Frequently Asked Questions
I have downloaded music to my device as a file. Do I have to print and photograph it?
You can import it directly into What’s My Note? See instructions in the User Guide.
Can I change that electronic sound What’s My Note? makes when it plays?
Yes. We offer several choices on our Settings page. We do not allow you to import your own sounds.
Can What’s My Note? play parts that are written an octave higher or lower than sung?
Yes. We offer three choices: Play as written, adjust for tenor voice (written an octave higher than sung), and adjust for women’s barbershop bass (written an octave lower than sung).
Can I photograph music from my iPhone and play it on my iPad?
Yes. To enable sharing in IOS, tap the sync icon 
on the Music View, then turn on Activate Sync Music.
Can What’s My Note? read Sweet Adelines sheet music?
Sometimes, but not always. A lot of Sweet Adelines music was typeset decades ago, and does not conform to layout standards required by What’s My Note? See our Document Requirements page.
Can What’s My Note? play instrumental parts?
Sometimes, but only by chance. What’s My Note? was designed for choral music. Instrumental parts may use different clefs, or stray into ranges where the voice cannot reach. Some band parts do not even include the clef and key signature after the first line.
Can I change the color of the music displayed by What’s My Note?
For Apple devices only, we offer three colors on our Settings page.
Will What’s My Note? improve my singing?
To the extent that it helps you learn notes, yes. But knowing the notes is only a small part of vocal technique. To sing well, you must engage the whole package.
Why doesn’t What’s My Note? use the flash?
The flash on your device was designed for long-distance photography. When used with a document at close range, it is too bright in the center of the page, and too dark around the edges.
Can What’s My Note? play a piece from start to finish?
Only if you drag your finger over your part from start to finish.
Will What’s My Note? work with my device?
See the Device Requirements page.
What’s My Note? won’t read my music. What should I do?
Send us a copy of the music!
Can What’s My Note? play more than one note at a time?
No.
Can I share the music in What’s My Note? with friends?
No. To do so could be a violation of copyright.
Can What’s My Note? play the guitar chords in a chart?
No. What’s My Note? plays vocal lines only.
Can What’s My Note? read C clefs?
No. Let us know if you have a serious need for this feature, and we might consider adding it.
Who is the singer on the demo video? Does she really sound that bad?
She is Mary Elizabeth Cobb, an actress and voice artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a very fine singer in real life. On the video, she is acting.
Who are the authors of What’s My Note?
What’s My Note? was written by two veteran programmers, Loren Platzman and Bill Schauweker, who have worked together for over twenty years. Neither is a singer, but Loren is a classical pianist who has accompanied singers since his sister enlisted him at age seven.
How does the software read music?
What’s My Note? is, at heart, a work of artificial intelligence. As is conventional for such endeavors, we have assembled a collection of manually annotated samples, currently numbering about three hundred pages of music. We then use a deep learning algorithm (ID3) to analyze the sample images and deduce rules for parsing them. These rules are included in the part of the product that runs on mobile devices, enabling it to read music provided by the user. As customers discover music that does not parse correctly, we add this music to our sample collection, and regenerate the rules. Given new samples, the rules become smarter, and the product becomes more accurate. This is why we ask you to send us a copy of your music if the software is having trouble reading it.
My group would like to perform your arrangement of Happy Birthday. Where can I find the sheet music?
It’s included in the app, but it’s also posted here. And if you make a video, do us know! We’d love to list it on our News page.