Comparison

Different Drummer vs StrumTune

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

Head to head
About

Different Drummer

This app generates unique and complex rhythmic music patterns for any instrument, including drums. It offers extensive control over rhythm, harmony, and expression through wave-based synthesis. Explore endless possibilities for creating innovative beats and sequences.

Highlights
  • Rhythmic music generation for any instrument
  • Complex pattern and rhythm creation
  • MIDI controller and file creator
  • Wave-based control for expression
  • Multi-track music output
  • Audiobus 3 and Ableton Link 3 support
  • Progression Composer for arpeggios
Features
Read full description

"Different Drummer blows my mind and that's pretty hard to do."—Dave Taub, drummer for Billy Idol, John Lennon, Yes and many more. Don't let the name fool you. Different Drummer is a powerful rhythmic MUSIC generator for ANY instruments or samples (with harmonies) that happens to work Very Well for drums too. It's also an amazing Midi Controller and MIDI file creator. Create everything from simple or complex patterns, non-repeating music, straight or poly rhythms, human or robot feel, arpeggios, chord progressions, fills, sequences and much at your fingertips using this one-of-a-kind app. This may be the best music idea finder anywhere in the galaxy! This is an essential tool for those seeking new beats and sequences but our customers say it best: Most used app in the toolbox ***** "I have plenty of music apps...synths, DAWs, sequencers, beat boxes, effects, drum machines...you name it, but Different Drummer has been the MOST used of all of them." by Sattech27 This is your secret weapon in the quest for innovative beats and music that make sense yet defy the status quo. Different Drummer taps into the primal source of all rhythm—waves. DD puts out multi-track music which is lifelike and primal at times and out of this world at others. It's a rhythmic music synthesizer that uses waves to play any sound in astonishing ways that vary from electro to dubstep to tribal to classical. This software was created with music in mind—but in the spirit of discovering what is next in music, not just finding a new way to do the same thing like so many music apps do so well. If you are a pioneer or care about where music is going, this app is for you. Easy to start learning, always discovering more. Adjust note, rest, tie, panning, beat and dynamics waves for the ultimate range of expression. You will never exhaust the endless possibilities of Different Drummer and you are guaranteed to discover legit beats that no one has ever heard before. No matter how many apps you have...not having Different Drummer is a loss. To not possess this musical wonder is committing a Groove Crime in your studio or live setup! Features: • 8 Sampler Tracks + Jam-along track with 6-wave Cyclophone Controls plus 2 harmonies on each main track. • AudioBus 3 with State Saving, Remote Triggers and Inter-App audio out & background play • Stereo audio recording. Export via Audioshare, Dropbox or iTunes or AudioCopy or General Pasteboard (to GarageBand for example) • Ableton Link 3 enabled • Zenterface™ let's you work in a more simplified radial view and is just fun! • Progression Composer makes it easy to create guide tracks or multi-track arpeggios • Jammer panel to play along with the music • Jamlets panel lets you create endless action buttons for live jamming, saved with your presets • Control drum pitches, rests, ties, dynamics, panning and beat value using additive waves • Instant Capture in case you hear a killer beat you want saved on auto random • Save Wave Presets to Wave Library and share with other users in Community • 37 Preset Drum styles you can fully mess with (these are for fun, not the main purpose) • String Wave Sets together in saved Sequences and share in Community • Export Wave Sets or Sequences as MIDI Files (via iTunes, AudioShare, Email or Dropbox) • Over 190 drum and sound FX samples with more added every update • Add your own 24-bit samples via iTunes (WAV or CAF), AudioPaste or DropBox • Over 75 musical scales to assign drums or instruments to as well as key • Channel Volume, Filter, Distortion and Reverb Mixer • Set Key, Tempo, Swing and Time Signature • Automation for randomizing and morphing playback with snap-back option • MIDI Sync Out and In • Up to 8 Channels of MIDI Out • Dedicated Wave for any Midi CC with Learn • Core MIDI lets you play other synthesizers and drum machines on your iPad such as Animoog and NLog Pro or external hardware To hear Different Drummer in action and learn more please go to www.technemedia.com

About

StrumTune

Features
Read full description

StrumTune tunes your guitar, bass, ukulele and more — accurately, and completely free. No ads. No subscriptions. No accounts. Nothing is collected, and the app never connects to the internet. TUNE ANY STRING Play a string and StrumTune names it, shows how far off you are in cents, and turns green the moment it lands. The needle settles quickly, so you spend less time watching the screen and more time playing. CHROMATIC MODE Not every note is an open string. With a capo on, on a fretted note, or with an instrument that has no preset, chromatic mode reads any of the twelve semitones instead of forcing your note onto the nearest string. MANUAL MODE Prefer to tune by ear? Tap a string to hear a clean reference tone and match it. Works even without microphone access. 9 INSTRUMENTS, 25 TUNINGS Guitar (Standard, Drop D, Drop C, Half Step Down, Full Step Down, Open G, Open D, Open E, Open C, DADGAD), 7-string guitar, bass, 5-string bass, ukulele, mandolin, banjo, violin and cello. YOUR OWN TUNINGS Set any note on any string, save it under a name, and it is waiting for you next time. Edit or delete it whenever you like. BUILT-IN METRONOME 30 to 240 BPM, time signatures 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8, tap tempo and an accented downbeat. The click is scheduled sample-accurately, so the tempo never drifts. MADE FOR PLAYERS - Left-handed mode mirrors the fretboard - Reference pitch adjustable from 430 to 450 Hz for orchestras and period instruments - Note names as C D E or Do Re Mi - The screen stays awake while you tune - Your instrument and tuning are remembered between sessions Everything listed above is included. There is no paid tier and nothing to unlock.

Screenshots

Different Drummer4 screens
StrumTune4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: StrumTune at Free against Different Drummer's $2.99. Different Drummer's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

StrumTune is free to download; Different Drummer costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Different Drummer versus StrumTune: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDifferent DrummerStrumTune
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (31 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews81.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings31 — better—
Update frequencyMonthly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size93 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTechné MediaCafo Kajmer

Bugs and requests

Different Drummer

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Crashes with IAA/Audiobus
  • Doesn't sync MIDI clock / Ableton Link properly
  • Hanging MIDI notes with automation
  • Crashes when sending to Dropbox
  • Emailing MIDI file issues
Show 3 more
  • Audio doesn't start playing until wave is tweaked
  • Inaccurate sliders
  • Buggy with iOS 7 (older review)

Requested features

8 requests
  • AUv3 support
  • MIDI clock / Ableton Link sync improvements
  • Revamp sample import (e.g., zip support)
  • Add presets
  • MIDI-in support
Show 3 more
  • Landscape view
  • Grid mode
  • Dark mode option

StrumTune

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Different Drummer

No in-app purchases

None

StrumTune

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Different Drummer free?
Different Drummer costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is StrumTune free?
StrumTune is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Different Drummer or StrumTune have ads?
Neither Different Drummer nor StrumTune shows ads.

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