diff --git a/rslib/Cargo.toml b/rslib/Cargo.toml
index 5eda132bd..9e69275f4 100644
--- a/rslib/Cargo.toml
+++ b/rslib/Cargo.toml
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ num_enum = "0.4.2"
 # pinned as any changes could invalidate sqlite indexes
 unicase = "=2.6.0"
 futures = "0.3.4"
+rand = "0.7.3"
+num-integer = "0.1.42"
 
 # pinned until rusqlite 0.22 comes out
 [target.'cfg(target_vendor="apple")'.dependencies.rusqlite]
diff --git a/rslib/src/notes.rs b/rslib/src/notes.rs
index 47966aa1e..b40537ffa 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notes.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notes.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ use crate::err::{AnkiError, Result};
 use crate::notetype::NoteTypeID;
 use crate::text::strip_html_preserving_image_filenames;
 use crate::timestamp::TimestampSecs;
-use crate::{define_newtype, types::Usn};
-use std::convert::TryInto;
+use crate::{collection::Collection, define_newtype, types::Usn};
+use num_integer::Integer;
+use std::{collections::HashSet, convert::TryInto};
 
 define_newtype!(NoteID, i64);
 
@@ -20,12 +21,26 @@ pub struct Note {
     pub mtime: TimestampSecs,
     pub usn: Usn,
     pub tags: Vec<String>,
-    pub fields: Vec<String>,
+    pub(crate) fields: Vec<String>,
     pub(crate) sort_field: Option<String>,
     pub(crate) checksum: Option<u32>,
 }
 
 impl Note {
+    pub(crate) fn new(ntid: NoteTypeID, field_count: usize) -> Self {
+        Note {
+            id: NoteID(0),
+            guid: guid(),
+            ntid,
+            mtime: TimestampSecs(0),
+            usn: Usn(0),
+            tags: vec![],
+            fields: vec!["".to_string(); field_count],
+            sort_field: None,
+            checksum: None,
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn fields(&self) -> &Vec<String> {
         &self.fields
     }
@@ -58,9 +73,23 @@ impl Note {
         self.sort_field = Some(sort_field.into());
         self.checksum = Some(checksum);
         self.mtime = TimestampSecs::now();
-        // hard-coded for now
         self.usn = usn;
     }
+
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    pub(crate) fn nonempty_fields(&self) -> HashSet<u16> {
+        self.fields
+            .iter()
+            .enumerate()
+            .filter_map(|(ord, s)| {
+                if s.trim().is_empty() {
+                    None
+                } else {
+                    Some(ord as u16)
+                }
+            })
+            .collect()
+    }
 }
 
 /// Text must be passed to strip_html_preserving_image_filenames() by
@@ -69,3 +98,51 @@ pub(crate) fn field_checksum(text: &str) -> u32 {
     let digest = sha1::Sha1::from(text).digest().bytes();
     u32::from_be_bytes(digest[..4].try_into().unwrap())
 }
+
+fn guid() -> String {
+    anki_base91(rand::random())
+}
+
+fn anki_base91(mut n: u64) -> String {
+    let table = b"abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ\
+                 0123456789!#$%&()*+,-./:;<=>?@[]^_`{|}~";
+    let mut buf = String::new();
+    while n > 0 {
+        let (q, r) = n.div_rem(&(table.len() as u64));
+        buf.push(table[r as usize] as char);
+        n = q;
+    }
+
+    buf.chars().rev().collect()
+}
+
+impl Collection {
+    pub fn add_note(&mut self, note: &mut Note) -> Result<()> {
+        self.transact(None, |col| {
+            println!("fixme: need to add cards, abort if no cards generated, etc");
+            // fixme: proper index
+            note.prepare_for_update(0, col.usn()?);
+            col.storage.add_note(note)
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::{anki_base91, field_checksum};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_base91() {
+        // match the python implementation for now
+        assert_eq!(anki_base91(0), "");
+        assert_eq!(anki_base91(1), "b");
+        assert_eq!(anki_base91(u64::max_value()), "Rj&Z5m[>Zp");
+        assert_eq!(anki_base91(1234567890), "saAKk");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_field_checksum() {
+        assert_eq!(field_checksum("test"), 2840236005);
+        assert_eq!(field_checksum("今日"), 1464653051);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
index 0287a2ed2..22a59b9fa 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/mod.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ use crate::{
     collection::Collection,
     define_newtype,
     err::{AnkiError, Result},
+    notes::Note,
     template::{without_legacy_template_directives, FieldRequirements, ParsedTemplate},
     text::ensure_string_in_nfc,
     timestamp::TimestampSecs,
@@ -163,6 +164,10 @@ impl NoteType {
         self.ensure_names_unique();
         self.update_requirements();
     }
+
+    pub fn new_note(&self) -> Note {
+        Note::new(self.id, self.fields.len())
+    }
 }
 
 impl From<NoteType> for NoteTypeProto {
diff --git a/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs b/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs
index 16e3bf702..ca8f8f5f7 100644
--- a/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/notetype/schemachange.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ impl Collection {
             Some(map) => map,
         };
 
