StaffReader vs NoteBean

Most note-reading apps drop you into 35 notes on day one. StaffReader starts with one: G. You earn the next note when the first one is automatic. THE PROBLEM WITH OTHER APPS Someone I know practiced note reading every day for a week and hit 6% accuracy. That's not a memory problem — it's a design problem. When you have no anchor, you guess. Randomly. The app marks you wrong and moves on. Nothing sticks. HOW STAFFREADER IS DIFFERENT Stage 1 is one note: G4. The treble clef literally wraps around that line — the clef exists to point at G. You drill it until you recognize it in under half a second. Then you earn Stage 2. Stage 2 adds C5. Now you have two landmarks. Everything between them — A4 and B4 — is just a step from something you already know. Stage 3, 4, and 5 expand outward from your anchors. By the time you reach the full treble clef in Stage 8, every note is familiar because you arrived at it from something solid. This is the landmark note method — what music teachers have used for decades. StaffReader enforces it. THE PROGRESSION Stage 1 — G4 (one note; the treble clef points here) Stage 2 — G4 + C5 (two anchors) Stage 3 — G4, C5, A4, B4 (fill between anchors) Stage 4 — adds E4, F4 (expand downward) Stage 5 — adds D5, E5, F5 (complete the octave) Stage 6 — adds Middle C (C4) — your first ledger line Stage 7 — adds G5, A5 — ledger lines above the staff Stage 8 — accidentals: sharps and flats on notes you already know Stages 9–15 — two-note intervals, then 3-, 4-, and 6-note melodies You advance by hitting 90% accuracy — not by waiting for a timer. The note has to be automatic before you move on. WHAT YOU GET FREE Stages 1, 2, and 3 are completely free. No ads, no credit card, no subscription. That covers G4, C5, A4, and B4 — four notes that anchor the entire treble clef. FULL CURRICULUM Stages 4–15 unlock for $4.99, one-time — intervals and melody reading included. Bass clef gets its own track, same method, starting from F3. Every future update included. No subscription, ever. DESIGNED FOR ADULTS WHO'VE TRIED AND FAILED If you've opened a note-reading app, felt overwhelmed, and closed it — StaffReader is designed specifically for that experience. Short sessions (about 60 seconds). One note at a time. Progress that's measurable. It also works for children learning with a teacher, and for musicians who play by ear and want to add notation literacy. PRIVACY No account required. Anonymous usage analytics and crash reports only — nothing personal, never sold. Works offline.

NoteBean is a music theory practice app designed for beginners. Its simple, focused exercises help you build essential skills in sight reading, ear training, rhythm, and interval recognition. NoteBean includes four practice modes: SIGHT READING Read notes on the staff and answer using a piano keyboard, solfège, note names, or sound. Build stronger connections between written notes, pitch, and keyboard positions. EAR TRAINING Listen to notes or groups of notes, then answer using a keyboard, solfège, note names, or staff notation. Develop your ability to recognize pitch by ear. RHYTHM Listen to common rhythm patterns and choose the matching notation. Improve your rhythmic recognition and sense of timing. INTERVALS Listen to melodic or harmonic intervals and identify the distance between the two notes. Gradually develop a stronger sense of intervals. Choose piano or violin as your practice instrument. Your selection applies to sight reading, ear training, and interval exercises, while rhythm practice uses its own percussion sound. Violin questions are designed around a realistic range and playable fingerings. NoteBean offers Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced difficulty levels, allowing new learners to progress at their own pace. Every answer receives immediate feedback, and completing a practice session can earn a medal. Progress for different players is saved locally on the device. NoteBean is available in English, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, German, and Japanese. PRIVACY AND EXPERIENCE • No registration or account required • No ads • No in-app purchases • No chat, community, or public sharing features • No personal information or practice data is transmitted to the developer, servers, or third parties • Local app data may be included in device backups, depending on your iOS settings NoteBean is designed to be a light and approachable companion for everyday music learning, making sight reading, ear training, rhythm, and interval practice clearer and easier.