Comparison

Scaler 3 vs Volume Pedal

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

Head to head
About

Scaler 3

This music theory workstation helps you discover chords, explore harmony, and build complete musical ideas. It offers a redesigned workflow, expanded creative potential, and powerful new capabilities for songwriting and music production.

Highlights
  • Discover music's key with MIDI and audio detection
  • Access over 1,000 chord sets, keys, and modes
  • Build intelligent chord progressions with automatic voice-leading
  • Structure full musical ideas with Scenes and Arrange Page
  • Transform chords into melodies, basslines, and phrases
  • Explore harmony with Circle of Fifths and modulation tools
  • Host AUv3 plugins and interoperate with desktop versions
Features
Read full description

The world’s most popular music theory workstation, Scaler 3, is now available on iPad — updated to Scaler 3.3 with Multi-Bind, improved Detection, enhanced workflow and desktop interoperability. With a redesigned workflow, expanded creative potential and powerful new capabilities, Scaler 3 helps you discover chords, explore harmony and build complete musical ideas. The workflow doesn’t have to end with your finished chord progression - Scaler 3 can host AUv3 plugins and features a full arranger and mixer, letting it fit into your existing setup or become your entire creative environment for music theory. Browse Draw from over 1000 chord sets, keys and modes, organised by mood, artist and genre. Build chord progressions by dragging and dropping chords, and receive intelligent suggestions for what could come next. Create Explore harmonic possibilities using tools like the Sketch Pad, Explore page, Circle of Fifths and Modulation pathways. Scaler’s creative tools and music theory assistance help you move beyond common progressions and discover new musical ideas. Arrange Turn your progression into a full musical sketch with tracks for chords, bass, melodies and custom MIDI patterns. Use Multi-Bind to perform and loop multiple lanes at once, creating fast composition ideas and live performance workflows. Scaler 3 can generate MIDI for all sorts of instruments and adapt it to the needs of your song. Host AUv3 plugins to play your parts, transforming Scaler 3 into a powerful composition and MIDI production environment. Key Features • Discover your music’s key with MIDI and audio detection and explore compatible scales, modes and chord sets • Access over 1,000 chord sets, keys and modes organised by mood, genre and artist inspiration • Build intelligent chord progressions with automatic voice-leading • Use Scenes and the Arrange Page timeline to structure full musical ideas • Transform chords into melodies, basslines, arpeggios and phrases using Scaler’s Motions library • Explore harmony using the Circle of Fifths, chord substitutions, inversions and voicing tools • Experiment with modulation suggestions to move between keys • Record ideas directly with User Track and edit them in the piano roll • Perform one-finger chords and melodies using Bind MIDI • Route generated chords and performances to other music apps using AUv3 and MIDI output • Play progressions using internal instruments including pianos, synths and orchestral sounds • Works standalone or alongside apps like Logic Pro for iPad, GarageBand, AUM and Cubasis • Move between Scaler 3 on iPad and desktop by sharing presets, chord progressions and files Content • Thousands of chords, scales and harmonic possibilities • Artist chord sets created by musicians including Carl Cox, MJ Cole and The Temper Trap • Generate MIDI with hundreds of melodic phrases, basslines and performances • Internal instrument library including pianos, synths and orchestral sounds Perfect For • Songwriting • Music production • Composition • Learning harmony and music theory • Exploring new musical ideas What People Are Saying “Scaler 3 is an incredibly powerful music theory tool. It's a gamechanger for both beginners and seasoned producers.” -David Wills (Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Phil Collins) “Scaler 3 opens up a whole new world of possibilities… a fantastic gateway into harmony and composition.” -Daryl Bennett (Grammy-nominated composer) “Scaler 3 has evolved into a fully-fledged compositional toolkit. A triumph.” -Sound On Sound “Scaler 3 delivers the most comprehensive, powerful set of composition tools you can get.” -Attack Magazine “Scaler 3 takes everything that made Scaler 2 brilliant and makes it even better.” -The Sound Test Room Awards • KVR Readers Choice Awards - Winner 2025 • Plugin Boutique Awards - Best Music Theory Software 2025 • Sanjay C #1 Tool - Top Plugin of 2025 • #1 Music Theory App - Future Music Magazine 2024

About

Volume Pedal

Read full description

Volume Pedal is an AUv3 audio effect and MIDI controller helper designed to remove the awkward quirks of using expression pedals and other continuous controllers inside an AUv3 host or DAW. Most hosts can map a swept controller to volume, but their native controls are often fiddly, imprecise and scattered across automation menus. Volume Pedal puts the important controls in one clear interface, making it much faster to create an accurate and predictable response. It works with any continuous or swept controller, including expression pedals, breath controllers, faders, knobs and other MIDI control sources. Set the heel and toe limits, choose a response curve, refine its shape and reverse the movement when needed. The visual response graph shows exactly how controller movement will affect the output, allowing precise adjustments without repeatedly digging through host settings. Volume Pedal is especially useful when: • Your controller reaches full volume too quickly • Most of the useful range is crowded into one part of its travel • You need a quieter minimum level without going fully silent • You want a softer or more aggressive response • The controller direction needs to be reversed • Native DAW or host controls are too limited or cumbersome • You want consistent, automation-friendly control inside the box Features include: • AUv3 audio effect for iPhone, iPad and Mac • Compatible with AUv3 hosts • Works with expression pedals, breath controllers, faders, knobs and other swept MIDI controllers • Adjustable heel and toe levels • Multiple response-curve types • Shape control for fine-tuning the response • Reverse control • Clear visual response graph • Smooth real-time control • Host automation support • Universal purchase across compatible Apple devices Volume Pedal is not an amp, instrument or traditional stompbox effect. It is a focused AUv3 control utility that sits inside your signal chain and helps your MIDI controller behave the way you expect. Whether you are controlling guitar volume, synth dynamics, ambient swells or any other level-based performance, Volume Pedal provides a quicker, clearer and more precise alternative to configuring the same behaviour with native DAW or host controls.

Screenshots

Volume Pedal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Volume Pedal at every 5 days against Scaler 3's fortnightly. Volume Pedal also leads on price ($9.99 vs $12.99) and device support (4 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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

Scaler 3 costs $12.99 and Volume Pedal $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Scaler 3 ships an update fortnightly, Volume Pedal every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Scaler 3 versus Volume Pedal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScaler 3Volume Pedal
Price$12.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.7 (166 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews56.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings166 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1.1 GB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperScaler MusicLuke Doyle

In-app purchases

None

Scaler 3

No in-app purchases

None

Volume Pedal

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Scaler 3 free?
Scaler 3 costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Volume Pedal free?
Volume Pedal costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Scaler 3 or Volume Pedal have ads?
Neither Scaler 3 nor Volume Pedal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Scaler 3 or Volume Pedal?
Scaler 3 ships an update fortnightly, and Volume Pedal every 5 days. Most recently, Scaler 3 was updated on October 28, 2026 and Volume Pedal on October 25, 2026.

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