Music Theory, Pitch and Rhythm

This page contains products, websites, services and Apps that help you learn music theory and sing on pitch with good rhythm.

Finding Your Pitch

Here are some fabulous tools that can help you determine your start-notes for songs as well as develop your musical ear.

Pitch Pipe: To find your pitch and determine your starting notes, you can use an electronic pitch generator.

Farley’s Pocket Tones fits in the palm of your hand. Farley’s Pocket Tones

Finding Your Pitch: Apps

MiniPiano

Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1 or later.

Chromatic Pitch Pipe (Android) Chromatic Pitch Pipe is a digital one octave chromatic pitch pipe app for Smart Phones run on Android. Ideal for use with a cappella groups, as a digital tuner or whenever a pitch reference is needed.

Pitch Pro App is a tuner application for the playback of reference pitches, perfect for singing and tuning instruments. It uses Apple's iOS Universal operating system for iPhones.

iPitchPipe is the next generation in remote tone recognition for optimal a cappella performance, instrument tuning and aural skills training. This virtual music tool plays a true, acoustic tone as produced by your favorite chromatic pitch pipe for a discreet yet reliable starter pitch.

Ear Training and Music Theory

While you don’t need to read music to sing, understanding at least the basics of music notation and theory can help expand your creativity. This is especially important when you want to give a song your own special treatment and make it your own. Having a basic grasp of music theory is a must if you want to be able to easily and accurately communicate your musical ideas to other musicians.

In-Person and Online Resources:

Understanding Music Seminar Duncan Lorien developed an advanced system of easy steps that ensures everyone in the Seminar fully understands and is able to apply each step before the next step is started.

The renowned Berklee College of Music offers online Music Theory courses and you can sample a free one using this link.

Ear Training and Music Theory: Apps

The Harmonic Ear Trainer app by Jon Lay (for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 3.1.3) is a great little ear training tool that is easy to use and does exactly what it promises. The app costs $1.99.

Play By Ear app is a musical ear training application for iPhones and other iOS devices that helps you develop the ability to hear pitches and play them back on your instrument by ear.

Easy Ear Training.com has free Tutorials, Quizzes and Discussion Forums to help you discover what your ears can really do and a variety of pitch training apps for iPhone devices.

Melody Ear Training is an innovative app that takes interval ear training to the next level by combining intervals to form a melody. You can test it before purchase. $1.99

Getting in the Groove with Rhythm Apps

It’s not uncommon for untrained musicians and singers to have difficulty keeping a steady beat. Here are some tools to improve your sense of time and rhythm. Singing a song while keeping time with a metronome can be both illuminating and instructive.

Steinway & Sons Metronome

With this Metronome App from Steinway & Sons (makers of the world’s finest pianos for more than 150 years), you can dial in the tempo of the piece you're practicing, or just tap along to let the app find it. Customize the time signature, visual indicator, and sound options to your own preferences. You can even change the app's interface based on your personal taste – or to match the wood finish of your instrument. Best of all, it's free!

iKeep Time

Easy to use buttons select the tempo. The beat has both sound and a flashing red led image in the middle of the screen.

MetroTimer
Sometimes all you need is a simple tool to get the job done. MetroTimer is nothing more than the most accurate metronome on the app store combined with an easy to use timer to track your practice sessions!

Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer
Sight reading rhythms can be very confusing, especially with syncopations and rests. This app gives you a solid basis for a good rhythmic feel.