Compose better songs with chord-melody tools for songwriters
Hookpad (Hooktheory) is a web-based music composition assistant that helps songwriters draft chord progressions, melodies, and arrangements using theory-aware tools. It’s ideal for hobbyists, producers, and educators who want structured, exportable MIDI/notation output without deep DAW setup. Pricing is freemium: a free trial/limited editor with paid monthly or annual subscriptions for full export and library access.
Hookpad (Hooktheory) is a browser-based composition tool that helps songwriters and producers write chord progressions, melodies, and basic arrangements using music-theory guidance. The primary capability is an integrated chord palette, melody editor, and automatic voicing rules that keep parts music-theory correct while you experiment. Its key differentiator is the education-forward Hooktheory approach with a large song database and analytical scaffolding for teaching and learning. Hookpad serves songwriters, music teachers, and producers who want quick sketching, MIDI/lead sheet exports, and guided harmony. Pricing is accessible with a free view mode and paid monthly/annual plans for export and full use.
Hookpad (Hooktheory) is a browser-based composition and songwriting environment created by Hooktheory, a company known for music-education software and an interactive songs database. Launched as part of Hooktheory’s toolkit, Hookpad emphasizes teaching harmonic principles while enabling practical composition. The core value proposition is to let users create harmonically sensible chord progressions and melodies using a simple piano-roll-like interface, backed by rules (voice leading, scale constraints) that reduce common theory mistakes.
Hookpad positions itself between notation editors and full DAWs as a quick sketching tool that exports MIDI and lead sheets for further production or classroom use. Hookpad’s feature set focuses on guided songwriting tools. The Chord Palette lets you place diatonic and borrowed chords with automatic roman numeral analysis and inversion suggestions.
The Melody Editor enforces scale constraints, offers automatic rhythmic snapping, and shows chord-scale relationships so melody notes align with the current harmony. Arrangement tools let you add a bassline and simple rhythm parts, and the voicing engine offers automatic voice-leading between chord changes. Export options include MIDI download, MusicXML/lead-sheet exports, and PNG/SVG of the score; these are available in paid tiers while the editor and preview functionality remain usable in limited free mode.
Pricing is a mix of free access and paid subscriptions. Hookpad offers a free view/editor mode with limited save/export capability for casual experimentation and viewing the Hooktheory songs database. The paid Hookpad subscription (monthly or annual) unlocks MIDI and MusicXML export, unlimited saves/projects, and the full sound playback library.
Hooktheory historically has charged an annual Hookpad plan (commonly shown on-site as annual pricing with an equivalent monthly option), and they offer discounts for educators; check the site for the current exact amount and billing cadence as promotions and exact prices vary. There is no enterprise tier for heavy collaboration beyond file exports. Songwriters, music producers, and music educators use Hookpad in real workflows.
A songwriting hobbyist uses Hookpad to draft 10–20 song sketches per month and export MIDI to a DAW for arrangement. A music teacher uses Hookpad to demonstrate roman numerals and voice-leading in class, exporting lead sheets for students. Producers use Hookpad to quickly prototype chord ideas to import as MIDI into Ableton Live or Logic Pro.
Compared to DAW-centric tools like BandLab or Ableton’s Capture, Hookpad’s strength is explicit theory scaffolding and lead-sheet exports rather than full audio recording or session mixing.
Three capabilities that set Hookpad (Hooktheory) apart from its nearest competitors.
Current tiers and what you get at each price point. Verified against the vendor's pricing page.
| Plan | Price | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | View and edit in browser, limited saves, no MIDI/MusicXML export | Curious beginners testing the editor |
| Hookpad (Paid) | Exact price on site (monthly/annual) | Unlimited projects, MIDI & MusicXML export, full sound library | Songwriters exporting MIDI to a DAW |
| Education | Discounted academic pricing (site details) | Teacher licenses and classroom access, export enabled | Music teachers and classrooms |
Choose Hookpad (Hooktheory) over Flat.io if you prioritize guided chord-scale instruction and MIDI export for DAW prototyping.