Tenuto review
A focused iPhone and iPad app for customizable theory and ear-training practice.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Tenuto is an iPhone and iPad app for music theory and ear-training practice. It is aimed at music students, musicians, teachers, and independent learners who want structured drills across notation, key signatures, intervals, scales, chords, keyboards, fretboards, and aural skills. The app combines 24 customizable exercises with six musical calculators, giving learners both practice activities and reference tools in one focused app.
Its strongest fit is for users who value targeted repetition. Exercises cover identification and construction for notes, key signatures, intervals, scales, and chords, alongside keyboard and fretboard identification and ear training for keyboards, notes, intervals, scales, and chords. Customization can focus practice on weak spots, while Challenge Mode adds time or question limits. Progress reports can be shared with a teacher, and offline use supports practice without internet access. These features make Tenuto suitable for regular individual drills or teacher-guided review.
Tenuto has a simple paid structure: the app costs $4.99 as a one-time purchase in the U.S. App Store, with the displayed price varying by region. The trade-off is its narrow platform scope and practice-first design. It is distributed for iPhone and iPad and requires iOS/iPadOS 15.8 or later, so it suits learners already working within Apple’s mobile ecosystem. Choose Tenuto for offline theory and ear-training exercises, weak-spot customization, calculators, and progress sharing. Choose another option if you need lesson-based instruction or access beyond iPhone and iPad.
Tenuto pros and cons
- Where it wins
- 24 customizable theory and ear-training exercises
- Offline practice with Challenge Mode and progress reports
- Six calculators for intervals, scales, chords, and analysis symbols
- Where it doesn't
- Available only for iPhone and iPad
- Paid-only access at a $4.99 one-time price
- Designed for practice rather than lesson-based instruction
Tenuto fact sheet, pricing and score →
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