NoteWorks Note Reading Game
This music education app review is for: NoteWorks
only available for iPad at the time of this review.
Kid/Student Ratings: ****4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: *****5/5
Educational Value: Excellent +
Price: $4.99
Recommended: 5 – 11 years (and older players who want to have some fun)
Skills Developed: Note Reading, Note Reading, Note Reading ALL Clefs!!
App Tested on iPad (available for both iPhone and iPad)
Good Stuff about this music ed app: First off, might I say that one can never have enough “learn-your-notes” apps. Seriously. This is just another really, really great one.
Players begin by creating their own profile which allows them to decide if they want to play in ABC, Do Re Mi, or keyboard mode. Then (this is the most awesome part) they get to choose which clef; treble, alto, grand, tenor, bass. You have to admit that’s pretty fancy! Finally, something for the violas, saxophones and trombone (etc) learners. Way to go, developers!
Thee cutest little munchy creature bops out on the screen to get ready to swallow the notes players identify correctly as they come from the note-making factory- scrolling across the screen at a speed YOU get to designate. I am a fan of great sound-effects, and it seems as if there are a bunch of them in this app. Crunch, Munch. :)
Our Wish List: The developers contacted me and let me know that a new version with a bigger keyboard would be in the next update- which is a good thing because within about 30 seconds of playing this app, my first tester came to me and said, “They need to make these keys bigger – my fingers are too fat.” SO glad to know that these developers are right on top of their game and excited to make this app usable and fun (not to mention notably educational). Also, some other feedback I received was that the kids wished there was some sort of indication that they were moving on to a new level. They were expecting some excitement after passing each screen.
My Love: I want to spread the word to the whole wide world that a FUN app with the alto and tenor clefs is here (not to mention the other clefs). Can you hear me singing “Come-And-Get-It!” Love, Love Love.
Summary: All-in-all we feel you should throw away your flash cards… especially if you are a music teacher. Kids will try harder, last longer, and learn more playing this app. Get. It. For. Your. Teaching. Studios. Now.
Purchase NoteWorks on iTunes now for iPad for: $4.99
Have you already downloaded and used this app? Leave us a comment and let us know what you thought! Thanks – Rebecca
Read MoreMusic App Review Here It, Note It
This music education app review is for: Piano Sight Reading HD
Kid/Student Ratings: ***3/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: ****4/5
Educational Value: Excellent +
Price: $1.99
Recommended: 7 years and up
Skills Developed: Dictation. Be able to place correct notes with counting on staff after hearing the sequence first.
App Tested on iPad (available for both iPhone and iPad)
Good Stuff about this music ed app: I was so happy to hear of this app! I don’t believe there is anything else like it out there. If any of you have ever had to take a dictation class, you’ll love to know that practicing identifying the correct notes with the correct counting has now been made mobile, and in fun form!
In this app you get to listen to the piano play a given sequence of notes. Then, your job is to place the correct notes on the staff WITH the correct counting. When you think you have it right, tap the play button and you’ll get to find out if your musical IQ has increased or decreased. It’s really pretty great.
The students I tested this app with ranged in age from 7 through 20. I’ll be honest, the 7 years olds weren’t thrilled to play for very long, but the older they were the more they were determined to get their IQ higher and higher.
Dictation class in college can be kind of daunting for many students. I’d say this app is a great solution and confidence booster. Play it all month and watch your scores soar!
Our Wish List: I’m not really familiar with IQ numbers so I didn’t know what number I was shooting for while playing this app. It made it hard for me to be motivated to hit a certain number. While this app is really great, it’s a little dry. We felt there needed to be more visual or aural notice that you had completed a round successfully or not. The younger kids especially could not discern if they had truly achieved a right or wrong answer even though you can watch the number change. We think with a little more noise the student rating would have been much higher.
My Love: We really liked how much exposure and control this app gives a player when placing their note on the staff. You get to tap it and it will change from a quarter note to any other type of note you choose, for example. Also, we just plain love that there is a fun way to practice notation from hearing only an aural example. What a great app!! What a great teaching tool!! Good idea, developers!
