First 5 Notes vs FluteTone
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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. 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 When the Saints Go Marching In, plus 28 folk songs from around the world. Tap any song to hear it. 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. Play Today's run, keep a streak, and try to beat your best. In Band Room, friends take turns on one phone. 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.
FluteTone
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Can't get your first flute tone, or lose it after a second? FluteTone is a practice coach built for people who are just starting flute. It focuses on first sounds and long tones, with short, guided goals instead of songs. As you play, see whether your pitch is high or low, how long you hold the tone, and how clear it is. Hear a reference tone first, then practice one note at a time. THE FIRST 4 BEGINNER LEVELS ARE FREE • L0-L3 first-tone and long-tone practice • Karaoke-style pitch display and keep-time tracking • Reference tone before practice • Adjustable reference pitch: A=438-445 Hz • Practice streaks and 5 recent sessions FLUTETONE PRO • L4-L13 high and low notes, chromatics, scales, slurs, and longest-hold practice • Mouth camera and post-practice comparison • Favorite target tones • Unlimited history and growth charts • 7-day free trial with the yearly plan Build the basics—start a tone, sustain it, and steady it—at your own pace. Manage or restore purchases in Settings. Cancel in iOS Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://funakitakuya.github.io/FluteTone-Legal/privacy-policy Terms of Use (EULA): https://funakitakuya.github.io/FluteTone-Legal/terms-of-use
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Verdict
First 5 Notes and FluteTone are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. First 5 Notes sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and FluteTone sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
First 5 Notes ships an update every 4 days, FluteTone weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | First 5 Notes | FluteTone |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 415 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Justin Berchtold | Takuya Funaki |
In-app purchases
First 5 Notes
- Trumpet Full Range$4.99
- Tenor Sax Full Range$4.99
- Baritone Full Range$4.99
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- 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
FluteTone
- FluteTone Pro (Monthly)$2.991 Month
- FluteTone Pro (Annual)7 Days trial$17.991 Year
Questions
Is First 5 Notes free?
Is FluteTone free?
Do First 5 Notes or FluteTone have ads?
Which is updated more often, First 5 Notes or FluteTone?
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