Best piano learning software & apps to kickstart your piano lessons

Best Learning Piano Software & apps reviews (Piano Lessons for Beginners to Intermediate): Learning to play an instrument has never been easier (or more convenient) thanks to these online piano lessons. Now you can take piano lessons right from the comfort of your home and you can learn to tickle the ivories at a fraction of the price you would pay to a tutor. 

Introduction

In recent years, the traditional, face-to-face world of learning to play musical instruments has undergone a change, thanks to the easy availability of digital technology.

Today, its a great time to learn to play the piano (or any other instrument) as music can now be played by anyone, from anywhere.  

Not sure if you can commit the time or money that is needed for private lessons? The next best option for you is to consider the best learning piano software.

Here, we have reviewed the best piano lessons and courses that is available online. We’ve provided detailed reviews based on various parameters so that it becomes easier for you to decide the one that is best for your needs.

In London, a piano lesson can average £40 an hour, while in the US the price can range from $70 to $100 an hour, depending on the qualification level of the tutor. Players now can try take piano lessons for a fraction of the cost, and get access to exclusive content, new lessons and one-on-one learning support.

With this, you can give yourself another opportunity to start on your musical journey and with focus, you can go on to become a master pianist. Go ahead and impress your friends and family. Play the melody, that you always wanted to play on the piano.

Though Piano software can include a gamut of software including plug-ins that are used in software sequencer, here we are going to talk about piano learning software that offers hundreds of lessons, including exercises as well as practice songs, at very competitive prices.

You have several options nowadays to take piano lessons right at your home. These software/DVD courses include video tutorials, music theory, & exercises to improve your sight-reading as well as your ear.

These educational piano software/apps have has been picked based on the quality and value it offers for the cost.

So here we go…

The Best Ones (At a Glance)

The best courses provide a complete approach to learning the piano, and provide forum access and/or option to contact via email to address your queries.

Here are our top picks for the best piano lesson software/services.

Features	Piano For All	Learn and Master Piano
Product
Rating	4.5/5	4/5
Detailed Review	Go to Piano For All Review	Go to Learn and Master Piano Review
Format	Downloadable Videos, Ebooks, Music Files; you also have the option of DVD now	Physical Product – DVDs, Lesson Book, CDs
Price	Around $40-$49 USD (Downloadable or Physical Product)	Around $150 USD (Physical Product)
No Risk Trial	Yes – 60 Days	Yes – 60 Days
Skill Level suitable for	Beginner – Intermediate	Beginner – Intermediate
Style of Piano Taught	All popular styles including Rock, Pop, Blues, Classical, Jazz, Gospel	All popular styles including Rock, Pop, Blues, Classical, Jazz, Gospel
Teaches Music Theory and Fundamentals	Yes	Yes
Product support	Email, Phone, By Post	Email, Phone, By Post
Ease of Use
Depth of content
Overall Quality	Good content and good production quality	Good content & better production quality
Pedigree of Company and Instructor	Robin Hall, the producer, is an Irish piano teacher with good musical background. This is one of the popular piano learning software, because of its affordable pricing and great mix of content.	Course is designed by ‘Legacy Learning’, who’re renowned for their instructional courses, and the lessons are presented by by Grammy Award Winning composer ‘Will Barrow’

Pianoforall Review

Best Price: Around $40
Suitable For: Beginners-Intermediates

This is the next best option if you’re on a budget and don’t want to learn from method books. Perfectly suited for an absolute beginner who doesn’t want to go through tons of learning material, and wants to quickly get started with piano playing.

A lot of beginner adults will fall in this category, and will find this a smooth reading with plenty of easy exercises. The accompanying audio and video files are also extremely useful.

