Reviews, Technology

Review & Giveaway: Note Rush app

13246163_248194038873284_8983692676277542062_oToday, I am so excited to introduce to you a brand new app for music teachers called Note Rush. As I have been experimenting with this app during beta testing, I soon discovered just what a useful tool this app is for my students. Note Rush has become my favorite app for piano teaching.

Note Rush is a note reading app that is simple, intuitive, and fun. Unlike other note identification apps that present a note and require the user to name the note by letter name, Note Rush “listens” using the iPad’s microphone to identify whether the user is playing the correct piano key. It’s so important for students to learn to associate staff positions with the corresponding piano key in the correct octave, and Note Rush encourages this!

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The app automatically calibrates to the piano, allowing the app to be useable even if the piano may be slightly out-of-tune.

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Allowing you to choose from a variety of levels — covering various ranges of notes in treble clef, bass clef, or the entire grand staff — the app is customizable to the user’s ability.

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Because the rounds are timed, students are invited to repeat the rounds to try to improve their times.

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The three themes appeal to a wide range of students while not creating a distraction through too many options.

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Tell your students to buy this app instead of a box of flashcards. Note Rush is available in the Apple App Store for $3.99 USD. Find it for Android here. Be sure to visit the Note Rush website and like their facebook page.

Note: I bought this app. As always, my reviews contain my honest opinion.

The Note Rush developer has kindly offered two promo codes for a giveaway! For a chance to win a free download of Note Rush, leave a comment below before Tuesday, June 28 at midnight (Eastern time) sharing your favorite aspect of Note Rush. Two winners will be randomly chosen and contacted the following day.

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99 thoughts on “Review & Giveaway: Note Rush app”

  1. I’ve seen some posts about this on line and would love to try it! I particularly like the choice of themes- personally, I’m a “ladybug”- but I know my soccer kids will go nuts over that one!

  2. This looks like a great app. I love the fact that the student has to play the note, and in the correct octave too.

  3. It’ looks great. Much better than flash cards. I like that you can change the themes to mix it up a bit!

  4. Of course, what make this app to stand out from other apps (for instance NinGenius or Staff Wars) is that in order to have the note correctly one has to play on the correct octave. I know that I’ll make a lot of use of this app!

  5. Our studio is having a summer challenge with not only identifying notes and their names but with playing them in the proper register. This sounds SO FUN and the perfect way for us to accomplish this summer goal!

  6. I have many students who may know the letter name but struggle knowing in which octave to play it. This app will be a great way to work on that skill.

  7. This app looks great! Love that it listens to your note. Will definitely be using this in September ??

  8. I do this with flashcards. The idea being to build an instant physical response to the written note. I do it as a game and it always goes down well with my younger students. Sometimes I give them the cards to take home. but it’s hard to use them properly without teacher being present.( I tend to hope that just ‘trying; is enough to do some good). However an app would take my place in their homes. Great! I also have a couple of very small ones at the moment for whom the practice habit isn’t sitting easily 🙂 I’m sure this would help.

  9. I am always using note identification apps, but can get bored with them quickly. Sounds like it has all the criteria to be a good app! Love to have a free copy!!!

  10. This app looks great. I would love to have a good note reading app in my studio. I love that it shows both clefs.

  11. This looks even better than the Noteworks app that I’ve been using for a few years! I love also that it interfaces with your keyboard and requires playing in the correct register! Definitely going to buy this one! Does it work on iPhone as well as iPad?

  12. I am so happy that it uses the capability of the i-pad to hear the pitch.
    I’ve done this with flash cards, but this will be much easier.

  13. I like the fact that it’s customizable, since I have students of various playing levels and the fact that they actually get to PLAY the notes! I’ve been hoping for an app like this.

  14. Definitely interested in the app. I like to have quality tools to offer to my students. Sounds fun too!

  15. I was thinking of such a tool that “listens” your playing, but couldn’t find it in app store. I’ll definitely try it!

  16. I’m so glad you shared this! I actually teach violin and cello, and I’m always so jealous of the great apps for piano out there. I’m excited that this app says it will work with any instrument!

  17. I’m so happy to see a Ledger Line category for older students, as well as the Challenge. I especially need apps that go beyond the beginner stage. Can’t wait to try it out.

  18. Looks great, pleased it can hear them play as this will aid with keyboard geography as well as note recognition.

  19. This looks like a great app for students learning the notes and their position on the keyboard, with the added bonus of it being able to recognise a “slightly” out of tune piano. (Yes, I know students pianos at home should be in tune but I’m being realistic). Congratulations Thomas Grayston.

  20. Another great resource for students to practice at home and solidify the fundamentals of note reading in all octaves. The backgrounds are simple but fun and diverse. I will be trying this with my students.

  21. I love the note detection element of this app, and I hope the “custom” setting would allow the user to freely select any set of notes when it becomes available.

  22. I love the fact that it seems like a fun game, but it’s education and gets music practice in at the same time. Many games that kids like these days have no value for their lives.

