Best Piano Apps for 2021
Plan to learn a musical instrument? There are multiple reasons why you should choose piano. According to studies, playing the piano reduces stress and anxiety, improves hand-eye coordination, and even boosts self-esteem. Apart from these benefits, during the Covid-19 pandemic, playing your favorite songs on the piano can be soothing.
With the aid of technology, the ways of learning, teaching, and playing the piano are no longer limited. Piano teachers and students can choose to use a variety of piano apps according to their individual needs. Search for the word “piano” in your App Store or Google Play Store, and then you will be shocked at how many options there are.
But which ones are the most recommended piano apps? Keep reading, and you will find the answers.
1. Violy
No matter what you need to do with a piano app, almost all your needs can be satisfied when you use Violy App.
Teach Piano Lessons Virtually
Due to the quarantine, many piano classes were brought online. For piano teachers, it can be annoying to tolerate the unsatisfactory audio quality for the instrument during remote classes. But with Violy App, the unpleasant moment can be entirely avoided.
In Violy’s “Students” page, piano teachers are allowed to set up their own virtual music classroom. In this page, piano teachers can use “Live Class”, the video call feature, to call their piano students directly and conduct remote piano lessons. The specially optimized, high-definition audio and video transmission makes it possible for all participants of the classes to hear each single layer no matter how complicated the chords or ensembles are.
A smart timetable is necessary for piano teachers who have a large number of students, and Violy’s “Classroom” feature can play the role. With this feature, the teachers are able to schedule each piano class and get every participant notified automatically, which helps relieve the music educators from the repetitive work of reminding every piano student of the time for classes.
Considering the current situation of the pandemic, remote music teaching may be the norm for a long time to come. As a smart music classroom, Violy links music teachers and students together, and contributes to better development of online music education.
A Piano App Tailor-made for All Piano Students
Piano playing requires complicated and asymmetrical motions of both hands. Since about 90% of people are right-handed, for most piano beginners, training the left hand separately can be hard. Besides, piano teachers are not likely to follow up the students’ practice 24/7, but students need instant feedback to help them improve.
Thanks to Violy, the problems mentioned above can be easily solved.
The “Smart Audition” feature statistically analyzes each piano student’s playing and witnesses every sign of progress. The players can choose to be auditioned on one hand or both hands. For those who are eager to practice left hand skills, this feature is a great help.
A “Smart Audition” can be initiated by playing “C#4 D#4 F#4” on the piano. Under the audition mode, the users’ performing is tracked and recorded. After playing, users can receive an in-depth analysis report presenting the overall score, the score for rhythm, notes which are misplayed and missed, etc.. What’s more, both teachers and students are allowed to review their piano practice homework anytime and anywhere.
When it comes to a piano app, most piano students are likely to have expectations for the piano music included. As for Violy, its sheet music library “Music Cloud” can surprise you.
Pianists at all levels can find the pieces they like in “Music Cloud”. With a large piano repertoire covering various categories, “Music Cloud” empowers you to listen to and play thousands of piano pieces at any tempo and volume. You can also annotate the sheet music.
If you fail to find the sheet music you need, just visit the “Creator Studio” and you can upload the music scores to the app by yourself.
Violy is available on both iOS and Android mobile devices. The app is FREE for all music teachers, and each new user can receive a FREE 7-day premium gift.
2. Simply Piano
Simply Piano was rated as one of the best iPhone apps of 2016. Its slogan goes like “from beginner to pro, play piano like you’ve always wanted”. Indeed, it is an excellent tool for piano players at any level.
Piano Courses for Self-Learners
Currently, there are 25 courses for different music levels included in Simply Piano. You can take 2 courses for free before being required to subscribe.
With the piano courses, the easy-to-use piano app takes you through the basics step by step, from reading music to learning to play with both hands. Video tutorials, warm-ups, and exercises can be found throughout the whole learning process.
While you are learning, you can slow down the pace of the songs. In addition, the personalized 5-minute workouts are perfect for you to master the skills bit by bit.
Play Piano Songs of All Genres and Receive Instant Feedback
Are you a classical music lover or a huge fan of pop songs? No matter what kind of music you are into, you can always find your favorite piano songs in Simply Piano. The various categories can fit your taste for sure.
During your playing, Simply Piano works in tandem with your instrument. The app has the ability to register what you are playing, and gives you real-time feedback. Once the song is completed, there will be a pop-out showing the details of your performance.
Simply Piano even won a World Summit Award from the United Nations. It can truly make a difference in your path of piano practice. The app can be used on iOS and Android mobile devices.
3. Piano Maestro
If you are a piano beginner who need a piano app to help you learn while having fun, Piano Maestro is definitely your cup of tea. Like Simply Piano, this app is also developed by JoyTunes.
Gamification of Piano Learning
Most young piano learners are not self-motivated in their daily practice. They need incentives to keep them focused and moving forward. In this case, incorporating games into the process of learning can be effective.
Under Piano Maestro’s “Journey” mode, fun game tasks and piano learning are perfectly combined. This mode makes it possible for you to move on chapter by chapter, unlock new songs, and raise the difficulty level along the way. It helps you learn to play the songs step by step, and have access to more practice options. Besides, your learning experience can be personalized.
In the app’s “Library” section, piano songs of different genres and levels, piano exercises covering all skills and hand options, and the most well-known method books are all selectable. What’s more, JoyTunes has collected and continues to add current hits to the “Library”. The lure of your favorite songs and the carefully sequenced selection of exercises can stimulate you to keep playing and improving your skills.
Play Bite-Sized Chunks of Piano Sheet Music and Master the Whole Piece
Goals cannot be reached in one step. For piano players, it always takes some time to completely master a new piece. With Piano Maestro, the efficiency of the process can be enhanced.
Before playing the whole song, learning comes first since you need to get familiar with the sheet music. Each song is divided into small sections under “Learn” mode in Piano Maestro. The mode just requires you to play the bite-sized chunks one by one. Every music note being played will be checked. Once there is a misplayed note, the cursor will pause until the note is corrected.
When you are ready for the complete song, you can choose “Play” mode. Under this mode, you are able to play along with the backing tracks at the tempo you set, and receive a final score after the playing ends. Using the two modes interchangeably makes it easier for you to master the whole piece.
If you do not have your acoustic piano at hand, “touch piano” is also supported on Piano Maestro. Just tap the screen to play a virtual piano keyboard then.
Piano Maestro is only available on iOS mobile devices. Gamers who decide to learn piano from scratch will not want to miss this one.
4. Skoove
If you are new to the world of the piano, Skoove has interactive beginner and intermediate courses to get you up and running, after which you can continue with further tuition either in a pop or classical direction.
A Piano App Offers A Rich Seam of Online Piano Lessons
During this challenging time, to start a musical journey with interactive piano lessons seems to be a good idea for self-learners, and Skoove can be the guide on the journey.
Skoove features an ever-growing curriculum of 400 piano lessons over 19 courses. As expected, the first lessons are for absolute beginners, and more complex musical ideas are introduced as the course progresses.
The “listen, learn, and play” approach adopted by the app can help you master new techniques quickly.
First, you can get to know the song just by listening. Then, you may get prepared to learn. When you are learning, a moving score shows you which notes to play and when. You can watch the video tutorials at the same time to check your fingerings and hand frames. During the process, Skoove recognizes the notes you play, telling you what is right and where to improve.
Later, you can start to sight-read the piano piece, and enjoy the rich emotion behind every note.
Skoove works with PC, Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Plus all pianos and keyboards. All in all, Skoove embodies a simple and effective method for learning piano online.
5. Yousician
Founded in 2010, Yousician is considered the fastest-growing music education company in the world. As a all-round piano app, Yousician App helps unleash every learner’s inner pianist.
Learn and Practice Piano at Your Own Pace
One of the most obvious advantages of piano apps is that they allow the users to manage their own learning and practicing process. Yousician just maximizes the strength.
In Yousician, there are thousands of piano songs, piano exercises and teacher-crafted piano lessons on offer, with step-by-step video tutorials. Whether you are a piano beginner hoping to pick up the basics such as key signatures, combining hands, melodies, chords, etc., or you are already advanced, the “missions” and “workouts” in the app are always perfect for developing a wide range of skills, learning great pieces, having fun, and staying motivated.
The visual interface makes reading music easy with the hybrid, color-coded notation. Under “Practice” mode, you are able to slow the song down, set hand options, and select consecutive bars to practice repetitively.
Under “Play” mode, you can play the whole piece, and get an overall score based on your performing after the song ends.
Both modes listen to your playing, give you instant feedback, and enable you to play along with the backing tracks.
Also, you are the one who decide when and how to start your piano playing journey. The app will tell you every detail of your daily practice.
Participate in Weekly Challenges with Pianists Worldwide
If you are a piano player who tend to push yourself to achieve 100% accuracy, you may be excited to compete with millions of piano learners in Yousician’s weekly challenges, and enjoy the truly interactive experience.
Songs selected for weekly challenges can be played under the two modes mentioned above. The scores you receive under “Play” mode and the rankings are showed in the “Leaderboard”. You can even invite your friends to take part in the challenges and see how they perform.
Yousician is available on multiple platforms including iOS, Android, Windows and Mac. As a piano app neatly combining practice and competition, it is used by some piano teachers as a complement to their in-person piano lessons.
6. Flowkey
Produced in collaboration with Yamaha, Flowkey works well with either a MIDI keyboard or an acoustic piano, providing accurate visual feedback and progress tracking.
Pick up New Piano Songs in the Playing Videos
Learning a new instrument with the songs you love may help improve your music playing by leaps and bounds. Flowkey just provides all piano students with an opportunity to do so. With over 1,500 piano songs of every genre and skill level, the app wows every piano learner.
Choose a song you like, and then you can watch an expert pianist play the song. In the meanwhile, you can follow the sheet music on the same screen. During the process, you are allowed to reduce the speed, replay a specific section, or select a single hand to check the fingerings separately. The sheet music scrolling and the video playing are always in sync.
When you start to play your instrument along with the video, the “Flow” mode listens to you and waits for you to hit the right notes. If you are confused about where to put your fingers next, the video will show you.
Flowkey also offers piano lessons to help you develop your piano skills from the very beginning. The interesting lessons are extremely beneficial for beginners that they cover not only the techniques, but also the music theory. Since the app keeps track of your progress, you can jump back and forth through the lessons without losing track of where you left off, and choose where to start according to your own preference.
This app is compatible with iOS and Android mobile devices.
7. Piano Academy
You are never too old or too young to learn piano. But once you make the decision to start from scratch, you may find that the first step is always difficult. How to learn the instrument in a fun and easy way? Piano Academy will give you the answer.
A Piano App Offers Video Tutorials and Real-Time Feedback
“Academy” section in Piano Academy can help all piano beginners set up their learning path in a systematic way.
Video tutorials in “Academy” section cover topics like music notes, staff, chords, and much more. These topics are introduced to you by your personal instructor with the aid of animations and walk-through videos. While you are learning, you can play fun games that are explicitly designed to train your musical hearing, hand-eye coordination, and sense of rhythm.
If you are a pop music lover, you will be delighted by Piano Academy’s “Songbook” section. Most piano songs contained in the app are pop songs. During your playing, the app shows the music notes as you see in real sheet music, and the notes are perfectly synced with the background music that accompanies you.
Like most piano apps, Piano Academy also listens to every note you play, and gives you real-time feedback. Then you will know whether you hit the correct note at the right time.
Piano Academy is supported on iOS and Android mobile devices. The app is suitable for all ages, and works well with multiple kinds of piano keyboards including acoustic pianos, digital pianos, and MIDI keyboard controllers.
8. Piano Marvel
As a piano app including loads of video content, Piano Marvel is designed to be used with a MIDI keyboard so that you can receive immediate feedback on your progress.