As a parent, you can even use this course to teach your children and see some quick results. You can use the PianoforAll software with a PC, Mac

The aim of this course is to get you motivated fast so that you can continue learning more. They try to accomplish this by getting you started with popular Chord based Rhythm Style Piano. Once you are comfortable with that and start sounding great, you then expand step-by-step on your chord and rhythm knowledge into Blues, Ballad style, Jazz, Ragtime, Improvisation even Sight Reading Classical music. Read complete review here…

Learn and Master Piano Review

Price: $100 to $150
Suitable For: Beginners-Intermediates, Kids

This is meant for serious beginners and intermediate keyboard or piano players, looking for structured and comprehensive piano learning program. Most learners manage to get started and are able to play simple songs but very reach to a master level of piano ability. This course will show you how to reach that level, but remember that you are not going to reach there overnight. Kids 13 years and older should be able to use this course as well. It offers plenty of learning material which has the benefit of allowing you to start playing real music as soon as possible. The course teaches you both to play by ear and to read music effectively, both of which are important skills to have.

If you are motivated, looking for some serious piano instruction, and want to stick to your own schedule, this course is perfectly suited for you. Undoubtedly one of the best learning resources out there. Read complete review here…

More Piano Software Reviews

Skoove piano learning platform

Launched in 2015, Skoove piano learning platform has delivered piano lessons to thousands of beginners and experienced players alike. Unlike various other music-learning apps, Skoove’s virtual guide takes the learner through each lesson, and also provides real-time feedback that listens to the player as they practice.

Skoove helps you to learn piano online, helps you learn popular songs and the music theory behind them, shows you proper playing techniques, includes an interactive set of hundreds of lessons, also listens to your performance and gives feedback on your progress.

Skoove piano-learning platform is available to download for free on your iPad.

 

Watch: Skoove – Learn Piano

 

CEO and co-founder Dr Florian Plenge, a lifelong music fan, had been working in the music industry for over a decade, holding several key positions at Native Instruments where he helped to create the leading DJ platform Traktor. It was also where he met future Skoove co-founder Stephan Schulz.

The pair came up with the idea for Skoove in 2014 when they felt the various online piano learning software available back then, were not effective enough.

Plenge says: “We’d both had rather negative experiences of trying to learn a musical instrument with a teacher, and set out to create Skoove. We were inspired by other German tech successes, such as Babbel, which had transformed the online language-learning market. Our shared experience of changing analogue products to digital ones gave us confidence that we could digitalise musical instrument instruction.”

One of their early challenges was to create a learning environment that would provide real-time feedback for users. The solution came via the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology, which provided the technology for the real-time pitch detection via microphone.

The platform is currently being used by piano learners of all ages – across several countries. Cost comparisons between traditional one-to-one piano lessons and web tuition have also helped to increase Skoove’s appeal, says Plenge.

“We have an ongoing project with Bishop Perowne College in Birmingham, where Skoove is being used to enhance traditional teaching methods. Other pilot projects are in place with music schools and universities, where Skoove serves as a surrogate teacher, guiding students through their week of practicing and setting them up to move forward quickly during their actual lessons with instructors. It is democratising learning, expanding the market, and is complementary with the conventional supply.”

“Our most recent innovation, developing Skoove for iOS to download for free on an iPad, is another step towards making piano-playing even easier for vast numbers of people, and helping us reach our target,” says Plenge.

Website: skoove

eMedia Piano and Keyboard Method Deluxe (V3.0)

Piano and Keyboard Method Deluxe V3, a popular piano learning software program from eMedia that gives you an extensive library of at-home learning material…400+ lessons, 100+ songs and more.

 

 

• Pros: Lots of lessons covering wide range of topics, gives feedback on your performance, use it for digital as well as acoustic piano
• Cons: You will need a USB/MIDI cable to connect the digital piano to your computer
• Click here to Buy

The Piano and Keyboard Deluxe Method by eMedia is a compilation of over 400+ lessons, 100+ songs and includes hundreds of step-by-step piano lessons.

So why wait for once-a-week piano lessons.

Instant Feedback on Your Playing
Know how you’re playing in real time, correctly played notes are highlighted in green. Get specific feedback on note and rhythm mistakes – it will show you what mistake was made and what should have been played (when using an electronic MIDI-compatible keyboard). You also get an overall percentage score that summarizes how well you played the song.

