Apps to learn piano

RaymondLin · April 2020

I have an old Yamaha P70 Digital Piano that i bought years ago, I had some lessons but never got very far. I want to pick it up again and wonder if there are any apps that I can connect it to my computer via Midi perhaps so it shows up in the app to match what key i am pressing.

And have the screen show up something like this with the songs and keys coming down.

octatonic · April 2020

The reality is those apps are going to go WAAAAY too fast to learn anything unless you already possess a high level of skill on the piano.

I'm not a piano teacher but I am a music teacher who is learning piano.
What you need to do is be able to harmonise the mayor scale in several keys- let's say C G D A, F Bb Eb Ab to begin (or if that is too much C, G, F.
If you can't do that then learn how to do that.

Learn the major scale with the correct fingerings (google will reveal, or ask me) and learn how to construct the chords in root position, 1st and 2nd inversions in all those keys.
Then figure out how to play common chord progressions (start with I IV V and ii V I) using good voice leading utilising those inversions (minimal movement where possible, don't just block chord your way through it, although practice that too).

That is about 1-3 months of work right there, depending on how much time you put in.

Danny1969 · April 2020

You see the 2 black keys on their own ....... that's the kennel and the dogs in the kennel ..... so D is in between em. That's honestly how I was taught 30 odd years ago and it worked. It's actually very easy to memorize the notes on a keyboard as you only need to remember 7 white notes and 5 sharps ... that's it

What's most important is you use the correct fingering from the get go .... I didn't and my technique has suffered over the years because of that.... I've literally had to force myself to forget muscle memory hand positions and do it properly in the correct style ... other wise like me you hit a wall years down the line because of bad technique.

Good luck though Raymond, have to say playing piano is a more enjoyable way to play solo pieces than guitar so well worth putting the effort in

RaymondLin · April 2020

I can actually read basic sheet music (VERY slowly) and work out sheet music in accordance with the keys that I need to play.

There are 2 problems with piano that I struggle with

1 - Hand independence
2 - So many keys and in a hurry they all look the same and brain shuts down and can't find the right key. At least with a guitar there is only 6 string, with tabs it is much easier in terms of where to put your left hand and what to hit with right hand.

I do love the guitar but I find piano a more beautiful instrument, acoustically.

RaymondLin · April 2020

octatonic said:

The reality is those apps are going to go WAAAAY too fast to learn anything unless you already possess a high level of skill on the piano.

I'm not a piano teacher but I am a music teacher who is learning piano.
What you need to do is be able to harmonise the mayor scale in several keys- let's say C G D A, F Bb Eb Ab to begin (or if that is too much C, G, F.
If you can't do that then learn how to do that.

Learn the major scale with the correct fingerings (google will reveal, or ask me) and learn how to construct the chords in root position, 1st and 2nd inversions in all those keys.
Then figure out how to play common chord progressions (start with I IV V and ii V I) using good voice leading utilising those inversions (minimal movement where possible, don't just block chord your way through it, although practice that too).

That is about 1-3 months of work right there, depending on how much time you put in.

Those are like Beat Sabre on steroids....

But i was hoping if I start with a simpler song and work my way up? You heard about Yamaha Flowkey as a learning tool?

paulmapp8306 · April 2020

google youtube vids for independence exercises. Its not easy...... Im 2+ years down the line and Im Ok with playing different things with both hands, as long as their in the same timing and same key......

Im getting better, and I can "improv" melody's in all keys, and know all my chords (maj, Min, 7th, Augmented, Diminish etc). I can construct chords from theory - that bits much easier on keys than guitar in truth.

Danny1969 · April 2020

I used to go through basic arps with my left hand, using song's like House of the rising sun and nights of white satin as practice. So with your left hand you play something like

A C E A - then C E G C - D F# A D - F A C F etc

Then when you left hand can do that with no problem introduce the melody with the right hand. After a while it becomes 2nd nature

axisus · April 2020

I don't know what that app is called, but my daughter started with that and it went amazingly well. She taught herself Fur Elise and all sorts of stuff. She got on so well that we eventually sent her to piano lessons, the teacher (excellent guy) started her with Grade 5 pieces!

RaymondLin · April 2020

axisus said:

I don't know what that app is called, but my daughter started with that and it went amazingly well. She taught herself Fur Elise and all sorts of stuff. She got on so well that we eventually sent her to piano lessons, the teacher (excellent guy) started her with Grade 5 pieces!

Could you ask her please?

axisus · April 2020

RaymondLin said:

axisus said:

I don't know what that app is called, but my daughter started with that and it went amazingly well. She taught herself Fur Elise and all sorts of stuff. She got on so well that we eventually sent her to piano lessons, the teacher (excellent guy) started her with Grade 5 pieces!

Could you ask her please?

Sorry, I was just referring to your original pic, not something that actually does what you were asking for.

TTony · April 2020

Not really what you asked for, but I've been using an excellent course on Udemy - Pianoforall - to learn to play keyboards.

I remember hearing my sisters (who both learned to play piano back in childhood days) both have to learn notes, scales, etc and it was incredibly unmusical.

This course is nothing like that - its really quite enjoyable to follow it and learn.

Looks like it's priced at £175 at the moment (which, tbh, is fair for the scope and quality and is the cost of just a few 1:1 lessons) but Udemy have offers fairly frequently, so if you registered on the site, you'd probably get it for a lot less in the not too distant future. IIRC, I paid something like £20, which is just ridiculous.

Hyster · April 2020

Looks like Udemy's Pianoforall course is £20.99 at the moment!

RaymondLin · April 2020

Hyster said:

Looks like Udemy's Pianoforall course is £20.99 at the moment!