-        let nids = self.search_notes(&format!("mid:{}", nt.id))?;
+        let nids = self.search_notes_only(&format!("mid:{}", nt.id))?;
         let usn = self.usn()?;
         for nid in nids {
             let mut note = self.storage.get_note(nid)?.unwrap();
@@ -63,11 +63,35 @@ impl Collection {
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test {
     use crate::collection::open_test_collection;
+    use crate::err::Result;
 
     #[test]
-    fn fields() {
-        let mut _col = open_test_collection();
+    fn fields() -> Result<()> {
+        let mut col = open_test_collection();
+        let mut nt = col
+            .storage
+            .get_full_notetype(col.get_current_notetype_id().unwrap())?
+            .unwrap();
+        let mut note = nt.new_note();
+        assert_eq!(note.fields.len(), 2);
+        note.fields = vec!["one".into(), "two".into()];
+        col.add_note(&mut note)?;
 
-        // fixme: need note adding before we can check this
+        nt.add_field("three");
+        col.update_notetype(&mut nt)?;
+
+        let note = col.storage.get_note(note.id)?.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            note.fields,
+            vec!["one".to_string(), "two".into(), "".into()]
+        );
+
+        nt.fields.remove(1);
+        col.update_notetype(&mut nt)?;
+
+        let note = col.storage.get_note(note.id)?.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(note.fields, vec!["one".to_string(), "".into()]);
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/rslib/src/storage/note/add.sql b/rslib/src/storage/note/add.sql
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d4b12b6b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rslib/src/storage/note/add.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+insert into notes (
+    id,
+    guid,
+    mid,
+    mod,
+    usn,
+    tags,
+    flds,
+    sfld,
+    csum,
+    flags,
+    data
+  )
+values
+  (
+    (
+      case
+        when ?1 in (
+          select
+            id
+          from notes
+        ) then (
+          select
+            max(id) + 1
+          from notes
+        )
+        else ?1
+      end
+    ),
+    ?,
+    ?,
+    ?,
+    ?,
+    ?,
+    ?,
+    ?,
+    ?,
+    0,
+    ""
+  )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rslib/src/storage/note/mod.rs b/rslib/src/storage/note/mod.rs
index 3ae2906ab..9faf7e80a 100644
--- a/rslib/src/storage/note/mod.rs
+++ b/rslib/src/storage/note/mod.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use crate::{
     err::Result,
     notes::{Note, NoteID},
     tags::{join_tags, split_tags},
+    timestamp::TimestampMillis,
 };
 use rusqlite::{params, OptionalExtension};
 
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ impl super::SqliteStorage {
 
     /// Caller must call note.prepare_for_update() prior to calling this.
     pub(crate) fn update_note(&self, note: &Note) -> Result<()> {
+        assert!(note.id.0 != 0);
         let mut stmt = self.db.prepare_cached(include_str!("update.sql"))?;
         stmt.execute(params![
             note.guid,
@@ -47,11 +49,29 @@ impl super::SqliteStorage {
             note.mtime,
             note.usn,
             join_tags(&note.tags),
-            join_fields(&note.fields),
+            join_fields(&note.fields()),
             note.sort_field.as_ref().unwrap(),
             note.checksum.unwrap(),
             note.id
         ])?;
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    pub(crate) fn add_note(&self, note: &mut Note) -> Result<()> {
+        assert!(note.id.0 == 0);
+        let mut stmt = self.db.prepare_cached(include_str!("add.sql"))?;
+        stmt.execute(params![
+            TimestampMillis::now(),
+            note.guid,
+            note.ntid,
+            note.mtime,
+            note.usn,
+            join_tags(&note.tags),
+            join_fields(&note.fields()),
+            note.sort_field.as_ref().unwrap(),
+            note.checksum.unwrap(),
+        ])?;
+        note.id.0 = self.db.last_insert_rowid();
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }