Composer Lab vs ModusCycler
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Composer Lab
Explore harmonic structures, scales, and microtonal tuning systems. This app offers tools for organizing pitch material, crafting custom tunings, and managing rhythmic units for songwriting and composition.
- Harmonic structure exploration
- Custom tuning system creation
- Rhythmic unit management
- Microtonal scale playback
- DAW file export (.scl, .tun)
- Pitch set theory principles
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Set Module: The Set Module enables musicians to explore harmonic structures and scales of all kinds, and discover new ways of organizing pitch material. Built on the principles of pitch set theory, it offers an intuitive interface along with a rich set of practical tools. Features include fixed superset, fixed subset, invariance calculation, interval vector constraints, unfolding, and numeric recombination mode. The module is designed to make working with complex musical ideas easier and more intuitive, and can be used in songwriting, arranging, film scoring, and concert music composition. Tempo Module: The Tempo Module allows users to set a range for rhythmic units and define a tolerance for timing variations. It supports a system where up to six different tempos can be freely switched and converted. Tuning Module: Start at 1/1 and craft your own tuning system with cents or ratios. Map it onto a standard keyboard so you can transpose in 12ET or in precise cent steps. Hear your microtonal scales live, then export .scl and .tun files straight to your DAW—unlocking boundless realms beyond the twelve-tone limit. New Euclid and Orbit modules added! Detailed guide will be updated shortly.
ModusCycler
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Turn chord progressions into music you understand. ModusCycler shows you the matching church modes and scales for any progression — guitar modes on fretboard and TABs, plus piano and standard notation — and backs you up with a complete jam band. NEW: EXTENDED AND ALTERED CHORDS Type "Cmaj7, Fm7, G7#5" or pick from the wheel: 29 chord types, from ø and dim7 to 7b9, 7#9 and 7alt — for jazz, neo-soul and fusion. Matching scales include Lydian Dominant, Altered and Whole Tone; a switch adds pro scales from harmonic and melodic minor. JAM SESSION BUILDER Build your own backing track in seconds: tap chords into the bar grid, get piano accompaniment with musical embellishments (a statistical improviser based on Chopin and Beethoven statistics), plus a precise metronome with swing — hit Play and jam. A fresh session sounds finished right away: cello bass and piano come preloaded. The Jam Session Builder is currently included in the purchase price. MODAL INTERCHANGE & CIRCLE OF FIFTHS The modal interchange table shows borrowed chords from every parallel mode — one tap places them in your progression. The circle of fifths highlights your mode chords (degrees I–vii°) and the most important modal interchange chords in colour. The stability check tells you whether your mode really holds — or collapses into the relative major. ESCALATOR — SCALE REFERENCE & SLIDES All seven positions of the major scale as a printable Kiltz/CAGED and 3NPS reference, right inside the app. The transitions trainer connects positions with slides — and the out-of-scale slides reveal the pros' trick: change the entire scale family with ONE shape, using a slide formula like "C, 2 frets down and back". You always land on a chord tone, fingering included. CHEATING CHEAT SHEET WITH SCALE-CHANGE COMBOS Two linked wheels per chord: church mode and scale in shorthand. Below, every mode combination of your progression sorted by effort: no change, one change (there and back) or two — each with its slide formula. Pin chords to keep them fixed; the eScalator opens right with the matching keys. SCALES FOR IMPROVISATION TUTOR The modes·explorer derives church modes step by step on the fretboard — with Kiltz/CAGED boxes and all seven 3-notes-per-string patterns. FOR EVERY MELODIC INSTRUMENT ModusCycler shows you which notes fit over the chords — in standard notation and by note name, playable on any instrument. Ideal for improvising and melodic accompaniment on saxophone, clarinet, flute, trumpet, violin, accordion, harmonica or voice. Fingering diagrams cover guitar and piano; the scale theory applies to all. MORE FEATURES - Learning cards: one sentence above each fretboard tells you what you play - Four approaches (Global, Smart, Flexible, Cheating) and four views (fretboard, TABs, piano, notation) at a glance - Build progressions: wheel picker, modal interchange table, circle of fifths, song database - Smart analysis: matching modes with percentage ranking and character descriptions - Stage view: full screen with big fret numbers, a focus frame that follows the music and a colour legend that lets you hide whole note categories - Print sheets: diatonic chords and close voicings per mode, as triads and seventh chords - Undo, key-change dialog with pin, notation with correct key signatures - Real piano samples, metronome with sounds and swing - Tutorials: bird's-eye overview + 12-step tour, extensive online manual - 6 languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Norwegian TRY THE FULL VERSION FOR FREE On app.moduscycler.com the full version runs free in your browser for one day — try everything before you download the app. Looking for guitar modes, church modes, modal interchange, the circle of fifths, improvisation or jamming? ModusCycler (also "Modus Cycler") brings you scales, modes and chords for your next jam session — improvise on guitar, bass, piano and every melodic instrument. www.moduscycler.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: ModusCycler at $11.99 against Composer Lab's $17.99. ModusCycler also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.2). Composer Lab's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
Composer Lab costs $17.99 and ModusCycler $11.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Composer Lab ships an update every 3 days, ModusCycler every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Composer Lab | ModusCycler |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $17.99 | $11.99 — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.2 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 49 MB | 50 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 笑一 杨 | Robert Ulrich Seidel Dr |
In-app purchases
Composer Lab
No in-app purchases
ModusCycler
No in-app purchases