Note and Finger Tracker
The note you play is shown as music notation on an animated keyboard. Helps you play correctly, and lets you learn to read music faster.

Hundreds of Lessons and Videos
Hundreds of lessons that cover the basics, advanced concepts, and ensemble performance.
Hundreds of songs, ranging from Classical, Pop, Folk, Rock, and Blues to Country, that you can learn.

Animated Keyboard
The Animated Keyboard teaches the right fingerings, and shows you exactly how to play the song on a keyboard as you hear the music. Simply follow the notes on the screen.

 

 

Song Highlighting and Looping
This feature lets you loop through portions of a song (or even the entire page). You can loop at whatever speed you are comfortable playing. MIDI tick count-off gives you enough time to get your hands back to the keyboard to play along.

 

Watch: Piano and Keyboard Method Deluxe demo

Click here to Buy

 

So here’s what you get in this software package.

• Instant Feedback on Your Playing (Interactive Evaluation Feedback) & Progress Tracking. You get visual and corrective feedback for your keyboard performances
• Note Tracker and Finger Tracker tools displays the note you play as music notation on an animated keyboard. You’ll be able to correct your playing and learn to read music faster!
• Animated Keyboard that displays color-coded fingerings
• You get the ability to interact with the software by connecting your keyboard to your computer
• You get over 450 Step-by-Step Lessons that start right from the basics. Over 120 Large-Format Videos. You get several videos that demonstrate piano techniques between the various lessons. Over 150 Songs (includes several popular ones)
• Includes Ear Training Lessons
• You can loop for playback (the entire page or portion of it) at whatever speed you are comfortable playing.
• Piano Fingering and Guitar Chords (a friend who is learning guitar can play along with you)
• Live Recorded Audio is included for all songs and exercises
• Variable-speed MIDI allows you to slow down to a comfortable tempo
• Digital Metronome included, Digital Recorder allows you to record and play yourself back.
• Packaging: Download
• Operating Systems Supported: Windows

The eMedia Piano and Keyboard Method Version 3.0 is a good piano learning resource for the adult or older student. It is fast-paced, it has immediate feedback and progress reports. Even though eMedia believes that this method can be either self-taught or teacher-assisted, we believe that the course would work best with the help of a teacher (especially for younger students).

If you are looking for an interactive experience with your piano learning software, then this product can be of great help to you. Since you can connect your keyboard to your computer, this software has the capability to give you visual and corrective feedback for your performances, which is very helpful. Besides, the videos are very helpful in demonstrating piano techniques between the various piano lessons.

This product does a great job of building on concepts methodically, which makes learning to play the piano much easier.

Buying Links

• Buy eMedia Piano and Keyboard Method Deluxe V3

MusIQ HomeSchool: New way to learn, read music

MusIQ HomeSchoolTM (by Adventus) is a music & piano learning program, specifically designed for delivery at home. MusIQ HomeSchool is a computer program that helps children learn to play and read music, as well as improvise and compose songs. The software includes a keyboard that you need to hook up to a computer to enjoy the lessons.

The piano curriculum is designed for ages 4-18+. The software requires a MIDI-compatible keyboard. Most electronic keyboards nowadays are Midi enabled, so if you received one as a gift, you may use it. You may have to purchase the midi cable though.

What’s unique about the program?

The program use historical musicians like Beethoven and Mozart (these are characters within the program) that takes you through each musical lesson.

Students can log in to their personal account — starting exactly where they left off — which lets them work their way through the lessons at their own pace. The program has a built-in feedback mechanism.

The program is suitable for students aged 4 to 18 years and covers Beginner to Intermediate topics. The seven-year curriculum includes 20+ levels for beginner to advanced intermediate piano students. The learning program is comprehensive and well thought out. The lesson plans are detailed and easy to follow, including the activity sheets and other sheets.

ForteRight Arcade

ForteRight Arcade is a full-sized display that turns the piano into a retro-style game. Makes it fun to learn the piano.

