Comparison

StringMaster Pro vs Volume Pedal

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

Head to head
About

StringMaster Pro

This advanced music app helps musicians of all levels learn and master fretted instruments. It offers tools for chords, scales, songwriting, and includes a tuner and fretboard learning system. Supports a wide range of instruments and integrates with wireless Fretlight Guitars.

Highlights
  • Chord building and detection
  • Fretboard learning system
  • Advanced songwriting tools
  • Chromatic tuner and metronome
  • Instrument comparison
  • MIDI output
Read full description

Introducing StringMaster Pro – the pinnacle of advanced music applications for iPad and Mac, tailored for musicians ranging from relative beginners to seasoned guitarists & other fretted instrument musicians. The StringMaster family has five versions catering to diverse needs with StringMaster Pro seamlessly integrating all features, making it the ultimate companion for any fretted instrument including wireless Fretlight Guitars. Unlock a world of possibilities with support for chords, chord tones, scales, and songwriting, backed by a chromatic tuner, fretboard learning, instrument comparison, and more. The StringMaster family boasts over 150,000 users and having held the #1 Music App position in 34 countries. StringMaster Pro supports an array of instruments, from acoustic and electric guitars to bass guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, pianos, and even balalaikas. Dive into a rich sound library with distortion, reverb, or piano options for any instrument. Whether you're a guitarist, bassist, or multi-instrumentalist, StringMaster Pro has you covered. Key features include chord building and detection, a comprehensive fretboard learning system, advanced songwriting tools, and flexible alternate tuning and capo support for any instrument in any orientation. StringMaster 4 introduces piano keyboard support, allowing seamless mapping of guitar chords to the piano keyboard. Explore the robust capabilities of StringMaster Pro: * Play and discover chords and fingering with natural tones. * Display and play scales, including scale runs up the fretboard. * Visualize chord notes, suggested fingering, and Chord Tones. * Utilize the unique Note Finding capability to learn notes and their relative positions on the fretboard. * Benefit from the integrated Chromatic Tuner and Metronome, playable in the background. * Leverage StringMaster's chord-naming algorithms based on finger positions. * Unleash your creativity with the Song Writer, recommending chord progressions and facilitating songwriting. * Master instruments by comparing chords, patterns, and fingerings across a variety of instruments. * Output MIDI from played notes and play along with MIDI tracks from the built-in library. Experience the next level of musical exploration and education with StringMaster Pro – where versatility meets excellence. Join the global community of musicians who have made StringMaster their go-to app for musical innovation. Download StringMaster Pro now and elevate your musical journey to new heights! Note: Fretlight Ready™ designates that an app can send its data over Bluetooth to a Fretlight® guitar and light its fretboard. To learn more about Fretlight guitars go to www.fretlight.com This Application is developed and maintained by Great Apptitude, an independent app developer for use with the Fretlight Guitar. Optek Music Systems, the owner of the Fretlight Guitar brand, accepts no responsibility for the development, maintenance or support for this Application.

About

Volume Pedal

Read full description

Volume Pedal is an AUv3 audio effect and MIDI controller helper designed to remove the awkward quirks of using expression pedals and other continuous controllers inside an AUv3 host or DAW. Most hosts can map a swept controller to volume, but their native controls are often fiddly, imprecise and scattered across automation menus. Volume Pedal puts the important controls in one clear interface, making it much faster to create an accurate and predictable response. It works with any continuous or swept controller, including expression pedals, breath controllers, faders, knobs and other MIDI control sources. Set the heel and toe limits, choose a response curve, refine its shape and reverse the movement when needed. The visual response graph shows exactly how controller movement will affect the output, allowing precise adjustments without repeatedly digging through host settings. Volume Pedal is especially useful when: • Your controller reaches full volume too quickly • Most of the useful range is crowded into one part of its travel • You need a quieter minimum level without going fully silent • You want a softer or more aggressive response • The controller direction needs to be reversed • Native DAW or host controls are too limited or cumbersome • You want consistent, automation-friendly control inside the box Features include: • AUv3 audio effect for iPhone, iPad and Mac • Compatible with AUv3 hosts • Works with expression pedals, breath controllers, faders, knobs and other swept MIDI controllers • Adjustable heel and toe levels • Multiple response-curve types • Shape control for fine-tuning the response • Reverse control • Clear visual response graph • Smooth real-time control • Host automation support • Universal purchase across compatible Apple devices Volume Pedal is not an amp, instrument or traditional stompbox effect. It is a focused AUv3 control utility that sits inside your signal chain and helps your MIDI controller behave the way you expect. Whether you are controlling guitar volume, synth dynamics, ambient swells or any other level-based performance, Volume Pedal provides a quicker, clearer and more precise alternative to configuring the same behaviour with native DAW or host controls.

Screenshots

Volume Pedal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Volume Pedal at every 5 days against StringMaster Pro's every 3 months. Volume Pedal also leads on price ($9.99 vs $14.99) and device support (4 vs 2). StringMaster Pro's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

StringMaster Pro costs $14.99 and Volume Pedal $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StringMaster Pro ships an update every 3 months, Volume Pedal every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
StringMaster Pro versus Volume Pedal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStringMaster ProVolume Pedal
Price$14.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.5 (20 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings20 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size171 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGreat Apptitude Pty LtdLuke Doyle

In-app purchases

None

StringMaster Pro

No in-app purchases

None

Volume Pedal

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is StringMaster Pro free?
StringMaster Pro costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Volume Pedal free?
Volume Pedal costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do StringMaster Pro or Volume Pedal have ads?
Neither StringMaster Pro nor Volume Pedal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StringMaster Pro or Volume Pedal?
StringMaster Pro ships an update every 3 months, and Volume Pedal every 5 days. Most recently, StringMaster Pro was updated on October 13, 2026 and Volume Pedal on October 7, 2026.

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