Piano Learning App: How to Teach Yourself Piano at Home
Some hate them, others love them: piano apps.
That’s probably because there are big differences between the apps.
This article will help you see clearly:
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Gordon November
Gordon November
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Some love them. Others hate them. I’m talking about piano apps here.
Those who love piano apps are happy that they can start playing immediately. Almost without thinking. The apps are also interactive and resemble a computer game. This particularly appeals to young piano players.
And then there are those who hate piano apps. Why? Because they find that playing strictly by instructions isn’t for them. They prefer to be free at the piano. To play intuitively. To be themselves at the instrument. If you belong to this group, you’ll find some interesting options at the end of this article.
As is often the case in life, sweeping judgments are too harsh when it comes to piano apps. Because: Every app is different. In this article, I’ll show you the differences.
I’ll introduce you to the market leaders. These include the piano apps flowkey, Simply Piano, and Skoove. We’ll also go a step further. I’ll present you with an alternative to the classic piano app, with which you can make music intuitively in the future – and become a free pianist.
Pro Tip: First define your goals. Then find the right app.
First, be clear about your goals and then look for the right app. Do you want to train your finger dexterity and get immediate feedback if you play incorrectly? Do you prefer to explore the piano freely and eventually play without a tablet? Your goals will show you where the journey is going. And which app suits you.
Piano Apps Compared: flowkey, Simply Piano, Skoove & Co.
There are many piano apps on the market. They all promise quick success and lots of fun. According to the providers, piano enthusiasts like you should be able to play their favorite songs in no time. And all with the help of catchy online tutorials.
Play your favorite songs directly on the piano? Sounds good! But with all the online offerings, how do you find the right option for you? Come with me. I’d be happy to show you your options.
flowkey
Stop! I know exactly which provider you’ve come across while searching for the right piano app. A look into my crystal ball tells me. Abracadabra: flowkey. Right?
flowkey is one of the most well-known apps for learning piano. During your search for a piano learning app, you’ve certainly stumbled upon this provider. Why? Because flowkey clearly advertises with the message “Learn piano online.” And that’s exactly what you want. To master the keyboard instrument with the help of an online course.
So far, so good. But what exactly does the piano app flowkey promise in detail? A quick look at the provider’s meta description reveals it:
“Learn playing technique, notes, and chords and get interactive feedback. All you need is the flowkey app and your piano.”
Bullseye. Sounds like the perfect app for playing piano. So let’s take a closer look.
Play Piano by Intuition
Piano App flowkey in Detail
According to the flowkey website, you learn to play the music you love with the piano app – no matter what learning level you’re currently at. That sounds very tempting. But how does it work? Let’s take a look at the app’s user interface.
After you’ve signed up for flowkey, you’ll land directly in your personal learning area. Here you’ll be confronted with a gigantic selection of pieces, tunes, and songs. You’ll certainly know many of them. Besides classical pieces, you’ll find rock classics, movie songs, chart hits, and much more.
With such a large selection, it’s certainly hard for you to decide. But don’t panic: You can filter specifically by songs or genres. This way, you’ll quickly find the song you want to learn.
Let’s go! Here’s how piano lessons work with flowkey
Once you’ve found a song you’d like to play, you can start right away. The app shows you the sheet music for the selected title. But you don’t need to be able to read music. Because: Above the notes, you’ll see a keyboard with the keys you’re supposed to play.
To avoid frustration and allow you to celebrate immediate success at the piano, each title is categorized by difficulty. Some titles are even available in multiple difficulty levels. You can choose from Beginner, Intermediate, Expert, and Pro.
In addition to songs, flowkey also offers a range of courses with which you can learn piano playing at a theoretical level. Options include a beginner’s course, a course on two-handed piano playing, on chords, or on scales.
Whether you first learn the basics of piano playing or start directly with a few songs is entirely up to you.
Conclusion: Playing Piano with flowkey
flowkey is a cool app in itself for learning your favorite songs. An active subscription is a prerequisite for you to access your favorite titles at any time.
Piano for you
Are you looking for a piano learning app that costs you nothing? Then Piano for you might be for you. First off: This app is only available for Android devices. If you use an iPhone or another smartphone without an Android operating system, this app is unfortunately not for you.
Piano Learning App: Piano for you in Detail
What immediately stands out: Piano for you is different from other piano learning apps. No gigantic dashboard. No huge library with thousands of songs. No. Just a complete keyboard. And that’s it.
