PlayByEar icon
PlayByEar icon

PlayByEar

An ear training app for musicians of all levels to improve their relative pitch, melody recall and chord recognition so that they can play their instrument without needing sheet music.

Achievements page - motivating users to practise daily

Cost / License

  • Subscription
  • Proprietary

Platforms

  • Software as a Service (SaaS)
An exercise example page
Hero page for PlayByEar featuring a short ear test for new users
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Comprehensive theory lessons for each exercise, featuring audio examples and interactive keyboards
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Features

  1.  Ad-free
  2.  No Coding Required
  3.  Dark Mode
  4.  No Tracking
  5.  Gamification
  6.  Works Offline

 Tags

PlayByEar News & Activities

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PlayByEar information

  • Developed by

    GB flagKelly Smith

  • Licensing

    Proprietary and Commercial product.

  • Pricing

    Subscription that costs $8 per month.

  • Alternatives

    9 alternatives listed

  • Badge

    Get an embeddable badge for PlayByEar

  • Supported Languages

    • English
PlayByEar was added to AlternativeTo by Kelly Smith on and this page was last updated .
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Official Links

What is PlayByEar?

PlayByEar is a web-based ear training app for musicians of all levels. It covers the five core pillars of aural skills - interval recognition, scale identification, melody and pitch memory, chord recognition, and chord progressions - across 52 structured exercises, each available at beginner, intermediate, and advanced difficulty.

Alongside the exercises, PlayByEar includes a built-in music theory library with 54 categorised lessons and a searchable glossary of 69 musical terms, so you can learn the theory behind what you're hearing without leaving the app. Each theory topic includes audio examples and an on-screen piano visualisation.

Progress is tracked in detail: accuracy rates, daily streaks, focus areas, and a mistake review system surface exactly what needs more work. A gamification layer adds XP, player levels, 81 unlockable achievements across 9 categories, and a global leaderboard with daily, weekly, and all-time views.

PlayByEar runs in the browser on any device with no download required. It offers a 7-day free trial, with plans starting at £6/month.

Key features:

52 ear training exercises across 5 categories and 3 difficulty tiers Built-in music theory library with 54 lessons and audio examples On-screen piano visualisation for theory topics Searchable glossary of 69 musical terms Accuracy tracking, streaks, and mistake review 81 achievements, XP system, and global leaderboard Dark mode support No download needed - works on any device