Teach Me Piano | Teach Me Piano Review

Teach Me Piano Review

Star Ratings:

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Editor's Overall Rating:
Average User Rating:	None posted

Cost

$19.95 (full TurtleBeach.com price)

Different versions of this software are compatible with different operating systems, so it is important that you buy the correct one for your computer. TurtleBeach.com offer software for: Windows 2000 Professional/ XP Home and Pro. As yet, there is no version available for Windows Vista. If you use Vista, Teach Me Piano will not work on your computer.

If you wish to make the most of the full features of the software, you will be required to purchase a MIDI-compatible keyboard in addition to the software itself. This is bought separately, and there are a great many different models available on the market from different manufacturers and retailers. You will also need a MIDI to USB cable to connect your keyboard to your computer - some already come with these supplie -, but ask your retailer and he will know exactly what you need.

Features:.

A 'Song Book' of pieces, which are taught throughout the duration of the course and are accessible at any time to:

Play 75+ different pieces.
- Representing all styles, from folk to classical.
- Arranged by title, composer, style or difficulty level.
Print, so you can play them at the piano, away from the computer.
Further pieces are downloadable from the internet.

Learn in a multimedia fashion from a variety of different instruction mediums, including:

Illustrations.
Audio examples.
Animations.
Video demonstrations.

150+ Lessons, divided into six sections, and covering:

Rhythm, timing and time signatures.
Notation.
Finger positions and techniques.
Key signatures, scales and chords.

'Progress Reports', providing a scoring system that enables you to:

Track your progress through each lesson and each stage of your learning.
Create different reports for different users, each at the level they need.

'Musician's Reference', where you can revise:

Musical notation.
Musical definitions and terminology.

Interactive feature enables you to connect a keyboard and play into the software.

Editor's Verdict:

A distinctive feature of Teach Me Piano is that it can actually 'hear' what you play, and tells you if you are doing the right thing or if you are making mistakes that might otherwise go unnoticed. This is very different from the usual programs, that just tell you how it should be done and leave you to decide if you are doing the right thing. For complete beginners, this facility is absolutely invaluable, giving you the confidence you need to progress by indicating when you are playing correctly. Not all piano courses offer this and so if you want this particular feature (perhaps because you are an absolute beginner or merely like the idea of playing into the software and being assessed by it) Teach Me Piano is an excellent choice.

One problem is that if you want to make the most of all features of the program, you will need a MIDI keyboard. If you already have a fully-functioning MIDI keyboard, this will almost certainly be compatible with the software. However, if you do not, you may want to make this additional purchase to take advantage of all of the opportunities available to you. Not only will you need a keyboard, but also a MIDI to USB cable to connect the keyboard to your computer, which are easy to find but additional expenses. (It is also important that you get a keyboard that you like the feel of and, if you are intent on eventually playing on a real piano, that has a realistic piano-like touch. This may not be essential to you, but it is important to be aware of it).

The software, although very good at the early and intermediate stages of tuition, does not allow you to advance to a particularly high level of performance. The makers have limited the pieces to those containing no more than three sharps or flats in the key signature, however there is a lot of music out there that has five, six or more. Therefore, if you are planning to advance to a high level, you may eventually need to supplement the original software with further books or programs to prepare you for music you will encounter in 'the real world'.

A final issue that we should mention is one of compatibility. Users have often been confused by the different versions of this software, which are compatible only on specific operating systems. For a start, if you are using Vista, there is currently no Teach Me Piano software that will work on your computer. If you are using an earlier Windows system, you will be able to find a version that works for you, but it is absolutely vital that you check beforehand to make sure that the one you are buying is the right one. Most websites have a 'Requirements' section or something similar that will tell you what kind of computer you need in order to run that particular software.

Having mentioned these problems, it is important to be clear that overall Teach Me Piano is one of the best products of its kind available. This is because of its comprehensiveness, the number of hours of playing that it facilitates and the variety of its pieces and exercises. Best of all, you are unlikely to miss out on any of these useful features because the design and format is so intuitive that you can always find what you are looking for. The lessons are divided up logically into sections and further down into chapters, which not only helps you to keep track of what you have done and what you still need to do, but also gives you the feeling of having made progress. This morale-boost is important if you are to sustain your interest and dedication to your learning over a long period of time. The Progress Reports themselves are also a useful part of the software. Having a connected MIDI keyboard means the software is able to assess how well you are playing and to measure this over the duration of the course. Such an objective assessment is pretty much unique - even qualified piano teachers are liable to prejudices and subjectivity. Although you should probably at some stage play to a person who has some keyboard knowledge, the assessment that Teach Me Piano provides would actually make it difficult for you to progress along the course without adopting a good technique.

If you have the correct equipment, therefore, Teach Me Piano can be a great way to learn. If not, you can buy the extended USB Teach Me Piano Kit (see separate review on this website), which has all the same features, but for a little extra cost gives you some of the hardware you need to set up. However, you still must purchase a separate keyboard, so whichever way that you do it this is not going to be the cheapest option. But as we have shown, there are specific benefits to this program, which can only be gained by purchasing the necessary equipment. If you think you want the ability to have your playing monitored and assessed as you progress, this is a must-buy.

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