Flashnote Derby vs Notevision
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Flashnote Derby
This app transforms music note learning into an engaging game for young musicians. It offers various ways to practice and play, with customizable drills to suit any student's level. Track progress and make learning fun, whether at home or in lessons.
- Gamified note recognition races
- Practice mode with no timer
- Play notes on instrument or MIDI
- On-screen piano keyboard input
- Customizable clefs and note ranges
- Multiple engaging themes
- Teacher tools for assignments and progress tracking
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Flashnote Derby is a fun, effective way for kids to learn to read music through fast-paced note flashcard games. Perfect for piano, guitar, band, orchestra, and general music students, this teacher-created app turns note recognition into an engaging game that works equally well at home or in music lessons. ———— Learn to Read Music — Fast Each race is a fast-paced challenge: identify notes correctly as you learn to read music faster and speed your horse toward the finish line. Missed or slow answers allow the other horse to catch up. After each round, students can review the notes they missed— turning every race into a meaningful learning opportunity. ———— New! Practice Mode (No Timer, No Stress) Students can now choose a relaxed 'practice mode' with unlimited time for each note. Perfect for beginners, this mode builds accuracy and confidence before racing competitively. ———— Multiple Ways to Answer Players can answer flashcards in a variety of ways: • Play the note on any instrument. Flashnote Derby listens and recognizes what you play (including transposing instruments). • Use a MIDI instrument • Tap on-screen letter names • Or play notes on the on-screen piano keyboard ———— Fully Customizable for Any Student Tailor each drill to match your student’s level: • Treble, bass, alto, or tenor clef • Select specific note ranges or individual notes • Add sharps, flats, or full key signatures • Adjust time limits (or remove them entirely in Practice Mode) • Expand difficulty all the way up to five-and-a-half ledger lines above and below the staff. As skills grow, you can increase the challenge. Higher difficulty earns higher scores—keeping students motivated. ———— Multiple themes keep practice fresh In addition to the classic horse race, students can take flight with the whimsical Pretty Pegasus course, blast through an arcade-style space challenge in Ecliptic Encounter, or switch to the seasonal Reindeer Race during the holidays. ———— Built for Teachers, Loved by Students Flashnote Derby is designed to fit easily into lessons: • Quick to set up and perfect for a 1–2 minute warm-up • Send homework assignments directly to students • Track progress automatically • See which notes need more review Teachers see real improvement. Students stay engaged. Parents appreciate the progress. ———— Why Flashnote Derby Works Many students struggle because drilling note names feels boring and difficult. Flashnote Derby turns this essential skill into a game—one they’ll want to keep playing. A little daily practice adds up quickly, and students learn to read music with confidence. ———— Get on the road to confident music reading today! Download Flashnote Derby and help your young musician master notes with joy—not frustration.
Notevision
Master sight-reading and build musical skill with interactive exercises. Practice using a MIDI instrument, microphone, or on-screen keyboard. Learn music theory and chords with adaptive difficulty and progress tracking.
- Interactive sight-reading exercises
- MIDI, microphone, or on-screen keyboard input
- Adaptive difficulty levels
- Music theory lessons
- Interactive chord reference
- Progress tracking
- Songs and randomized practice
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Notevision is your essential tool for mastering sight reading and building real musical skill. Whether you’re just starting out or refining advanced technique, Notevision helps you learn faster and play with confidence. Why Musicians Choose Notevision: Interactive Sight-Reading Exercises • Targeted practice sessions that quickly sharpen accuracy, rhythm, and note recognition. Flexible Practice Options • Use a MIDI instrument, your device’s microphone, or the built-in on-screen keyboard. Adaptive Difficulty • Adjust challenge levels to match your skill and grow at your own pace. Music Theory Made Simple • Learn key signatures, accidentals, and rhythms—and explore the new key signature reference for quick lookups. Interactive Chord Reference • Browse essential chords with clear visuals and playback support. Chord Practice Mode • Reinforce chord recognition and harmonic understanding through guided exercises. Progress Tracking • Gain motivation from detailed insights that show your improvement over time. Songs & Randomized Practice • Combine structured lessons with curated songs and endlessly varied note patterns. Begin your musical journey with Notevision—learn smarter, play better, and build confidence every day.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Notevision at Free against Flashnote Derby's $4.99. Notevision also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.8) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months). Flashnote Derby's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and chart position (#29 vs unranked). On 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
Notevision is free to download; Flashnote Derby costs $4.99 up front. Notevision sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Flashnote Derby asks for nothing beyond the download.
