Introduction to Play the Piano Online

We are in that age where the internet has become our go-to guy for all queries; whether we are looking for a simple tutorial, a guide on how to do stuff, whether to purchase something or not and so on. The internet has it all. The music industry has also benefited hugely from the internet. As a consumer, you usually have to first check out an instrument’s reviews online before committing to purchase it. For some who are not even aware of what instrument they need a quick search like say, best keyboards under $1000, provides so many details allowing one to make an informed decision that they’ll be proud of.

The internet can also serve as a tutor on matters keyboard. There are so many guides online on how to place your fingers on the keyboard, how to play the keyboard, how to perform certain tricks and more. All of this provides a unique opportunity not just for beginners but also for intermediate pianists who are still keen on learning new things about a keyboard.

There are so many keyboard lessons on the internet and this is both a good and a bad thing. The good part is that with all these lessons, you no longer have to rely fully on a tutor to get started. Additionally, the internet provides enough lessons with vivid videos on how to perform even the most complicated of tricks. Initially, the only way to learn the fine details of a piano was by relying on an experienced tutor or advanced pianists who were not that easy to come by. On the negative side, with so many sites to choose from, it can get a bit overwhelming deciding which one of them offers the best lessons that beginners can understand easily.

In this article, we will be taking you through some of the best sites where you can get all sorts of lessons to improve your skills.

Playground Sessions

Playground Sessions was co-created by Quincy Jones, a celebrated Grammy award winner. The site features David Sides, an experienced pianist who tries his best to explain all the details involved in playing piano in a very simple manner.

Playground Sessions comes in form of a software that users have to download and install to get started. Don’t worry though, because the process is as easy as installing any other software on your computer. The software is compatible with windows pc, Mac and even iPad. Getting the software into your iPad means that you can carry your lessons wherever you go more conveniently. This is great especially if you have groups for piano lessons. Traveling musicians will also find it easy carrying their portable keyboard and their tutor (iPad) wherever they go. With playground sessions, users have to pay for a subscription fee to get full access to all the lessons and videos on offer.

The software provides various learning tools including videos. There are videos showing the keyboard in full view, the keyboard with hands, keys, sheet music and you’ll also see the note names light up. This makes it easier for the learner to see and understand what’s going on.

To make learning even easier, Playground Sessions breaks the curriculum into two parts:

The first part named Bootcamp comes with lessons on notation, keyboarding skills, and rhythm. Learners will also be introduced into playing by ear on this part of the curriculum.

You then have the Songs sections which come with songs of different genres that you can learn and practice with. Here, you will find pop, classical, rock, traditional, holiday and country music. The songs are grouped into three sections based on the learner’s skill level i.e. expert, intermediate or rookie. Unfortunately, these songs are not available for free but instead, you have to pay $3.99 per song! To enjoy and learn with different sounds you’ll hence have to pay for it and this can be quite expensive. If you are lucky enough you might win some Playground Sessions awards and receive free songs.

Playground Sessions software is also equipped with an interactive mode where you can learn how to play along with different songs in an interesting manner. The mode is designed to work with a USB or MIDI keyboard connection. In this mode, as you play along with a melody the notes will be lighting up in green when you play them correctly and red whenever they are misplayed. The better you perform the more the points you gain and the higher your chances of getting rewards.

With the software you can also adjust the tempos, isolate some chunks of music and get your fingering note names labeled.

Playground Session is best suited for beginners and intermediate players of all ages. This software is available for $17.99 per month or $9.99 per month for an annual subscription. You can also get lifetime access for around $269.99. These subscriptions have a 30-day money back guarantee.

Yousician

Yousician works like a campaign game where you need to beat your current targets for you to advance to the next stage. This website offers a free bouquet where you can get all the basics at no fee. However, to access the more advanced lessons you will have to subscribe to their premium services.

In each mission, the site provides you with video tutorials where the keyboards are shown with letter names. The keys in these videos also light up along with the scrolling sheet music making it easier for you to follow.

Yousician also comes with features that allow you to adjust the tempo, view music notations portrayed in a simplified manner, isolate hands during your practices and also to view different color-coded notes. Their practice songs also have background music which makes the learning experience an entertaining one. With this particular site, you also get a chance to be part of the competitors in their weekly challenges. It brings you to a competition with users from all over the world. This provides an incredible platform to showcase your expertise!

Yousician is available in Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac. You can get this app installed into your pc for your home practices or on your smartphone and have it with you everywhere you go. As we said, Yousician has free basic services but these limit the player to just two lessons per day i.e. 1 lesson every 12 hours. Each of the lessons is around 20-30 minutes long. You can also upgrade to the premium package and get a free 14-day trial after which you will need to subscribe for their packages which are $19.99 per month or $9.99 per month for one year. On top of the keyboard lessons, the site will also offer you a course in guitar, ukulele, and bass.

Flowkey

Flowkey just like Yousician offers a free learning program for basic skills but you won’t be able to access the more essential lessons until you pay for a subscription. The platform is relatively new in the market but it has so far proven to have quite a lot to offer. With the premium subscription, you’ll be receiving tutorials in both video and audio formats. This way anything that passes your eyes or if you fail to understand in the video can be caught up in the audio files. The video files also show the keyboard from good angles including a birds-eye view from which you can easily see and follow everything that is going on. You will start learning how to read notes in the early sections of the course.

Flowkey also offers tools that allow you to isolate hands, loop sections of a music, and to slow and adjust tempo. Their videos can also readjust to match with the player’s tempo thus eliminating the need to rewind or pause the videos.

Flowkey also provides their players with more than 200 genres of songs to practice with. These songs are of different difficulty levels and hence you can continuously test yourself to see how well your skills are improving.

The Flowkey premium subscription goes for $19.99 per month or $12.99 per month for three months or $9.99 per month for one year. You can get $299 for lifetime access.

Conclusion

Online tutoring tools can’t fully replace actual teachers. They do, however, provide an incredible opportunity for everyone to perfect their skills and all you need is an internet connection, a pc and maybe a couple of dollars. This makes it possible for all beginners even the ones who can’t afford a personal tutor to have a shot at being great pianists. Players with tutors can also use these tools to complement their teachers for faster progress. With the internet and all this technology, there is really no reason for you not to push for a successful career in music.