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Note Quest: Learn Music Fast
By Patricia Monticello Kievlan,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Speedy sight-reading drills work best with teacher support.
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Note Quest: Learn Music Fast
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Simple app, repetition in a good way
What’s It About?
NOTE QUEST: LEARN MUSIC FAST is a flashcard-style app featuring drills where students use a real piano or an on-screen keyboard to play single notes and two-note intervals. Each drill lasts one minute; if you make too many mistakes during a drill, the game cuts you off. A few introductory levels are available for free and the rest require an in-app purchase.
Is It Any Good?
These flashcard-inspired drills might support a student's developing sight-reading and note-recognition skills, but this app likely works best with the guidance of a capable in-person teacher. There's not really enough context here for the earliest beginner to get started: There's a brief intro tutorial that talks about landmark notes like Middle C, but there's no other reference information to remind students about which notes are which on the keyboard or on the staff. Kids should definitely already know how to read music before they start using this app. Overall, Note Quest: Learn Music Fast isn't especially flexible. Only a few levels work with the on-screen keyboard, and you have to type in a user name every time you switch users. Plus, the progress tracking isn't especially clear. It's not clear how many mistakes you can make before the game ends a drill, and it would be great if you could review which intervals you missed so you could target them in practice later. Overall, this is a neat supplement for in-person piano lessons, and it'll work best for piano students who have already mastered some key musical concepts -- and whose teachers can help direct and encourage their progress.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how to use Note Quest: Learn Music Fast to support piano practice: Consider having kids use the app's built-in keyboard to drill skills on the go and otherwise use the app with their real-life piano while they practice.
Talk about how piano practice fits into your family's daily routine. How often should your kid practice, and for how long?
Talk about what happens during practice and how to make the most of the time by warming up, targeting troublesome passages, and being attentive to the big challenges at hand for that day's work.
Think about songs your kid is working on with their piano teacher or songs they're learning on their own. Which sections of this app might be helpful for particular songs or styles of music? Which drills are the most helpful? Why?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone , iPod Touch , iPad
- Subjects: Arts : music, playing
- Skills: Self-Direction : effort, work to achieve goals
- Pricing structure: Free (pro features for $4.99)
- Release date: July 11, 2019
- Category: Music
- Topics: Arts and Dance , Music and Sing-Along
- Publisher: Glee Music
- Version: 3.3.5
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 10.0 or later
- Last updated: November 1, 2019
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