ChimesSS vs DronePlayer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ChimesSS
This app provides a 1.5 octave tubular bell interface for playing music. It includes recording capabilities for vocals or voice memos, with options to adjust audio file format for email sharing. Users can also play along with other music apps.
- 1.5 octave tubular bell interface
- Recording function for vocals and voice memos
- Adjustable audio file format for recording
- Send recorded data via email
- Play along with other music apps
- iTunes file sharing support
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ChimesSS is a Tubular bell application. This application displays 1.5 octaves on the screen, and you don't need to change octaves to play them. Added the recording function! It picks the surrounding sounds as well, and you can use it in many different ways such as recording your vocals or creating a voice memo. You can also send the recorded data via email. Note that the maximum attachment size of an email depends on the iOS device you are using. Please contact your cell phone service provider for further information. - A 10 seconds recording is around 450 kB. - Support iTunes file sharing(http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4094?viewlocale=en_US) Added the play with other music app button on the right side of the record button (however, this disables the recording). For example, you can play along with your favorite songs on Music app. Now you can select the audio file format when recording. If you want to send a file via email, record at "22kHz / 8 bit" to reduce the file size. - Users who have a problem with the musical instrument app that doesn't make any sound. (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5137?viewlocale=en_US) Range: C52-G71 1.5 octaves (20 keys) - Display scale on keyboard - Support orientation (Up/Down) - Record button/ Play button / Stop button / Send the sound data via Email button - Support iTunes file sharing - Play with other music app button
DronePlayer
This app provides a practice tool for musicians to improvise over sustained tones, known as drones. It helps develop ear training and musical ideas by allowing users to mute drone voices for focused practice or add multiple drones for a richer experience.
- Improvisation practice tool
- Extended tonality practice
- Ear training development
- Muteable drone voices
- Multiple drone options
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DronePlayer is a fun, interactive practice assistant for improvising musicians. Playing over extended tonalities is a great way to develop your ears as well as your musical ideas. Long, sustained tones are generally known as drones. Drones have proven themselves quite useful for practicing. Many people use them to assist with intonation. Some enjoy playing scales over them. I personally have found them useful for practicing improvisation and improving my ears. Muting one of the drone voices is a great way to play with just a fundamental pitch. You can then improvise over this and focus on hearing how what you are playing relates. Adding a second drone voice just adds to the fun.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: ChimesSS at 4.0 against DronePlayer's 1.8. ChimesSS also leads on price ($2.99 vs $4.99) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). DronePlayer's advantage is review sentiment (38% vs 29%) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). 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
ChimesSS costs $2.99 and DronePlayer $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
ChimesSS holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DronePlayer has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of ChimesSS's written reviews are positive against 38% of DronePlayer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ChimesSS | DronePlayer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 4.0 (1 ratings) — better | 1.8 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | 37.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 13 MB | 57 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | YUJI HASEBE | tingjing.com |
Customer experience
ChimesSS
DronePlayer
In-app purchases
ChimesSS
No in-app purchases
DronePlayer
No in-app purchases









