signatures (especially 5/4)
  • MIDI export functionality
  • Import/export between app versions
Show 10 more
  • Ability to loop sections for set number of times
  • Larger hit boxes for chord insertion
  • Guitar chord charts
  • More looper markings
  • Sustain button with stop functionality
  • Smoother tempo shifting
  • More tunes and song selections
  • Audiobus integration
  • GarageBand compatibility
  • Larger chord selection overall

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Symphony Pro

One-time2
  • Version 4: Complete Features BundleFree
  • Handwriting Recognition Tool$9.99
None

SessionBand Jazz 1

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Symphony Pro free?
Symphony Pro costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is SessionBand Jazz 1 free?
SessionBand Jazz 1 costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Symphony Pro or SessionBand Jazz 1?
SessionBand Jazz 1 is rated higher. Symphony Pro averages 3.8 out of 5 from 473 ratings, while SessionBand Jazz 1 averages 4.4 from 69 ratings.
Do Symphony Pro or SessionBand Jazz 1 have ads?
Neither Symphony Pro nor SessionBand Jazz 1 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Symphony Pro or SessionBand Jazz 1?
Symphony Pro ships an update every 4 weeks, and SessionBand Jazz 1 every 4 months. Most recently, Symphony Pro was updated on October 26, 2026 and SessionBand Jazz 1 on October 26, 2026.

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