Hooktheory I review

Hooktheory I takes a different route from a textbook. Instead of starting with the staff, it teaches theory with a piano roll view and Roman numerals, and every idea is shown in a real song, with 88 audiovisual examples from artists such as The Beatles, Adele and Taylor Swift and 41 interactive exercises. Its App Store page lists what you learn: composing from a scale, the six basic chords behind most progressions, writing progressions by chord function, making melodies fit the chords, and controlling tension and release. It needs no previous music knowledge or sheet music skills, and Hooktheory estimates about five hours of reading. You can try ideas right away in Hookpad, its songwriting tool, and look up how songs are built in TheoryTab, which lists 82,450 songs. The tradeoffs are that it will not teach you to read standard notation, and the intermediate material is a separate $19.99 purchase, Hooktheory II.

Who it is for

Self-taught players and songwriters who want to understand chord progressions without reading sheet music.

Price

$14.99 one-time for the Hooktheory I app on the App Store; Hooktheory II is $19.99; Hooktheory's own site shows prices in euros here.

Full Version $14.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 9, 2026.

Key features

• 41 interactive exercises and 88 audiovisual examples from popular songs
• Teaches composing from a scale and the six basic chords
• Explains chord function and how melodies fit over chords
• Simple piano roll notation, so sheet music is not required
• Companion Hookpad songwriting tool and the TheoryTab song database

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Teaches theory through songs by artists like The Beatles and Taylor Swift
• Strength: No previous music knowledge needed, and about five hours to read
• Strength: Roman numeral notation means what you learn works in every key
• Weakness: Does not teach traditional staff notation
• Weakness: No free version of the book in the App Store
• Weakness: Intermediate topics need a second purchase, Hooktheory II

Key facts

• Exercises: 41 interactive exercises
• Examples: 88 audiovisual examples
• Reading time: About five hours
• Follow-up: Hooktheory II, $19.99 on the App Store
• Song database: TheoryTab, 82,450 songs listed on the homepage

Where it ranks

Hooktheory I is No. 2 in our Best Music Theory Apps verdict.