TouchBells vs Giying
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TouchBells
This app is a virtual carillon instrument for iPad, offering xylophone, vibraphone, and tubular bell sounds. Users can play freely, record and share songs, and learn to play through a teach mode. It's designed for musical exploration and early childhood education.
- Virtual carillon instrument
- Xylophone, Vibraphone, Tubular Bells sounds
- Song recording and playback
- Song sharing with other users
- Teach mode for learning songs
- Adjustable stereo effect
- Tunable instrument pitch
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TouchBells is an easy and fun to use carillon music instrument (Glockenspiel) for the Apple iPad. The instrument covers a range of 1 1/2 octaves (from C3 to F#4). Classic Xylophone sounds, Vibraphone sounds and Tubular Bells sounds are available. With TouchBells, you can just freely play along or record and play back your songs. You can also share the songs you recorded with other TouchBells users. By using the TouchBells teach mode, you can learn how to play the songs other TouchBells users share with you. TouchBells is also great for kids early musical education. TouchBells has several unique features: - Xylophone or Vibraphone sounds. - Adjustable Stereo effect. - Its tunable, you can alter the instrument pitch. - Song recording and song management. - Share you songs with other TouchBells users by eMail. - Export your songs for iTunes. - Learn how to play using the Teach Mode. - Play dynamically using TouchBells touch-sensitivity feature. - Choose from four different bar captions (None, German-, American- and Solmisation-Style). Furthermore, TouchBells includes 25 demo songs: - Cradlesong (Wiegenlied) - Frere Jacques - Muss i denn, muss i denn zum Staedtele naus - Silent Night - My Bonny Is Over The Ocean - Ode to Joy - The moon as risen - Rondo all Turka (Turkish March) - When the Saints Go Marching In - Matilda - What shall we do with the trunken sailor? - Kojo no Tsuki - The Song of the Volga Boatmen - La Cucaracha - O Christmas Tree - Jingle Bells - Happy Birthday To You - Schneewalzer - Auld Lang Syne - Row, Row, Row Your Boat - Für Elise - Michael Row the Boat Ashore - She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain - Hänschen Klein - Old Mac Donald With the demo songs and the TouchBells Teach Mode, you can start directly with the learning how to play!
Giying
Experience the authentic sounds of a Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar on your iPhone or iPad. This app replicates the Ugal instrument, offering a realistic playing experience with high-quality audio and detailed visuals. Explore cipher notations and enjoy uninterrupted music creation.
- Authentic sound bank
- Realistic playing experience
- Low-latency audio playback
- Zoomable instrument views
- Customizable cipher notations
- Ad-free experience
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World's first iPhone/iPad implementation of the main instruments of a Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar! The Giying, also called Ugal, is a 10-key instrument of the gangsa metallophones in the Balinese Gamelan Gong Kebyar. It is usually used for playing an elaborated version of the main melody. ** Note that the instrument produces very low-pitched sounds and require a high-quality sound system for best sound reproduction. The use of a high-quality headphone or external amplifier with good bass response is recommended. ** * Authentic sound bank sampled directly from real instruments * User interaction designed to replicate true playing experience * Playing sound can be stopped --- essential for Gamelan! * High-quality photos showcasing real instruments * Optimized for ultra-low latency audio playback * Zoomable views for detailed instrument exploration * Customizable display of cipher notations to suit your preferences * Completely ad-free for uninterrupted enjoyment
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: TouchBells at 2.5 against Giying's 1.0. TouchBells also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 5 months vs every 26 months). On ratings volume, 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
TouchBells costs $1.99 and Giying $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
TouchBells holds the better App Store score, 2.5 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of TouchBells's written reviews are positive against 50% of Giying's.
TouchBells ships an update every 5 months, Giying every 26 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TouchBells | Giying |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 — better | $5.99 |
| Rating | 2.5 (2 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 77.8% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months — better | Every 26 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 66 MB | 60 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Thomas Braun | emacsian Company Limited |
Customer experience
TouchBells
Giying
In-app purchases
TouchBells
No in-app purchases
Giying
No in-app purchases









