# JustDrones - Tunable Just Intonation Drones

> Tunable virtual Uilleann bagpipe drones for musical intonation practice. (iPhone/iPad app by Michael Eskin.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/justdrones-tunable-just-intonation-drones/id348861427 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Michael Eskin](https://appshunter.io/developer/342739369)
- Category: Music, Education
- Price: $0.99
- Rating: 2.80/5 from 13 App Store ratings · 28 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 7.0 · 2 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2010-01-07
- Data updated: 2026-08-25
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/justdrones-tunable-just-intonation-drones/id348861427/reviews.md

## What is JustDrones?

JustDrones is a set of tunable fully chromatic virtual Uilleann bagpipes drones for intonation practice with any instrument.

An optional additional just-tuned interval drone may be enabled a 3rd, 4th, or 5th scale tone above or a 5th or octave bass below the root. 

The volume of the main drones and the interval drone may be controlled independently.

You may adjust the tuning of the main drones and the just-intonation based interval drone +/- 50 cents in one-cent increments using the fine-tuning slider control just below the drone puck. Touch the "Zero" button to quickly reset the fine tuning.

Pitch selection, interval drone, fine tuning, and volume settings are saved when the app exits and restored the next time the app is run.

The interval drones are tuned using just intonation relative to the drone root pitch for perfect consonance.

Playing against drones is an excellent way to work on improving intonation. Tin whistle, wooden flute, and Irish fiddle players can all benefit from using the JustDrones as a practice aid.

JustDrones can be enjoyed by anyone who wants to add the unique sound of the Uilleann pipes drones to their live or recorded music. 

Uilleann pipers, looking for an interesting alternative to standard D drones on a concert set? Set the main drone root to G and enable the 5th interval drone.

To get even more usefulness out of JustDrones, try plugging your iPhone or iPod Touch into a set of external speakers. The drones sounds are from acoustic recordings without additional effects. Try connecting to external effects devices such as chorus or reverb boxes for even more interesting sounds.

It also plays perfectly through the iPhone's speaker (make sure you turn off the ringer mute switch if you're not hearing anything).

Please visit my website for demonstration videos of JustDrones and additional information.

## Key features

- Tunable chromatic Uilleann bagpipe drones
- Adjustable interval drone
- Independent volume control
- Fine-tuning +/- 50 cents
- Settings saved on exit
- Just intonation tuning

## Chart rankings

- #195 in Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

## Recent user reviews (10 of 28)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/justdrones-tunable-just-intonation-drones/id348861427/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Excellent

*2023-11-01*

This is an excellent practise tool. I play Uilleann pipes and flute and find this app very useful.

### 5/5 — Rock solid stability

*2022-12-16*

Sound generation has always proven itself dependable across software updates (iPad 9, iPadOS 16.2)

### 1/5 — No sound…

*2022-03-02*

Doesn’t even play any sound!

### 1/5 — No sound

*2021-03-06*

Used to work now no sound

### 3/5 — It speaks nothing at all

*2020-07-17*

on the iOS 13.5.1 iPhone. 
If it becomes able to speak something as great drones I will tap five stars!

### 5/5 — “Does what it says on the box” - very very well!

*2019-08-31*

Just what I was looking for to back an A3 Just Intonation flute I am having made.
Thanks for doing this Michael, I will be looking to get more of your apps!

### 4/5 — Well done.

*2018-02-10*

I’ve had this app on two phones over several years. I’m surprised to see low ratings from some but I guess they didn’t know what Uilleann pipes were.

### 1/5 — Nice idea but useless

*2018-01-02*

The PWM generating the tones creates horrible sidebands , at least on my iPhone 7. Especially given that pitch is also a product of overtones , and that the user can choose to add intervals - and not consonant with the overtones generated in the fundamental - those overtones make this useless. 
Ewww!

### 1/5 — Not good

*2017-06-07*

The pitch is way too low. Maybe if you're playing tuba it would be useful. No way to adjust the octave. Save your 99 cents for something else.

**Developer response:** Tryeiyrdgjii, the app description clearly says that it's based on Uilleann bagpipes drones, which it absolute matches the pitch of.

### 5/5 — Très bons bourdons !

*2017-05-03*

....Pour instruments à hanches doubles

## Frequently asked questions about JustDrones

### What is JustDrones used for?

JustDrones provides tunable virtual Uilleann bagpipe drones to help musicians practice and improve their intonation with any instrument. It's designed to be a practice aid for instruments like the tin whistle, wooden flute, and Irish fiddle.

### Can I adjust the sound of JustDrones?

Yes, you can adjust the tuning of the main drones and the interval drone by +/- 50 cents using a fine-tuning slider. The volume of both the main drones and the interval drone can also be controlled independently.

### Does JustDrones save my settings?

Yes, JustDrones saves your pitch selection, interval drone settings, fine-tuning adjustments, and volume levels when the app exits. These settings are automatically restored the next time you run the app.

### What devices does JustDrones support?

JustDrones is supported on iPhone and iPod Touch devices. It can be played through the device's speaker or connected to external speakers and effects devices.

### How often is JustDrones updated?

The latest version of JustDrones is 2.0, which was last updated on June 16, 2015. This indicates a less frequent update cycle.

### What is the price of JustDrones?

JustDrones is a paid application, available for $0.99. There are no in-app purchases or ads mentioned.

### What is the age rating for JustDrones?

JustDrones has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users. The app's content is considered appropriate for children.

### What do users think of JustDrones?

Based on the available data, JustDrones has a rating of 2.8 stars from 13 ratings. This suggests that user satisfaction may be mixed.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.0 — 2015-06-16

This update from Apple will improve the functionality of this app. No new features are included.

Fixes for iOS 8.3

Support for iPhone 5 aspect ratio displays

### 1.6 — 2011-04-06

Added quick zeroing button for fine tuning.

### 1.5 — 2011-03-23

Now fully chromatic!  A lot of players expressed interest in using the app for more than just Traditional Irish Music, so I expanded the drones to have a fully chromatic range starting on a low A.

### 1.4 — 2010-07-19

Fixed possible crash under iOS4.

### 1.3 — 2010-07-09

Added the #1 most often user requested feature:  

You may now adjust the tuning of the drones and the just-intonation based interval drones +/- 50 cents in one-cent increments using a new fine-tuning slider control just below the drone puck.

The selected offset in cents is displayed above the right side of the tuning slider.

If after using the app for a few days, please consider posting a review and rating on the app store!

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## More apps by Michael Eskin

- [Concertina - Anglo Concertina](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concertina-anglo-concertina/id343270484)
- [Regulators for Uilleann Pipes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/regulators-for-uilleann-pipes/id348529289)
- [Englitina - English Concertina](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/englitina-english-concertina/id349451473)
- [Uilleann - Pocket Irish Pipes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uilleann-pocket-irish-pipes/id353684178)
- [Canntina - MacCann Concertina](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canntina-maccann-concertina/id360579654)

All apps by Michael Eskin: https://appshunter.io/developer/342739369

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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 2026-08-25.*