Customer Reviews (500)

Calicogirl6 • 2025-03-17T05:50:33-07:00

I have been learning piano but am still struggling to read music efficiently. This app has been perfect for testing myself because it provides instant and accurate feedback. My only wish is that there was an option to recognize chords by their names (Ex: A7 or G minor).

333M333 • 2025-02-28T10:38:30-07:00

Let’s me keep practicing skills when I can’t get to the piano.

Poodsmydoods • 2025-02-10T21:45:47-07:00

One time I was driving back from Florida with my girlfriend who knows nothing about music theory and in the 18 hour car ride, I taught her everything she needs to know through this app

Summary of Key Insights

Tenuto is a highly-regarded music theory training app praised for its customizability, comprehensive exercises, and effectiveness in improving musical skills. Users appreciate its value for both beginners and advanced musicians, highlighting its usefulness in ear training, sight-reading, and fretboard/keyboard knowledge. The app's clean design and intuitive interface also receive positive feedback. The main weaknesses include a lack of built-in lessons, requests for more advanced features (chord progressions, rhythmic training), and specific feature additions for certain instruments or user levels. Overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, as reflected in the high average rating and the large percentage of 5-star reviews.

  • Overall Rating: Highly positive.
  • Score Distribution:
    • 5-star: 85.4% (427/500)
    • 4-star: 9.2% (46/500)
    • 3-star: 2.4% (12/500)
    • 2-star: 1.4% (7/500)
    • 1-star: 1.6% (8/500)
  • Key Strengths: Customizability, comprehensive exercises, effectiveness, clean design, intuitive interface.
  • Key Weaknesses: Lack of built-in lessons, requests for more advanced features (chord progressions, rhythmic training), specific feature additions for certain instruments or user levels.

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews from the Apple App Store.
  • Time Frame: The reviews span several years, reflecting the app's long-standing presence.
  • Analysis Methods: The analysis included sentiment analysis (identifying positive, negative, and neutral comments), keyword extraction (identifying frequently mentioned features, issues, and requests), and thematic analysis (grouping related comments to identify overarching themes).

Key User Pain Points

  • Lack of Built-in Lessons/Explanations: Many users, especially beginners, point out that the app is more suitable for practice and testing than for initial learning. They desire explanations of concepts within the app itself.
  • Limited Advanced Features: Some users request more advanced features such as chord progression ear training, rhythmic dictation, and more complex chord types (9th, 11th chords).
  • Specific Instrument/User Level Needs: Guitarists want more fretboard tools, vocalists desire solfege exercises, and others seek specific features for their instruments or skill levels.
  • Glitches/Bugs: A few users report glitches, such as persistent accidentals on the staff or incorrect chord identification.
  • Ear Training Limitations: Some users desire the ability to identify single notes in ear training exercises and find the sound quality lacking.
  • No Rhythm Training: A frequently mentioned pain point is the absence of rhythm training exercises.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Rhythm Training Exercises: Many users want exercises focused on rhythm reading, dictation, and independence.
  • Chord Progression Ear Training: A common request is for ear training exercises that involve identifying chord progressions.
  • Fretboard Reverse Identification: Guitarists frequently request a "reverse" fretboard exercise where they are given a note name and must find it on the fretboard.
  • Melodic Dictation: Users would like exercises where they have to transcribe melodies by ear.
  • Scale Learning Feature (Visual): A feature that visually displays scales and modes, not just for ear recognition.
  • More Chord Options: Adding 6th, 9th, 11th, 13th, and suspended chords to the chord identification exercises.
  • Solfege Exercises: Vocalists are interested in solfege-based exercises for interval and melodic training.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Customizability: The high degree of customizability is consistently praised, allowing users to tailor exercises to their specific needs and skill levels.
  • Comprehensive Exercises: Users appreciate the wide range of exercises covering various aspects of music theory, including notation, ear training, and instrument-specific skills.
  • Effectiveness: Many users report significant improvements in their musical skills as a result of using the app consistently.
  • Clean Design and Intuitive Interface: The app's user-friendly design and ease of navigation are frequently mentioned as positive aspects.
  • Value for Money: Users generally consider the app to be a worthwhile investment due to its comprehensive features and effectiveness.
  • Usefulness for Various Instruments: Users appreciate that the app caters to different instruments, including piano and guitar.
  • Offline Availability: The ability to use the app offline is valued by users who want to practice on the go.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Add Rhythm Training Exercises: This is a frequently requested feature that addresses a significant gap in the app's capabilities.
  • Include Built-in Lessons/Explanations: Provide basic explanations of music theory concepts within the app to cater to beginners.
  • Implement Fretboard Reverse Identification: Add a fretboard reverse identification exercise to cater to guitarists.
  • Address Glitches/Bugs: Fix the reported glitches, such as persistent accidentals and incorrect chord identification.

Medium Priority:

  • Add Chord Progression Ear Training: Implement ear training exercises that involve identifying chord progressions.
  • Improve Ear Training Sound Quality: Enhance the sound quality of the ear training exercises.
  • Implement Melodic Dictation Exercises: Add exercises that require users to transcribe melodies by ear.
  • Expand Chord Options: Include more advanced chord types (6th, 9th, 11th, 13th, suspended chords) in the chord identification exercises.
  • Add Solfege Exercises: Incorporate solfege-based exercises for vocalists.

Low Priority:

  • Scale Learning Feature (Visual): A feature that visually displays scales and modes, not just for ear recognition.
  • More Instrument-Specific Customization: Provide more customization options for specific instruments, such as alternate tunings for bass guitar.
  • Progress Tracking: Implement a system for tracking user progress over time.
  • Add Sound to Note Identification: Add sound to the "Note Identification" and "Keyboard Reverse Identification" exercises.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • AI-Powered Music Theory Tutor App: An app that combines Tenuto-like exercises with AI-powered personalized lessons and feedback, adapting to the user's learning style and progress.
  • Rhythm Training App: A dedicated app focused solely on rhythm training, offering a variety of exercises for rhythm reading, dictation, and independence.
  • Instrument-Specific Music Theory Apps: Apps tailored to specific instruments, such as guitar or voice, with exercises and features designed for those instruments.
  • Music Theory Social Learning Platform: A platform where users can share their progress, compete in challenges, and collaborate on music theory exercises.
  • App Integration with MIDI Keyboards/Instruments: An app that directly integrates with MIDI keyboards or other instruments, allowing users to practice sight-reading and ear training in real-time with their instrument.

Trends and Observations

  • Long-Term User Base: Many users have been using the app for years, indicating strong user loyalty and satisfaction.
  • Use in Education: The app is frequently used by music teachers and students, highlighting its value as an educational tool.
  • Positive Impact on Learning: Users consistently report that the app has helped them improve their musical skills and understanding of music theory.
  • Desire for More Advanced Content: As users progress, they desire more advanced content and features, indicating an opportunity to expand the app's capabilities.

Conclusion

Tenuto is a well-received and effective music theory training app that is highly valued by its users. Its strengths lie in its customizability, comprehensive exercises, and clean design. By addressing the identified pain points and incorporating the frequently requested features, the developers can further enhance the app's value and appeal to a wider audience. The overwhelmingly positive sentiment and long-term user base suggest that Tenuto has a strong foundation for continued success. A focus on adding lessons, rhythm training, and advanced features would make the app a truly comprehensive music theory learning tool.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/tenuto/id459313476?uo=2