10 Best Tools for Discovering, Learning, and Making Music

Chris Dalla Riva, a music data analyst and author of Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves, has curated a list of 10 tools for music discovery, learning, and creation, published in Wonder Tools and republished with permission. The recommendations, drawn from his experience at music streaming service Audiomack and his research for the book, include platforms for analyzing lyrics, exploring musical connections, discovering new genres, and learning instruments.

Learn About Music

Genius, a crowdsourced platform for song lyrics and annotations, allows users to access detailed explanations of lyrics, including artist-provided insights and video breakdowns.

WhoSampled, a database tracking musical samples, interpolations, and covers, helps users trace the “musical DNA” of tracks. Dalla Riva highlighted its utility in researching the decline of cover songs, noting that the site’s free version includes basic features, while a $3/month subscription unlocks advanced tools.

Discover New Music

The platform provides curated playlists—such as “The Sound of” for genre overviews, “Intro” for beginners, and “Edge” for niche tracks—though full functionality requires a Spotify subscription.

Radiooooo, a human-curated archive, lets users explore global and historical music collections, from Nicaragua’s 1980s pop to Thailand’s 1960s rock. A companion site, Radio Garden, offers real-time radio broadcasts from thousands of stations worldwide, both free to access.

Learn an Instrument

Yousician, a music education platform, offers interactive lessons for guitar, piano, ukulele, and voice.

Chordify simplifies learning songs by displaying chord progressions synced with recordings, helping users master timing. While free to use, advanced features like transposition tools cost $2–$3.50/month, with a Black Friday deal offering $1/month access.

Ultimate-Guitar, a long-standing hub for guitar tabs, provides free access to most content, with paid subscriptions ($10/month or $40/year) unlocking interactive tabs. A Black Friday sale currently offers an 80% discount on premium features.

Tools for Artists

Splice, a marketplace for audio samples and plug-ins, offers royalty-free sounds for music production. Plans range from $13 to $40/month, depending on the user’s needs.

Moises, a tool for audio editing, enables stem separation, allowing artists to isolate tracks for remixing or remastering. Pricing starts at $6/month, with options up to $30/month for advanced features.

His book, Uncharted Territory, published by Bloomsbury on November 13, 2025, explores how data shapes music trends, further grounding his tool selections in analytical rigor.