  23. LOVE the three themes, and that it’s easy to make a competition out of it, via the timing element!

  24. I love how music apps are getting even better. This looks like one that could become a staple in music studios!

  25. I am looking forward to more tools in my teacher toolbox for groups and lab time. I like how this is timed and could see doing a hot potato game, group quiz, minute to win it – the wheels are turning on how this can be used!

  26. I like that the student has to connect what they see to the correct note on the piano. So important!

  27. Love that students have to not only identify the note correctly, but also play it in the right octave.

  28. I’ve been hoping for a game like this one, where the kids have to identify the correct note on the piano–where it actually lives. I like the different levels. And the themes are a very nice bonus. I had a student who really struggled with identifying notes in the correct octave–this would have been the perfect remedy. I can’t wait to try it.

  29. I’m just beginning to use technology in my piano teaching and would love to give this top-rated app a try. Love that the rounds are timed to give students incentive to better their own time!

  30. I was a BETA tester for this app, and it is one of my students favorites. I love that I don’t have to have flashcards for them anymore.

  31. This app looks awesome. I really like that it is customizable to the user’s ability. Because of that, it will be useful for quite a period of time. I also really like the selection of backgrounds – ladybug, soccer and planet. And it is wonderful that the students plays the note on the piano – agree with Joy that that is so important for students to make that connection!!!

  32. Anything that can get kids actually playing the piano key when they see the card is great in my book. 🙂

  33. This looks like a great app. I love the fact that students must play the note on the piano, not just name the note!

  34. My favorite aspect is how Note Rush listens to you play, and the answer must be in the correct octave. I also love the vivid colors and themes.

  35. I love the aural aspect of this – it’s one thing to name a note but another to realize the written symbol by hearing and playing it!

  36. I love how you can play the note on the piano to identify it. I think that will be super useful!

  37. What a great app! My students use other note naming apps like flash note derby but they would love to be able to interact with the piano as well! I like that feature and I like the predefined “levels”. Thank you for sharing, Joy!

  38. This looks like such an awesome app. I use traditional flashcards almost every week and do an incentive game with them as well. I would love to be able to try this app, if you are still accepting those commenting for it! 🙂 Thank you Joy!

  39. Wow! I love that the students can see the note on the staff, play it on the piano and then know whether they were correct or not.

  40. I absolutely love that students play the notes on the actual piano and the app can tell whether it’s the correct octave or not!

  41. I love that this app can be used for both treble and bass clefs. Many of the apps my students have review treble clef only, which usually isn’t what they need the most practice on!

  42. This App looks very user friendly to students who are very hooked to electronic related Apps. I would love to try it. Is there an android version?

  43. Looks like a very useful app for the piano studio. I love that you play the response on the piano rather than just naming the letter name of the note. It would be great to see a studio version of this app that would keep track of scores for multiple students.

  44. I love the fact that this app extends beyond a note recognition function. It allows students to utilize their visual, aural and kinaesthetic senses at the same time. A very valuable musicianship training resource which I look forward to trying with my students. Thanks!

  45. Wow, this is very nice
    1 I love the look of the backgrounds (not too busy, as you said) and the fact that the student associates the pitch with the notation. For sightreading and memorizing, this aspect is essential.

  46. I would offer this app in conjunction with traditional flashcards that my students already use at home and during lessons. Changing up activities that practice the same skill is more effective for most students than having just one choice to do over and over 🙂

  47. I love that you can play the note on the piano to answer! So important that students learn where the note is on the piano too. Also, it looks like there will soon be a custom feature…that will be even better! If a student needs to work on a specific set of notes, they can focus on those. 🙂

  48. I have just downloaded the free version of the app and look forward to using it with my pupils. I particularly like the fact that it helps pupils relate what they see on the page to the position of the note on the piano.

  49. Great idea to have levels to choose from, as well as allowing the device microphone to detect the note from the instrument. being in a game format, the kids will love it! will be anxious to await when the app can allow the selection of certain “stubborn” notes to be reviewed! Excellent tool.

  50. This is great! My students and I have tried it during beta testing. Totally loved it. I like how we can choose the clef and level, how it uses accoustic piano, and timed. No more flash cards. Hope to win. Thank you.

  51. Wow, what a great app! I love that students are timed and can work to beat their time, the different themes are so cool, and I love that they have to play the notes in the correct octave. It seems like they really nailed it when putting the app together! I’d love to win!

  52. Thanks for the review! It is a tool that looks motivating and fun for students to do that necessary listening and identifying practice.

  53. Sounds like a very fun way to improve students’ note reading skills! Thank you for the review!

  54. Need variety to reach all the different interests. Like the idea of interaction with the piano

  55. Looks like a great one–I’m excited to incorporate tech into my teaching this fall, as well as recommend great apps to parents!

  56. Ladybugs today, soccer tomorrow, and piano every day-my students will love this! Thanks for posting a review of this app!

  57. I think that this is great. Gotta get the app. I’ll wait to see if I get it free on June 28.
    If not, I’ll buy it.

  58. I like the fact that you can repeat your round to beat your own score. Sounds like a great app!

  59. A very timely app. I look forward to acquiring and introducing this to my students and parents right away.

  60. Tried the app, and love it however some of my students are having difficulty with the response accuracy of the app any clues as to why?

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