# iBone - the Pocket Trombone — Play and practice anywhere

> Virtual trombone app for playing, learning, and practicing. (iPhone/iPad app by Spoonjack, LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibone-the-pocket-trombone/id306629300 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Spoonjack, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/306629303)
- Category: Music, Entertainment
- Price: $2.99 with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.70/5 from 21 App Store ratings · 119 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.0 · 18 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2009-03-04
- Data updated: 2026-09-01
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibone-the-pocket-trombone/id306629300/reviews.md

## What is iBone?

-NOW ON SALE!- Winner of the 'Best Musical Instrument App' in the Best App Ever Awards and iTunes Rewind pick. Not just a tool for trombonists, anyone can play -- iBone shows you how!

"...a great tool for trombonists..."
- Robin Eubanks, Trombonist with EB3, Dave Holland, SFJAZZ Collective, 2009 Downbeat Reader's Poll 'Best Trombonist'

"Brilliant! ...great fun to play with too"
- Carol Jarvis, Trombonist with Seal and Sting, Founder Bones Apart

"Future of virtual brass?"
- Music Inc Mag

"...iBone is an interesting experimental blend of gameplay and utility."
- Wired, Game|Life

It's the Trombone plus more for your iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.  Play it anywhere.  Waiting for the bus?  Work a little slow?  Friend to impress?  Simply itching to learn?  Whip out your iBone.  Practice and learn scales and songs.  Even play-a-long with music from your iPod library -- accompany the lead, or take the solo spot. Don't have a clue? Play-a-long with a tune from the iBone Songbook and let roboBone show you the way.

It's easy:
1.  Touch or blow to make a sound.
2.  Slide your finger to change pitch.
3.  Raise and lower the bell to change volume.

With iBone, you can cover the Trombone's standard two and a half octave range -- slur up and down, slide in and out, and easily play way out of tune.   It's the closest you'll get to the real thing.

No clue about the real thing?  Pick a tune from the iBone Songbook, and let roboBone show you the way as you play along with the band accompaniment.  Just tap the rings at the bottom of their fall to hit the right note at the right time.  

iBone comes free with seven songs:
- 2001: Also Sprach Zarathustra with orchestra
- Aura Lee with piano
- Air (on a G string) with guitar
- Greensleeves with accordian
- Guantanmera with bass, bongos, guitar and drums
- Ride of the Valkyries with orchestra
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with piano

New in iBone 1.3, additional songs can be purchased and downloaded. Some of these include:
- Sloop John B with Rhythm
- Man of Constant Sorrow with Banjo
- Carol of the Bells with Brass
- First Noel with Ochestra
- O Silent Night with Strings
- O Little Town of Bethlehem with Organ
and more! With more to come.

Whether you play Trombone and need something more portable, or you've never touched one but want to learn, iBone. 

Visit http://ibone.spoonjack.com to see it in action.

Have your own video to share?  Comments? Suggestions?  We'd love to hear from you. Please contact us at ibone@spoonjack.com. 

---
FAQ
Q. How do I play with my own music?
A. Start the song before loading iBone, and control it by double-clicking the 'Home' button or swiping up to get 'Home'.

Q. Why don't I hear anything?
A. You probably have left the 'Silent' switch on. It's located on the upper left side of your phone.

Any other questions? Please contact us!

## Key features

- Virtual trombone instrument
- Touch and blow to play
- Slide to change pitch
- Adjust volume with bell movement
- Practice scales and songs
- Play-along with iPod music
- Guided learning with roboBone

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: $2.99.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jesu with Dreidel Song Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| First Noel at Midnight Song Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| O, O Song Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hark, Joy! Song Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bells and Rest Song Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Sloop and Sorrow Song Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| House of the Rising Sun and John Barleycorn Song Pack | $0.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of iBone?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Accurate sound and simulation
- 👍 Great for learning trombone
- 👍 Fun and entertaining
- 👍 Realistic slide action
- 👍 Good for practicing improvisation
- 👍 Useful for memorizing solos
- 👍 Intuitive for players and non-players
- 👍 Good value for money
- 👍 High-quality sound
- 👍 Good for all skill levels
- 👍 Helpful for understanding positions
- 👍 Supports playing along with music
- 👍 Innovative Guitar Hero-style mode

**Cons**

- 🐛 Some users experience crashes
- 🐛 App sometimes doesn't work
- 🐛 Sound issues (silent app)
- 🐛 Limited note range (lower/higher)
- 🐛 Tone quality not always realistic
- 🐛 Some users find it not intuitive initially
- 🐛 Percussive note articulation
- 🐛 Occasional bugs with settings
- 🐛 No Verizon support reported
- 🐛 Notes can be small and close together
- 🐛 Blow function needs repair

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes in settings
- App crashes on Verizon iPhones
- App disables microphone
- App randomly deletes itself
- Sound doesn't work (silent app)
- Notes don't fade when tilting
- Songbook display issue (guide remains visible)
- Sound continues playing when receiving emails

