MIDI Staff Free

This is a one octave free version of MIDI Staff. Please try it before purchasing the full version.

This app displays keys, as they are played, on a musical staff. It also displays the letter of the pressed key. This app is intended to provide an enjoyable way to learn how to read sheet music. These kinds of musical aids have been available on desktop and laptop computers. This app runs on a tablet. Tablets sit nicely in an instrument’s sheet holder. There are a lot of musical apps out there but only a few that accept a live MIDI input. I play by ear and I have been looking for something like this for a long time. The app can be set to block out octaves at the C’s. This provides a feel for the keyboard and the musical staff. The app can be set to display flats or sharps. It also has a screen saver inhibit option. It's zoomable. The free version does not have an automatic clear stuck key algorithm. Both versions do not record anything.

The app requires Android M (Marshmallow) or higher. Android M was released in the winter of 2015. The MIDI musical instrument is connected to the Android tablet with an OTG cable. On settable keyboards, the MIDI channel should be set to default (0). The app is compatible with most, not all, MIDI adapters. I would appreciate if users would post their experience with their tablets, adapters, and keyboards. This will help to resolve compatibility issues with future users, thanks. Try MIDI Staff free to see how it runs on your instrument / system before purchasing the complete, low cost, eight octave version.
The speed of the app depends of the response of the tablet. It runs best with a fast MIDI interface and a tablet equipped with a high speed MIDI port. Tablets equipped with high speed MIDI ports will be available in 2016. The app can only keep up with a few simultaneous key presses when used with slower speed ports. Some inputs may stick when playing fast. The speed is sufficient and provides more information than can be absorbed while learning to read music.