Summary: All-in-all we feel the skills practiced in this fun app shouldn’t be passed over. Most learning musicians will benefit greatly from working on their musical IQ while playing Hear It, Note It!. It really has a perfect place in the high-tech musical learning world.
**Note that this app was developed by the same team that created one of my all time favorite apps “My Note Games“. It was one of my very first reviews. Loads of updates since then.. it’s gotten even better than it was before! LOVE IT. See “My Note Games” review here. And, listen to the podcast as well. It’s kind of fun to hear the voice behind the app! :)
Purchase Hear It, Note It! on iTunes now for iPad for: $1.99
Purchase Hear It, Note It! on iTunes now for iPhone/Pod for: $1.99
Have you already downloaded and used this app? Leave us a comment and let us know what you thought! Thanks – Rebecca
Read MoreMusic App Review PianoTrainerHD
This music education app review is for: Piano Sight Reading HD
Kid/Student Ratings: ****4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: *****5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $1.99
Recommended: 5 years and up
Skills Developed: Finding the notes from the staff on the piano keyboard quickly and efficiently.
App Tested on iPad (only available on iPad)
Good Stuff about this music ed app: This app takes the skill of finding the correct keys on the piano to a whole new level. The notes travel along the staff at the speed you indicate (lento, presto, etc). Your job is to tap the correct key before the note reaches the double bar line. It makes you concentrate really hard!
Read MoreDust Buster Music Ed App for Piano
This music education app review is for: Dust Buster
Kid/Student Ratings: ***** 5/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: *****5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $FREE
Recommended: 4 years and up
Skills Developed: Reading that piano music! Identifying note names, reading staff line notation, playing songs, rhythm, hand-eye coordination, memorizing key locations on the piano.
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this music ed app: From Old McDonald to Swan Lake and Vivaldi this app has quite a range. I’d say learning where the notes are on the keyboard is a cinch with this app.
I’ve shown this app to many parents and students over the course of the past couple of weeks and they all agree that it is muy excelente!
Read MoreKasey’s Guitar Jams Play-Along Guitar Book
This music education app review is for: Kasey’s Guitar Jams Play-Along Guitar Book
Kid/Student Ratings: ***** 5/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: *****5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $1.99
Recommended: 4 years and up (young guitar learners)
Skills Developed: Basic beginning guitar play-alongs with accompaniment, timing, TAB reading
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this music ed app: Wow. Not enough great things can be said about this app. I am thrilled to be able to show this off to all you guitar teachers of the very beginners. The developer of this creative and fun guitar book is spot on as far as education goes.
Gone are the days of boring beginning exercises for young guitarists. Now, in Kasey’s Guitar Jams you can “jam” out even when you only know 1 note! It doesn’t get any better.
Besides having bright but simple graphics, this music book is full of progressive learning. (LOVE!) Even the youngest of learners can have an absolute blast playing songs with silly and fun lyrics to boot.
The most beginner guitar students I have here in my studio gave it quadrouple thumbs up!
Our Wish List: We know this whole music book is written for TAB learning, but we feel it would be beneficial if the actual names of the notes were included in the teaching notes somewhere. It would be an easy way to connect the learning.
My Love: I love the fact that the teacher/parent accompaniment is provided making these tunes duets. The accompaniments are engaging and seriously FUN sounding. There’s no way this app can’t be loved!
Summary: All-in-all we feel that this app is spot on for education and fun. If you have been wishing you could learn to play the guitar but want the easiest, funnest way to do it – Kasey’s Guitar Jams will do it for you, for sure.
