Learning to play piano is a skill that people of all ages can pick up. The benefits of playing the piano go far beyond having fun—it also enhances memory and stimulates creativity.
In the past, people relied on a music teacher to teach them everything they needed to know about playing piano. These days, we are lucky enough to have technology on our side to help us learn new skills.
Check out this list of apps we have compiled to learn piano with your iPhone.
1. Simply Piano
Simply Piano is one of the App Store's most popular piano learning tools and caters to all skill levels, from beginner to pro. Set-up is easy: simply put your iPhone on top of your piano or keyboard and start playing. Just like a personal piano teacher, the app will recognize what you are playing and provide instant feedback.
Users have access to 25 learning courses and hundreds of songs to learn, spanning genres from pop to classical.
After learning the foundations of piano playing, the course splits into two paths: soloists and chords. You can choose which path you want to take depending on your learning goals and the type of music you want to play.
The 5-Min Workouts are short enough to keep your playing skills sharp if you are too busy to do a full lesson. These short workouts are personalized and, while you won't learn anything new, they will reinforce what you have already learned.
Download: Simply Piano (Free, in-app purchases available)
2. Yousician
The Yousician app is like having a personal music tutor who provides immediate feedback while you play. The app was designed by music teachers and caters to all levels of music proficiency, from complete beginners to seasoned professionals.
The app is packed with content for learning piano, including over 1,500 missions and exercises accompanied by hundreds of videos. Students learn all the essentials of music theory and practical skills, including how to read sheet music and play with two hands.
Learning to play piano shouldn't limit you to a single genre. On Yousician, you can learn how to play songs from a wide range of genres, including pop, rock, jazz, and classical. The app will guide you through your songs of choice in a step-by-step tutorial.
If you enjoy gameplay, Yousician sets weekly challenges for its users. Each week, all users can compete against each other on a new set of songs that are tailored to every playing level.
Download: Yousician (Free, in-app purchases available)
3. flowkey
This piano tuition app, called flowkey, teaches users at every level using courses, tutorials, and 1,500 songs. The app monitors your performance via your iPhone's microphone or MIDI connection and provides useful feedback.
Video tutorials from professional pianists are provided to help you develop proper playing techniques. Your iPhone's screen is split in two when you play songs, with sheet music on one side and a birds-eye view of the pianist on the other, so you can copy their hands exactly.
You will also learn playing techniques and music theory in step-by-step courses, such as how to play with both hands, and exercises that teach you scales, chords, and improvisation.
The song playing modes (Wait mode, Slow mode, and Fast mode) are convenient for users with different needs. Beginners will find Wait mode the most convenient as it listens to the notes as you play a piece and goes at your speed.
Download: flowkey (Free, in-app purchases available)
4. Skoove
Skoove is an interactive piano teacher that uses artificial intelligence to personalize your learning experience. The app caters to players from all levels and personalizes lessons based on your individual skill.
There is plenty of content, with 400 lessons, thousands of videos, as well as popular hits and classic songs available for you to learn. The basics are well covered, such as sight-reading and chords, alongside other valuable skills like improvisation and production.
Users can learn at their own pace with the tempo feature, which can slow down and speed up the song playing, as well as the ability to loop difficult sections of a song for practice.
Download: Skoove (Free, in-app purchases available)
5. Piano Academy
Piano Academy promises to turn beginners into expert pianists regardless of whether they own a piano or not. The app can identify what you are playing on your keyboard or piano using your iPhone's microphone or MIDI connection. Otherwise, the app's touchscreen keyboard will help you start playing if you don't own a piano.
Video tutorials, guided by a staff player, are especially useful for visual learners. The app continuously listens as you play and provides instant feedback.
Besides the basics of music theory, such as chords and scales, users are also taught practical skills like hand positions and how to read notes and sheet music. The app keeps users engaged with fun interactive sounds and great visuals, as you progress into more difficult skills.
Piano Academy knows how important it is to practice with the tunes you love—users can also learn by playing along with their favorite tunes from a wide selection of genres.
Download: Piano Academy (Free, in-app purchases available)
6. Piano
This app gamifies the piano learning process with a full 88-key touchscreen keyboard simulator that teaches you to play 150 popular songs. There are nine different piano keyboards and musical instruments, along with two mini-games: Magic Tiles and Magic Keys.
The Magic Tiles mini-game teaches you to play famous songs on the app's touchscreen keyboard. Points are awarded when the correct key is pressed at the right time. Beginners can use this game to master their timing and tempo, as well as providing an opportunity to practice if they don't have access to a piano.
Users can also learn basic piano skills with this app, like how to read sheet music and chords.
Download: Piano (Free, in-app purchases available)
Use Technology to Your Advantage and Start Learning Piano Today
Players of all levels can use these excellent iPhone apps to practice and learn piano. Each of these apps has different features and capabilities, but these descriptions should help you find the right one for your needs. You don't even need a piano to start learning; thanks to technology, all you need is an iPhone.