Comparison

笙Time vs PentaMonochord

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

笙Time

This app simulates a traditional Japanese instrument called the Sho, used in Gagaku music. It features 17 bamboo pipes that produce a sound similar to a small pipe organ. Users can play notes by pressing buttons, adjust volume by tilting the device, and hold notes by dragging their finger.

Highlights
  • Sho instrument simulation
  • Traditional Japanese music (Gagaku)
  • 17 bamboo pipes sound
  • Volume control via tilting
  • Note holding functionality
  • Adjustable fingering modes
  • Customizable attack/release envelope
  • Selectable tone colors
Features
Read full description

"笙Time" is a "笙(Sho)" simulator. "笙(Sho)" is traditional Japanese instrument for "雅楽(Gagaku - Japanese traditional music)" It has thin 17 bamboo pipes. It sounds like small pipe organ. Each button play blow notes. ( ' means upper octave notes) "乞" : { A, E, A', B', E', F#' } "一" : { B, D, E, A', B', F#' } "工" : { C#, D, E, G#, A', B' } "凢" : { D, E, A', B', E', F#' } "乙" : { E, A', B', D', E', F#' } "下" : { F#, G#, A', B', D', F#' } "十" : { F#, G, A', B', D', E' } "美" : { G#, A', B', C', D', F#' } "行" : { A', B', D', E', F#' } "比" : { A', B', C', D', E', F#' } Each note is not on "Equal Temperament", but on "Pure Temperament" or "Pythagorean Temperament". Also the default base key A=430Hz Tilting your phone, the playing volume change. Push a button and drag your finger to out of the button, then the note can be hold. Setting view can set below parameters. - Available fingering mode "Sho" has limit fingerings. If you want to use all button, set this mode off. - Attack and Release Envelope You can set envelope time (0 to 1000 ms) - Tone Color You can select tone color (Hard/Medium/Soft)

About

PentaMonochord

Explore the relationship between pitch and string length with a digital monochord. Build scales, hear intervals, and learn about Pythagorean music theory through interactive blocks and historical context.

Highlights
  • Build two-octave G pentatonic scales
  • Hear and see interval relationships
  • View Hertz frequencies and string lengths
  • Play pentatonic tunes
  • Scale-building game mode
  • Background information on monochord system
  • Historical timeline
Features
Read full description

The Pythagoreans’ foremost innovation was to correlate pitch relationships to calibrated speaking lengths of a string on a monochord. Now, for the first time, there’s an app for that! Use IntervalBlocks to build a two-octave G pentatonic scale on the PentaMonochord using only octaves and fifths. Touch any block to see and hear its interval again, and watch the Hertz box to see how the frequencies of the two notes relate inversely to the string lengths represented by the IntervalBlock. Touch the note labels any time to play a pentatonic tune. Press “Switch to Game” to join the Pythagorean pantheon by building the whole scale with the minimum number of steps. The Intro and the Background Information explain the monochord system in detail, and the Timeline puts it all in perspective.

Screenshots

笙Time4 screens
PentaMonochord4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: PentaMonochord at $1.99 against 笙Time's $3.99. On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

笙Time costs $3.99 and PentaMonochord $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

笙Time ships an update every 38 months, PentaMonochord every 24 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
笙Time versus PentaMonochord: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter笙TimePentaMonochord
Price$3.99$1.99 — better
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 38 monthsEvery 24 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS12.012.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTomohisa HimenoLucy Hudson

In-app purchases

None

笙Time

No in-app purchases

None

PentaMonochord

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is 笙Time free?
笙Time costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is PentaMonochord free?
PentaMonochord costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do 笙Time or PentaMonochord have ads?
Neither 笙Time nor PentaMonochord shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 笙Time or PentaMonochord?
笙Time ships an update every 38 months, and PentaMonochord every 24 months. Most recently, 笙Time was updated on September 17, 2026 and PentaMonochord on September 11, 2026.

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