Comparison

CMT Foundations vs Note Forge

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

Head to head
About

CMT Foundations

Learn music fundamentals through interactive exercises and performance. Explore music theory, history, and cultures tailored to your instrument. Collaborate with others to compose and perform music.

Highlights
  • Interactive music theory lessons
  • Performance-based learning
  • Instrument-specific exercises
  • Group composition and performance
  • Music history exploration
  • Ear training and sight singing
Features
Read full description

Collective Music Theory is a comprehensive music education app and training guide designed to teach music fundamentals through hands-on performance. Learn essential music theory concepts and explore musical cultures through engaging exercises tailored to your primary instrument. Collaborate in a classroom setting to compose and perform music as a group. Topics include: Music Theory, Rhythm, Ear Training, Sight Singing, Music History, Performance Terminology, and Musical Quartets for all instruments and skill levels. Ideal for aspiring musicians, educators seeking interactive tools for theory instruction, and institutions integrating Collective Music Theory into their curriculum. A monthly subscription or an Institutional Pin is required to access content. Designed for iPad. Accessible on iPhone. For more information about Collective Music Theory, visit https://www.CollectiveMusicTheory.com For Privacy Policies and EULA Policies regarding licensing, app and data usage: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ https://www.collectivemusictheory.com/policies App access requires a subscription level of 3-months, 6-months, or 1 year. 3 Month Subscription $19.99/month (auto-renew) 6 Month Subscription $17.99/month (auto-renew) 1 Year Subscription $14.99/month (auto-renew) Copyright 2025 Collective Music Theory LLC.

About

Note Forge

Features
Read full description

Note Forge is a free music education tool from Nathaniel School of Music, designed to make music theory practice engaging and effective for musicians of all levels. FOUR POWERFUL PRACTICE MODES Random Note Generator Drill sight-reading and ear training with random note sequences. Choose difficulty (beginner or intermediate), filter by white keys, accidentals, or all notes, and control tempo, subdivision, and swing feel. Chord Progressions Hear and study the world's most important chord progressions: major, harmonic minor, Andalusian, Dorian, pop, and jazz. Select any key, set your tempo, and let the arpeggiated chords guide your ear. Circle of Fifths Patterns Master scale relationships through geometric patterns traced across the circle of fifths — clockwise, counterclockwise, triangles, squares, whole-tone, diminished, and chromatic patterns in any starting key. Music Glossary A comprehensive in-app reference covering all intervals, scales, modes, and chord progressions — always at your fingertips, no internet required. BUILT FOR MUSICIANS • Real synthesised audio — piano, sine, triangle, sawtooth, and square wave tones • Precise Web Audio scheduling for rock-solid timing at any BPM • Metronome with accent and subdivision control • Swing feel toggle for jazz and blues practice • Dark and light themes • All settings saved between sessions WORKS FOR EVERY INSTRUMENT Piano · Guitar · Bass · Violin · Saxophone · Voice · Any instrument that reads music Free. No subscription. No ads. Built by musicians, for musicians.

Screenshots

CMT Foundations4 screens
Note Forge4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Note Forge at none against CMT Foundations's 3. Note Forge also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, device support 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

Both are free to download. CMT Foundations sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Note Forge asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CMT Foundations ships an update every 5 weeks, Note Forge every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
CMT Foundations versus Note Forge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCMT FoundationsNote Forge
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB3 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperCollective Music TheoryJason Zachariah

In-app purchases

3 purchases

CMT Foundations

Subscriptions3
  • CMT Foundations Annual$14.991 Year
  • CMT Foundations 6 Months$17.996 Months
  • CMT Foundations 3 Months$19.993 Months
None

Note Forge

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CMT Foundations free?
CMT Foundations is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Note Forge free?
Note Forge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do CMT Foundations or Note Forge have ads?
Neither CMT Foundations nor Note Forge shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CMT Foundations or Note Forge?
CMT Foundations ships an update every 5 weeks, and Note Forge every 10 days. Most recently, CMT Foundations was updated on October 4, 2026 and Note Forge on October 7, 2026.

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