Purchase Kasey’s Guitar Jams on iTunes for iPad for: $1.99
Purchase Kasey’s Guitar Jams on iTunes for iPhone/Pod for: $1.99
Have you already downloaded and used this app? Leave us a comment and let us know what you thought! Thanks – Rebecca
Read More
Monkey Tunes Music Ed App Review
This review is for: Monkey Tunes
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: *** 3/5
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $0.99 (also available free in lite version)
Age Recommended: 3 and up
Skills Developed: Memory of sequence of instruments played by the monkey
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this music ed app: This cute monkey lives on an island where a cargo crate full of instruments was dropped. The monkey plays each instrument and the idea is that you attempt to play back the instruments in the correct order he played them in. FUN!!
As you play, the sequences get a little bit longer, and more instruments are added. The kids I tested this with just giggled and giggled the whole time they were playing this app.
Memory skills are critical in music education, and this app fits the bill for sure! A perfect game for the waiting room of any music school.
Our Wish List: The instruments all take up one beat in the sequences but the guitar that the monkey plays uses up more than one beat, so sometimes you can’t hear the other instrument when it plays. When two guitars are played in a row, they overlap which is quite confusing to the younger students. I hope the developers see this and fix it. It’s such a great game otherwise.
My Love: I love that there are so many levels, and that it is not too complicated to pass them one at a time. The monkey plays in different places (beach, circus, etc.) after so many levels are passed. Lots of levels for these kids – they love that!
Summary: All-in-all we feel that Monkey Tunes is a fun, motivating game that stimulates memory skills while using music instrument sounds and visuals. It’s a pretty darn okay app. The kids love it! :)
Purchase Monkey Tunes in iTunes for iPad for: $0.99
Purchase Monkey Tunes in iTunes for iPhone/Pod for: $0.99
Have you already downloaded and used this app? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think! Thanks -Rebecca
Read MoreMusic App for Guitar Learners -Wild Chords
This review is for: Wild Chords
Kid/Student Ratings: ***** 5/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: ***** 5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $FREE
Age Recommended: 6 and up
Skills Developed: Beginning Guitar Skills including Chords, Notes, Reading Tablature, Playing on the Beat
App Tested on iPad (for iPad only)
Good Stuff about this music ed app: I’m excited to shout that I’ve found another favorite app! This app is super fun and educational to boot. Learning guitar players will have an enormous amount of fun playing this one. Even if you have never touched a guitar before, you can play this game and by the time you read the end, you’ll really be on your way to having your own garage band!
You get to use your real guitar while playing this app which means you’re learning to play your real instrument. A hip looking dude is your avatar and as you play the chords indicated, you hypnotize the wild animals into following you around. You have to play the chords on the beat. The farther into the game you get, the more chords you know and the more fun the songs begin to sound.
This game also teaches you how to read tablature! Perfect!!
Listen to my podcast (04) interview with the developer of Wild Chords:
Our wish list: Sometimes even the most advanced guitar player can’t make the app happy as far as it hearing your notes right on time. Those darn birds just keep popping your balloons. Possibly there’s a timing glitch? Or, maybe we need to keep practicing. :)
My Love: I absolutely love the tablature learning portion of this app. What an important skill! Every guitar player needs to know how to read in TAB. I can’t think of a more fun way to practice than to focus on keeping those birds on the telephone wires. Seriously good idea!
Summary: All-in-all we feel that guitar learners should not skip this app. It’s fun and extremely educational. And… it receives our FAVORITE APP AWARD for this month! Congratulations, developers. We love you!
Purchase Wild Chords on iTunes for iPad for: $FREE
Note: this app is only available for iPad.
Have you already downloaded and used this app? Leave us a comment to let us know what you think. Thanks. -Rebecca
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Read MoreThe House on Melody Street Music Ed App Book
This review is for: The House on Melody Street
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 4/5
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $0.99
Age Recommended: 2 – 9
Skills Developed: Interactive book introducing orchestra instruments and their sounds
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this music ed app: As a music teacher of some young ones, I find these interactive books really great for group class. The music presented in this app is high quality and the kid narrator is quite excellent. What a great example for our youngsters! These characters are the same ones in the really great app review I did a few weeks ago on Mozart Interactive. If you haven’t seen it yet, you really should. The graphics are the best I have ever seen for an app so far!
