Comparison

MIDI SolFa Mode vs TraceSonic

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

Head to head
About

MIDI SolFa Mode

Explore music theory with an interactive instrument. Learn scales, modes, and solmization, or connect to MIDI devices. Play melodies, chords, and discover improvisational techniques.

Highlights
  • Interactive spiral and piano keyboards
  • Study scales, modes, and circle of fifths
  • Learn Movable-Do and Fixed-Do solmization
  • MIDI input/output and file playback
  • Improvise polyphonic canons
  • Load custom sounds and MIDI files
Features
Read full description

A unique musical instrument. An interactive music theory medium. An amazing solmization machine. A universal MIDI tool. All in one: "MIDI SolFa Mode-Go-Round" unites and extends the possibilities of the apps "Musk MIDI Keyboard", "Musk MIDI Player", "Musk Diatonic Modes" and the "SolFa Mode-Go-Round". Therefore there are many creative and didactic use cases. Play and grasp music! Use cases: ========== * Play on the diatonic or chromatic keyboard. * Study or teach scales, church modes, and the circle of fifths. * Discover improvising polyphonic canons. * Learn Movable-Do and Fixed-Do solmization. * Connect to your MIDI apps and devices or play with connected "SolFa Mode-Go-Rounds". * Load sounds and polyphonic pieces. * Tune into your part. Hear its solmization. Touch instruments: ================== * The app features a diatonically oriented spiral shaped keyboard with 7 keys per octave. (Tone circle) * With it you can easily play well sounding melodies and chords in major, minor or other church modes. + Besides it, there is a chromatic piano keyboard. (iPhone: Landscape orientation, iPad: double tap piano-button) Sounds: ======= * Instrumental sounds: a General-MIDI sound font is pre-installed. (See also "Musk MIDI Keyboard" for more options.) * To study church modes and solmization, the syllables "do re mi fa so la ti" where recorded in 3 octaves. + Freely mix instrument and solmization sounds. Listen to the solmization of the tenor, hear the bass as piano and the soprano as flute notes. + Choose a small choir ("Erlebnisland") with warm sounds or synthetic Bruno, who really sings to the point. Music theory: ============= * The generalised touch circle of fifth gives access to 12 tonics und 7 modes. * The touch instruments change according to the selected tonic and mode. * There are 5 mathematical-musical base modulations. * Interactive tutorials introduce you to the operation. * Get a fine feeling for the character differences between the diatonic scales Major (Ionian), natural Minor (Aeolean) and the church modes Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Locrian. * Understand how they are interrelated. + Improvise up to five-part counterpoint canons "note-by-note": You play the melody and the canon assistent shows how to proceed. * You can also invent normal canons. Just play in half notes. + You can change labels on the tone circle, e.g. to test your or your students knowledge. Solmization: ============ * The syllables depend on the pitch, the chosen tonic/mode configuration and the solmization method. * They are shown on the tone circle and can be heared. * Solmization methods: absolute solmization (Fixed-Do), relative solmization (Movable-Do) and scale degree solmization. MIDI features: ============== * With this app, you can send and receive MIDI notes and play back MIDI files. * All features of "Musk MIDI Keyboard" and "Musk MIDI Player" are available. (See "Related Apps" in the App Store) + Record tracks and export midi files. + During recording of notes, the related solmization syllables can be attached to the track as lyrics. These can be shown by any MIDI-Karaoke player. + This app sends and receives configuration change commands. You can keep all connected "MIDI SolFa Mode-Go-Rounds" in sync. + You can also add bass notes with an external notation app. These will trigger tonic/mode changes. Synchronization: ================= + Notes and configuration changes are transmitted via MIDI to connected devices and apps. + Using SharePlay you can play with friends over the Internet and play back midi files synchronously. + Nearby devices, e.g. in the classroom, can synchronize their settings via OSC and OSC-Query. See also: ========= * "SolFa Mode-Go-Round", "Tonkreisel", "Musk MIDI Player", "Musk MIDI Keyboard". * Features marked with "*" are available in other apps. * Features marked with "+" are only available in this app. Have fun and let the mode go round! We love to hear feedback.

About

TraceSonic

Transform images into unique sounds by drawing on a spectral canvas. This app uses brush strokes and imported images to generate additive synthesis, offering a creative way to craft musical instruments and soundscapes.

Highlights
  • Draw on spectral canvas
  • Import images to create sound
  • 128 additive oscillators
  • Multiple brush types
  • Pitch snapping to scales
  • MIDI note input
  • Save custom patches
Features
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TraceSonic turns pictures into sound. Paint directly on a spectral canvas and hear each mark become part of a playable additive instrument: horizontal position is time, height is pitch, and brightness controls the level of each partial. Start with an empty canvas and draw with solid, soft, textured, tapered, or harmonic brushes. Fill the canvas with generated patterns, or import an image and turn its brightness into sound. Pitch snapping keeps freehand marks on your selected scale. Shape your sound with: • 128 additive oscillators spanning four octaves • Seven classic waveforms and 12 built-in wavetables • Forward, reverse, and ping-pong scanning • Adjustable pass length and tempo-synchronized loops in compatible Audio Unit hosts • MIDI note input for retuning the complete canvas • More than 60 factory patches, including tones, sequences, gestures, textures, drones, and sound effects • User patches that save the canvas and its synthesis settings • Solid, harmonic, soft, textured, and tapered brush families • Undo, redo, erasing, pitch snapping, and scale selection Use TraceSonic as a standalone instrument on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, or load its AUv3 instrument in a compatible host.

Screenshots

MIDI SolFa Mode4 screens
TraceSonic4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TraceSonic at 5.0 against MIDI SolFa Mode's 4.5. TraceSonic also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). MIDI SolFa Mode's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $7.99) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

MIDI SolFa Mode costs $3.99 and TraceSonic $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TraceSonic holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDI SolFa Mode ships an update every 3 months, TraceSonic every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
MIDI SolFa Mode versus TraceSonic: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDI SolFa ModeTraceSonic
Price$3.99 — better$7.99
Rating4.5 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDr. Garbers Softwareentwicklungr6 appz

Customer experience

MIDI SolFa Mode

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

TraceSonic

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

MIDI SolFa Mode

No in-app purchases

None

TraceSonic

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIDI SolFa Mode free?
MIDI SolFa Mode costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is TraceSonic free?
TraceSonic costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MIDI SolFa Mode or TraceSonic?
TraceSonic is rated higher. MIDI SolFa Mode averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while TraceSonic averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do MIDI SolFa Mode or TraceSonic have ads?
Neither MIDI SolFa Mode nor TraceSonic shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MIDI SolFa Mode or TraceSonic?
MIDI SolFa Mode ships an update every 3 months, and TraceSonic every 9 days. Most recently, MIDI SolFa Mode was updated on November 1, 2026 and TraceSonic on October 26, 2026.

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