# Note Rush: Music Reading Game — Learn notes on your instrument

> Interactive music app for learning and practicing note reading on any instrument. (iPhone/iPad app by Thomas Grayston.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-rush-music-reading-game/id1083801827 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Thomas Grayston](https://appshunter.io/developer/1083801826)
- Category: Music, Education
- Price: $8.99
- Rating: 4.30/5 from 2,334 App Store ratings · 312 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 13.0 · 279 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2016-06-17
- Data updated: 2026-08-28
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-rush-music-reading-game/id1083801827/reviews.md

## What is Note Rush?

Learn to Read Music with Note Rush! Note Rush boosts your note reading speed and accuracy, building a strong mental model of where each written note is on your instrument. Now even better with Note Rush: 2nd Edition!

How it Works
---------------------------
Note Rush is like a virtual flash card deck for all ages that listens to you play each note, giving instant feedback and awarding stars based on speed and accuracy of note identification.

Race against the clock to improve your performance or hide the timer to gently engage those just starting out with the staff.

Includes built-in levels for piano and a range of other instruments as well as custom level design.


What makes Note Rush Different?
---------------------------
- Play On Your Instrument
Note reading is best learnt in the context of how you identify and play each note - on your acoustic or MIDI instrument.

- Designed for Teachers
...and not as a replacement for them! Create fully customizable note sets and easily send them home to students.

- Fun Themes
Engage with fun themes that don't get in the way of learning, or opt for traditional notation.


Landmarks: The best way to learn your notes
---------------------------
Note Rush fits with all teaching methods, whether you favor a purely intervallic approach or use traditional mnemonics! We promote learning key landmark notes then reading adjacent notes intervallically for the best results in learning to read piano notation.

Note Rush features a unique landmarks-based hints system (optional) that highlights nearby landmark notes to read intervallically from. Over time students naturally move from reliance on landmarks to a more intrinsic staff-to-keyboard association.


Preset and Custom Levels
---------------------------
Use preset note ranges or create your own set of levels to suit your teaching style. Create a personalized level to target a particular student’s needs.

- Individual Note Selections
- Sharps and Flats
- Treble, Bass or Grand Staff (alto and tenor coming soon)
- Up to Six Ledger Lines
- Send custom note reading drills using App Links or QR Codes

## Key features

- Interactive note identification
- Real instrument feedback
- Customizable note sets
- Preset and custom levels
- Landmark-based learning system
- Fun and traditional themes

## Chart rankings

- #14 in Top Paid · Music (US App Store)

## What do users think of Note Rush?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Fun and helpful for learning notes
- 🎓 Improves note reading skills
- 🎨 Engaging themes and visuals
- 🎹 Works with various instruments
- 💰 Good value for the price

**Cons**

- 🐛 Note recognition issues, especially with certain notes
- ⏱️ Timed sessions too short
- 🔊 Needs louder volume to be recognized
- 🔒 Limited customization options

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App freezes or crashes occasionally
- Note recognition fails even with correct input
- Compatibility issues with certain devices

**Most requested features**

- Add key signatures and accidentals
- Increase number of customizable note sets
- Include more ledger lines
- Add option to disable time penalties
- Allow saving of individual student profiles

## Recent user reviews (10 of 312)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/note-rush-music-reading-game/id1083801827/reviews.md

### 4/5 — It helps

*2026-08-06, version 2.01.2*

Great little tool to help practice for beginners like myself. It does miss some of the notes sometimes which throws the timing off but it’s well worth the money paid for it.

### 5/5 — Great for practicing bass clef

*2026-08-04, version 2.01.2*

This has helped me remember the bass clef

### 3/5 — Note rush

*2026-08-04, version 2.01.2*

It doesn’t hear the keys like at all

### 4/5 — Hi

*2026-07-30, version 2.01.2*

Good but needs more instruments.

### 3/5 — pretty good!

*2026-06-22, version 2.01.2*

it’s actually pretty fun.🎹

### 5/5 — Amazing

*2026-06-10, version 2.01.2*

I think this is a really good app for all skill levels but I think there should be a couple more options, like trumpet.

### 5/5 — Extremely helpful, I want more features

*2026-06-04, version 2.01.2*

As someone who is an absolute beginner at sight reading piano, this has been a huge help, and the stars system helps me track my progress. I would love to see a system for chords, or a way of practicing with specific key signatures :)

### 5/5 — amazing app

*2026-05-29, version 2.01.2*

this app has taught me so well that i can basically sight read anything

### 5/5 — Students love it

*2026-05-20, version 2.01.2*

Note Rush makes note reading fun for students (and adults too!) This is a staple in my piano studio!

