Comparison

HD vs First 5 Notes

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

Head to head
About

HD

This application connects to a specific device via Bluetooth to remotely control musical functions. It allows instructors to guide students with features like metronome operation, tempo setting, and pitch adjustment. It also includes tools for chord detection and tuning.

Highlights
  • Remote HD control (keyboard, metronome, temperament, transposition)
  • Customizable beat and tempo settings
  • Individual volume and pitch adjustment
  • Demonstrate mode for pitch and volume feedback
  • Chord detection and naming
  • Adjustable tuner
  • Rhythm assistant
Features
Read full description

* The device on which this application is installed must be connected to the HD-300 via Bluetooth®. The application does not produce sound independently. The HD-300 Assistant application allows an instructor to remotely control the HD-300 and provide intuitive guidance to students. ≪ Functions ≫ • HD Control In addition to keyboard and metronome operation, the app allows remote control of temperament and transposition. • Beat, Tempo Setting Irregular meter and tempos can easily be created, saved, and played back. • Individual Volume and Pitch Fine adjustment is available for individual volumes and pitches. • Demonstrate Mode The interference beat that occurs when notes are slightly out of tune can be recreated, and the volumes of harmony notes can be adjusted to give students a feel for appropriate pitch and volume. • Chord Detector Chords can be detected and named based on a group of played notes. • Tuner The tuner provides a convenient means to check pitch. The tuner’s base pitch is adjustable. ・ Rhythm Assistant The app can play the same rhythm as musical score.

About

First 5 Notes

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
Read full description

Just got your instrument? Start here. First 5 Notes helps beginning band students learn to read, finger, and play their first five notes for free. Then keep going: keys, songs, rhythm, and games that use every note you know. First 5 Notes also runs free in any web browser, including school Chromebooks, at first5notes.virtunity.io, in English and Spanish. Choose from 16 instrument options: alto sax, baritone (bass clef), baritone (treble clef), baritone sax, bass clarinet, bassoon, bells, Bells - Low Octave, clarinet, flute, French horn, oboe, tenor sax, trombone, trumpet, and tuba. ONE PAGE FOR YOUR INSTRUMENT Pick your instrument and everything is in five sections: Notes, Keys, Songs, Rhythm, and Arcade. Practice today puts together a 5, 10 or 15 minute plan from the steps you have reached. NOTES: A LEARNING PATH BUILT BY A BAND DIRECTOR 1. NAME THE NOTE - read each note on the staff and choose its name. 2. KNOW THE FINGERING - study the fingerings, match them to notes, and listen to a reference pitch. Trombone uses slide positions. 3. PLAY THE NOTE - play into the microphone and hold the note steady until the tuner confirms the pitch. Then learn a song on your first five notes and open the arcade. KEYS Practice four notes at a time in the band keys, starting with the notes you already know. Each key uses the same three steps, and its games open when you finish them. SONGS Every song in one place: familiar songs like Ode to Joy and Hot Cross Buns, plus 28 folk songs from around the world. Tap any song to hear it. Familiar songs come with a band: hear it, play along, then play it on your own. Each song shows the lessons you need before you can learn to play it, then walks you through it one phrase at a time. RHYTHM 21 rhythm levels, from the steady beat to the rhythms in the songs. Tap the beat, tap the rhythm, then play it on your instrument. Levels 1 to 4 are free; the rest open with your instrument's Full Range or a First 5 Notes Classroom program. ARCADE Five short games: Note Rush, Call and Response, Fingering Flash, Long Tones, and Dynamics. They start with every note you know. Each game keeps your Best, so there is always a score to beat. THE FIRST FIVE NOTES ARE FREE Every instrument option includes its first five notes with no trial or time limit. No student account is needed for free practice. GOING FURTHER? A one-time $4.99 Full Range purchase opens the remaining lessons, keys, rhythm levels and song practice for your instrument. Individual instrument purchases have no subscription. Family Sharing is supported for App Store purchases. Prices may vary by country or region. SCHOOL PROGRAM ACCESS If your band program provides First 5 Notes Classroom access, enter your director's program code and shared passphrase to open the full ranges included in the app while your program access is active. No individual student account or roster is required. FOR PARENTS AND DIRECTORS - No ads or advertising tracking. - Microphone audio is analyzed on the device. It is not recorded, saved, or uploaded. - A parental gate comes before purchases and adult account controls. - Optional parent sign-in restores website purchases. - Free practice works offline after installation. Purchases, sign-in, and access checks need internet. Website purchases require a check-in within 30 days; school-program access requires a check-in within 24 hours and an active program term. - Progress and practice plans stay on this device, with separate progress for each instrument option. RECORDED INSTRUMENT SOUNDS With thanks to the Philharmonia Orchestra in London for making its instrument recordings freely available. We edited the samples for short notes and sustained practice. Not every instrument or note uses these recordings. https://philharmonia.co.uk/resources/sound-samples/ Built by a band director and private lesson teacher who teaches beginners every week. From the maker of Virtunity: virtunity.io.

Screenshots

HD4 screens
First 5 Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HD at none against First 5 Notes's 10. HD also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). First 5 Notes's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 10 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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

Both are free to download. First 5 Notes sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. HD asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for HD against 5.0 for First 5 Notes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HD ships an update every 10 months, First 5 Notes weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 4 level
HD versus First 5 Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHDFirst 5 Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Number of ratings34 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB482 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYamaha CorporationJustin Berchtold

Customer experience

HD

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

First 5 Notes

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HD

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

First 5 Notes

One-time10
  • Trumpet Full Range$4.99
  • Tenor Sax Full Range$4.99
  • Baritone Full Range$4.99
Show 7 more
  • French Horn Full Range$4.99
  • Tuba Full Range$4.99
  • Bells Full Range$4.99
  • Bassoon Full Range$4.99
  • Bass Clarinet Full Range$4.99
  • Oboe Full Range$4.99
  • Baritone Sax Full Range$4.99

Questions

Is HD free?
HD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is First 5 Notes free?
First 5 Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, HD or First 5 Notes?
HD and First 5 Notes are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do HD or First 5 Notes have ads?
Neither HD nor First 5 Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HD or First 5 Notes?
HD ships an update every 10 months, and First 5 Notes weekly. Most recently, HD was updated on October 22, 2026 and First 5 Notes on October 28, 2026.

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