Comparison

Drum Notation by Beat Note vs Beat Blocks

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Drum Notation by Beat Note

Create, practice, and share drum music notation with ease. This app transforms sequenced beats into professional sheet music, offering tools for composition, transcription, and interactive teaching. Enhance your drumming journey with customizable practice sessions and high-quality export options.

Highlights
  • Sequencer to notation conversion
  • Compose and transcribe drum beats
  • Customizable practice sessions
  • Interactive teaching tools
  • High-quality PDF and image export
  • Multiple notation voicing options
Features
Read full description

Beat Note — Drum Notation for Drummers, Teachers, and Content Creators The fastest way to write, hear, practice, and share drum notation. Built by a drummer, for drummers. FOR DRUMMERS — FROM YOUR HEAD TO THE PAGE IN SECONDS You have a groove idea. Beat Note gets it down before you lose it. Tap the sequencer grid to build beats. Watch them turn into clean, professional drum notation in real time. Hit play and hear exactly what you wrote — at any tempo, with a click track, on loop. - Transcribe songs to check your ear and lock in what you hear - Compose your own grooves, fills, and exercises from scratch - Count in with a visual on-screen "1, 2, 3, 4" so your eyes and ears are ready together - Use Beat Note as your in-ear metronome during rehearsals — your beats, not just clicks "Been waiting a long time for an app like this. Clearly built by a drummer." — App Store review FOR TEACHERS — WRITE IT, PLAY IT, SEND IT What used to take 30 minutes in a desktop notation program now takes 2 minutes on your phone or iPad. Write exercises on the fly — during the lesson, not after it. Play back the notation so students hear exactly how it should sound. Share a link so they can listen at home. Export a PDF they can print and bring to the kit. - Use the sequencer as a live music whiteboard, in person or online - Build a library of exercises organized by tag, ready for any student - Send a shareable link or export a high-quality PDF in one tap "What would normally take 30 minutes on a computer has become 2 minutes from my mobile device. My students love it." — App Store review FOR CONTENT CREATORS — PROFESSIONAL NOTATION VIDEOS, IN MINUTES Export your beat as an animated MP4 — portrait for Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, or landscape for YouTube and Vimeo. Choose 720p, 1080p, or 4K. Pick a color theme. Preview before you export. PDF, PNG, WAV or AAC audio, shareable link, and animated MP4 — all from one app. NOTATION THAT LOOKS RIGHT Professional drum notation, consistent across every format you export. What you see on screen is what your students get in the PDF, what your followers see in the video, and what you hear in playback. - All standard drums, cymbals, and articulations - Subdivisions from 8th notes to 32nd notes, plus triplets, quintuplets (5s), and septuplets (7s) - Common and compound time signatures, including 6/8, 9/8, and 12/8 - Linear, split hands/feet, or split drums/cymbals voicing - Sticking annotations (R, L) - Single-measure repeat symbol (%) — renders automatically when measures repeat ORGANIZE AND DISCOVER - Tags, search, and sort to manage your beat library - Discover tab: curated educational beats for all skill levels - Beat templates to get started fast - Customize tempo, click track, count-in, and timer MADE BY A DRUMMER, SHAPED BY THE COMMUNITY Beat Note was built by me — an independent developer with 35+ years behind the kit. But the direction comes from the community. Every major feature on the roadmap has been voted on, requested, and refined by drummers, teachers, and creators just like you. Join the conversation at roadmap.beat-note.app — vote on upcoming features, share ideas, and see what's coming next. I'm here to make sure it all comes together into something that actually works. Premium subscription required for full access. Educator and Creator tiers available. Free trial included. Payment is charged through your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription auto-renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period via iTunes Account Settings. Terms and Privacy Policy: https://www.beat-note.app/privacy-and-terms

About

Beat Blocks

Master your musical timing with this interactive rhythm trainer. Create endless custom drills, receive real-time feedback, and practice with immersive musical notation. Ideal for musicians of all skill levels looking to improve their rhythm.

