ChordBaker vs MD_Buddy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ChordBaker
Create accurate, harmony-focused chord charts quickly for songwriting, teaching, or learning music. Features advanced notation, key analysis, and instant transposition. Export to PDF or share editable files.
- Build chord charts quickly
- Harmony-first workflow
- Advanced chord notation
- View chord tones and degrees
- Instant transposition
- Export to PDF
- Share editable files
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Build harmony-oriented chord charts faster. Whether you’re writing songs, teaching, arranging, or learning covers, ChordBaker helps you create clean, accurate charts in seconds — with tools designed for musicians who think in chords, not lyrics. Features: • Build chord charts quickly • Harmony-first workflow: lyrics optional • Advanced notation (slash chords, sus/maj/add/altered voicings) • See chord tones at a glance • Choose a key and view chord degrees • Transpose instantly • Smart rules prevent impossible or nonsensical chord combos • Export to PDF or share editable files • Clean, print-ready formatting • Great for practice, teaching, rehearsals, or creating setlists You can also use the free web version (core features included) at ChordBaker.com. By using ChordBaker, you agree to Apple’s Standard Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
MD_Buddy
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--- MD Buddy - Ableton Setlist Controller MD Buddy puts your entire Ableton Live set in the palm of your hand. See every song, every section, and exactly where the playhead is - all in real time from your iPad. And now, your whole team can follow along too. Designed for worship teams, live performers, and anyone running Ableton backing tracks, MD Buddy lets the music director stay in control without touching the computer. Jump to any section on the beat, mute individual tracks per song, and keep the service moving without missing a note. REAL-TIME PLAYBACK TRACKING MD Buddy mirrors Ableton's playhead live - current song, current section, tempo, and bar number update as the music plays. A progress bar shows exactly where you are inside each section so you always know what's coming. JUMP TO ANY SECTION Tap any section button to cue Ableton to jump there. Jumps respect Ableton's Launch Quantization so they always land on the beat - no awkward cuts, no off-time transitions. OBSERVER MODE - YOUR WHOLE TEAM, IN SYNC Every other musician can now open MD Buddy on their own iPad or iPhone and follow the set live - current section, progress, tempo - without touching anything. No vocal cues, no guessing when the bridge repeats or the outro's coming. A green border shows at a glance which device is actually in control, and Settings lists everyone currently connected by name. TRACK MIXER Toggle individual Ableton tracks on or off directly from the iPad. Want to drop the drums for a quieter moment or bring in extra instrumentation? Tap once. Mute presets save automatically per song and restore every time you navigate back to that song. AUTOMATIC SETUP MD Buddy finds the bridge app on your Mac automatically - no IP address, no manual configuration. Connect via Wi-Fi or plug in a USB-C cable for a rock-solid stage connection independent of the venue's network. Save named Trusted Connections in Settings for an instant one-tap reconnect anywhere Bonjour discovery is blocked. SETLIST CONTROL Drag songs to reorder your setlist for the night. Your order is remembered between sessions. One device is always the primary controller; every other device connects read-only as an Observer, so accidental taps can never disrupt playback. FLEXIBLE MARKER NAMING Works with your existing Ableton project. Name songs using the == Song Name == convention or simply drop a marker called "Start" - MD Buddy recognizes common words in English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Italian. DEMO MODE No bridge? No problem. Explore the full interface with sample songs before your first live use. ---MD Buddy requires the free MD Buddy Bridge companion app running on the Mac connected to Ableton Live. Compatible with Ableton Live 10, 11, and 12 (Standard or Suite). Not compatible with Intro or Lite editions. ---
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MD_Buddy at none against ChordBaker's 5. ChordBaker's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads 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
Both are free to download. ChordBaker sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. MD_Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.
ChordBaker ships an update every 2 days, MD_Buddy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ChordBaker | MD_Buddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 41 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tomas Ferrari | William Almond |
In-app purchases
ChordBaker
- ProMonthly$0.991 Month
- ProYearly$8.991 Year
- Johann Sebastian$19.991 Month
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- Johann Sebastian$199.991 Year
- ProLifetime$49.99
MD_Buddy
No in-app purchases