What does that mean? Piano for you is simply a digital piano. You can start playing immediately without an instrument. Meaning: No matter where you are, with your smartphone, you always have the opportunity to spontaneously play a note or a small melody.
Conclusion on Piano for you
With Piano for you, the name says it all. You get a piano. Directly on your smartphone. This app doesn’t really replace piano lessons at the moment. It’s also less suitable for learning piano. But what the app can do: Be an e-piano for you. Until you can buy a real piano.
Tip: Operating Piano for you on a smartphone is very cumbersome. It’s better to use the app on a tablet. You’ll definitely benefit more from that.
Simply Piano
With Simply Piano – one of the most popular piano apps on the market – the name is meant to say it all. According to the provider, you learn to play the piano in no time with the app. And with joy. The path there involves simple courses, tutorials, and songs.
Let’s take a closer look at the app
With the app, you can start playing the piano immediately. Theoretical content is always followed by a song that you can play along with directly on the piano. It works like this: The notes you just learned are displayed to you. The app guides you through the notes in time, which you have to play at the right moment. Simply Piano listens to your piano playing. If you press a key on your piano too late or too early, it’s recognized as an error. If the error rate in a certain section of the song just played is too high, it will be repeated until you press all keys at the exact right time.
Who is Simply Piano suitable for?
The piano app accompanies you on your journey from beginner to advanced player. Because: The piano app is structured so that the difficulty increases with each exercise and each song. So the level and demands continuously rise.
Conclusion on Simply Piano
Simply Piano is one of the successful piano learning apps for a reason. The app is clearly structured. Well thought out. And guides even the most absolute beginner. Perhaps it’s even an alternative to traditional lessons with a piano teacher.
What you will definitely learn here: How to play various pieces and songs. And quite quickly. Of course, the initial songs aren’t high piano art. But they give you a feel for the piano and music. And over time, you can get better and better.
With Simply Piano, you play strictly by the system. Meaning: The app tells you exactly when to press which key on the piano. This can quickly become a mechanical process. So make sure that despite the precise instructions, you put feeling into your piano playing.
I’ll show you a method at the end of this article on how you can definitely play the piano expressively and intuitively. And yes, expression and feeling are crucial at the piano for truly authentic and captivating piano playing.
Skoove
Curtain up for another piano app from Germany: Skoove. Users are supposed to learn piano with ease through interactive online courses and tutorials – according to the provider. Let’s take a closer look together.
How Skoove works
Skoove is a classic app for learning piano and promises interactive piano courses for beginners and advanced players. As soon as you’ve registered, you’ll land on the overview page where all courses can be found. The trick here: You can start with any course you want. This makes Skoove interesting for experienced players and pianists too (after all, you can simply skip the beginner courses).
Here, every theoretical exercise is followed by a song – or the theory is taught directly through a song. For all users who don’t have a piano, keyboard, or similar at home, Skoove also offers the option to practice directly on the computer keyboard. For the transition, this is certainly better than not playing at all. But it’s not comparable to playing a real piano. Moreover, making music on a piano brings significantly more joy.
My Conclusion on the Skoove App
For me, the advantage of Skoove is the combination of theory and practice. You play a song and always learn something new with it. Such as fingerings, accidentals, chords, and so on.
My conclusion: For beginners, Skoove is a nice piano app. Simply because you can start playing immediately and learn something new at the same time. Advanced players can also certainly enjoy the app. But you have to find out for yourself if it suits you. Fortunately, you can try Skoove for free.
music2me
As soon as you Google online music lessons, you’ll quickly stumble upon music2me. According to the manufacturer, the app guides you “step by step to the magic of music.” music2me shows you how to play your first notes on the piano – and quickly transitions to real songs and pieces. What distinguishes this app from some other piano learning apps: Here you learn with a piano teacher: Yacine. He guides users step by step through the course.
Master Keys Without Sheet Music
With the new turbo training, you'll be proficient in every musical key within a few weeks.
(no sheet music knowledge required)
For Beginners and Advanced Players
The structure of music2me makes it possible for beginners and advanced players to learn piano. The courses in the app are geared towards beginners. But there are also lessons for returners and advanced players. In addition, each course consists of a mix of piano exercises, music theory, and songs.
Conclusion on music2me
music2me is a piano app aimed at beginners. Its structure and module content slowly introduce the user to piano playing. First, you learn individual notes. Over time, the motivated user can play entire pieces.
Intuitive Piano Playing vs. Piano Apps: What's Your Option?
Do you want to be completely yourself at the piano? To switch off musically when you come home after a stressful day? To NOT do what someone else tells you once a day? To put your smartphone aside and let your thoughts wander instead? To sound at the piano the way you feel right now? To play your favorite songs in your own version?