Highlights
  • Infinite rhythm drill creation
  • Custom beat editor
  • Real-time accuracy feedback
  • Immersive musical notation
  • Advanced mode for complex rhythms
  • Customizable themes and sound kits
Features
Read full description

Master Rhythm with Beat Blocks! Transform the way you practice with Beat Blocks, the interactive rhythm trainer designed for musicians of all levels. Whether you’re a beginner picking up your first instrument or a pro sharpening your timing, Beat Blocks turns drills into a fun, gamified experience. Key Features: - Infinite Creation: No limits, no boundaries. Create endless rhythm drills tailored to your specific goals. - Custom Beat Editor: Build any pattern in seconds. Our intuitive editor lets you adjust tempo and notes easily. - Real-Time Feedback: Play the notes directly in the app and receive instant accuracy judgments. See exactly how close you are to the perfect beat! - Immersive Musical Notation: Bridge the gap between playing and reading. Toggle Notation Mode to see drills in standard sheet music format to master sight-reading naturally. - Advanced Mode: Push your limits with complex subdivisions, syncopation, and sustained notes (halves, wholes, and dotted quarters). - Fully Customizable: Make the practice space yours. Customize colors, themes, and sound kits to stay engaged and focused. Rhythm is the foundation of all music. Beat Blocks provides a visual, tactile system that makes timing feel like second nature. Download Beat Blocks today and level up your musicality!

Screenshots

Drum Notation by Beat Note4 screens
Beat Blocks4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Drum Notation by Beat Note at Free against Beat Blocks's $1.99. Drum Notation by Beat Note also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 weeks) and ratings volume (87 vs 8). Beat Blocks's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On review sentiment, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Drum Notation by Beat Note is free to download; Beat Blocks costs $1.99 up front. Drum Notation by Beat Note sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.69 per month. Beat Blocks asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Beat Blocks holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Drum Notation by Beat Note has 87 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 83% and 83% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Drum Notation by Beat Note ships an update every 9 days, Beat Blocks every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Drum Notation by Beat Note versus Beat Blocks: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDrum Notation by Beat NoteBeat Blocks
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.6 (87 ratings)4.9 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.5% of reviews — better83.3% of reviews
Number of ratings87 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size88 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKick Snare Hat Apps, LLCCharles Sekel

Customer experience

Drum Notation by Beat Note

All ratings87 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral4.6%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews121 reviews
Positive83.5%
Neutral7.4%
Negative9.1%

Beat Blocks

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%

Bugs and requests

Drum Notation by Beat Note

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Preview rarely matches notes on staff
  • Sometimes doesn't play any notes
  • Sounds not always appropriate for instrument voicing
  • Editing measures is inconvenient
  • Free trial charged immediately
Show 3 more
  • iCloud data sync issues for subscription confirmation
  • Not stable in loopings, slow delay on first note
  • Measure lines on PDFs too thick and close

Requested features

27 requests
  • 7/8 time signature support
  • Syncing between devices
  • Web version
  • Native Mac/Windows apps
  • Add text or notes to notations
Show 22 more
  • Cowbell instrument
  • More drum samples and pitch control
  • Ability to work on spaces longer than a measure
  • Add 32nd notes
  • Duplicate multiple bars at once
  • Copy/paste large sections
  • Option to drag duplicated bars to the end
  • Add melody track
  • More instrument options
  • Ability to manage volumes of different instruments
  • Add quintuplets and sextuplets to a bar
  • Add repetition options for measures
  • Add text to music sheets
  • Improve loop stability and reduce delay
  • Allow monthly subscription option
  • More free beats/unlimited free version
  • Add sticking for grace notes
  • More advanced editing options for multiple bars
  • Improve PDF export readability
  • Add virtual drum kit for accessibility
  • AI-powered automatic notation
  • Auto-sync to track

Beat Blocks

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Drum Notation by Beat Note

Subscriptions5
  • Educator Tier Monthly (No Trial)$6.691 Month
  • Creator Tier Monthly (No Trial)$13.491 Month
  • Educator Tier Annual (No Trial)$59.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Educator Tier Annual + Free Trial7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Creator Tier Annual + Free Trial7 Days trial$119.991 Year
None

Beat Blocks

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Drum Notation by Beat Note free?
Drum Notation by Beat Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Beat Blocks free?
Beat Blocks costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Drum Notation by Beat Note or Beat Blocks?
Beat Blocks is rated higher. Drum Notation by Beat Note averages 4.6 out of 5 from 87 ratings, while Beat Blocks averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.
Do Drum Notation by Beat Note or Beat Blocks have ads?
Neither Drum Notation by Beat Note nor Beat Blocks shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Drum Notation by Beat Note or Beat Blocks?
Drum Notation by Beat Note ships an update every 9 days, and Beat Blocks every 5 weeks. Most recently, Drum Notation by Beat Note was updated on October 13, 2026 and Beat Blocks on October 14, 2026.

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