As you flip through the book you see different music characters introduced one at a time, but they all live in the same house and play in a different key – soooo, you can tell the other chapters are going to be fun to see how it all works out.
Our Wish List: ”The House on Melody Street” includes chapter 1 only with notice that the other chapters are coming soon. I wonder what “soon” means…
My Love: The musical score for this app is really very high quality. The developing team behind this app really knows their music. All characters are played by real instruments and that makes my heart sing!
Summary: All-in-all we think this app about the House on Melody Street is pretty neat. I love music and reading to my children, and if you do too then you’ll for sure enjoy it also.
Purchase Melody Street on iTunes for iPad for: $0.99
Purchase Melody Street on iTunes for iPhone/Pod for: $0.99
Have you already downloaded and used this app? Leave us a comment to let us know what you thought. Thanks! -Rebecca
Read MoreBlob Chorus Music Education App Review
This review is for: Blob Chorus
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 4/5
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $FREE
Age Recommended: 5 and up
Skills Developed: Ear Training, Recognizing Specific Pitches
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this music ed app: The giggling begins right as you open this app, it’s really funny! The blob chorus treats you to a quick rendition of their “Blob” song and then when you go to use the resource (play the game) they separate. The idea is that you listen very carefully to the pitches the Blobs sing and then the King Blob sings one of those same pitches. You have to tap on the correct Blob to win points.
Read MoreMusic Ed App Review Monkey Drum
This review is for: Monkey Drum FREE (There is also a deluxe version of this app)
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 5/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 4/5
FREE iPhone
FREE iPad
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $Free
Age Recommended: 4 – 12
Skills Developed: Rhythm exploration, percussion instrument exploration, rhythm repeat, percussion song composition
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this app: I’ll admit I wasn’t sure about this app at first. I am always analyzing for educational content. But I’ll tell you that after watching my son and a couple of cousins return to it over and over for fun and creativity, it has won me over. And, I love that it is FREE. (no ads)
The idea is that you “jam” on real sounding percussion instruments and little jungle animals copy your rhythm exactly back to you. The animals have funny reactions as you are allowed to feed them bananas to reward them. It really is pretty cute. The young boys seem to really enjoy these reactions.
The best part of the app is the composition section where you create songs using a vertical grid. You can then save your songs and watch the animals perform them for you. It’s really pretty darn fun.
I have a 10 year old drummer in the house and he can’t keep his hands off this app lately.
Our Wish List: The composition area of the app seemed hard to navigate at first. It was unclear what to do or how to save the songs created. The kids also didn’t understand that you could make several sections to each song, but after playing with it for a while (and clicking the help button), we got it figured out.
My Love: I really love the composition page of this app. It’s great that you can earn/unlock more instrument the more you play. There is a tempo control, and it appears that your compositions can have endless sections to them. The kids have really had a hay day with it!
Summary: All-in-all we think percussion enthusiasts will get a bang out of this app! It’s a really great way to use creativity and rhythm and wrap it into a whole lot of fun. Can I say “I Love FREE educational apps” ?
Purchase Monkey Drum on iTunes for iPad for: $FREE
Purchase Monkey Drum on iTunes for iPhone/Pod for: $FREE
Have you already downloaded and used this app? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think. Thanks -Rebecca
Read MoreInversion Invasion
This review is for: Inversion Invasion
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: *** 4/5
FREE
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $Free (with ads)
Age Recommended: 5 – 13
Skills Developed: Piano chords: Major Triads, Minor, Sus, 7ths, and inversions of all.
App Tested on iPad (designed for iPad only)
Good Stuff about this app: This app was designed for young game enthusiasts who are learning to play the piano. Teachers who require that students learn their chords will flip for this game. First, it sucks you in with astronaut talk and then a mechanical voice states that you are going to have an “inversion invasion”. The idea is then to play the correct chords on the keyboard (on the iPad). Each piano key hit triggers a ray gun and blasts the alien who is in its path.
