Comparison

bFaaaP Pro & Switch vs Aether Learn

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

Head to head
About

bFaaaP Pro & Switch

This app works with a special device to allow individuals with leg disabilities, young children, and the elderly to play the piano with sustained tones using head movements. An iOS device detects head motion and transmits signals to activate an electric piano pedal.

Highlights
  • Head motion detection via iOS device
  • Sustained piano tones without foot pedal
  • Electric piano pedal activation
  • Accessibility for leg disabilities
  • User-friendly setup guide
Features
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bFaaaP Pro & Switch turns head movements into piano sustain-pedal control, so you can play the pedal completely foot-free. It is the companion app for the bFaaaP barrier-free assist pedals โ€” one app that drives two devices, depending on your instrument: - bFaaaP Pro (acoustic pianos): a motorized device that physically presses the real sustain pedal. It anchors with an inflatable "airback" โ€” non-destructive, no bolting โ€” and self-calibrates. - bFaaaP Switch (digital pianos): switches the sustain electronically through the pedal jack. Small, light and motor-free. Using the front camera, the app detects the angle of your head and converts it into pedal ON/OFF signals, sent over Bluetooth Low Energy to the bFaaaP device on your instrument. The same head-angle control works for both devices. This lets people who cannot use a foot pedal โ€” including wheelchair users and players with limited leg mobility โ€” enjoy expressive, pedal-based performance. WHO IT IS FOR - Pianists who cannot operate a foot pedal - Music therapy, special-needs and inclusive music education - Anyone exploring accessible, barrier-free music making HOW IT WORKS - Detects head angle with the front TrueDepth camera (ARKit face tracking) - Converts the angle into sustain pedal ON/OFF - Sends the signal over Bluetooth Low Energy to bFaaaP Pro or bFaaaP Switch PRIVACY - The camera is used ONLY to read your head/face angle. - That value is processed on-device, used to generate the pedal signal, then discarded. - No face data, image or video is stored or shared with anyone. AN OPEN-SOURCE PROJECT bFaaaP is an open-source, open-hardware barrier-free project by Shishido & Associates. The source code, hardware build details, the story behind it, and ways to contribute are public: - Project & community: https://bfaaap.com - Source code (open source): https://github.com/bfaaap/bfaaap_opensource - Developer & related services: https://saaipf.com SEE IT IN ACTION Watch bFaaaP being played in real concerts and recitals, with setup and how-to guides: - How the system works (overview): https://youtu.be/iyRqPa8TLgE - Live concert โ€” grand piano + bFaaaP Pro: https://youtu.be/V3cXeNW9jXY - How to use bFaaaP Switch (electronic piano): https://youtu.be/XOVENtBsOp4 - Full performance & demo collection (English): https://saaipf.com/en/bfaaap/#videos - Build & set up your own โ€” step-by-step guide (English): https://bfaaap.com/en/build/ - All videos (YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcAvTy1k8rHs2WrEKPx1amg The app's source code is open and free on GitHub, so anyone can build and run it themselves. This App Store version is free, too โ€” just install it and start playing. If you would like to help keep bFaaaP free and open for everyone, donations and support are always welcome (see the links above and at saaipf.com). Thank you for your support. You will need a bFaaaP Pro or bFaaaP Switch device to control a real pedal. Both are open hardware โ€” visit bfaaap.com to learn how they are built and how to take part.

About

Aether Learn

Features
Read full description

Aether Learn teaches you how sound and synthesizers actually work, one hands-on lesson at a time. No jargon, no prerequisites. Every concept comes with a real synth engine you play with your finger, so you hear the idea the moment you read it. Start from the very beginning: what sound is, how frequency becomes pitch, and why a wave's shape decides its character. Then build up through the tools real producers use every day. WHAT YOU LEARN - Sound and frequency: vibration, pitch, amplitude, and the difference between loudness you measure and loudness you hear - Waveforms and harmonics: watch a bright wave get built from pure sine waves, one at a time, until it forms a full saw - Subtractive synthesis: shape tone with a low-pass filter, resonance, and the classic filter sweep - Envelopes: attack, hold, decay, sustain, release, and delay, shaping how a note lives over time - Modulation: LFOs, vibrato, tremolo, and the rhythmic filter wobble at the heart of bass music HOW IT WORKS Each lesson has three steps. Learn the idea in plain language, watch a short demo that moves the controls for you, then play with a real, audio-reactive instrument built into the app. You see the waveform, the harmonics, the filter curve, and the envelope respond in real time as you turn the knobs. Built for curiosity. Whether you have never touched a synth or you want to finally understand the gear you already own, Aether Learn gets you from zero to making sounds you understand. Best suited for absolute beginners who want solid foundations to carry into any DAW or software synthesizer when they start producing music.

Screenshots

bFaaaP Pro & Switch4 screens
Aether Learn4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: bFaaaP Pro & Switch at Free against Aether Learn's $2.99. bFaaaP Pro & Switch also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.5 vs 17.0). Aether Learn's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 20 months). On ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

bFaaaP Pro & Switch is free to download; Aether Learn costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

bFaaaP Pro & Switch ships an update every 20 months, Aether Learn every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences ยท 3 level
bFaaaP Pro & Switch versus Aether Learn: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterbFaaaP Pro & SwitchAether Learn
PriceFree โ€” better$2.99
Update frequencyEvery 20 monthsEvery 4 weeks โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS14.5 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size1 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTomoyuki ShishidoDiego Ponciano

In-app purchases

None

bFaaaP Pro & Switch

No in-app purchases

None

Aether Learn

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is bFaaaP Pro & Switch free?
bFaaaP Pro & Switch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Aether Learn free?
Aether Learn costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do bFaaaP Pro & Switch or Aether Learn have ads?
Neither bFaaaP Pro & Switch nor Aether Learn shows ads.
Which is updated more often, bFaaaP Pro & Switch or Aether Learn?
bFaaaP Pro & Switch ships an update every 20 months, and Aether Learn every 4 weeks. Most recently, bFaaaP Pro & Switch was updated on October 21, 2026 and Aether Learn on October 20, 2026.

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