ForteRight Arcade is a device that is designed to help you learn to pay the piano keyboard. Paired with a companion mobile ap, the device provides a video game-like experience which excites beginners.

Notes of a song are represented on-screen by simple visual bars that move downward towards the actual keys on a piano. The player has to play the notes when the indicators reach the bottom of the display, and their performance is tracked by a scoring system.

As a learner, you should attempt to achieve high scores on the songs they are playing.

The idea of Arcade was borne when the makers realized that people spent hours played video games but shied away from learning to play a music instrument. That is why they decided to make this piano learning system like a video game. This made learning the piano a more fun and engaging experience for the user.

Amongst the several video game like features are the bright visuals, individual levels, scoring, and practice modes. The ForteRight team commented that they are working on adding a multiplayer element to the Arcade as well.

The Arcade integrates with a mobile application that allows players to connect wirelessly and stream visual lessons as well as access music scores from the online library.

Once the user chooses a song from the library, they can learn it via Practice Mode. This mode breaks the song down into sections as well as isolating the left-hand and right-hand components. It allows the learner to grasp the right keys as the song does not progress unless the correct notes are played.

After the song is learned in Practice Mode, the user may attempt to play it in real-time. The app tracks the user’s scores to benchmark their performance. Note accuracy, timing, and smoothness of play is measured so players have a clear view of where they can improve.

Features

• Supports any MIDI file
• Slows songs down to allow easier learning
• Library of built in music and warm up exercises
• Practice mode to simplify song learning
• App works with Apple and Android devices
• Pricing and Availability

The Arcade eliminates the need to read music scores from books/sheets, thereby giving more freedom to beginners to focus on their performance.

More details at kickstarter.com

Rocket Piano Review

Suitable for Beginners to Intermediate Players! This course is perfect for learners who are looking for more of a structured and formal learning process. It includes plenty of learning materials and come with various complementary software tools, one of them being an ear training module.

You can use this software with a PC or Mac

 

 

Rocket Piano comes from the same people who made the highly successful guitar course Jamorama. Rocket piano is designed to take a newbie start from scratch and work all the way up to a decent intermediate level of piano playing.

The Rocket Piano course also teaches you to play in different styles of music, including jazz and gospel. So enjoy your piano learning experience with this popular piano course; you can even enjoy their bonus downloadable software bundle. Read Full Review

Playground Sessions learning app (Harry Connick Jr)

Grammy-winner Harry Connick Jr (American singer, composer, actor, and television host) has partnered with music legend Quincy Jones’ education tech company, Playground Sessions to create piano lessons for beginners and advanced players.

Playground Sessions uses video tutorials, games, and real-time feedback to make its piano learning more effective.

The app is available for both iOS as well as Android. You first need to connect your keyboard instrument to your device with a USB or MIDI cable (USB A or micro USB adaptor).

Users can choose from a range of Rookie, Intermediate, and Advanced piano lessons. Students can also learn to play songs from various artists, including John Legend, Beethoven, the Jackson Five and more.

The app also keeps track of the student’s progress. The piano learning software generates charts that show how much time you’ve spent on the piano, how you’re progressing and improving over time, and which areas you should spend more time.

Students can choose from various subscription options – they can pay monthly or a one-time ‘lifetime’ option.

You can learn more about Harry at harryconnickjr.com, or visit playgroundsessions.com to start.

Piano Learning Software: Buying Guide

Advantages of Using Piano Learning Software/App

Though learning to play the piano from a piano teacher is a preferred method, it has limitations to it. Learning from piano lesson software on the other hand has its own advantages, especially if you are an adult student.

 

 

1. 1. Learn at Home

You don’t need to regularly visit your teacher for piano lessons. You can learn from the comfort of your own home.

You just need a computer and an electronic keyboard. Connect the electronic keyboard to your computer, install the software and you are ready to learn the piano.

1. 1. Learn at Your Pace

You can learn the piano at your own pace without any pressure!

If you think you are picking up well, you can move faster to the other topics. If you think you need more time for a particular lesson, you can go slowly.

