# Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde vs First 5 Notes

The clearest difference is rating: First 5 Notes at 5.0 against Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde's 4.3. First 5 Notes also leads on update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde's advantage is ratings volume (1.5K vs 4) and chart position (#131 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and First 5 Notes sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

First 5 Notes holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde has 1.5K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde ships an update fortnightly, First 5 Notes weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde | First 5 Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sheet-music-reader-halbestunde/id1519736220/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-5-notes-beginning-band/id6760314662/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 36.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#131** | — |
| Size | 128 MB | 482 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Halbestunde GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1519736222) | [Justin Berchtold](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786446607) |

## What reviewers say

### Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sheet-music-reader-halbestunde/id1519736220)

**Currently charting:** #131 Top Grossing · Music (US App Store)

Transform sheet music into an interactive practice tool. Scan printed music, adjust tempo and key, and export in various formats. Ideal for musicians of all levels to practice more effectively.

**Highlights:** Accurate sheet music scanning, Tempo and key transposition, Looping for practice sections, Export as MusicXML, MIDI, PDF, Lyrics and voice support, Multi-instrument playback options

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIRTUOSO one month | $6.99 | per month |
| MAESTRO 1 month | $12.99 | per month |
| 3 month subscription | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Yearly subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| 6 months subscription | $32.99 | per 6 months |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| VIRTUOSO one year | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| MAESTRO 1 year | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate scanning
- ⚙️ Helpful for music students
- 🎶 Good for practicing
- 🔍 Works well with classical music
- 🔁 Useful transposition feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Inaccurate note recognition
- 🔇 Poor audio playback quality
- 🚫 Lack of instrument options
- ⏱️ Slow processing times

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when trying to play back music
- Fails to recognize certain music notation
- Issues with scanning PDFs and images
- Incorrect tempo and timing in playback

**Requested features**

- Add support for percussion instruments
- Improve scanning accuracy for complex rhythms
- Allow editing of scanned music
- Provide more free sheet music options
- Implement a metronome feature


### First 5 Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-5-notes-beginning-band/id6760314662)

Learn to read, finger, and play the first five notes on ten different band instruments. This app offers a clear learning path for beginners, with the first five notes available for free forever. Unlock additional notes and fingerings with a one-time purchase per instrument.

**Highlights:** Learn first five notes, Supports ten band instruments, Read, finger, and play notes, Tuner locks in pitch, One-time purchase for full range, No internet connection needed

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trumpet Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tenor Sax Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baritone Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| French Horn Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tuba Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bells Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bassoon Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bass Clarinet Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Oboe Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |
| Baritone Sax Full Range | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde free?

Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is First 5 Notes free?

First 5 Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde or First 5 Notes?

First 5 Notes is rated higher. Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde averages 4.3 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while First 5 Notes averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde or First 5 Notes have ads?

Neither Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde nor First 5 Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde or First 5 Notes?

Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde ships an update fortnightly, and First 5 Notes weekly. Most recently, Sheet Music Reader Halbestunde was updated on November 7, 2026 and First 5 Notes on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*