**Most requested features**

- Add more types of trombones (Bass, Valve, Alto, Soprano, Piccolo)
- Add more songs to the songbook
- Ability to input custom notes for playback
- Integrate with music apps for playback
- Add iTunes music control within the app
- Add a volume slider for the app
- Add support for tilting device for volume control
- Add pedal tones/notes
- Add support for turning the iPad
- Add mutes
- Add trigger for bass trombone option
- Add vibrato control
- Make the trombone image semi-transparent
- Option to make notes brighter
- Make an app for trumpet or other instruments
- Add French note names
- Improve high/low note range
- Add more difficult pieces to songbook

## Recent user reviews (10 of 119)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ibone-the-pocket-trombone/id306629300/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Awesome for beginners

*2026-07-29*

I wanted an app to help me incorporate the notes in all the trombone’s positions and this has been very helpful. You get three things at once: note name (also solfege, if you like), position on the trombone and an actual sound – so you can also work on your intonation here. And you can actually practice anywhere with headphones. Two things that might be an issue for you: 1.: This is just an open ended tool, not a class of any kind. It doesn’t actively teach you - you still have to think about your needs and figure out how to use it to learn something. Not an issue for me. 2.: Annoyingly - and that’s why it’s four stars only – it doesn’t store settings. I.e. if you want solfege or a particular view, you’ll have to set it every time you restart the app, because it always returns to its default settings. Still, all in all very helpful.

### 1/5 — Parou de funcionar!

*2026-06-16*

Depois da última atualização, parou de funcionar no Mac M4

### 5/5 — Una idee excelente

*2026-06-14, version 1.6.0*

Buenisima app

### 3/5 — It’s Okay

*2026-06-12, version 1.6.0*

It works better on the iPad. The notes don’t work very well on the iPhone.

### 5/5 — Awesome

*2024-08-18, version 1.5.7*

I… bone??? 😏

### 5/5 — Perfect

*2024-02-07, version 1.5.7*

Talk about the perfect app for someone trying to find a key real quick on the spot. I learn songs on this app and transpose it to real life . This has been my go to for years .

### 5/5 — Still the best app!

*2023-08-03, version 1.5.7*

Worth every penny

### 1/5 — Scam

*2023-03-30, version 1.5.7*

Dosent really work, waste of money

### 3/5 — It's okay

*2021-09-19, version 1.5.7*

It plays the notes and it's okay. I'm learning the trombone and can play a few tunes. I've not managed to get a tune out of this yet. It's a different skill and maybe not one that I'm going to take the time to master.

### 1/5 — Not what I thought it was

*2021-05-24*

It’s an app that lets you play trombone with your mobile phone not what I expected

**Developer response:** Did you look at the video or screenshots?

## Frequently asked questions about iBone

### What is iBone?

iBone is a virtual trombone application for iPhone and iPod Touch that allows users to play, learn, and practice the instrument. It simulates the sound and playing mechanics of a real trombone, offering a portable and accessible musical experience.

### How do I play the virtual trombone?

Playing is intuitive: touch or blow into your device to produce sound, slide your finger to change pitch, and raise or lower the virtual bell to adjust volume. The app covers a two and a half octave range, allowing for slurs and slides.

### Can I learn songs with iBone?

Yes, iBone includes a songbook with guided play-along features. 'roboBone' can show you how to hit the right notes at the right time, and you can also play along with your own music from your iPod library.

### Is iBone free to use?

The app comes with seven free songs to get you started. Additional songs can be purchased and downloaded through in-app purchases, expanding your song library.

### What devices is iBone compatible with?

The application is designed for iPhone and iPod Touch devices. It utilizes the device's microphone for blowing input and its touch screen for pitch and volume control.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.6.0 — 2026-05-15

+ Updated for current iOS versions and devices
+ Improved interface compatibility
+ Improved song pack purchases, restores, and downloads
+ Improved notification setup
+ Improved audio playback

### 1.5.7 — 2017-03-13

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

+ Fix Blow Mode on devices running iOS 10.x

### 1.5.6 — 2017-01-16

+ 64-bit support
+ Fix touch latency on 3D Touch capable devices

### 1.5.5 — 2015-02-04

- iOS 7 and 8+ support
- Minor fixes

### 1.5.4.1 — 2012-09-28

1.5.4.1
- Minor adjustments for iPhone 5

1.5.4 
- iOS 6 compatibility 
- iPhone 5 4-inch screen support 

1.5.3 
- Update Songbook 

1.5.2 
- Improved Retina support 
- Include song Also Sprach Zarathustra 

1.5.1 
- Reality Mode support for iPad 2 
- Fix settings display on iPhone/iPod 

1.5 
- Reality Mode 
- British and Solfege notation

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## More apps by Spoonjack, LLC

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- [iTrump -  2-inch Trumpet](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itrump-2-inch-trumpet/id412671325)

All apps by Spoonjack, LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/306629303

## Related topics

[2d trombone slide positions](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/2d-trombone-slide-positions) · [troben](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/troben) · [trombone](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/trombone) · [trombone champ](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/trombone-champ)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-01.*