### 5/5 — Note rush

*2026-05-20, version 2.01.2*

Awesome easy to use with kids

## Frequently asked questions about Note Rush

### What does Note Rush do?

Note Rush is a music learning game designed to enhance your speed and accuracy in reading musical notes. It listens to you play notes on your instrument and provides instant feedback, helping you build a strong connection between written notes and their placement on your instrument.

### How does the landmark-based learning system work?

The app features an optional landmark-based hints system. It guides users by highlighting nearby key landmark notes, encouraging intervallic reading. Over time, this system helps users transition from relying on hints to developing an intrinsic association between the musical staff and their instrument.

### Is Note Rush suitable for teachers?

Yes, the app is designed with teachers in mind. It allows for the creation of fully customizable note sets and the ability to easily share these drills with students via App Links or QR Codes, making it a valuable tool for supplementary practice.

### What instruments can I use with Note Rush?

The app works with a wide range of instruments, including piano. It is designed to be used with acoustic or MIDI instruments, allowing users to learn note reading in the context of how they actually play.

### Can I customize the learning experience?

Absolutely. You can use preset note ranges or create your own custom levels to target specific learning needs. This includes selecting individual notes, sharps and flats, and choosing between treble, bass, or grand staff.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.01.2 — 2023-10-25

Lots of improvements/fixes in this update:
- Improvements to the Audio Recognition Engine.
- Level Designer has now been given its own dedicated tab at the top of the level selection screen, as it has proven difficult to find in the instrument list!
- Fixed: Note not blinking on incorrect note input.
- Fixed: Total time on level completion sometimes shows 1 second more than the correct time due to a rounding error. (Thanks Michael Cuthbert)
- Fixed: MIDI input not handling NoteOn(velocity=0) as a NoteOff event, which could be causing issues with MIDI behaviour more broadly. (Thanks Peter Ludbey)
- Decreased how long you have to play a non-concert pitch note to calibrate to it.
- Increased sensitivity to incorrect notes (you had to play it for a long time before it registered before).
- Increase tuning requirements to help reduce misidentified semitone-adjacent notes.

### 2.00.1 — 2023-07-09

Fixed the Summer theme which had all the beach items shown in black silhouette - should now be in full color!

### 2.00 — 2023-07-03

With over 100,000 sales worldwide, Note Rush is loved by teachers and students all around the globe. Today we are excited to introduce the highly anticipated Note Rush 2nd Edition!

What's New?

1. Refreshed user interface: Note Rush 2nd Edition boasts a modern, colorful new interface that is visually appealing and user-friendly.

2. Extended instrument support: offering an expanded library of built-in levels designed for various instruments, including piano, guitar, violin, flute, and more.

3. Enhanced level designer system with support for Treble and Bass clefs as well as Grand Staff (Tenor and Alto coming soon) and up to 6 ledger lines!

4. Save custom levels within the app for easy access: No more hunting through the camera roll!

5. Unique landmarks-based hints system! Landmark notes are a great way to get a firm grasp of the staff, and now Note Rush brings this approach into the learning experience. Learn more

6. New themes including Fruit Smash and Cute Bird, and a new scrolling theme selector, making it quicker to select a theme and get playing.

7. New Audio Recognition Engine to make gameplay faster and more reliable.

### 1.60 — 2019-06-11

Long-awaited MIDI keyboard support is here! This allows Note Rush to be played silently with headphones - great for group classes or partner lessons. Just plug in your keyboard via a suitable adapter and Note Rush will detect that you're using MIDI automatically!

Cables getting in the way? Note Rush now works in landscape mode too! If you've been using Note Rush sideways (a great way to highlight the mapping between the grand staff and piano keys btw!) you can still do this by turning on rotation lock before turning your device.

Oh yes, and some further improvements to microphone-based note detection, plus a significant reduction in file size (a hefty 750mb down to a much more reasonable 240mb).

Hope you love this update, and as usual please let me know what you think at www.noterushapp.com/contact-us or facebook.com/noterush
Thanks! -Thomas

### 1.55 — 2018-11-29

Hi there!
- I've heard those asking for longer games to drill more notes without restarting so often, so in this update I've added new 5x and 8x repeats options in Level Designer. 
- Plus, I was recently interviewed by Tracy and Sara for an Upbeat Piano Teachers webinar, and this update contains a little surprise for those who sign up to watch! Keep an eye on the Note Rush facebook page (or email list) for details over the next few days...
Enjoy!
Thomas

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-28.*