Synthesia uses falling colored bars like a rhythm game — fun, but it won't teach you to read notation. Piano Nova is the Synthesia alternative that teaches you real sheet music: upload any PDF, photo or MusicXML, and Solo, its built-in teacher, listens as you play and takes you through it bar by bar. Full feature, pricing, and use-case comparison below.
| Feature | Piano Nova | Synthesia |
|---|---|---|
| Upload your own scores | PDF, MusicXML, images | MIDI & MusicXML files |
| Teacher that listens | Lessons bar by bar, names each wrong key | Scores hits and misses, no lessons |
| Microphone input (acoustic piano) | Beta | MIDI only |
| Sheet music display | Real notation | Falling notes only |
| PDF & image upload | Smart conversion | Not supported |
| Tempo control | ||
| Loop sections | ||
| Hands-separate practice | ||
| Practice mode (waits for you) | ||
| Per-bar progress tracking | Marked on the score itself | |
| Graded run-throughs | Accuracy, plus the bars to redo | |
| Sight-reading practice | Real notation builds skill | Falling notes don't |
| Built-in song library | Bring your own | 150+ songs included |
| Platform | Web browser (desktop, Android, iPhone) | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS |
| Pricing | 14-day free trial, then $149.99/yr; or $6.99/wk; $249 lifetime for members | Free tier, $29 one-time |
This is one of the most common questions from pianists considering Synthesia. The short answer: no. Synthesia uses a falling-notes display — colored bars drop down the screen, and you press the matching keys. It's visually engaging, but it's not sheet music.
If you're learning piano to eventually read notation — for exams, playing in ensembles, or working through classical repertoire — falling notes won't build that skill. You need to practice reading real staves, clefs, time signatures, and dynamics. That's what sheet music apps like Piano Nova provide.
Piano Nova renders your uploaded scores as full traditional notation, the same sheet music you'd have on a music stand, and teaches you to play from it. Its teacher takes a few bars at a time and listens as you play, so reading and playing grow together.
Synthesia is great value if you want a game-like piano experience with falling notes, and its one-time price is hard to beat. But if you want to learn to play from real sheet music, with someone telling you what went wrong, Piano Nova is built for you.
Upload a PDF, a photo, or a MusicXML file. Solo teaches it bar by bar and picks up tomorrow where you stopped. Or practise alone: slow it down and loop the hard parts.
Start your free trialPiano Nova. Synthesia's falling-notes display is engaging but doesn't build sight-reading. Piano Nova renders full notation from any PDF, photo, or MusicXML — what you see is the actual score, with the same staves, clefs, and dynamics you'd find on a music stand. Its built-in teacher takes you through the piece bar by bar and names each wrong key, and you also get tempo control, looping and hands-separate practice.
No. Synthesia accepts MIDI and MusicXML files but not PDFs or images. Piano Nova accepts PDF, MusicXML, and photo uploads, converting them into playable scores.
Synthesia's falling-notes display doesn't teach music reading. If you want to build sight-reading skills, you need an app that shows real notation, like Piano Nova.
Synthesia has a limited free version, and the full unlock is a one-time $29 purchase covering PC, Mac, iPad, and Android — no subscription, all future updates included. It is the cheapest option in this comparison by a wide margin. Piano Nova has a 14-day free trial on Yearly: upload any piece and Solo, its built-in teacher, takes you through it bar by bar. Paid plans start at $6.99/week.