In either case, you don’t have to worry about what the teacher might say.

1. 1. Comparatively Cheaper

Learning to play through piano software is an inexpensive method of learning to play the piano.

If you are not sure about taking piano lessons on a regular basis from a piano teacher yet, this tool will definitely help you out and it will be economical as well.

1. 1. Comprehensive Coverage

Piano lesson software covers everything that you need to learn to play the piano – piano notes, fingering, scales, chords, timing, practice songs and more.

You will find plenty of exercises and lessons which will take you from the simple songs to the more complex ones.

1. 1. Reference Material

Even if you are already taking piano lessons from a teacher, you can still use the piano software as a reference material. You may use the piano learning software to reinforce / revise whatever you have learnt from your piano teacher.

This will be a good addition to your library as well. You can always refer to your piano software incase you want to refresh your knowledge of any particular topic.

Factors to Consider

Broadly, we used the following criteria to highlight the strong points and failings of each of the products, to help you choose the best learning course.

These are also the factors to consider while evaluating piano software.

• • Trial Version

Make sure the software offers a trial version! It will help you to evaluate if it suits your needs. You may get it for a limited duration or with limited features. But that is okay. Just feel free to try them out.

• • Ease of Use / Installation

The software needs to be easy to install and use. All the features and instructions should be easy to locate.
Basically, you need to check that you can use it even with limited computer skills.

• • Piano Lessons
    The lessons should be structured hierarchically and cover technique, in addition to basics and music theory. The more the lessons, the better it is. Tutorials should teach proper hand position & fingering, in addition to how to read sheet music and play by ear.
  • Features/Lesson Coverage
    Does it have enough video tutorials, practice exercises? Does it allow printable sheet music and does it have tools for teachers/educators? Is there any way to address your queries – be it on forums or by emails?

     

    The software needs to have a good combination of piano lessons. It should cover basics of piano playing as well as advanced topics; basically it should suit both beginners as well as advanced piano players.

    Piano lessons that cover note reading, fingering, chords, timing, scales, etc. should be included. It also needs to include plenty of finger exercises and practice songs with feedback on your performance.

  • Practice Tools
    Does the product offer play-along accompaniment tracks? Does it have a metronome with an adjustable tempo, does it have exercises for the right and left hands and also for both hands together, how about progress tracking?
  • Feedback / Tests

The best software will have tests / quizzes to evaluate how well you have learnt a topic and provide feedback accordingly. Basically, it should be able to monitor and report how well you are progressing.

• Help & Support
  Though the piano app should be easy to install and it should also provide you a comprehensive user guide, in rare cases you may still face some issues with the software. Make sure the software manufacturer provides an email address / telephone number to directly answer customer queries regarding the working of the software/app.

   

  It should also include online FAQs and easy-to-follow instructions on how to use the product. Additional resources include email support and/or live chat.

Learn & Master Piano Vs Rocket Piano

Learn & Master Piano and Rocket Piano are two of the more popular piano products out there. Both of these products come with video instructions, diagrams, exercises and various books that will assist you in learning how to play.

However, Rocket Piano is available in a downloadable program, which you can install in your computer. Learn & Master piano, on the other hand, is available as a physical product (DVDs, CDs) that you have to watch on a suitable DVD/media player.

Closing Thoughts

Using a piano learning software/app/course is a practical option if you want to learn the piano on your own. Today you can learn almost anything, including the piano at home, at your desired pace and time. The best piano software includes several include video lessons that teaches things like reading basic notes, basic rhythm, and other intermediate lessons. In order to make the best out of your software and to see good progress, make sure you practice daily. These piano learning software/apps are interactive, provides feedback on your keyboard performances, and has videos to demonstrate important piano techniques. If you are not yet ready to commit your time for regular piano lessons, you can definitely have a look at this teaching tool to learn the piano.

Useful Educational Resources/Links

• Top Piano Books
• Music Notation software reviews
• Piano vs Guitar – Learn piano or guitar?
• Piano and Singing – Learn to Play Piano and Sing at the Same Time

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