FAQ

What is Tonic Notes and who is it for?

Tonic Notes breaks down your music lessons into transcripts and detailed summaries, so you can focus on your artistry and sound better every time. We develop with teachers in mind while making it an excellent resource for parents, students, and schools.

What devices can I use Tonic Notes on?

We support both iOS and Android devices.
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Do I need to ask permission before recording lessons?

Yes. We always recommend giving a quick heads-up before the first recorded lesson.

Can I use Tonic Notes offline?

You can record a lesson with no connection, and it'll begin processing once you're back online. You can also review already-loaded content like previous lessons and stats, and use tools like the metronome and tuner offline.

How do I record a lesson in the app?

Open Tonic Notes before your lesson starts, tap the "+" button in the lower right corner, then tap "Add a lesson." Select "Start a lesson recording" and you're good to go!
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What if I already recorded the lesson on a separate device or recorder?

No problem, you can upload an audio file directly. Tap the upload icon on the home screen, select your file, and Tonic Notes will process it the same way as an in-app recording.
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How long does processing take after a lesson?

Usually just a few minutes. You'll get a notification when your summary is ready.

What is a pod?

Pods are an organized place to upload your lessons and practice sessions. Students or parents can join a pod and follow all the progress that's happening. To invite someone, select a pod, tap the icon in the top left, then tap the three dots to the right of the pod name and choose "Invite."

Can I share lesson notes with my students and their parents?

Yes! Once a lesson has been processed, tap the three dots in the top right corner. From there, you can move or copy the lesson to a pod — it will then be visible to everyone in that pod. Any edits either of you make will show up on both sides.
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Do both the teacher and student need to record?

No — only one person needs to record. Once shared, you both have access to the same lesson file.
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Can I share with parents too?

Absolutely. Just add the parent to the same pod as the student — they'll have access to all lessons shared into that pod.
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Can I organize lessons by student?

Yes! Use Pods to keep each student's lessons grouped together — create one pod per student. Students can also use pods to organize lessons across multiple teachers.
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​How do I remove someone from a pod?
Currently, only the person who joined a pod can leave it — there's no way for the pod owner to remove someone. To leave, tap the three dots in the top right of the pod menu, then tap "Leave pod" in the options sheet.

How can I edit a lesson?

Long-press on the overview text to edit it directly.
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Notes & Homework swipe left

To edit items in the Notes and Homework sections, press on the item you want to edit and swipe to the left.

Why can I only sometimes bookmark in my lesson?

Bookmarking is only possible when there is music being played.

My recording keeps cutting out on Android.

This is caused by Android's battery optimization feature. Go to your phone's battery settings, find Tonic Notes, and set it to "Unrestricted." This takes about 30 seconds and should resolve the problem.
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My recording failed to upload — is the lesson lost?

If the lesson fails to upload, do not delete the lesson. Instead, tap the three dots on the top right inside the lesson, and tap on the “download audio” option. Afterward, re-upload the lesson through the “Upload an audio file” option.
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​Is there a maximum time limit to lessons or practice log recordings?
There is no maximum time limit.

Is Tonic Notes safe for minors to use?

Yes. Tonic Notes is designed for use in music lesson settings. There is no open social or public-facing component to the app.
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Can students see each other's lessons?

No. Each student can only see the lessons shared with them by their teacher. Students do not have visibility into other students' lessons or profiles.

What is the minimum age to create an account?

You must be at least 4 years old to use Tonic Notes. If you are between 4 and 18, you may only use the service with the consent and supervision of a parent or legal guardian.

What AI does Tonic Notes use?

Tonic Notes uses an AI model that we built ourselves; it's not powered by OpenAI, Google, or any other third-party AI service. The model runs entirely on our own server, located in our office in San Francisco. Your data never leaves our infrastructure to be processed by an outside company.

Does running AI have a large environmental footprint?

Tonic Notes runs its AI on our own on-premises server rather than relying on large cloud infrastructure; our footprint is substantially smaller than that of products built on services like OpenAI or Google AI.
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Who can access my audio recordings?

Only the Tonic team can access audio files recorded through the app. We do not share them with any third parties, and they are never used for advertising or sold to outside organizations.
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​Is my data safe and will it ever be shared/sold?
We don't sell user data, and that's not our plan. Our model is subscriptions (students/parents pay directly), not selling data to advertisers. Lesson audio also stays on our servers and never goes to third-party AI.

​Do I own the lessons and data created on my account?
Yes. You own all of your data. Tonic stores and processes them to provide the service.
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​How do I change my password or account email address?
To change your password, tap "Forgot password" on the login screen and we'll email you a reset link. To change your email address, contact us at hello@jointonic.com or reach out through live chat, and we'll get it sorted for you.
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​How do I delete my account?

Please reach out to us at hello@jointonic.com and we will be able to process this request for you.

We're a small, founder-led team, and we genuinely care about the trust you place in us. If you have any questions not covered here, please reach out directly; we'd love to talk!
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