Then you should definitely try intuitive piano playing.
Learning piano with an app is a great alternative to traditional piano lessons for you. And why not? With the wide range of applications for aspiring pianists and piano players, you’re sure to find a solution that suits you.
But let me still show you an alternative. Why? Because I want to show you that you can become a real piano pro even without an app. And at the same time impress people with your skills, independently of sheet music.
What Piano Apps Can't Do
With some apps, you’re trained to play according to fixed patterns. This can sometimes become mechanical. So don’t forget: Always let your own feeling flow into the songs. And use your own intuition. I’ll tell you how in a moment.
The App I Use
Now I’ll tell you which app I use to learn piano. It’s an app that helps me become independent. And it only costs a few euros for lifetime access.
I’m talking about GAP CLICK. It was invented by German star drummer Benny Greb. I absolutely love this application. It doesn’t tell you when to press and release which key. Instead, it turns you into a piano ace in a different way.
How? The metronome app helps you stay in rhythm, wander less, and keep the right tempo. In short: You “groove.” First, it continuously gives you the beat. Then individual beats are omitted. Until you perfectly groove through a song completely without the metronome. Just try it out. The app is super cheap and can be used for a lifetime once purchased.
Conclusion: Find the Method That Suits Your Goal
You’ve now seen what piano apps can do. What the difference is between a piano app and intuitive piano playing.
What the right choice for your purposes is now depends on your goals.
So, what do you want? Computer game feeling or free playing?
Your time is limited. So use it wisely. Ideally, your piano course will quickly get you to your goal. And the lessons will be so much fun that playing the piano becomes a beloved part of your daily life. Because then you’ll automatically stay on track.
What's Different About Intuitive Piano Playing?
The beauty of intuitive piano playing is the independence you gain. You don’t need sheet music, no apps – you simply play what you feel like. By feel. By ear. You hear the music in your head and intuitively know when to press which key.
Sounds too good to be true, right? Spoiler: It’s not.
There are piano lessons with which you can learn intuitive piano playing. You don’t necessarily need private lessons for that. There’s also an online offering for this.
Yes, caught you: This online offering <- link to online course text is from me. We “Intuinauts” at Piano.University are the counter-movement to robotic piano playing.
With my online course at Piano.University, you will discover intuitive piano playing. Exactly to your taste and feeling. The best part: You only need a few weeks to learn intuitive piano playing and see rapid progress.
My recommendations: Start with my free workshop.
Here you will find out what intuitive piano playing is and if it suits you.
After that, you will know which notes always go together, how to play songs from the radio on the keyboard, and how to make them sound beautiful.
And what if you discover during the workshop that you enjoy intuitive music-making? Perfect. After the workshop, you will receive 14 days of free access to the Masterclass Intuition. Here, the knowledge from the workshop will be further deepened – and you will become a true Intuinaut.
By the way: You can also learn using an app with us. However, after a few weeks, you’ll be able to put this app aside and continue playing on your own.
Intuitive Online Piano Course: My Passion Project
Piano.University is my passion project. I wanted to guide people who want to learn to play the piano without necessarily having to read sheet music, and who want the chance to simply play their favorite songs by intuition.
Why is this so important to me? Because I myself took classical piano lessons with a tutor for many years – and eventually hit a dead end. The dependence on sheet music made me nervous. I was unable to simply play a song out of nowhere.
In short: I felt like a junkie who couldn’t cope without their fix of sheet music. An addiction I wanted to overcome.
And that’s how I discovered intuitive piano playing for myself. I taught myself to make music without sheet music, relying on my ear and my basic music theory know-how. Voilà. I became a confident piano player who today fills entire halls with his concerts and has also won several awards – such as the Potsdam Chanson Prize.
Enough self-praise. I simply want to show you what is possible with intuitive music-making: that you don’t need sheet music to play the piano really well, and that you too can simply play your favorite songs by intuition – if you want to.
Sign up at piano.university – and become an Intuinaut
Just give it a try. Use the free workshop at piano.university and get started right away. If you enjoy intuitive music-making, you can then simply purchase the Masterclass Intuition for a one-time fee. We don’t have subscriptions. Instead, we help you get rid of piano subscriptions.
I look forward to showing you the world of Intuinauts.
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Play Piano by Intuition
Master Keys Without Sheet Music
With the new turbo training, you'll be proficient in every key signature within just a few weeks.
(no knowledge of sheet music required)