Simple and Segmented Piano Lessons
Taking long hours of piano lessons may cause piano students to lose concentration. But with Piano Marvel, the problem is no longer a headache to piano learners, and they will not be overwhelmed by information.
Learning sessions in Piano Marvel are broken into 20 piano lessons with a video tutorial above each lesson to summarize the skills you are supposed to be learning in the lesson. The first lessons include skills on how to combine notes and read notes of different time values. Then you will progress to finger numbering and other notes on the keyboard.
As you progress, you will get to learn more classic piano songs and other beginner songs. Over 25,000 piano songs and exercises included in the app will definitely meet your needs.
Boost the Efficiency of Piano Practice and Track the Progress Automatically
For self-learners, quick and accurate feedback is necessary. Also, the progress made in daily practice needs to be visualized. If you are looking for a piano app which satisfies the requirements above, Piano Marvel is an excellent choice. Developed by experienced music teachers, the app is helpful to self-learners of all ages and levels.
Piano Marvel’s “Prepare” mode waits for you to play, allowing you to work through the notes and rhythms at your own pace. Under “Assess” mode, your playing is graded as you go along. To keep your motivation going, you can win trophies that can then be shared via social media. After playing, you are able to see what you played correctly or incorrectly.
Single notes, double stops, and chords you play are all clearly recognized under both modes.
As you step forward bit by bit, Piano Marvel tracks your progress automatically. In “Profile”, you can create your practice goal, and view how your daily practice goes. According to the details, you may manage your piano practicing time in a more scientific way, and adjust your learning plans.
Piano Marvel can be used on platforms including iPad, Windows, and Mac.
9. Perfect Piano
Perfect Piano is the highest rated piano simulator app available today. If you play the piano just for fun, and do not have a real instrument around, Perfect Piano can amuse you.
A Piano App Connects You with Other Piano Players
When you and your friends are playing mobile games together, all of you can communicate with each other directly online. If the real-time communication can also work when you and other players are playing the same piano piece in a piano app, would you like to try the app?
This 88-key intelligent piano simulator not only serves as a smart tool guiding you through thousands of piano pieces, but it also lets you connect with other fledgling pianists around the world.
There are weekly challenges that let you compete against other users. If you are the less competitive type, you can create a guild with your friends to provide support for one another, and share songs you have been working on.
Perfect Piano is available on iOS and Android mobile devices. The app even comes with a widget you can keep on your home screen, which lets you play around on the keys without even opening the app itself.
10. Piascore
Carrying paper sheet music around can be inconvenient for piano teachers and students. Collecting all the piano sheet music in a smart app will make things easier. As an app for browsing digital musical scores, Piascore enables piano players to view the piano pieces anytime and anywhere.
A Piano Sheet Music Toolbox
In “Piascore”, you are able to browse and download a whopping 100,000 classical music scores for free. To bring you more convenience, the app also supports sheet music importing, camera capturing, and web search. You can even create your own sheet music in the app, which basically replaces the needs for paper, pencils, and erasers.
After accessing to the piano sheet music, you are given all kinds of other features and tools, such as the recorder, the metronome, the virtual keyboard, etc.. To understand the pieces better, you can also add audio files from the local storage or iTunes, search for performing videos from YouTube, or annotate the sheet music.
Piascore is only supported on iOS mobile devices. The piano app making all piano sheet music portable can change every pianist’s life.
Many young learners tend to start from piano when they decide to pick up a musical instrument. According to professor Wing Ho from Central Conservatory of Music, learning the piano for 2 or 3 years before selecting another instrument can be the optimal choice for the children. Every musician may benefit from the experience of playing the piano.
The challenges posed by the pandemic still remain. With the help of the piano apps, online music education can progress more smoothly during the tough time. But piano apps can never replace real piano teachers. What they can do are strengthening the connection between the piano teachers and the students, providing each user with better experience, and encouraging piano players to love music and their life more.
Visit Violy.app for more~
Questions? Contact us at Support@Violy.app
Have a HAPPY practice!!
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