The functionality of a diverse range of mobile applications for music composition is discussed in this paper. The focus is on generic functionality requirements, the needs of novice and expert users to compose music and some of the mobile applications for music composition available from the iTunes App Store. The paper further addresses the gap that exists in current literature about the functionalities required of mobile applications for music composition. In order to assist composers of music (from novices to experts) to identify and choose the most appropriate application for composing music on a mobile device, a framework is developed against which the functionality of ten mobile applications for music composition is evaluated.