Review Insights · App Store
Flashnote Derby
Luke Bartolomeo · 76 ratings · ★ 3.6
3.6
★★★★★
76 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 15 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"students"
5 negative reviews mention this · 33% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Kristine. This game WAS fantastic until the recent update. My students loved doing this and j had so many of them purchase and download it. The fact that the horses or Pegasus are not racing and there is only one alien ship now makes it one dimension…" - KHH22!
2
"note"
5 negative reviews mention this · 33% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Not recognizing E. This is a very fun app and useful, except that it keeps not recognizing the E note. It marks a big X when it is clearly the E note being played on the piano, it also sometimes recognizes it but most of the time it doesn’t. Is this happening…" - RVonApps
3
"update"
4 negative reviews mention this · 27% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Kristine. This game WAS fantastic until the recent update. My students loved doing this and j had so many of them purchase and download it. The fact that the horses or Pegasus are not racing and there is only one alien ship now makes it one dimension…" - KHH22!
4
"teacher"
4 negative reviews mention this · 27% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Luke Bartolomeo does not respond!. I am a teacher. I've been using this app for several years after other teachers highly recommended it. The app itself is good for the most part, but I've had some issues that are not working for my studio. I started having issues with being…" - Amazonchic
5
"game"
3 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Kristine. This game WAS fantastic until the recent update. My students loved doing this and j had so many of them purchase and download it. The fact that the horses or Pegasus are not racing and there is only one alien ship now makes it one dimension…" - KHH22!
6
"makes"
3 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Kristine. This game WAS fantastic until the recent update. My students loved doing this and j had so many of them purchase and download it. The fact that the horses or Pegasus are not racing and there is only one alien ship now makes it one dimension…" - KHH22!
7
"being"
3 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Not recognizing E. This is a very fun app and useful, except that it keeps not recognizing the E note. It marks a big X when it is clearly the E note being played on the piano, it also sometimes recognizes it but most of the time it doesn’t. Is this happening…" - RVonApps
8
"piano"
3 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Not recognizing E. This is a very fun app and useful, except that it keeps not recognizing the E note. It marks a big X when it is clearly the E note being played on the piano, it also sometimes recognizes it but most of the time it doesn’t. Is this happening…" - RVonApps
9
"correct"
3 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Low instruments don’t work. Tried playing this game with bassoon students today. The note recognition didn’t work when they were playing the correct octave, but when I started playing an octave above it worked." - bassoon teacher
10
"notes"
3 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "No updates for years, can’t do what I want. I can’t use an external audio interface with this; it’s too buggy. I want my students to be able to silently practice their notes on guitar, and I can’t do that. No updates for 4 years means I doubt this or any future bugs will be fixed. Th…" - MrGoodReviews
11
"questions"
3 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Luke Bartolomeo does not respond!. I am a teacher. I've been using this app for several years after other teachers highly recommended it. The app itself is good for the most part, but I've had some issues that are not working for my studio. I started having issues with being…" - Amazonchic
12
"answer"
3 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Luke Bartolomeo does not respond!. I am a teacher. I've been using this app for several years after other teachers highly recommended it. The app itself is good for the most part, but I've had some issues that are not working for my studio. I started having issues with being…" - Amazonchic
📋 All 15 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Inaccurate note detection and variable speed
Waste of money
No updates for years, can’t do what I want
I can’t use an external audio interface with this; it’s too buggy. I want my students to be able to silently practice their notes on guitar, and I can’t do that. No updates for 4 years means I doubt this or any future bugs will be fixed. This product may be near end-of-life.
EDIT: website says last update was nov. 2017. Looks like two minor updates since then, the last being 2019.
EDIT: website says last update was nov. 2017. Looks like two minor updates since then, the last being 2019.
Unusable
Hello: this is not accessible by my students. When I send it to them, there is a message that says “Safari will not support it.”
Could you please help. I have a lot of students, Android and Apple, and no one can open it. Thanks!
Could you please help. I have a lot of students, Android and Apple, and no one can open it. Thanks!
I can only give the app one star because it won’t open
After the most recent update my version won’t update. I have an iPad Pro and have not received any customer support.