How much fun is that? Pretty darn, if you ask me.
I had 2 younger boys play this game as testers. They were sucked in immediately.
The good thing is that you don’t really have to have your chords and inversions memorized before playing this game. It teaches you just by repetition of the game.
Our Wish List: I watched the kids play though mission 8 and started wondering why there wasn’t a feature that would give more points to those who could identify the chord correctly before the aliens showed them the keys. It seems that there was no motivation to think of it on their own because the aliens would pop on and reveal the answer.
My Love: I love an app that will get a 10 year old boy to practice his chords and their inversions for a half of an hour without getting bored. Nuf said. :)
Summary: All-in-all we feel that this app is really quite cool and targets an audience of learners who are attracted to games like this. Chords and their inversion can be a difficult skill to master quickly, but that seems to be no problem after using this app for a week or two.
Purchase Inversion Invasion on iTunes for iPad for: $FREE
Have you already downloaded and used this app? Leave us a comment and let us know what you thought. -Rebecca
Read MoreApp for Music Education Mozart Interactive
This review is for: Mozart Interactive
Kid/Student Ratings: ***** 5/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 4/5
FREE
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $ Free
Age Recommended: 2 – 12 years
Skills Developed: Listening Repetition and Interaction
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this app: Mozart’s Rondo Alla Turca has never been so much fun! This tune has been running around our home for the past week now. The kids are playing it on all instruments since we have heard it so much. The visual technology of this app really gives it an edge. I felt like I was watching a new pixar movie! It really is very engaging.
The cutest 10 year old is the host of the event. He gives an outstanding performance on the piano while other animated “human-like” instruments wish to join
Read MoreMusic Ed App Irish Fiddler
This review is for: Irish Fiddler
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 4/5
$1.99
$1.99
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $1.99
Age Recommended: All ages of violin/fiddle players
Skills Developed: 3 Irish Fiddle Tunes are taught, ornamented, and put into a set
App Tested on iPad/iPhone
Good Stuff about this app: For already established violin/fiddle players, this app is a gem. The sweetest 15 year old and very accomplished Fiddler from Ireland takes you step by step through three popular Irish fiddle tunes so you can play them just as well.
Each of the tunes has 3 separate lessons and you can even print the music if you
Read MoreMusic Ed App Review for Sheet Music Direct
This review is for the music education app: Sheet Music Direct
Kid/Student Ratings: ***** 5/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 4/5
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $FREE
Age Recommended: All Ages of established musicians
Skills Developed: Music Library Organizer, Key Transposer, Practice Helper
App Tested on iPad (available only on iPad)
Good Stuff about this app: Well, well my life just became easier… again. This app is really quite revolutionary. I know I’ve said that before, but these developers never cease to amaze me. Gigging musicians will flip for this app.
With this free app (yes, free- no ads), you gain an instant music library right
Read MoreRecorder Master
This review is for Recorder Master
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 5/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 5/5
FREE
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $FREE
Age Recommended: 4-12 yrs.
Skills Developed: How to play the recorder instrument including: ear training, fingering, breath control, timing, concentration.
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this app: I have been bursting at the seams with excitement over this app. I couldn’t wait to share it with my readers. Before I go any further let me just let you know that I don’t think any more fun can be had learning to play the recorder.
I used 5 different kids to test this one and they all begged to not have to stop playing the game. Ha, they didn’t even realize the great skills they were learning!
Read MoreChord Detector
This review is for: Chord Detector
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: *** 3/5
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $2.99
Age Recommended: All Ages of Guitar Players
Skills Developed: A quick guide to the chords in selected tunes
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this app: My guitar playing/teaching son gave this one a test for a few days a couple of weeks ago. This is what he said when he first opened the app: ”My life has just been changed forever. This technology is incredible!”
And, incredible it is. This app takes any selected tune (from your iTunes) and detects the chords that go along with the melody. It then shows them to you in an “almost timely” manner with the fingerings and everything. Really? Yah.
