Harmonie tonale vs FretCipher
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Harmonie tonale
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You play a progression, it sounds right, and you could not say why. Harmonie answers that question, helps you write what comes next, then drills you until the answer comes on its own. Enter a progression and the app shows what each chord does, its degree, its function, and the cadence that closes the phrase. WHY, NOT JUST WHAT Most chord apps name things. This one explains them. Why a borrowed iv darkens the arrival on I. Why a tritone substitution keeps its pull. Why V going to vi leaves the phrase open. The leading tone is named, and so is what it pulls towards. WRITE Under your progression, the app suggests the chords that can follow, from the most expected to the most colourful: authentic cadence, interrupted cadence, secondary dominant. One tap adds it. Loop the progression at the tempo you choose, and save it for later. SEVENTHS, TENSIONS AND MODES Switch the palette to seventh chords, with their formula in degrees, written the classical way (Cmaj7) or the jazz way (CΔ, D-7). On every chord, the app tells you which mode it is played in at that point, which 9ths, 11ths and 13ths sound, and which ones to handle with care. Beyond major and minor, twenty modal keys, from Dorian to Phrygian dominant, each with its characteristic note. PRACTICE Short sets that never repeat. Name a degree, name a cadence, find the key, figure an inversion, count the accidentals in a key signature, name a mode, spot the tension that clashes, pick the next chord. Three levels, and every answer is marked and explained. TRY SOMETHING ELSE On any chord, the app offers what harmony allows in its place: tritone substitution, secondary dominant, ii-V, borrowed minor subdominant, Neapolitan sixth, interrupted cadence. One tap and you hear the difference. SEE AND HEAR A keyboard and a guitar fretboard where the notes of the chord light up. Real staff notation, or guitar tab with several positions per chord. The circle of fifths, with its neighbours and its relative. Transposition, to compare two keys by ear. WRITTEN IN ENGLISH, NOT TRANSLATED The English here was written by hand, in the terms English-speaking theory actually uses. I-vi-ii-V is a rhythm changes turnaround, not a French anatole. V to I in root position is a perfect authentic cadence. V to vi is interrupted, and deceptive is given alongside it, because the two traditions disagree and you may have learned either one. Note names are a separate setting, independent of the language. On first launch, tell the app what you play and it sets itself up. NOTHING ASKED OF YOU No account, no ads, no tracking. Analyses, exercises and progress stay on your device, and everything works offline, including on a plane. Only the verification of your purchase goes through our payment provider. HARMONIE + The heart of the app is free and will stay free: analysing a progression, writing, practising, listening. Harmonie + adds the why and the memory: the explanations of borrowed chords, secondary dominants, substitutions and every suggested move, the tensions of each chord in your progression, French figured bass as a second notation system, all your saved progressions, and your exercise progress kept from one session to the next. Monthly or annual subscription, cancellable at any time in your device settings, or a single lifetime purchase. Anyone who bought Harmonie + before this version keeps everything, for good. Terms of use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy policy: https://app-support-pages.netlify.app/harmonie/
FretCipher
Master the guitar fretboard with an interactive trainer and music theory reference. Visualize scales, modes, chords, and intervals to understand how music theory applies to your playing. Includes training games and customizable diagrams.
- Interactive fretboard visualization
- Scales, modes, and chord exploration
- Music theory connection
- Interactive training games
- Customizable fretboard diagrams
- Save and export configurations
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Master the guitar fretboard. See how music theory actually connects. FretCipher is an interactive guitar fretboard, music theory reference, and training tool designed to help guitarists understand what they’re playing—not just memorize patterns. Explore scales, modes, chords, triads, intervals, and note relationships directly on the fretboard. Whether you’re learning your first scale positions, connecting shapes across the neck, studying chord tones, or trying to finally understand how music theory applies to guitar, FretCipher makes it visual. SEE THE ENTIRE FRETBOARD Choose a key, scale, or mode and instantly see the notes and intervals mapped across the neck. Move between positions or view the larger pattern to understand how everything connects. EXPLORE CHORDS & TRIADS Visualize chord tones, triads, inversions, and different voicings on the fretboard. See where the root, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and other intervals actually live beneath your fingers. LEARN SCALES & MODES Explore major and minor scales, pentatonics, modes, and other useful scale patterns. Switch between note names and intervals to study the fretboard from different perspectives. TRAIN, DON’T JUST STUDY Interactive games and quizzes help turn fretboard knowledge into instinct. Practice identifying notes, intervals, triads, positions, key signatures, and more. BUILD YOUR OWN Create and save custom scales and note combinations for the sounds and concepts you want to explore. MAKE IT YOUR FRETBOARD Customize the appearance of the fretboard with your own color schemes so roots, intervals, and important notes stand out the way you want them to. SAVE & EXPORT Save your favorite scales and configurations, then export clean fretboard diagrams for practice, teaching, songwriting, or reference. FretCipher is built for guitarists who want to go beyond memorizing boxes and start understanding how the fretboard works as one connected musical system. See it. Understand it. Play it.
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Verdict
Harmonie tonale and FretCipher are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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. Harmonie tonale sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and FretCipher sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Harmonie tonale ships an update every 8 days, FretCipher weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Harmonie tonale | FretCipher |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 days | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Aurelien Roblin | Loggic Labs LLC |
In-app purchases
Harmonie tonale
- Harmonie + à vie$5.99
FretCipher
- FretCipher Pro Unlock$9.99
Questions
Is Harmonie tonale free?
Is FretCipher free?
Do Harmonie tonale or FretCipher have ads?
Which is updated more often, Harmonie tonale or FretCipher?
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