Comparison

Scale and SticKey vs BrainBud

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

Head to head
About

Scale and SticKey

This app simplifies music theory by visualizing concepts like modes, scales, and chords through an interactive 'Note Team' system. Users can explore different musical structures, listen to scales and progressions, and understand key signatures and tonal centers.

Highlights
  • Interactive Note Team (TM) system
  • Visualizes modes, key signatures, scales, and chords
  • Explore different scale types (pentatonic, blues, bebop)
  • Listen to scales and chord progressions
  • Understand tonal centers and key names
  • Play individual Roman numeral chords
Features
Read full description

Scale and SticKey makes understanding music theory simple and enjoyable by synthesizing 5 theoretical concepts (modes, key signatures, scales, chord progressions, and solfa) into the concept of building a Note Team (TM). To get started (clicking the help '?' icon in the app menu will walk you through these steps): 1. Spin the solfa wheel or drag the solfa slider to put 'do' on a new position. 2. Drag the players around the outside of the wheel so that every player lines up with one of the seven solfa positions. (If you get stuck, click the central circle with the '?' to have the app move the players for you.) 3. Once every player is on a solfa position, you have formed a Note Team (TM)! The team captain has an arrow pointing at his solfa symbol, the key signature is shown in the center of the wheel, and the key is named at the top of the screen. 4. To change modes, either double-click on a new solfa name or use the arrows under the key name at the top of the screen. Each time you change modes, you are changing the tonal center (or tonic), which means your team has a new captain. The key name always begins with the name of the team captain. 5. Listen to the scales by clicking the play arrow under the key name. Change the type of scale by selecting a new icon under the key name. Options include: 7-note (heptatonic), 5-note(pentatonic), 6-note (blues), 8-note (bebop) and raised 7th (harmonic or melodic minor) scales. 6. Listen to chord progressions by clicking the arrow under the chord progression. Change the progression style by selecting a new icon under the chord progression, or switch to a new progression using the previous / next arrows next to the play button. 7. Switch to the chords view in the menu to play individual Roman numeral chords. 8.Return all elements to their original positions by clicking the reset button in the menu.

About

BrainBud

This app acts as a central controller for other music creation applications, allowing you to manage keys and scales simultaneously. It integrates with a variety of Bud apps via MIDI, enabling synchronized changes and broadcasting of musical parameters. Experiment with randomization and automate settings through its AUv3 plugin.

Highlights
  • Centralized key and scale control
  • MIDI out to multiple Bud apps
  • Budcast for parameter broadcasting
  • Randomize musical parameters
  • AUv3 plugin for automation
  • Requires other Bud apps to function
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

BrainBud controls the keys and scales of the Bud apps all at once. Connect BrainBud’s MIDI out to MIDI inputs of: - SnakeBud - PolyBud - MelodyBud - ShiftBud - ScaleBud 2 - In Theory - Textquencer - Binarhythmic - Auto Bass - BounceBud - MuseBud - Kebarp - FuncBud - Note to Be You can also broadcast the current key/scale to the newly connected apps with Budcast button. If you’d like to experiment, you can try the randomise button. With the AUv3 plugin, you can change the BrainBud's parameters or even automate them with AU parameters. For using the AUv3 plugin make sure you have an AUv3 host app such as AUM, Cubasis, Nanostudio, apeMatrix. BrainBud is a MIDI based app and requires other Bud apps present in order to work right. If you don't have any other Bud apps mentioned above, you can't make a use of BrainBud.  BrainBud doesn't produce any kind of sound on its own.

Screenshots

Scale and SticKey3 screens
BrainBud4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Scale and SticKey at every 3 weeks against BrainBud's every 2 months. BrainBud's advantage is chart position (#197 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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

Scale and SticKey costs $2.99 and BrainBud $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Scale and SticKey against 5.0 for BrainBud. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Scale and SticKey ships an update every 3 weeks, BrainBud every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Scale and SticKey versus BrainBud: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScale and SticKeyBrainBud
Price$2.99$2.99
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings12 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#197 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLaura GabrielsonCem Olcay

Customer experience

Scale and SticKey

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

BrainBud

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Scale and SticKey

No in-app purchases

None

BrainBud

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Scale and SticKey free?
Scale and SticKey costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is BrainBud free?
BrainBud costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Scale and SticKey or BrainBud?
Scale and SticKey and BrainBud are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Scale and SticKey or BrainBud have ads?
Neither Scale and SticKey nor BrainBud shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Scale and SticKey or BrainBud?
Scale and SticKey ships an update every 3 weeks, and BrainBud every 2 months. Most recently, Scale and SticKey was updated on October 10, 2026 and BrainBud on October 8, 2026.

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