The best music learning apps, according to hackers
7 music learning apps were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 1 earns the Hacker Approved badge.
Top pick
The most recommended music learning app with the badge. Each figure is 5 people. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Good ear training and learning tool
A fun, simple Simon-style game for practicing playing piano by ear, especially useful for beginners. Critics say the wrong-note feedback feels punitive and the interface feels unpolished.
All 7 music learning apps, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piano by ear memory game | 35 | 17 | 67% | 4 | — | Approved |
| 2 | OnKey | 23 | 4 | 85% | 1 | — | — |
| 3 | Music Theory for Programmers | 13 | 4 | 76% | 2 | — | — |
| 4 | Soundslice | 9 | 0 | 100% | 5 | — | — |
| 5 | Vocal Guide | 7 | 4 | 64% | 1 | — | — |
| 6 | musictheory.net | 6 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| 7 | YouTube Guitar Tab Parser | 5 | 1 | 83% | 1 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same music learning app in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to music learning apps that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.