iPad piano tutor for lapsed piano student?
October 10, 2023 5:19 PM Subscribe
I sort of know how to read music and I want to take up piano (again)
I’ve done some research and it seems there’s a divide that I don’t fully understand between apps that will teach one how to play a song without learning how to read music and those that do. I used to study piano old-school style until my little sister got better than me so I had to stop. As an adult I’ve ended up in a situation with an actual piano at my disposal so I’m looking for an iPad app to help me get back into playing, along with relearning reading music. Also it seems that many apps are made to run on iPads that are plugged into digital keyboards. I’ve got a late 19th century piano which is well tuned but one hundred percent not digital. What’s the app I want?
I’ve done some research and it seems there’s a divide that I don’t fully understand between apps that will teach one how to play a song without learning how to read music and those that do. I used to study piano old-school style until my little sister got better than me so I had to stop. As an adult I’ve ended up in a situation with an actual piano at my disposal so I’m looking for an iPad app to help me get back into playing, along with relearning reading music. Also it seems that many apps are made to run on iPads that are plugged into digital keyboards. I’ve got a late 19th century piano which is well tuned but one hundred percent not digital. What’s the app I want?
Response by poster: Thanks for the advice - I used SimplyPiano for the trial period and it was definitely what I was looking for so I sprang for the paid version. So far so good; it’s gotten me back into reading music rather more quickly than I had expected, and the note recognition works decently well with my piano.
posted by tractorfeed at 2:39 PM on October 19, 2023
posted by tractorfeed at 2:39 PM on October 19, 2023
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That said, it's pricey for an app, and has much more focus on recent pop music than I'd like, though it still has plenty of standards and classical etc.
Yousician paino is also nice. I'd say check both of their free offerings before buying anything.
Both are far less expensive than anything like real lessons with a teacher, which is also a great option if/when you can swing it.
(I am a middle aged dabbler in lots of instruments, an advanced novice in a handful, played in school band as a kid, ymmv)
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:41 PM on October 10, 2023 [1 favorite]