Best piano app for learning how to play

Learning to play the piano is something many dream of, but some don’t have the time or motivation to get started. Other hurdles to learning how to play the piano include the price of in-person lessons and the challenge of finding a good learning method.

Fortunately, learning to play piano (or any other instrument for that matter) is easier and more accessible today than ever before, thanks to technology. Online piano lessons and apps designed to teach piano are gaining popularity among both young and old. With the right piano-playing app, you can improve your skills, whether you’re a complete beginner or a more advanced player.

If you’re looking to add an interactive mobile or desktop application to your piano-learning repertoire, read on. We’ll tell you why learning piano with the help of an app is a fun and motivating way to master this instrument, no matter your skill level.

Can you learn music theory and read sheet music with piano apps?

Can piano apps replace lessons with actual music teachers? And are piano apps helpful for learning music theory? After all, a skilled pianist needs to understand music theory at least a bit, right?

In addition to playing along to songs or taking online piano lessons, using an app can also be useful for learning music theory. An app can be a valuable tool to expand your musical vocabulary and knowledge of scales, chords, musical notation, keys, and more.

For example, the Knowledge path in Yousician helps you learn music theory and practice reading sheet music.

Play piano with or without sheet music

Knowing how to read music is a crucial skill for any pianist. However, learning to read music may take some time, and the process can suck the fun out of learning, especially if you’re a beginner. Even if you’re learning to read sheet music, you should still have fun!

A good piano app offers both; it teaches you to play piano with sheet music or by using a simplified music notation. Yousician allows you to choose between three different notation styles: Enhanced, Colored, and Sheet. The Enhanced notation is good for learning the essentials of playing the piano and uses colors to help you navigate the keyboard. This notation style is great for learning piano chords and navigating the keys to find different notes.

The Colored notation style is a great alternative for beginner pianists who are still getting the hang of reading sheet music. Once you’re familiar with sheet music and comfortable using it, you can choose Sheet notation.

Play your favorite songs

One of the most motivating and exciting parts of learning the piano is playing your favorite songs! When choosing a piano app, look for one with an extensive library of popular songs and backing tracks. The library should include songs, genres, and artists you enjoy. There should be a mix of difficulty levels. Look for an app with easy songs to play on the piano if you’re still learning how to play.

Make sure to check out Yousician’s full library of songs for piano, and be on the lookout for new songs.

If you’re having trouble learning a song or just a specific part of it, choose a piano app that offers additional tools to support your learning. For example, with Yousician, you can make learning a song easier by slowing it down. A metronome is another useful tool to aid your learning and timing once you know the song’s time signature. You can focus on a certain part of the song if you find it particularly challenging, such as the chorus.

Focus on the difficult parts, slow them down, or use a metronome, and keep practicing until you nail every note and chord. Yousician’s interactive gameplay helps by giving you feedback on your timing.

Piano app vs. in-person lessons

Piano lessons with a real music teacher are a great way to learn. However, in-person lessons have their downsides. First of all, piano lessons can be very expensive, whereas a piano app often comes with a fixed monthly or annual subscription, making it a much more affordable way to learn the piano.

Piano lessons with an experienced teacher can be especially valuable for kids and other younger pianists. However, most players can advance on their own with the help of an interactive app and online piano lessons.

Are you wanting to learn the piano? If so, then we have some good news for you: the Premium+ membership on the Yousician app is free! Start learning the piano with a 7-day free trial of Yousician Premium+, which comes with 10,000+ lessons and a wide variety of popular songs.

In addition to being much more affordable, online lessons with an app allow you to learn at your own convenience. You’ll be able to choose the time and place that best fit into your schedule. With the help of an app, you don’t have to leave your home to take piano lessons. In addition, just because you use an app doesn’t mean you can’t take lessons;  you can create a solid foundation for your piano skills using an in-person instructor and then continue to teach yourself with the help of an app!

Thanks to the affordability and convenience of online piano lessons, anyone can take advantage of it. All you need is a piano keyboard and a device to run the app.

Piano app vs. YouTube videos

If in-person piano lessons aren’t possible, some head to YouTube for virtual piano lessons. YouTube is a great source for videos and guides, but it lacks many elements that only a good piano app can offer.

First of all, unlike an app designed for learning the piano, YouTube videos lack interaction. YouTube videos can’t listen to you play or give feedback to help you improve. Although YouTube is full of content related to playing the piano, the amount of videos and content creators can be overwhelming. The quality of the videos isn’t guaranteed either.

One good thing about YouTube piano lessons is that they don’t cost any money. However, you still may pay in other ways. For example, some videos come with ads. Quite often, the people who make the videos are either trying to promote their services or provide additional content behind a paywall. A trusty piano app with a fixed monthly or annual subscription is a more convenient solution.

Play with acoustic and electric piano

A good piano app allows you to play both traditional acoustic pianos and digital pianos or keyboards. The best apps let you choose between different instruments and piano setups.

The app will most likely use your device’s microphone to pick up your piano’s sound. However, how well this works depends on the quality of the device’s microphone and the app itself. Some piano apps, like Yousician, allow you to plug in your MIDI keyboard. With its advanced sound recognition technology, Yousician is sure to hear each note and chord you play!

If you are looking for good beginner keyboards, check out our keyboard-buying guide for tips and recommendations.

Choosing a piano app

If you’re convinced that online piano lessons and apps are the way to go, how should you choose the right one for you? Consider the following:

• Price: How much does the app cost? Is there a monthly or annual fee? Can you get a free trial, and does the app offer a free version for you to try?
• Songs: What types of songs does the app include? Does the song library include a variety of genres and artists?
• Convenience: Does the app allow you to play whenever and wherever you want, or do you need to use it at a certain time and place?
• Real-time feedback: Does the app include only video lessons, or is there an interactive element? If the app listens to you play, does it provide instant feedback and rate your playing?
• Device support: What kind of devices does the app support? Is it mobile-only, or can the service be used on a computer as well? What operating systems does the app support?
• Target audience: Who is the app made for? Is it geared toward children and beginner pianists, or can more advanced players also enjoy it?
• Other instruments: Is the app for piano only, or can you use it to learn and play other instruments, such as the guitar, bass, and ukulele? Does the app support singing?

Level up your piano-playing skills with Yousician

The real-time feedback, extensive library of songs, and support for both digital and acoustic pianos make Yousician one of the best piano apps in the market. Make Yousician your personal piano teacher and start learning today! Play songs from a range of genres and artists while improving your piano skills and learning music theory.

You can use Yousician on your desktop computer or download it on your mobile devices. Yousician is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. You can use Yousician for free or get our extensive Premium+ plan with unlimited access to thousands of lessons and all our songs. Try Yousician for free today, the best piano app for at-home learning. Read more about Yousician for piano.