Am I looking at the right course?

https://www.udemy.com/course/pianoforall-incredible-new-way-to-learn-piano-keyboard/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=udemyads&utm_campaign=LongTail_la.EN_cc.UK&utm_content=deal4584&utm_term=_._ag_74409313617_._ad_375954070526_._kw__._de_c_._dm__._pl__._ti_dsa-785573918802_._li_1006790_._pd__._&matchtype=b&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyur0BRDcARIsAEt86IBWEamPOMrD4U0fPlAdM5Vs63lPGgSPQdgcgXvqsDE0NxQYhkOJvTcaAorVEALw_wcB

Hyster · April 2020

Looks like the one, not sure why the price changed though.

RaymondLin · April 2020

Hyster said:

Looks like the one, not sure why the price changed though.

Done! It cost less than an hour of my piano lesson I had previously. Bargain.

TTony · April 2020

RaymondLin said:

Am I looking at the right course?

https://www.udemy.com/course/pianoforall-incredible-new-way-to-learn-piano-keyboard/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=udemyads&utm_campaign=LongTail_la.EN_cc.UK&utm_content=deal4584&utm_term=_._ag_74409313617_._ad_375954070526_._kw__._de_c_._dm__._pl__._ti_dsa-785573918802_._li_1006790_._pd__._&matchtype=b&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyur0BRDcARIsAEt86IBWEamPOMrD4U0fPlAdM5Vs63lPGgSPQdgcgXvqsDE0NxQYhkOJvTcaAorVEALw_wcB

That one looks like a condensed version (10 hrs video) of the one that I bought (30hrs), but I now can't find a link to the one I bought (which I found earlier when it was priced at £175!).

You really can't go wrong with the version you just got though - £13.99?? - madness!!

Rocker · April 2020

RaymondLin said:

Hyster said:

Looks like Udemy's Pianoforall course is £20.99 at the moment!

Am I looking at the right course?

https://www.udemy.com/course/pianoforall-incredible-new-way-to-learn-piano-keyboard/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=udemyads&utm_campaign=LongTail_la.EN_cc.UK&utm_content=deal4584&utm_term=_._ag_74409313617_._ad_375954070526_._kw__._de_c_._dm__._pl__._ti_dsa-785573918802_._li_1006790_._pd__._&matchtype=b&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyur0BRDcARIsAEt86IBWEamPOMrD4U0fPlAdM5Vs63lPGgSPQdgcgXvqsDE0NxQYhkOJvTcaAorVEALw_wcB

I opted for this version too. Just what I need - a structured learning method - for very little money.

goldtop · April 2020

The app in the first pic is (I think) https://synthesiagame.com/

I sometimes try to playalong with the YT videos of other people using it. You can use the YT playback speed (not ideal, but it works) to slow it down.

MrBump · April 2020

It's dropped to ~13 quid now.

DiscoStu · April 2020

HDPiano.com uses a scrolling note screen like the OP. Online tutorials, here's a youtube demo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXugQkpYgO4

Lev · April 2020

This youtube site is very good also: https://www.youtube.com/user/PianoLessonscom
Especially the chord hacks video series, get's you using both hands to play common chords.

Keefy · April 2020

I am using Piano For All from Udemy and amazing myself (and Mrs Keefy) with the progress I am making.

It is very much chord-based and as such is well suited to guitarists.

Full disclosure: I already read music, sight read pretty well on bass, and have previously learned a few piano chords. Even so, consider me chuffed.

Not sure what would be the advantages of the app that the OP is looking for.

dhj · April 2020

Ignore the earlier message - all sorted now. <cryptic>

Rocker · May 2020

I am taking it easy on the keyboard and have gone through lesson #2 on Udemy's Pianoforall course. Originally I bought the keyboard, a Yamaha, to understand the notes and how chords were put together. This knowledge has helped my bass playing but now I feel inclined to learn to play something on the keys.

Piano is hard. My left hand is more cooperative than my right! I know it takes time and application to get there but a half hour playing a few basic chords has really taken it out of me. The Udemy's Pianoforall course appears to be well structured and thought out, based on completing two lessons.

icu81b4 · May 2020

I decided to give Udemy Pianofor all course a go yesterday afternoon, and am now on lesson 12 so breezing through them quite quickly, mainly because I have been learning by another method for a while, mainly by learning to read the music, but this is such a quick method to learn chords I'm really enjoying it.

paulmapp8306 · May 2020

I think the easiest way to learn chords, is lean how they are made up. You only need to lean each type once( maj, min, 7th, aug etc) and just apply that to the key and inversion you want.

Freebird · May 2020

I just learnt the Key of C/Am and then transpose the keyboard, it saves a lot of hassle for those who want a quick and dirty solution.

I also use this app to help plot various chord progressions, etc..

icu81b4 · May 2020

Does anyone know if using Udemy is time limited, ie:- Do I have to complete a course within a certain timeframe? or can I spend as long as I want?

Rocker · May 2020

icu81b4 said:

Does anyone know if using Udemy is time limited, ie:- Do I have to complete a course within a certain timeframe? or can I spend as long as I want?

I hope it is not time limited as I can only spend a short time each week reading up and trying the exercises. Not the best way to learn how to play but, for the moment, it is all that I can manage.

lukedlb · September 2020

How did Udemy do for you all during lockdown? I’m thinking of inviting the whole family to compete as to who can lea4n the piano quickest. Any other apps to recommend?

Keefy · September 2020

lukedlb said:

How did Udemy do for you all during lockdown? I’m thinking of inviting the whole family to compete as to who can lea4n the piano quickest. Any other apps to recommend?

I was quite consistent with it till about a month ago. I learned a dozen or so ways to play RH chords against LH bass notes and could bash through some Beatles numbers in an accompaniment sort of way.

Currently a bit bogged down in Lesson 5 - Ballad Style.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Apps to learn piano

Comments