Although musicians should understand that there are multiple chord ideas/shapes found within certain melodies, this app gives you a guide to go on.
If you are a musician/guitar player who has ever spent hours working out the chords to a favorite song, then your life will have changed a bit as well after using this app. It’s like having your own personal guide to chord ideas within any melody.
Our Wish List: Well as amazing as the technology is within this app, it’s just not really that accurate. I’m not going to complain too much though because the you can avoid many brain cramps while working out the chords of certain tunes.
We tested it on tune after tune. It was wrong on many of the chords used in complicated classical music, but pretty darn accurate for more simple bluegrass and blues. It seems to be following the melody. (even if a guitar is being played in the recording)
We will be watching the updates to see what improves because this idea is just really nifty.
My Love: This app has a capo function on it! Yeah!! It has to be the very best feature here. You can capo your guitar while using this function which helps you be able to use more familiar chord shapes. Cool!
Summary: All-in-all we really think the technology used in the making of this app is just the beginning of a bridge to new music education. How much more simple life is becoming. Good job developers!
Purchase Chord Detector in iTunes for iPad/iPhone/iPod for: $2.99
Have you already downloaded and used this app? If so, please leave us a comment and let us know what you thought. Thanks -Rebecca
Read MoreMusic Theory for Beginners
This review is for: Music Theory for Beginners
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $2.99
Age Recommended: (good readers) 5 to adult
Skills Developed: All music theory related to how it is presented on the piano
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this app: Well, I have been waiting to find an app that has all the nitty-gritty music theory for students really studying music. I found it!
Music Theory for Beginners is a HUGE app. I can’t believe all of the skills involved. It truly is amazing. I was speechless the first time I opened it.
I wonder if theory workbooks will go out of “style”? After seeing this app, the answer is “YES”. The day has come for all to move over to the app world for many interactive education needs.
A knowledgeable owl guides you through the lessons and lets you know when you either chose a right or wrong answer. My favorite is when he whistles at you to hussle. :)
Read MoreJazzy Day Swinging With The Big Band
This review is for Jazzy Day – Swinging With The Big Band. Melody Book.
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 5/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $4.99
Age Recommended: 2 – 10 years
Skills Developed: Jazz music characteristics and typical jazz instruments
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this app: I am thrilled to be able to introduce this app to you all. Jazzy Day – Swinging With The Big Band is a fun and interactive story that will teach your child about jazz music and the instruments typically used to play jazz. The book features sounds from REAL acoustic instruments and really great jazz music.
Two kittens and their father take you on an outing to see the Big Band play. How cool is that!?
There are several different activities in this book, but my very favorite is
Read MoreFret Tester
App Name: Fret Tester
Kid/Student Ratings: **** 4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: **** 4/5
Educational Value: Excellent
Price: $1.99
Age Recommended: All Guitar Learners
Skills Developed: Guitar Note Finding/Naming/Reading
App Tested on iPad
Good Stuff about this app: Okay guitar people, I’ve found a good one for you. This app is absolutely perfect for guitar/mandolin/bass learners. I have been super excited to show you all this one. It’s like an interactive note finder. I love the simplicity of the page where it simply gives you colored dots on the fret and you have to pick which note it is. Love it! We’re using it in our guitar studio for all ages of learners.
Another great aspect of it is that you can change from guitar to either mandolin or bass (including 5 string bass). Yeah! I have a son who plays 5 string bass and he always says he has no
Read MoreCleartune Tuner
App Name: Cleartune (Tuner)
Teacher/Parent Ratings: ***** 5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $2.99
Age Recommended: All Musicians
Skills Developed: Intonation
App Tested on iPad/iPhone
Good Stuff about this app: Cleartune is my absolute favorite tuner! I have 3 different ones on my iPad. The dial on it doesn’t go wiggling out of control like some of the other ones I have. It apparently has a really strong input for sound because it can hear you even if there is some other noise in the room. Funny thing I noticed at my last studio recital- my accompanist was using her iPhone on the piano as the students lined up to tune. COOL.
