Comparison

MIDI MACHINE vs Cesure

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

Head to head
About

MIDI MACHINE

Features
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MIDI MACHINE is a fast, playful performance tool built for generating MIDI melodies on the fly. At the heart of MIDI MACHINE are two creative states: SPARK and STRUCTURE. SPARK mode is all about discoveryβ€”rapidly generating fresh melodic ideas and happy accidents. 17 randomized melodic rows drawn from an vast internal library, everything is locked to your chosen key. Each melody is sliced into 10 playable parts, letting you remix and reshape ideas in real time without ever hitting a creative wall. STRUCTURE mode lets you compose and perform with intention and move seamlessly between key pairs to trigger chords. Additionally, genre-based chord-progression suggestions form a real progression from a selected genre, so you can play a coherent sequence. This mode is designed to serve users with and without knowledge of music theory. "Super inspiring tool for sketching melodies quickly, whether you’re in the studio or on the move with a minimal setup. You just start playing around and happy accidents happen."
— early user feedback Core Features * 17 MIDI melody rows per set, automatically harmonized to your chosen key * Each melody split into 10 playable tiles for real-time triggering of your favorite sounds * SPARK mode for instant idea generation and exploration * STRUCTURE mode for fixed chords mapped across key pairs, built in arpeggiator and chord group suggestions * Keep randomizing to generate endless new melodic combinations while keeping your settings * SAVE and recall full sets, including patterns, tempo, and performance modes (SPARK) * Note mode: trigger melodic sequences step-by-step * Chord mode: play full harmonies instantly * Loop ON / OFF: continuously cycle note sequences * Hold OFF: slide across tiles for fluid, continuous runs * Hold ON: trigger full sequences with a single tap * Repeat ON / OFF: retrigger tiles rhythmically (1/4 to 1/64) for pattern creation * Fixed velocity option for consistent dynamics * Edit individual tile MIDI sequences * Reverse entire rows * Octave shift up or down * Double or halve playback speed (Note mode) (STRUCTURE) * Group: Genre-based chord-progression suggestions. Highlights/labels tiles on the grid that form a real progression from the selected genre. * Arp: Turns a held chord into a rolling sequence of individual notes. β€’ Style – 16 note-order patterns (Up, Down, Converge, Pinky Up, Random, etc.). β€’ Rate – Speed of each note: 1/4 to 1/64, relative to BPM. β€’ Groove – Straight (default) or Swing 8/16/32 for a more human rhythmic feel. * Hold OFF: slide across tiles for fluid, continuous runs * Hold ON: trigger full sequences with a single tap * Add automatic Bass Note to each chord * Repeat ON / OFF: retrigger tiles rhythmically (1/4 to 1/64) for pattern creation * Fixed velocity option for consistent dynamics Performance Controls * Global pitch shift in semitones for instant transposition of the entire set * Adjustable BPM with tap tempo and fine control * Flexible visible row count (5–17) for compact or expanded layouts * Scrollable row view with FIRST ROW selection MIDI MACHINE is built for musicians who want a different approach to creating ideasβ€”fast, intuitive, and a little unpredictable. Whether you're sketching melodies or experimenting with generative patterns, it keeps everything playful, unique, and fun."

About

Cesure

Features
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Cesure is a guitar tab player and editor for iPhone, iPad and the web. Open a tab, play it, slow it down, and correct what is wrong β€” with one account across all your devices. READ Four views of the same score: tablature, standard notation, notation + tab, and piano roll. Open your Guitar Pro (.gp, .gp3, .gp4, .gp5), MIDI, MusicXML and AlphaTex files, or pick a piece from the catalogue of public-domain classical music. PLAY & SLOW DOWN Play any score at the speed you need. Loop a range of measures and name the loop to find it again; the Speed Trainer raises the tempo pass after pass, up to the real one. CORRECT A real editor: several tracks, repeats, two voices, playing techniques. Copy, paste and undo work in all four views, and every save is a version you can go back to. FROM A RECORDING - Chords: get the chord grid of any recording, computed on your device β€” free and unlimited. - Audio to Tab (AI): turn an MP3, WAV or M4A file into an editable tab, transcribed on our servers. A draft to correct, not a finished score. TOOLS - Chromatic tuner - Metronome - BPM detector β€” tap along, or let Cesure listen - Scale cheatsheet - Play together: create a room, share its six-character code, and playback stays in sync for everyone, with voice chat YOUR TABS STAY YOURS Cesure saves in .cesure, an open and documented file format, and exporting it is always free. Share a score with a link, and export it to PDF for free (with a small "Made with Cesure" line). FREE & PRO Reading, playing, editing and every tool are free. Cesure Pro is an optional subscription, with its price shown in the app, that unlocks: - Unlimited AI transcription (3 a month on the free plan) - Unlimited library (3 saved scores on the free plan) - MIDI, MusicXML, AlphaTex and WAV export - PDF without the watermark Cesure Pro is an auto-renewable subscription, monthly or yearly. It renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period, and can be managed in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://cesure.app/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://cesure.app/terms

Screenshots

MIDI MACHINE4 screens
Cesure4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: MIDI MACHINE at none against Cesure's shown. Cesure's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. MIDI MACHINE sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Cesure sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MIDI MACHINE ships an update weekly, Cesure every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
MIDI MACHINE versus Cesure: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDI MACHINECesure
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days β€” better
AdsNo β€” betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.616.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size52 MB96 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNiklas KoellnerXavier PELTIER

In-app purchases

1 purchases

MIDI MACHINE

One-time1
  • MIDI MACHINE Pro$4.99
2 purchases

Cesure

Subscriptions2
  • Cesure Pro (monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Cesure Pro (yearly)$39.991 Year

Questions

Is MIDI MACHINE free?
MIDI MACHINE is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cesure free?
Cesure is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MIDI MACHINE or Cesure have ads?
Cesure shows ads; MIDI MACHINE does not.
Which is updated more often, MIDI MACHINE or Cesure?
MIDI MACHINE ships an update weekly, and Cesure every 2 days. Most recently, MIDI MACHINE was updated on October 6, 2026 and Cesure on October 8, 2026.

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