maxChord
Maximilian Schmidt Music iPhoneiPadiPod touch
maxChord is a free Music app for iPhone and iPad by Maximilian Schmidt. Requires iOS 17.0. Updated August 9, 2026.
- Price
- Free
- on the App Store
- Size
- 317 MB
- Age 4+
- Updated
- Aug 9
- 2026 · v1.1.0
Screenshots
About maxChord
Chords under your thumb. maxChord turns chord progressions into something you play with one hand. The pads are laid out in whatever key you choose, so everything you touch is already in tune. Tap one to play it. Hold it and drag, and the chord morphs — sevenths, sus, diminished, extensions — each one a direction rather than a menu. Common notes keep ringing while the rest move, so a progression bends instead of jumping. Then build the song. PLAY • Eight chord pads, in key, labelled with roman numerals • Drag any pad in eight directions to morph it live • Chord Lock keeps a variation as the pad's new resting chord • Inversions, slash chords, and automatic voice leading • Three modes: Chords, Arpeggiator, and Lead SEQUENCE • Multi-track sequencer built from chord tiles, not a note grid • Split, resize, and drag tiles to build rhythm by feel • Sixteen patterns, chained into sections to arrange a whole song • Per-track instrument, octave, volume, arpeggiator rate, and effects • Record from the pads or from a MIDI controller in real time SOUND • Sampled instruments: grand piano, upright, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, vibraphone, harp, strings, brass, nylon guitar, church organ, and choir • A fifteen-voice analogue synth bank with real filter envelopes and oscillator detune • Eight effects — drive, filter, chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, delay, reverb — per track and across the whole mix, each swept with a single thumb CONNECT • MIDI in and out, including per-track output • Clock sync in both directions • Play maxChord from a controller, or drive Logic, Ableton, or GarageBand from it maxChord has no account, no ads, and no analytics. It does not collect your data, and it works entirely offline. Your songs live on your device and can be exported to a single file whenever you want them somewhere else. Made for people who hear the chord before they can name it. — maxChord Pro unlocks everything after a 3-day free trial: €1.99/month, €9.99/year, or €22.99 once for lifetime access. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends, and can be managed in your Apple Account settings. Privacy Policy: https://maximumschmidt.github.io/maxchord-site/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
What’s new
Version 1.1.0 · Updated August 9, 2026
Recording, seriously upgraded: • Hit REC and play — pads and MIDI land on the step that's playing, snapped to the nearest cell. • Metronome with a real woodblock knock, plus a one-bar count-in before each take. The REC button blinks the beat. • Smarter tiles: an empty lane splits evenly, a selected tile splits in place — no more surprise chords. • Fix: redeeming a code in the app now unlocks right away.
App privacy
The developer, Maximilian Schmidt, reported these privacy practices to Apple.
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Alternatives to maxChord
Looking for apps like maxChord? Here are 6 similar apps on the App Store. The highest rated is I Ching Music Generator (5.0/5), and 5 of the 6 are free to download.
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Cruz GR - MIDI Pad Controller
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Practimo: Practice Tracker
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I Ching Music Generator
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| App | Rating | Price | Last updated | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| maxChord | – | Free | August 9, 2026 | |
| Cruz GR - MIDI Pad Controller | – | 4.9 USD | Sep 25, 2026 | Compare |
| Harmony Lab:Chord Progressions | – | Free | Sep 17, 2026 | Compare |
| Hanauta Chord Sheet | – | Free | Jan 30, 2026 | Compare |
| Practimo: Practice Tracker | – | Free | Jul 7, 2026 | Compare |
| I Ching Music Generator | 5.0 / 5 (1) | Free | May 12, 2026 | Compare |
| ChordLoop | – | Free | Oct 17, 2026 | Compare |
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