I really like that there are options on this app for changing
Read MoreMaximus Musicus
App Name: Music Maximus
Kid Tester Ratings: ***** 4/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: ***** 5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $0.99
Age Recommended: 1 and up
Skills Developed: music exploration, music appreciation, repetition skills, instrument identification, symphony orchestra introductions
App Tested on iPad/iPhone
Good Stuff about this app: How charming! This app is absolutely adorable. Maximus the mouse guides you into a wonderful world of orchestral music (performed by the Iceland Symphony Orchestra). In this app, there are several different areas to be explored including playing games with instruments such as a harp, xylophone, and piano. This app really is very appropriate for several different ages. I envision many parents using this as story time for their youngest ones (age 2-5). I also can see how much value this app would have in a school environment when exploring orchestral music. There are so many neat little tid-bits of information inside this app. I even learned that Pandora’s Box wasn’t really a box at all!
This app is designed for opening a world of orchestral music through mini-games within. There are board puzzles (with fabulous symphony orchestra music playing in the background), imitation game-play on different instruments, and more. One of the fun little games within is “Maxi’s Dream”, where Maximus is riding on a mallet (for percussion). He is dreaming of cheese and has to fly over the yellow cheese wedges. If he accidentally gets the green cheese, it says he has a tummy ache. The youngest ones really thought this was fun!
My wish list: Knowing that this game was made by real musicians, I expected all of the instrument sounds within this app to be real instruments. That is not the case in the game of “Mystery Box” where you must listen to the instrument being played and then pick the correct one. Honestly, the kids I tested this with couldn’t tell the difference between some of them since it only sounds like the octave is different (computer generated tones). Hmmm… is this a possible future upgrade? Because it would be a top of the list app if so.
My Love: The wonderful artwork in the app coincides with the picture books available by these same developers. The fact that they have dedicated their musical careers towards children and symphony music education makes me stand and applaud!
Summary: All-in-all we think this app is precious and really very good. Elementary Ed teachers would be in heaven if they could use this during their orchestra units. I think it’s the perfect bed time story for young ones as well. Speaking of stories, apparently Maximus has more books out all encouraging symphony orchestra skills and appreciation.
To purchase Maximus Music on iTunes for iPad/iPhone for: $0.99 
Have you already downloaded and used Maximus Music? If so, leave us a comment and let us know what you thought. Thanks – Rebecca
Read More
Pluto Piano
App Name: Pluto Piano (Pluto Learns Piano)
Kid Tester Ratings: ***** 5/5
Teacher/Parent Ratings: ***** 5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price $FREE
Recommended Ages: 4 and up
Skills Developed: Note Reading, Song Recognition/Repetition, Music Enthusiasm, Timing, Pitch
App tested on: iPad
Good stuff about this app: I’m not sure if I can say enough about this app. It is absolutely amazing! If you haven’t downloaded it yet,
Read MorePiano Monkey
App Name: Piano Monkey
Kid/Teen Testers Ratings: **** 4/5
Mom/Teacher/Adult Ratings: **** 4/5
Educational Value: Excellent
Fun Factor: low MEDIUM high
Price: $.99
Recommended Ages: 4 and up
Skills Developed: Note Names
Reviewed on: iPad (available for iPad, iPhone, )
Good stuff about this app:
As if the fun “popping” sound isn’t enough, the smiling monkey will attract the kids who are learning their notes. This app has all the flash card goodness in a fun atmosphere. Learners are able to choose which clef they would like to work on; treble clef, bass clef, or
Rhythm Repeat
App Name: Rhythm Repeat
Kid/Teen Testers Ratings: **** 4/5
Mom/Teacher/Adult Ratings: **** 4/5
Educational Value: Very Good
Fun Factor: low medium HIGH
Price: $.99
Recommended Ages: 8 and up
Skills Developed: Rhythm Repetition
Reviewed on: iPad (available for iPad, iPhone, iPod)
My 9 year old (drummer) son has kept me hopping with this one. He is hooked. We really liked this app this week! It’s a simple “repeat this rhythm” game on steroids.
