Note Recognition Game
Hear a single note and find it by ear — the simplest, most direct way to start ear training. Real instrument sounds, free in your browser, no signup.
Start training — it's freeNo account needed. Works on phone and desktop.
How it works
- Pick any of 20+ instruments — piano, guitar, strings, winds, or brass — and a difficulty.
- Each round plays one note from your range.
- Find it on a music staff or piano keyboard (saxophonists can answer on a fingering chart). Replay the note as often as you like.
- Five rounds per game, instant feedback after every answer. A perfect game is 5/5.
The right first exercise
Interval and chord exercises assume you can already hold one pitch in your head and locate it. This mode trains exactly that foundation: hear a note, keep it in memory, find it. On Easy difficulty there are only eight candidates — a major scale — so beginners get wins immediately. From there, Medium opens a chromatic octave, Hard uses your instrument's whole range, and Custom lets you drill one register at a time.
Notation practice, included
Because you answer on a staff in written pitch, every round quietly doubles as note-reading practice on your own clef — treble, bass, alto, or grand staff, matched to your instrument. Transposing players (clarinet, trumpet, saxes, horn…) see the note exactly where it would sit on their sheet music while hearing it at concert pitch — the same translation your brain does in rehearsal.
Tips for training pitch memory
- Sing the note back before answering — matching with your voice cements the pitch far better than silent guessing.
- Stick to one instrument sound for a while. A consistent timbre gives your pitch memory a stable anchor.
- Use Custom range to focus on the register where you actually play — then widen it as you improve.
- Play daily. Pitch memory fades fast without reinforcement; the built-in streak rewards showing up.
- When single notes get easy, graduate to intervals and then chords.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the right exercise for a beginner?
Yes — single-note recognition is the easiest place to start ear training. One pitch at a time, a limited range on Easy difficulty, and instant feedback every round.
Will this give me perfect pitch?
No tool can honestly promise adult perfect pitch. What consistent practice does build is strong pitch memory and reliable relative pitch — recognizing notes quickly from context and a remembered reference, which is the skill working musicians actually use.
Do I answer on my own instrument?
You hear your instrument's real sound and answer on a music staff (or piano keys for piano). Saxophonists can answer on a fingering chart. Transposing instruments read written pitch, exactly as they would on sheet music.
Is it free?
Yes — every mode, instrument, and difficulty is free with no ads, and no account is required to play.