Free browser game
Learn to read music before the note muncher eats it.
Notes glide across a real staff. Play the right key - MIDI, microphone, or computer keyboard - to zap them. Miss, and the muncher creeps closer.
Pick your instrument
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Choose a level
Why a game for note reading?
Reading sheet music is a recognition skill: see a note, name it, find the key - fast. Flashcards work, but they don't push tempo. Clef Chase adds gentle time pressure so recognition becomes automatic, the same way typing or times tables stick.
The levels follow the progression piano teachers use: treble landmarks around middle C first, then the full treble staff, ledger lines, bass clef, and finally the grand staff. Three stars means you read the level at 95% accuracy - ready for real repertoire like our interactive piano pieces. New to notation? Start with our guide on how to read sheet music.
Questions
Do I need a piano to play?
No. You can play with your computer keyboard (the A row is white keys). If you have a MIDI keyboard, plug it in for the real experience - or use the microphone with any acoustic or digital piano.
How does microphone mode work?
The game listens through your microphone and detects the pitch you play in real time, right in the browser. Nothing is recorded or uploaded - detection runs entirely on your device.
What will I learn?
Reading notes on the treble and bass clefs, from the first landmark notes around middle C to ledger lines and the full grand staff - the same progression piano teachers use.
Is it really free?
Yes. No account, no downloads, no ads. It is part of Pianodemy, an online piano lesson platform - if you enjoy it, try an interactive piece or a live lesson room next.
Which browsers are supported?
Any modern browser. MIDI input needs Chrome or Edge (Web MIDI); microphone and computer-keyboard modes work everywhere, including tablets and phones with the on-screen piano.