It boos if you get it wrong
It's for kids and it boos you if you get too many wrong. I would not let my child play with that!
Almost good
I got this to help a child review notes. The first time, she got 8/10 right, and the game makes noises like she lost/did a bad job. Totally threw her off. A big disappointment.
Teacher
Terrible App.
Kristine
This game WAS fantastic until the recent update. My students loved doing this and j had so many of them purchase and download it. The fact that the horses or Pegasus are not racing and there is only one alien ship now makes it one dimensional and not nearly as good as it used to be. Hoping it goes back to how it used to be. We will be looking for a new game in the meantime
Not recognizing E
This is a very fun app and useful, except that it keeps not recognizing the E note. It marks a big X when it is clearly the E note being played on the piano, it also sometimes recognizes it but most of the time it doesn’t. Is this happening to anyone else? It’s just a problem with that one note. It’s worth saying we have only used middle C to G as of now. So don’t k own if other flaws are lurking. Hadn’t had this issue with a competing app.
Low instruments don’t work
Tried playing this game with bassoon students today. The note recognition didn’t work when they were playing the correct octave, but when I started playing an octave above it worked.
Luke Bartolomeo does not respond!
I am a teacher. I've been using this app for several years after other teachers highly recommended it. The app itself is good for the most part, but I've had some issues that are not working for my studio. I started having issues with being unable to set a master device and clone my other devices. Although Luke followed up to my initial request, asking if I am logged in, when I answered his questions to explain this issue is not on my end as a user not being logged in, he never responded despite multiple emails. In good conscience, I can not recommend this to my students when the app developer is admittedly MIA. I will use other apps instead.
I will update IF the developer ever fixes this and responds to my emails.
I will update IF the developer ever fixes this and responds to my emails.
Glitches
Flashnote Derby is a great way for children to practice note reading. The pacing allows children to think before they answer and it records progress. However, the free teacher features are frustrating when you can’t access them. The system suddenly doesn’t seem to recognize my password and I can’t reset it myself . I’ve tried with several accounts and emailed the developer three times with no response or resolution.
Great Potential
I agree with another reviewer who pointed that the app “boos” when they miss a note. Saying “awww” with the ability to keep trying until you get it correct.
Also, I find the website lacking severely in showing you how the app looks on the student end. Sending and creating a drill is not clear. You also can’t ask questions on the site.
Keep trying, because I like it otherwise.
Also, I find the website lacking severely in showing you how the app looks on the student end. Sending and creating a drill is not clear. You also can’t ask questions on the site.
Keep trying, because I like it otherwise.
Some big developmental flaws
This app was recommended by my 8yo's piano teacher. I could be great, but he was quickly frustrated with it. The cheering when he gets a correct answer is good, but does there really have to be a loud "awwww!" or, even worse, "booooo!" for a wrong answer?
Also, the letter choices are in a font that can be confusing for young children: namely the D can be easily confused with a lowercase A, flipped right to left (but that is lost on many children at this age). Simple block letters would be a more appropriate choice.
Once we straightened out which letter was which and turned the sound off, it went better, but that was rather too late.
Also, the letter choices are in a font that can be confusing for young children: namely the D can be easily confused with a lowercase A, flipped right to left (but that is lost on many children at this age). Simple block letters would be a more appropriate choice.
Once we straightened out which letter was which and turned the sound off, it went better, but that was rather too late.
Great concept. Reward system could use improvement!
I was excited to find this app to help my 4 year old daughter read notes better. She plays the piano and is beginning to read notes, but isn't fluent yet, so I thought this app might help. (She reads on a 3rd grade level, so I think she is capable of learning how to read notes.) Most kid apps we have are encouraging and use positive reinforcement. If you miss a question, you are encouraged to try again, and when you get it right, there's some sort of positive reinforcement. However, in this app, if you answer incorrectly, you hear "boo" sounds and unless you get all questions right, you lose and a sad tune is played. It's not encouraging at all and makes her not want to try again. If this was fixed, it would be a great app. But not as is.
Sentiment summary
58%
Positive (4-5★)
14%
Neutral (3★)
28%
Negative (1-2★)