Good stuff about this app:
Trae and I worked on this app for more than a week now as well as some of my teen students. There are more than 300 different melodies and rhythm patterns featured on this app. The idea is to listen and watch as the pattern is played, and then repeat it back as
My Note Games
App Name: My Note Games
Kid Testers Ratings: **** 4/5
Mom/Teacher Ratings: ***** 5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: ($FREE introductory) or $5.99 (bundle)
Recommended Ages: All (even though it is designed for kids, I used it for pitch training for myself with my voice, and found it challenging and really pretty darn fun).
Skills Developed: Note Reading
Reviewed on: iPad/iPhone (available for both)
I have had several students, my own children, and myself test this app over the course of 2 weeks. And, the consensus is…..(drumroll)… we LOVE it!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
Read MoreRhythm Sight Reading Trainer
App Name: Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer
Student Testers Ratings: **** 4/5
Mom/Teacher Ratings: ***** 5/5
Educational Value: Superior
Price: $2.99
Recommended Ages: 7+ to adult
Skills Developed: Rhythm Reading
Reviewed on: iPad/iPhone (available for both)
I have been using this app myself as well as had four different music students of varying level test this app. And, the consensus is…..(drumroll)… we really like it!
Good Stuff about this app:
Okay, technology is really cool and the maker of this app has really found a good use for it within the music education world. The metronome is spot on and your job is to tap the rhythms you see to the beat. The app detects how close you were to being on and gives you a score at the end of the exercise. It is really easy to change the tempo by just sliding the metal bar up and down on the classical metronome. You can change the tones of the drum you tap and it even has the ability to change for those who are left-handed ! Wow. Maybe this app developer has thought of everything.
I thought the ear-training feature on this app was really cool…. and really kind of advanced if you want it to be. I obviously could use it more often. My scores weren’t so good at first. You just listen to the rhythm being played and then “tap” “tap” yourself and see what score you get. It gets very advanced once you notch the rhythm up.
When used in practice mode, users can just tap tap until they have it all ready to test. Then, you simply start the metronome to take a test. After the test, colored notes show up to show you where exactly you tapped. It’s kind of unnerving for professional musicians to find out they aren’t always exactly on. Practice, practice. Then (a super-nifty feature) you touch the envelope provided and you can email your test to your teacher. Seriously? How cool is that. They receive a graphic of what you did.
My LOVE: Brains of today crave instant feedback and a do-it-yourself possibility. This app has all of that. No more need for a hovering instructor waiting to poke in when you’ve made a mistake. This app politely lets you know by your score and a color-coded graphic of where your notes are.
Our Wish List: The striving teenagers and adults have been really liking it. I know rhythms can be exciting, but this app just doesn’t seem to leave the younger crowd craving more. It could improve this by offering levels or something that drives you to either go faster, repeat more, or just try to make it to the next page of 3/4 times. Think, think. It is a very good tool for sight reading, the littler sized peops didn’t want to keep playing it on their own, I can assign it as a teacher/parent and they’ll gladly do it though.
Summary: This app is absolutely AWESOME for learning how to sight read rhythms. I wish all of my students/children would spend 10 minutes a day on it. Good Job RolfsApps!
Buy Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer on itunes for $2.99 Now:
iPad: 
iPhone:
Have you already downloaded this app and used it? Leave your comments here and tell us what you thought of it. Thanks! -Rebecca
Connect With Me
About Me
Hi, I’m Rebecca. I am an active music teacher, a professional performing musician, and a mom of young musicians with apps. I love apps! The speed and ease of learning is incredible with today’s technology and I tend to use it to its fullest. I aim to only feature the best of the best here. Join Me! Categories
Sponsors
