12 Great Apps for Drummers (Free and Paid)

It’s easy to plateau when trying to progress with your drumming. Use these great apps to spice up your drumming education, experimentation, and fun!

This list includes apps that contain drum lessons, exercises, rhythm training, song arrangement, score writing, and more.

1. Drumeo (iOS and Android: Paid, Free Trial)

Get Drumeo

Drumeo is the ultimate app for drummers. You have a chance to improve your drumming skills with the best drummers and teachers in the world. They have an organized curriculum and cater to any skill level.

They have an extensive song library with many practice tracks and tools to help you improve at your own pace. The drummers and teachers are all top-notch and provide insight with years of experience on the stage and in studios.

Check out our review and walk-through of drumeo below. Although this is a view of the web version, many of the features are available on the mobile app.

Not only that but you can also learn a plethora of techniques, improve your ear training, read drum sheet music, and much more useful stuff.

It’s no wonder that Drumeo is the number 1 app for drummers. The extensive knowledge they offer is unprecedented, ranging from gig advice to tuning and musicality. They have a paid subscription plan and you can get a free 30-day trial of Drumeo with this link!

2. Drumtune PRO (iOS and Android: Paid, Free Trial)

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Get it on: Google Play | App Store

Every drummer needs a dedicated tuning app at some point or another. With modern technology, it is easier than ever to get that perfect tune. This is where Drumtune PRO steps in.

Drumtune PRO is a great app that visually helps you fine-tune your drums. With each hit, you see how each side is tuned and whether or not you need to tighten or loosen the drum. It features a great pitch detector and an interval calculator.

After you tune your drum your can even save your tuning preset for future tunings, a neat and useful feature. Additionally, it has a metronome and a recorder function built-in.

Overall, Drumtune PRO has everything you would need to successfully tune your drums according to preferred scales. It is a paid app, naturally, but you can try it out with their 7-day free trial and see what you think.

3. Soundbrenner Metronome (Free, Paid Bonus Content)

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Get it on: Google Play | App Store

The Soundbrenner Metronome app is the most extensive metronome app on the internet today. It is extremely easy to use and provides a precise tempo and all the extra features you might need.

This is a professional tool for drummers, regardless of their skill level. It can be used for practice sessions, live performances, and in the studio. You can change time signatures, customize the click volume, and even emphasize selected beats by applying accents.

The app is free to use and has been proven to be among the best apps any drummer should have in their arsenal.

4. Drum School (iOS and Android: Paid, Free Trial)

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Get it on: Google Play | App Store

Here is a neat “Drum School” for tech-savvy drummers created by a musician, Ferenc Nemet. Whether you are a professional player or just a beginner, there is always something new to learn.

The app has four sections that include Grooves, Techniques, Hits, and Practice. In the “Groove” section, there are about 260 beats of a different genres to master. In Techniques, numerous videos demonstrate how to handle the drums and sticks properly with your hand and feet.

In the Hits section, you can access lessons that will teach you exactly what you are looking for. Then comes the Practice section, which has over 133 exercises. The app is available on iOS and Android devices.

5. Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer (iOS: Paid)

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Get it on: App Store

Can you read the music fast enough? Can you keep up the pace, or do you lag behind? Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer is an iOS app available for an affordable price on the App Store.

It is a nifty educational tool that teaches you to stay on a beat as you practice. Through its various levels, from beginner to professional, you can get better at sight reading, accurately manage your pace and timing, and train at rhythm reading.

The test options allow you to analyze your drumming skills and help you improve over a period of time.

6. Drums! (iOS: Paid)

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Get it on: App Store

For those of you who don’t have a drum kit yet, Cinnamon Jelly Ltd. has brought you an ergonomic app that will allow you to beat the drums on your smartphone like the real deal.

Whether you are right-handed or left-handed, you can configure and rearrange the drums according to your style. The app features numerous kinds of kits that cover all musical styles and grooves.

It is available on iOS platforms for an affordable price tag with the option to buy in-app additional tools for your drums.

7. Skills & Fills (Android: Free, Paid Bonus Content)

Get it on: Skills & Fills

This specialized app is based on an eBook of the same name by Dennis Tideman. The app is ideal for both beginners and pros.

