Comparison

CalmusNotation vs Teach Note

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

Head to head
About

CalmusNotation

Create and visualize musical compositions using AI-powered graphical notation. This app leverages advanced AI, inspired by NASA's Lisp programming, to generate original music based on user input and can display music from other compatible apps for live performance.

Highlights
  • AI-powered music composition
  • Graphical notation display
  • Real-time performance visualization
  • Lisp-based AI engine
  • User input-driven music creation
  • Integration with CalmusComposer and CalmusPlay
Read full description

Graphical Notation is an app for music creation and graphical notation using Artificial Intelligence. The coreof Graphical Notation is the CalmusAI brain where the modern composing methods are programmed into the brain using Lisp programming language. NASA has historically used Lisp for artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, most notably in the 1990s Remote Agent project, the first AI system to control a spacecraft. CalmusNotation does not collect or use any musical material from the internet but creates new music based on the input from the user. In addition - CalmusNotation can also receive composed music from CalmusComposer and CalmusPlay - and present the music as graphical notation for live performance - in real-time. CalmusComposer composes music with Artificial Intelligence and can send the musical result to GraphicalNotations to be presented for life performance. CalmusComposer is connected to GraphicalNotation through WiFi local network - by selecting CalmusNotation in Settings. GraphicalNotation is connected to CalmusComposer, through WiFi local network - by selecting the MacOS device in the settings of GraphicalNotation. CalmusNotation needs Internet connection.

About

Teach Note

Enhance your musical abilities with this app designed to improve staff notation reading and music theory knowledge. It offers structured courses, extensive practice exercises, and helpful tools to boost your sight-reading speed and understanding of musical concepts.

Highlights
  • 30+ sight-reading and music theory courses
  • 400+ sight-reading exercises
  • Intelligent error-correction practice
  • Multiple practice modes (built-in piano, MIDI/Bluetooth)
  • Support for multiple clefs
  • Includes common musical tools (metronome, chord lookup)
Features
Read full description

Over 4,800 5-Star Reviews, recommended by more and more students! An essential App for learning staff notation, music theory basics, and improving sight-reading speed! Staff notation is a fundamental skill for piano learning and music entry. Mastering staff notation and music theory enables you to read, play, and learn more excellent musical works. Join the "Teach Note" family and efficiently enhance your staff notation skills with 200,000 students! = Features = - Over 30 sight-reading and music theory courses across 4 assessment stages. Exclusively recorded with concise content, paired with an intelligent error-correction practice system, to easily grasp sight-reading and music theory fundamentals. - Over 400 sight-reading exercises to comprehensively train your sight-reading ability. Through scientifically designed intensive training, continuously improve sight-reading speed for flexible application in practice. Supports multiple clefs and customized training for weak areas! - Multiple practice modes. During leisure time outdoors, use the built-in piano to practice sight-reading anytime, anywhere; at home, connect to your piano via Bluetooth/MIDI for combined training! - Covers courses on staff notation basics, note recognition, intervals, chords, and mode theory. - Collects commonly used tools and resources, understanding your needs better than other sight-reading and music theory apps. Includes: blank staff paper, common musical terms, metronome, tempo tester, chord lookup, scale lookup, etc. Whether it's a hobby or a dream, only action turns it into reality. Join us and achieve your extraordinary musical dreams together! Attached Service Agreement: https://musiclearn.cn/2019/09/20/MustrTermOfUse/

Screenshots

CalmusNotation4 screens
Teach Note4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Teach Note at 90% against CalmusNotation's 0%. Teach Note also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (196 vs 5). CalmusNotation's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ads (none vs shown). On price 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

Both are free to download. Teach Note sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. CalmusNotation asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Teach Note holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Teach Note has 196 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of CalmusNotation's written reviews are positive against 90% of Teach Note's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CalmusNotation ships an update every 4 months, Teach Note every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 5, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
CalmusNotation versus Teach Note: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalmusNotationTeach Note
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (5 ratings)4.7 (196 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews90.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings5196 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size294 MB213 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperErki-tonlist sf炯龙 吴

Customer experience

CalmusNotation

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative50.0%

Teach Note

All ratings196 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral1.5%
Negative4.1%
Written reviews142 reviews
Positive90.1%
Neutral4.2%
Negative5.6%

Bugs and requests

CalmusNotation

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Teach Note

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • App crashes when accessing membership/subscription features
  • Video tutorials have no sound on iPad
  • Bluetooth MIDI connection not working despite pairing
  • VIP recovery/restore purchase causes crashes
  • App crashes after recent updates
Show 1 more
  • Membership activation fails

Requested features

6 requests
  • More free practice content
  • Ad-supported free tier alternative
  • Wider keyboard interface
  • Bluetooth MIDI connectivity improvements
  • Additional features and functionality
Show 1 more
  • Reduced pricing for premium subscription

In-app purchases

None

CalmusNotation

No in-app purchases

10 purchases

Teach Note

Subscriptions3
  • 月度会员$2.991 Month
  • 季度会员$9.993 Months
  • 年度会员2 variants$22.991 Year
One-time7
  • 高级识谱训练包2$0.99
  • 初级识谱训练包$0.99
  • 练耳训练包$1.99
Show 4 more
  • 音符识谱训练包$1.99
  • 高级识谱训练包$2.99
  • 去除广告$3.99
  • 终身会员$39.99

Questions

Is CalmusNotation free?
CalmusNotation is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Teach Note free?
Teach Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, CalmusNotation or Teach Note?
Teach Note is rated higher. CalmusNotation averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Teach Note averages 4.7 from 196 ratings.
Do CalmusNotation or Teach Note have ads?
Teach Note shows ads; CalmusNotation does not.
Which is updated more often, CalmusNotation or Teach Note?
CalmusNotation ships an update every 4 months, and Teach Note every 5 weeks. Most recently, CalmusNotation was updated on June 5, 2026 and Teach Note on September 23, 2026.

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