FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Virtunity. If you have a question that isn't answered here, email hello@virtunity.io.
General
What is Virtunity?
Virtunity is an audition prep platform that turns practice at home into structured, measurable progress. It builds daily practice plans tailored to what you need most, captures data from every session, and gives your teacher visibility into your work between lessons. Built by a band director, for students who want to improve the fundamentals — not a general music app.
What instruments does Virtunity support?
Ten instruments: Bb clarinet, flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, tuba, French horn, and percussion (timpani, snare, mallets). More coming based on demand.
Is Virtunity free?
The current early access rollout is free. Planned public-launch pricing is $15 one-time for the student app, and Pro is planned at $9.99/month for more personalized teacher-connected planning and reporting.
How is Virtunity different from a tuner or metronome?
A tuner checks one note. A metronome keeps time. Virtunity captures your entire practice session — what you worked on, how it went, what your teacher said to focus on — and builds your next session around what actually needs work. It's a structured practice system, not just isolated feedback.
For Students
How does the daily practice plan work?
After your first few sessions, Virtunity learns your skill level and starts generating daily practice plans (15–20 minutes) focused on your weak areas. The plan draws from a library of 11,000+ tagged exercises — so if your intonation needs work, you get exercises specifically tagged for intonation training on your instrument. Your teacher's notes shape the plan too. Improve an area? The plan shifts focus to what's next.
What does session feedback look like?
Play your exercise. When you finish, log your session — rate how it went, leave a voice note, mark your good and bad reps. You see your consistency over time and your daily plan adapts. As our audio analysis tools develop, you'll also get scored on pitch accuracy, rhythm, and timing automatically. Right now, the system learns from your logging and your teacher's input.
Can I use Virtunity without a teacher?
Yes. Virtunity works standalone. You'll improve your fundamentals faster with a teacher's guidance on the artistry and interpretation — the stuff Virtunity can't coach — but many students use it on their own and see measurable progress.
Does Virtunity work offline?
You need internet to download your daily plan and sync results. Recording and playback work offline, so you can practice in a car, garage, or anywhere quiet without cell service.
What's the difference between the download and Pro?
The $15 download gives you the full exercise library, structured practice plans based on your level, session scoring, and progress tracking. Pro at $9.99/month adds the intelligence layer: your teacher's lesson notes feed directly into your practice plans, the system adapts as you improve, and your teacher and parents receive weekly progress reports.
For Teachers & Directors
Can I see my students' practice data?
Private-instructor teacher access is rolling out in early access with invite codes, lesson review snapshots, lesson mode, and assignments. You see the practice story, not the student's raw recordings.
How does the teacher dashboard work?
Today, the teacher workflow is built around connecting students, reviewing what happened between lessons, and carrying lesson notes into the next practice plan. Broader class analytics are still in development.
Can I assign specific exercises to students?
Private-instructor assignment workflows are part of the current early access rollout. Broader section-wide and director-level assignment workflows are still in development.
Does Virtunity replace private lessons or teacher feedback?
No. Virtunity tracks the objective fundamentals — time, rhythm, pitch — so you can spend lesson time on phrasing, expression, interpretation, and artistry. Your job isn't to check every note. Virtunity does that. Your job is to make musicians.
How many students can I track?
Early access teacher pricing is not being charged yet, so we are not selling rigid seat counts. Teacher and institutional pricing will be published before public launch.
For Parents
Can I see my child's progress?
Yes, if your child grants permission. You'll see practice streaks, weekly scores, and improvement trends — not recordings. It's proof that they're practicing and proof that it's working.
Is my child's data private?
Absolutely. Recordings are stored on your device and encrypted in transit. Virtunity never sells data. Only your child, their teacher (if they grant permission), and parents (if they grant permission) can see the data. Privacy is non-negotiable.
How much does Virtunity cost compared to private lessons?
A private lesson runs $50 to $150 per hour. Virtunity is a $15 download, and Pro is $9.99/month. It's not a lesson replacement. It's a structured practice tool that makes lessons more efficient and helps students improve between them.
What if my child plays multiple instruments?
All 10 instruments are included with the $15 download. No instrument limits on any plan. Switch between instruments instantly.
Technical
What devices does Virtunity work on?
The current rollout is iPhone-first. Android and web are planned after the iPhone and teacher rollout is stable enough to expand.
Do I need a special microphone?
No. iPhone's built-in mic works. If you're in a loud space, earbuds with a mic (AirPods, etc.) improve signal quality. We handle background noise with software — you don't need studio conditions.
How accurate is the pitch detection?
Within 5 cents of exact pitch (roughly 1/20th of a semitone). Fast enough for session feedback during playing. Built on the YIN algorithm, same technology used in professional tuning and recording software.
How much storage and data does Virtunity use?
App is ~200MB. Each assessment recording stores locally on your phone (roughly 2–5MB per recording). Syncing is lightweight — use cellular data or WiFi. You're not burning through your data plan.
About Virtunity
Who built Virtunity?
Justin Berchtold — a clarinetist who served as Concertmaster and Principal Clarinet of the Marine Forces Pacific Band, earned his BM from DePaul University, and currently teaches as a band director in Chicago. He built Virtunity to solve the problem he saw in his own students.
Why did you build this?
Justin's students — from first-year beginners to conservatory-bound seniors — couldn't all afford private lessons. They had the drive but not the feedback. Virtunity gives them objective data on pitch, rhythm, and timing — the athletic side of music — so they can improve on their own and get the most out of the time they have with a teacher.
How do I report a bug or suggest a feature?
Email hello@virtunity.io. Justin reads every message personally. Honest feedback makes the product better.
How often do you add new instruments?
Based on demand and technical validation. We ship instruments only when we're confident the pitch detection and coaching logic are solid for that instrument. Quality over speed.
Still have questions?
Email us at hello@virtunity.io. Justin reads every message personally.
Or join early access to get started.