From improving your vocabulary to mastering new skills, Skills & Fills is all about drum fills.

The app claims that, unlike the book, there is less talking and more drumming. There are numerous video demonstrations and 80 audio examples with sections dedicated to single and double strokes, bass drums, double-handed fills, power fills, and linear fills.

Each lesson teaches you from scratch with the help of small screen texts. While the app is free to use, there is bonus paid content for extra chapters if you choose to upgrade.

8. Garage Band (iOS: Free)

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Get it on: App Store

You have most probably heard of this cool digital studio by Apple Inc. The free Apple Inc. app is a digital audio workstation (DAW) that allows budding musicians to create musical tracks and podcasts with a huge sound library, pre-made MIDI keyboards, pre-made loops, a large number of instrumental effects, and a variety of voice recordings.

Through Garage Band, drummers can whip up their virtual drummer track by choosing a drummer from an array of genres.

Every drummer has a drum kit and a distinct playing style which can be modified in the Editing section. Get it for free on the App Store!

9. Knock Box Metronome (iOS: Paid)

Screenshot of apps.apple.com

Get it on: App Store

Calling itself your “personal metronome trainer,” Knock Box is a basic app designed to perfect your timing.

The app has quite a simple interface that is easy to navigate and configure. However, don’t be fooled by its simplicity. Knock Box promises to hone your drumming skills, and it does deliver the result effectively. The app has two to sixteen measure phrases to choose from that will help you build your internal time.

Once you press the “Play” button, the metronome will keep playing, and you will have to keep up with it. Over a period of time, Knock Box will help you improve your internal sense of time. The app is created by a drummer named Daren Pfeifer.

10. The Drum Beats+ (iOS: Paid)

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Get it on: App Store

The Drum Beats+ wants you to jam at your pace in a completely stress-free environment. Forget the chords you haven’t mastered yet and focus on having fun.

Designed by Ninebuzz, this drum machine app is a perfect tool when you just want to enjoy the drums and practice in a casual manner. The app has a vast collection of drum loops, songwriting options, more than 100 groovy beats, tempo changes, counts, hit packs, a randomizer button, a multitasking option, and plenty more fun built-in features.

The best thing about the application is its creativity and ease of use. Even if you are an amateur who is just getting started on the drums, you will find it convenient to navigate. You can buy the app on the App Store.

11. Music Maker Jam (iOS & Android: Free)

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Get it on: Google Play | App Store

Music Maker Jam is a great app for musicians who are eager to produce tracks to practice and perform.

You can make your own beats and grooves in an array of genres that include pop, blues, hip-hop, rock, and much more. To build a track, you can use premade loops or your own recordings.

The app allows you to fine-tune your tracks. Once it is done, you can share it on different social media apps, texts, and emails. What is the best part? It is absolutely free and available on Android and iOS platforms.

12. Reflow Score Writer (iOS: Paid)

Screenshot of apps.apple.com

Get it on: App Store

Reflow Score Writer is a music notation app that allows you to build your own tablatures and sheet music as well as access and read pre-existing files.

The app is geared towards all sorts of instruments, including piano, guitar, banjo, bass, and, of course, drums. Reflow Score Writer automatically saves your files on iCloud and Dropbox, so you don’t have to worry about losing them.

There are options to import files from your phone and play them in addition to several clever features. Reflow Score Writer is definitely worth the money if you like to write your own music. It is only available on iOS currently.

Summary

With so many apps on the internet today, it is easier than ever to find a dedicated app for a certain project or goal. Drummer apps can help you with improving your skills regarding technique, ear training, sight reading, and more. The selected few are not the only ones out there that provide quality knowledge but are ones you should definitely consider if you’re serious about drumming.

Mike O'Connor
Mike O'Connor

I've been playing drums for over 18 years. I work as both a session drummer and a drum teacher, and I love to share my knowledge and tips on this site. You can also find me on the Electronic Drum Advisor YouTube channel.

1 Comment
  1. Worth Mentioning Backtrackit App for tempo control and lots of drumless tracks!

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