Notevision holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notevision has 3.2K ratings behind it against 105, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Flashnote Derby's written reviews are positive against 89% of Notevision's.
Flashnote Derby ships an update every 6 months, Notevision weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Flashnote Derby | Notevision |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.8 (105 ratings) | 4.8 (3.2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 70.7% of reviews | 88.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 105 | 3.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #29 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 110 MB | 57 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Luke Bartolomeo | Ryan Newsome |
Customer experience
Flashnote Derby
Notevision
User reviews
Flashnote Derby
From 105 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎮 Engaging gamified learning experience with racing themes
- 🎵 Effective tool for learning note reading and music literacy
- 🎨 Customizable themes and visual designs
- ⚙️ Highly customizable settings for notes, speed, and difficulty
- 👨🏫 Teacher-friendly features with student tracking and presets
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app freezing issues
- 🔊 Harsh negative feedback sounds (booing) discourages learners
- 🎵 Inaccurate note detection, especially for E note and lower instruments
- 📱 Poor mobile responsiveness and slider controls on phones
- ⚠️ Data loss after updates without warning
Notevision
From 3.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Excellent Sight Reading Tutor
- 🚀 Improved Sight Reading Quickly
- 👍 Great App
- 👍 Helpful for Learning Notes
- 👍 Fantastic Tool
Room to improve
- 🐛 Microphone Input from Piano Does Not Work
- 🐛 Keyboard Covers Notes on iPhone
- 🐛 Incorrect Note Detection
- 🐛 Microphone Feature Not Working
- 🔒 Sneaky and Frustrating Premium Update
Bugs and requests
Flashnote Derby
Reported bugs
15 issues- App crashes on launch or during use
- White screen on startup that auto-closes
- Note recognition fails, particularly for E note
- Low instrument octave recognition issues
- Data and student names lost after updates
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- Settings menu disappears or becomes inaccessible
- Speed selection buttons unresponsive
- Email preset sending feature non-functional
- Password reset system broken
- Master device cloning feature not working
- Audio detection marks answers before notes are played
- Incorrect display scaling on iPad and tablets
- Slider controls difficult to use on mobile devices
- App incompatible with Safari and some browsers
- Family sharing not recognized despite being enabled
Requested features
16 requests- Restore previous speed options (Walk, Trot, Canter, Gallop)
- Option to customize number of test notes (return 10/20 options)
- Remove or tone down negative feedback sounds
- Add more theme options (animals, seasonal themes)
- Untimed mode without racing element
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- Two-octave keyboard display for better note differentiation
- Support for sharps and flats
- Alto and tenor clef options
- Female jockey character option
- Combined treble and bass clef exercises
- Better search visibility in app stores
- Family sharing support improvements
- External audio interface compatibility
- Improved mobile responsiveness for sliders and controls
- Better instructional videos with audio/visual note examples
- Personalized high scores for multiple users
Notevision
Reported bugs
4 issues- Microphone Input from Piano Does Not Work
- Keyboard Covers Notes on iPhone
- Incorrect Note Detection
- Microphone Feature Not Working
Requested features
8 requests- Ability to Practice Chords and Chord Progressions
- Option to Practice Both Hands Playing at the Same Time
- Ability to Import MIDI Files
- Metronome and Rhythm Practice
- User Profiles to Track Individual Progress
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- More Songs and Lessons
- Ability to Set Custom Key Signatures
- Microphone Support for Real Instruments
In-app purchases
Flashnote Derby
No in-app purchases
Notevision
- Premium$3.99
Questions
Is Flashnote Derby free?
Is Notevision free?
Which has better reviews, Flashnote Derby or Notevision?
Do Flashnote Derby or Notevision have ads?
Which is updated more often, Flashnote Derby or Notevision?
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