MidiSlayer

MidiSlayer — Free Download. MIDI Sight-Reading trainer

MidiSlayer is a desktop application that trains piano sight-reading through direct MIDI keyboard connection. The software compares played notes against engraved notation in real time, marking each note as correct or incorrect at the moment it arrives. Nine training modes cover Note Flashcards, Graded Reading from Initial to Grade 8, Intervals, Chords, Arpeggios, Scales, Key Signatures, Harmony Compass, and Chord Progressions. Practice mode includes a library of 69 public-domain scores, supports custom MusicXML files, and offers Wait mode for note-by-note learning or Tempo mode for rhythm training against a metronome. Three arcade games with a daily challenge and a seven-lesson reading course complete the package. The application runs natively on macOS, Windows, and Linux, stores practice data locally, and works offline after one online activation. The free version grants full access to Note Flashcards, the entire reading course, one daily game, complete score library browsing with listening, and four playable pieces.

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Download MidiSlayer (Official links)
File size: 11.1 MB
The latest version of MidiSlayer is: 1.0.0
Operating system: Windows, Mac OS, Linux
Languages: English
Developer: Monoglyph Ltd
Price: $0.00 USD (Freemium product ($50 + free version))
  • Real-time MIDI grading. The core function compares incoming MIDI notes from a connected keyboard against the displayed score. Each note is evaluated at the exact moment it is played, with immediate visual feedback showing correct notes in one color and incorrect notes in another. Timing data is taken directly from hardware timestamps on the MIDI device, ensuring accurate measurement of note placement. A latency calibration setting compensates for acoustic instrument delays, and the results screen displays average offset in milliseconds so the player can identify rushing or dragging tendencies.
  • Note Flashcards mode. This mode displays single notes on a staff and waits for the player to strike the corresponding key on the MIDI keyboard. The system tracks response time and accuracy for each flashcard. Sessions can be configured for specific note ranges, clefs, or accidentals. This mode targets beginners who need to build the visual-to-motor connection between notation and keyboard geography without the distraction of rhythm or tempo.
  • Graded Reading ladder. A structured progression from Initial grade through Grade 8 presents sight-reading excerpts calibrated to standard examination difficulty levels. Each grade introduces incrementally complex key signatures, time signatures, rhythmic patterns, and hand position changes. The system records accuracy per grade, allowing the player to track improvement over weeks. Excerpts are generated from a database of patterns rather than repeated static examples, reducing memorization effects.
  • Intervals trainer. The application plays or displays two notes and asks the player to identify the interval by name and by playing it on the keyboard. Training covers melodic intervals, where notes sound sequentially, and harmonic intervals, where notes sound simultaneously. The mode includes compound intervals beyond the octave. The software measures both identification speed and playing accuracy, building the relative pitch skills needed for fluent score reading.
  • Chords and arpeggios mode. This function drills chord recognition and execution. The software displays a chord symbol or notated chord and waits for the player to play all notes, either simultaneously for a chord or sequentially for an arpeggio. Chord qualities include major, minor, diminished, augmented, seventh, and extended voicings. Arpeggio practice covers root position and inversions across multiple octaves. Progress is tracked per chord type and inversion.
  • Scales trainer. The application presents a scale on the staff with its key signature and waits for the player to perform it correctly. Both hands can be practiced separately or together. The mode covers major, natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales. The software verifies correct fingering only indirectly through note accuracy, as finger numbers are shown on the notation when available. Tempo is adjustable, and the system records accuracy for each scale type and key.
  • Key Signatures quiz. This mode displays a key signature on the staff and asks the player to identify the key name or play the tonic note. The reverse direction is also available, where the software names a key and the player must select or play the correct signature. The system tracks which keys cause the most errors and increases their frequency in subsequent sessions. All fifteen major and fifteen minor key signatures are covered.
  • Harmony Compass. This function presents chord progressions in various keys and asks the player to play the correct chords in sequence. The software shows the chord symbol and its position within the key, such as I, IV, V, or vi. The player must perform each chord accurately before the progression advances. The mode builds understanding of functional harmony and common chord movement patterns used in standard repertoire.
  • Chord Progressions mode. This training mode focuses on executing complete harmonic sequences rather than individual chords. The application displays a progression, such as I-vi-IV-V, in a chosen key and waits for the player to perform all chords in order. The system verifies each chord before allowing the next. Progressions can be selected from common templates or generated randomly within a key. The mode tracks accuracy per progression type and key.
  • Practice mode with score library. The application includes 69 public-domain pieces covering a range of difficulty from simple études to intermediate repertoire such as Für Elise. The software engraves each score and moves a cursor across the staff as the player performs. Two execution modes are available: Wait mode pauses the cursor until each note is played correctly, allowing note-by-note learning; Tempo mode runs a metronome and the cursor advances regardless of player errors. After each run, a results card shows per-note accuracy and timing offset.
  • Custom MusicXML import. Any MusicXML file owned by the user can be loaded into the application and engraved immediately. The software supports light and dark display themes and adjustable zoom levels for imported scores. Imported files work with both Wait mode and Tempo mode, receiving the same note-by-note grading as the built-in library. This function removes dependency on subscription-based score catalogues.
  • Seven-lesson reading course. A structured curriculum of seven text-based lessons starts with hand position and relaxation, covers the staff, Middle C, rhythm, time signatures, and key signatures, and ends with a first-week practice guide. Each lesson uses engraved musical examples rather than video. At the end of each lesson, the application directs the player to the corresponding training mode, creating an immediate transition from reading about a concept to drilling it on the keyboard.
  • Three arcade games with daily challenge. The application includes three game modes that convert sight-reading and note identification into scored challenges. A daily challenge rotates through the games, offering a fixed set of parameters each day so players can compare performance across sessions. The free version includes one daily game; the full version unlocks all three without restriction.
  • Listen function. The application can play any score from the built-in library or imported MusicXML files using its internal synthesis engine. The cursor moves along the staff in sync with the audio. Playback tempo is adjustable, and any section of the score can be looped for repeated listening. This function allows players to hear a piece before attempting it or to isolate difficult passages.
  • Local data storage. All practice history, accuracy statistics, and settings are stored in a local database on the user's machine. No cloud account is required for daily use. The application works offline after a single online activation. This design keeps practice data private and ensures the software functions without network connectivity.
  • Native desktop application. The software is built as a native application for macOS, Windows, and Linux, not as a web service. MIDI timing is stamped in a native layer rather than through browser APIs, providing lower latency and more reliable measurement. The application does not require a subscription and is sold as a one-time purchase, with Early Access status since August 2026 and regular updates from the developer.

MidiSlayer was created by Monoglyph Ltd, a software company based in the United Kingdom. The application entered Early Access in August 2026 and has received regular updates since that date. The development of MidiSlayer focuses on native desktop performance, with MIDI timing handled in a native layer to ensure accurate measurement that browser-based alternatives cannot match. The application is written in a systems programming language suitable for cross-platform desktop deployment, allowing the same codebase to produce builds for macOS, Windows, and Linux. The choice of a native stack reflects the developer's priority on low-latency MIDI processing and local data storage. Monoglyph Ltd maintains the application as a one-time purchase product without subscription fees, positioning it against competitors that rent access to score catalogues. The developer has stated that the 69 built-in scores serve as a starting point, with full MusicXML import allowing users to bring any material they own.

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