MIDI Scribe vs Clockworks
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MIDI Scribe
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MIDI Scribe is a free productivity app for capturing and organizing practice takes from your MIDI-capable musical instrument. Run it while you practice, and it will automatically start new takes after every session break, with a configurable auto-take idle time, as well as support for specific MIDI commands (such as a middle or left piano pedal press) to manually start and end takes. A piano roll is provided to review and scrub individual takes. Star the takes that you want to keep indefinitely, while unstarred takes are cleaned up over time based on a configurable retention policy. All takes can be exported as MIDI files for use in other programs. MIDI Scribe is completely private. Connect your instrument, capture your takes, and keep everything securely on your device . No ads, no analytics, no snooping on your usage, and nothing ever leaves your device unless you export it. MIDI Scribe is completely free and open source for you to enjoy.
Clockworks
Create complex polyrhythms visually by layering geometric shapes on a clockface. Explore diverse instruments, scales, and effects to generate intricate musical patterns without needing music theory knowledge. Export your creations as MIDI, audio, or sheet music.
- Visual polyrhythm creation
- Layered shape system
- 10 sampled instruments
- Built-in drum kits
- Dozens of scales
- Scene-based arrangement
- Export to MIDI, WAV, PDF
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Clockworks turns rhythm into geometry. Build polyrhythms by layering rotating shapes on a clockface — each shape's sides become evenly-spaced beats, so a triangle and a pentagon played together weave intricate cross-rhythms with zero math. • Layer multiple shapes, each its own voice • 10 instruments — sampled piano, e-piano, guitars, plus synth keys, organ, marimba, vibes and more • Built-in drum kits with a step sequencer • Dozens of scales across many categories for instant melodic results • Scene-based arrangement to evolve your loop over time • Pro FX: 3-band EQ and BPM-synced echo • Export to MIDI, audio (WAV), or sheet music PDF No theory required — just add shapes and listen.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Clockworks at 15.1 against MIDI Scribe's 18.6. On price, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | MIDI Scribe | Clockworks |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 39 MB | 40 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | James Ranson | Dylan Cantor |
In-app purchases
MIDI Scribe
No in-app purchases
Clockworks
No in-app purchases








