Comparison

ARPJAM Studio vs Chords Weaver

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

Head to head
About

ARPJAM Studio

This app generates unique musical phrases based on user-defined rules for arpeggios, basslines, and drums. It allows real-time performance and recording with an on-screen keyboard or MIDI input, offering a flexible sound-shaping experience.

Highlights
  • Generative synth with five machines (arpeggios, bass, drums, sampler)
  • Rule-based phrase generation
  • Real-time performance with on-screen keyboard
  • MIDI keyboard input support
  • One-bar looper for recording performances
  • AUv3 plugin for instruments and effects
  • WAV recording and export
Features
Read full description

No sequences. No loops. A generative synth that plays on by your rules. And you can play right along. Key, scale, density, complexity — just set the rules, and five machines (arpeggios, bass, drums and a sampler) keep playing, with a different phrase every time. What you shape is not a song — it is a way of sounding. No AI picks the notes: your rules and probability do. Move a slider and the sound changes shape without ever stopping. Density, contour, filter, tape movement. It is built so that nothing you touch can break it. Then play right along with your own fingers. The on-screen key pad holds only the notes of the current scale, so nothing goes off-key. Play ARP A, ARP B, BASS or DRUMS, or connect a MIDI keyboard. What you play can be captured into the looper. ■ Five machines • ARP A / ARP B — two independent arpeggio engines. Ten arpeggio types, including Phrase (builds melodies) and Fingerpick (fingerstyle guitar) • BASS — a dedicated bass engine (STEP / COMPLEXITY / OMIT / PATTERN) • DRUMS — a drum machine built from probabilities (KICK / SNARE / HIHAT / NOISE) • SAMPLE — record one bar, slice it, rearrange it • Chord progressions (presets / automatic / 16 custom slots), ten time signatures, six LFOs ■ Slice (SAMPLE) • Record one bar from a mic or line input, with count-in and click • Record the app itself (ARP A / ARP B / drums), and overdub onto it • Load audio files — and the audio from a video file • Up to 64 slices, ordered by the same rules as the arps: direction, reverse, octave, probability, groove • STRETCH (on by default) — change tempo without changing pitch • Its own filter, envelope and delay / reverb sends ■ Play • On-screen key pad — always in scale; play ARP A, ARP B, BASS or DRUMS • PEDAL (sustain) and a one-bar looper that records how hard you played and transposes with the chords • MIDI keyboard input (ARP A / ARP B / BASS; damper pedal, pitch bend, standard control changes) • XY pad and performance FX that work only while held ■ Sound (11 voices) • Piano — three velocity layers, stereo, damper release • Electric piano — harmonics shift with how hard you strike • Nylon-string guitar — synthesised with a physical string model • Marimba, kalimba, handpan and chime — struck instruments, measured from the real ones and synthesised • Waveforms (sine / triangle / saw / square) plus an acid filter • Filter, ADSR, five drive types, tremolo — shaped per voice • Delay, reverb, Glitch, Granular • DRIFT / FLUTTER — tape movement on the synth voices and the live input alike • Concert pitch A=415–444 Hz ■ Connect • AUv3 plug-in — as an instrument, as an effect, and as a MIDI effect • Ableton Link, MIDI Clock, MIDI out (ARP A / ARP B / BASS / DRUMS), LFOs and XY as MIDI CC • External audio input (line / microphone) • Background playback — keeps playing when you switch to another app (iPhone / iPad) • WAV recording and export One-time purchase. No subscription.

About

Chords Weaver

Features
Read full description

Chords Weaver is a hands-on chord instrument you play by ear. Pick a note on the keyboard and it filters to the chords that fit. Choose one, and two pads open up: one shapes its voicing (spread, inversion, octave) while the other suggests where to go next, the right side resolving, the left adding tension. Build a progression on the timeline, and a live piano roll shows exactly what will play. Press play and the progression comes alive with arpeggios, block grooves and strums, each chord ringing in time. Turn on Drift and the voicings slowly wander on their own, so the loop keeps evolving. MORE - Rich arpeggios: ascent/descent, ternary grooves (waltz, shuffle, jig 6/8), a lilting 7/4, and sparse syncopated patterns (charleston, tresillo, offbeat, push). - MIDI Out to your synths, DAW or hardware, with a 24 PPQN clock. - Four scenes, copy and paste, and a "roll a matching bridge" helper. - Optional cloud save: sign in and your progressions follow you to every device. The app works fully offline. - Five languages: English, Français, Español, Русский, 日本語. Free to download. Weaving, voicings, playback and saving are all free. A one-time Pro unlock adds MIDI/WAV/text export and live MIDI-out. No ads, no subscriptions. Signing in is only for optional cloud sync.

Screenshots

ARPJAM Studio4 screens
Chords Weaver4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Chords Weaver at Free against ARPJAM Studio's $12.99. ARPJAM Studio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days). On 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

Chords Weaver is free to download; ARPJAM Studio costs $12.99 up front. Chords Weaver sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ARPJAM Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ARPJAM Studio ships an update every 2 days, Chords Weaver every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
ARPJAM Studio versus Chords Weaver: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterARPJAM StudioChords Weaver
Price$12.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 5 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size84 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTakashi TsunodaLoup Vuarnesson

In-app purchases

None

ARPJAM Studio

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Chords Weaver

One-time1
  • Chords Weaver Pro$5.99

Questions

Is ARPJAM Studio free?
ARPJAM Studio costs $12.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chords Weaver free?
Chords Weaver is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ARPJAM Studio or Chords Weaver have ads?
Neither ARPJAM Studio nor Chords Weaver shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ARPJAM Studio or Chords Weaver?
ARPJAM Studio ships an update every 2 days, and Chords Weaver every 5 days. Most recently, ARPJAM Studio was updated on November 7, 2026 and Chords Weaver on October 31, 2026.

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