dot Melody vs moodscaper
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
dot Melody
Create intricate melodies, bass lines, and drum beats by manipulating dots on a multidimensional grid. This app offers a powerful sequencer, chord and pattern manipulation, and built-in effects for dynamic music creation.
- Graphic arpeggiator and sequencer
- Create melodies, bass lines, and drum beats
- On-the-fly chord and pattern switching
- Delay and reverb effects
- MIDI Out and Audiobus support
- Ableton Link and MIDI Clock Sync
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dot Melody is a multidimensional graphic arpeggiator, sequencer, and drum machine from the creator of the critically acclaimed music apps Patterning & Chordion. Move dots around to create intertwining melodies, bass lines, and drum beats. Switch chords and patterns on the fly. Process your instruments through delay and reverb effects. Featured on the App Store “Best New Apps” list. Best with headphones or over AirPlay. • iOS 8 and Above • •• Sequencer •• Tap or drag anywhere to create new dots. Move dots horizontally to change pitch within the current chord. Move dots vertically to change duration/rhythm. Tap a dot to make it a rest. Double tap to delete it. •• Chords •• Switch chords/scales on the fly to change the notes in your pattern. Unlimited number of chords Choose from suggested chords or create your own. •• Patterns •• Unlimited number of patterns, each with 3 instrument layers. Copy, reverse, clear, randomize, and generate functions. Easily re-order patterns. •• Instruments •• 3 instrument at a time : lead, bass, and drums. 23 mod-wheel enabled sounds to choose from. Independent volume controls with the mixer. Independent delay effect sends. •• Effects •• Tempo-synced delay with feedback and low pass filter. Reverb with mix and decay controls. •• Tempo & Time Signature •• Tap Tempo function Choose from a range of time signatures for pattern syncing. Use x/x time signature to enter “free mode” and let your instruments create phase patterns. •• MIDI Out •• Each instrument layer can use independent MIDI ports and channels. Mod Wheel support included. Advanced MIDI timing implementation using MIDI timestamps. •• File Management •• Create new files from templates in any key Easily duplicate or re-name files •• Audiobus •• Use dot Melody as an Audiobus source! See http://audiob.us for more information. •• Sync •• Ableton Link, MIDI Clock Sync, and Inter-App Audio Sync.
moodscaper
This app generates unique, evolving ambient music for relaxation, study, or sleep. It can also function as a creative instrument for crafting atmospheric pads and effects, offering a dynamic and evocative soundscape.
- Generative atmospheric sample-based instrument
- Sleep timer
- Five scale-based moods
- Variable dynamics
- Four loopers with optional sync
- Realtime auto-accompaniment
- Effects section (filter, delay, reverb)
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"Part instrument, part interactive ambience, part subtly-changing New Age album, moodscaper's autoplay button is a wonderful introduction to its charms. With a single touch, it generates a musical artwork that's different every time." "A worthy and lush-sounding musical companion." Sound On Sound Magazine - Aug 2016 Moodscaper is a generative music app and a great personal companion for studying, providing non-intrusive headphone music at work, relaxing, meditating and even sleeping. Just launch the app, tap automatic play, and moodscaper will produce melodic, atmospheric and evocative ambient music in a “light”, “dark”, “space”, "happy" or “sad” mood. Moodscaper is also an easy to use instrument for creating epic-sounding pads and effects as part of a larger iPad-based music-making setup. Main features: · Unique generative atmospheric sample-based instrument · Simple user interface · Sleep timer · Five scale-based moods · Variable dynamics - from mellow and sparse to full-on drama! · Four loopers with optional sync · Provides tasteful auto-accompaniment to your playing in realtime or in loops · Hints displayed on keys that should sound good with root notes or chords · Samples are randomly stacked for a bigger sound with more variation · Effects section with filter, dual-delay and reverb · Effects tweaks can be recorded in loopers · Additional 20 key instrument for each mood · IAA support (as a generator) with no special setup required *** Please note that this app is now in maintenance / bug fixes only mode as it relies on "deprecated" (by Apple) technology such as IAA. ***
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: moodscaper at every 2 weeks against dot Melody's every 4 months. moodscaper also leads on review sentiment (94% vs 85%) and price ($1.99 vs $3.99). dot Melody's advantage is chart position (#195 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.6). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
dot Melody costs $3.99 and moodscaper $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for dot Melody against 4.8 for moodscaper. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 43 and 29 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of dot Melody's written reviews are positive against 94% of moodscaper's.
dot Melody ships an update every 4 months, moodscaper every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | dot Melody | moodscaper |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (43 ratings) | 4.8 (29 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 84.7% of reviews | 94.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 43 — better | 29 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #195 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 247 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Olympia Noise Co. | Rob Jackson |
Customer experience
dot Melody
moodscaper
In-app purchases
dot Melody
No in-app purchases
moodscaper
No in-app purchases









