NoteBusters Review
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Do you have students in your studio that struggle with note reading? 10 years ago I reviewed NoteBusters, The Complete Edition. I wanted to update my review and include the new NoteBuster books!
NoteBusters, created by Karen Spurney and Steven Gross, is filled with quick one-minute exercises for students. NoteBusters includes not only The Complete Edition, but now you can find the Beginner Piano, Beginner Guitar and Beginner Violin editions. Steven shared with me, “the new books are tailored to specific instruments and ensures the most important notes are locked in.”
Beginner Piano Edition
The beginner piano edition covers 9 treble and 8 bass staff notes which would include middle C to treble D and bass C to middle C. These notes would cover students who are learning C position, middle C position and G position (not low G position).
The beginner piano edition contains 25 notes for students to name. It is divided into 4 sections.
- Section 1: Treble, On Staff- includes 7 notes.
- Section 2: Treble, On and Off-Staff adds 2 new notes.
- Section 3: Bass, On Staff includes 6 new notes.
- Section 4: Bass, On and Off-Staff adds 2 new notes.
After completing 5 exercises, students are encouraged to play the notes from that days exercise. When students complete the entire workbook, they will have identified 2,000 notes!
If you teach guitar or violin, you may be interested in the Beginner Guitar and Beginner Violin editions.
The Complete Edition
The note drill exercises in The Complete Edition cover more than 30 notes on the grand staff.The cover page is bright and fun and the inside layout is very clean and organized. It is divided into 6 sections, adding more notes on the grand staff to drill. As explained on the website, “The first three sections cover notes that appear on the treble, bass, and grand staves. The final three sections cover notes both on and off the staff (ledger line notes). Each one-minute exercise contains 20–24 notes for the student to identify.” Included in the back of NoteBusters is an answer sheet for students to check their answers on their own.
Scroll through the sample slideshow pages below…
The great thing about NoteBusters is it can be used however you need and would like to use it. Want to use just one exercise each week? Or maybe as a class in a group setting? Maybe you want to drill several pages at a time? During lab stations or center activities? Perhaps you would like a resource for a little friendly note-reading competition? Regardless of what your goal is for a student, it can be done.
There is something to be said about repetition. By the time a student is done with NoteBusters they will have BUSTED their note reading problem away.
If you want to learn more about NoteBusters, check them out on their website.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of the Complete edition and Piano edition in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own.
Enter the Giveaway!
If you win, you can choose between the Beginner Piano, Beginner Guitar or Beginner Violin edition.
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53 Responses
We are doing note drills today in our group classes. This would be a perfect fit for my studio!
We use Flashnote Derby and a variety of apps, games, sightreading exercises, and flashcards. Always looking for something fresh and upbeat. This would be a fun addition!
I use a combination of things – worksheets, card games, one-minute drills, etc. This looks like a great book for note reading review!
I have an under the minute club where we spread the flashcards on the floor. Also intervalic reading.
We play games and use flashcards.
Been using NoteBusters for about 5 months now and it works great with my students
I use timed flashcard practice, a write-on/wipe-off staff (student names the notes I draw, or draws the notes I play/name), and speed reading exercises (students play as many written notes as they can in one minute). I just today told a 7 year old student who needs additional help that I will make a new note reading game for her before her lesson next week – this book would probably be great for her!
I would love to try these in group lessons and with students in their lessons who struggle with note naming.
I use flashcards, fun apps on my iPad and other games like “spelling” words on the staff. I would love to have access to this new resource as well!
I use Flashnotederby Derby and Flashclass apps, various drilling worksheets for homework, sight reading, getting students to notate their own compositions. This book looks like a great collection of worksheets that would be really useful. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
I use flashcards as well as have them do short sightreading activites. For my younger students, I put several notes on the staff of my dry erase board and they have to find all the “e’s” or “middle c’s”, etc. I also drill them on landmark notes. This book sounds like a great addition to my library. I would love to win, but will probably invest in it if I’m not the lucky winner.
We use flash cards, apps, my own theory note sheets, and focus on landmarks notes like everyone else. I also have them close their eyes as I call out intervals so they can visualize the staff in their head…a real brain buster!
I use a variety of Flash cards, Theory Worksheets, Activities I’ve found online and just keep trying until I find the one that speaks to the student. All new ideas are always welcome. Would love to get a copy of this book.
I do the one-minute club, Pianoanne’s barnyard friends, theory gymnastics by kjos, and a few others, but I have never heard of notebusters. I am always looking for tools to learn notes
I have key-sized flashcards that I use every fall with my returning students who must beat their own first-lesson-of-the-year time. I use the same flashcards with beginning students and I use bass clef/treble clef guide notes to start and gradually add more and more notes. I also use Susan Paradis’ speed drills and search and find worksheets. NoteBusters sounds like a very comprehensive approach and I’m intrigued!
I vary my approach each month or two. I find that changing the materials up keeps students interested and motivated. Right now I am providing a subscription to Music Learning Community for all of the studio for two months. As this subscription ends, we will have group lessons featuring games requiring note reading. Around the holidays we will use some fun apps like Note Squish and FlashNote Derby. After the holidays, I will switch to paper and pencil or flashcard timed drills. NoteBusters sounds like a great paper and pencil resource!
I use Flashcards and let students play Piano Is Fun on the computer. NoteBusters looks like a great resource.
I use this book in my studio –great resource!
Looks like a book that my students would benefit from!
Looks great!