The magic comes from its smart layout: you select a chord on the left side of the screen, and the right side instantly becomes a safe keyboard that only contains notes from that chord. This makes it incredibly intuitive for beginners, songwriters, and performers who want to jam or sing along without worrying about theory. In “Auto” mode the keyboard even follows your chord changes automatically, so you can strum or pluck melodies freely while the app keeps everything in key. It’s been a favorite since its original release and still feels fresh for quick song sketches, live performances, or casual music-making sessions with friends.
Beyond the chord-melody magic, Chordion packs a built-in drum machine with four independent sequencers, a fully customizable arpeggiator, and a surprisingly deep synthesis engine. You can tweak envelopes, add vibrato, tremolo, wah effects, detuning, and even explore exotic scales and custom chord voicings. MIDI output lets you control other apps or hardware, and older versions supported Audiobus and Inter-App Audio for routing audio. It’s strictly an iPad app (no iPhone or Mac version) and runs as a standalone instrument with Virtual MIDI support.
For iPad music production, Chordion is perfect when you want to stay in a creative flow without getting bogged down in complex theory or editing. The layout editor and scale options make it great for experimenting with different tunings or chord progressions, while the built-in drums and arpeggiator let you build complete song ideas in one place. Many users still return to it years later for its joyful, mistake-proof approach to music making — it’s especially fun for live jamming or teaching chord theory in a hands-on way. At just $2.99 it remains one of the most approachable and inspiring creative tools on the App Store.
Key features include:
- Chord selection with one hand and safe melody keyboard with the other
- “Auto” mode that follows chord changes for effortless strumming or plucking
- Built-in drum machine with four sequencers and customizable arpeggiator
- Highly tweakable synthesis engine with envelopes, vibrato, tremolo, wah, and detuning
- Support for exotic scales and custom chord layouts
- MIDI output for controlling other apps and hardware
- Record and export audio directly from the app
App price: $2.99.
No in-app purchases.
Original release: August 21, 2012 | Latest update: March 17, 2017 (v1.51)
