Improve your technique with apps

Get started, hone the basics, then get creative on the piano using these apps for your iPhone and iPad

Smartphones and tablets are fantastic tools to aid creativity thanks to their scope and power. It is now possible to see sheet music for your favourite musician’s latest album and get virtual lessons on various instruments from the App Store. The piano is one such instrument that is brilliantly catered for, with apps on offer to take you through everything, from the very first time you sit at a piano, to the point of writing your own portfolio of songs.

The beauty of using your own device is that it takes away some of the daunting nature of having to sit at a full size piano. Instead you can sit back in comfort (wherever you may be), iPad in front of you, and experiment as you wish. Just a few quick downloads from the App Store and you can have every variation of piano or keyboard in front of you, as well as virtual teachers to guide you through every possible process you could ever wish to learn.

These pages will highlight some of the best apps for improving your piano skills, regardless of your experience. We will take you through from the very beginning, up to getting more creative and writing and playing your own music.

Top tip Choose wisely If you have both a tablet and a smartphone, make sure you pick the best version of the app you want. For example, it would be better to use a chord fi nder on a phone, as it’s always on you. On the other hand, there’s not much point in a sheet music reader on anything but a tablet. You may have to pay for an app twice if you want it on both formats!

Virtuoso Piano Free 3

Price: Free Developer: Peter Nagy The app in amongst this selection that boasts the most functionality, Virtuoso responds when you tap the keys in different ways in order to give a more realistic sound. It therefore provides an experience most akin to that of playing a real piano, making it very valuable as a learning tool. And if you are taking the learning plunge with a musical buddy, the app also supports duet mode on iPad, allowing two people to play simultaneously. This is a great way of learning, as you can encourage each other and learn to harmonise - and the app format makes the whole experience a little more relaxed and fun. Virtuoso also comes with support for AirPlay, so should you want to put on a performance for friends and family via your TV, or simply use it to see your finger work on a bigger screen, this is the app for you.

GarageBand

Price: Free Developer: Apple GarageBand is probably the most instantly recognisable of all the apps featured here, coming as part of Apple’s iLife suite on both desktop and mobile. The piano section of GarageBand not only contains a bigger variation of keyboards than any other app here, but also includes Smart Keyboard, where users can select a note and then have a melody created for them. It’s a really nifty way to learn about notes and keys that work well together. Of course, having the editing power of GarageBand at your disposal makes it a breeze to mix your piano creations with other music tracks from some other instruments.

Magic Piano

Price: Free Developer: Smule Magic Piano brings another element to the learning table in the form of competition. There is a big gaming aspect to this app, which allows you to earn points for how well you play along to popular songs. Magic Piano also contains a range of different keyboards to play should you want a change, and the beams of light to guide you to the correct note are a good way of perfecting your finger work on the keys. Magic Piano injects a nice taste of fun into the learning experience, keeping you interested and engaged.

Tiny Piano

Price: Free Developer: Squarepoet, Inc. A basic app in terms of functions and interface, but Tiny Piano comes with a host of modern songs for users to learn. This app actually places you in charge of the timing, so is very good for developing your understanding of tempo. For an added confidence boost, the app allows you to tap anywhere to play the next note, rather than on the keyboard itself if you’re stuck. It’s a nice tool should you want to learn the melody and notes first, before going back and trying to play it yourself.

Piano Tutor for iPad

Price: £2.29 Developer: SmileyApps A great way to measure your progress when it comes to sheet music reading skills is by using the quiz section in this app. Piano Tutor will highlight a note on the sheet music and then ask users to hit the correct note on the on-screen keyboard. Your speed of response will be clocked, and with a range of tests (each one containing 24 questions) you can give your knowledge a strenuous workout before getting back to learning by playing the simple songs that also come in the app.

“Through competition, Magic Piano injects a nice taste of fun into the learning experience, keeping you interested and engaged”

Nota for iPad

Price: £2.29 Developer: All Forces A brilliantly simple and usable app, Nota is a combination of reference guide, quiz and solid learning tool, making it essential to new piano users. Tap a note on the keyboard to see it shown as a character of sheet music, giving you the chance to instantly learn and remember the placement and look of each note. There is also a complete reference book full of all the key terms and definitions of every aspect of sheet music. Then, once you think you know your stuff, there is the quiz mode to turn to and test your degree of knowledge.

Steinway Etude

Price: Free Developer: Steinway Musical Instruments One of the most impressive aspects of Etude is the in-app store, where users can download songs and access the sheet music. As the song plays and the coloured indicators move along the sheet, the notes on the keyboard are also highlighted below. This means you can firstly begin to understand how sheet music is formed, and then begin to play along with it. So not only can you use the app as a digital play book, but also as a vital learning tool.

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122 Jazz

124 The Classical period 126 The Romantic period 128 Contemporary piano music

“The piano has played a large part in popular music for a long time now, from early hits up to modern greats”