Product Description

Piano + Keyboard Method 2.0

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #522 in Software
• Brand: Avanquest Software
• Model: EK08071
• Released on: 2009-08-03
• Platforms: Windows Vista, Windows NT, Mac, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows XP
• Format: CD-ROM
• Dimensions: .0" h x .0" w x .0" l, .20 pounds

Manufacturer's Description

This latest version of eMedia Piano & Keyboard Method offers everything you need to learn how to play and more! Over 300 step-by-step lessons start with the basics, such as hand position, rhythm, and playing on black keys, and move on to reading music notation, sight reading, scales, and much more! Piano teacher Irma Irene Justicia, M.A., who has taught at the renowned Juilliard School of Music, guides you through over 70 large-format video demonstrations of techniques.

Learn songs and exercises from either the music notation or an animated keyboard that displays fingerings in time with the music. Songs and exercises are enhanced by live recorded audio, variable-speed MIDI keyboard tracks, and colourful MIDI accompaniments. You will learn over 100 popular classical, blues, pop, and rock songs, including hit songs from artists such as Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, and Elton John!

Interactive review and ear training screens help reinforce new concepts and develop your ear. When used with an electronic MIDI keyboard, you get specific feedback on playing mistakes, including wrong notes and rhythms. Other accessories include a built-in digital metronome and a recorder. This new version includes larger easy-to-read screens, enhanced audio & video, progress tracking, and an updated curriculum. eMedia Piano & Keyboard Method is the ultimate way to learn how to play piano or keyboard!

Features over 100 songs including:

"Piano Man" - Billy Joel
"Candle in the Wind" - Elton John
"Ode to Joy" - Ludwig van Beethoven
"America the Beautiful" - Samuel Ward
"La Bamba" - made famous by Los Lobos
"Minuet in G" - J.S. Bach
"Tishomingo Blues" - Spencer Williams
"The Entertainer" - Scott Joplin
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Bob Dylan

What the Press Say

Wall Street Journal "We found the software well planned and effective -- progress was quick."
PC Magazine 4.5 stars
American Music Teacher Magazine"An impressive and thorough piano teaching program."
Music News"We tried out the method and within no time we were actually playing songs, something that we had no idea we would be able to do so quickly. It is simply amazing."

Customer Reviews

A reasonably good example of this type of product, but not the ideal way to learn
If you want to use this product to learn to play a traditional piano, the first problem might be finding somewhere convenient to position your laptop or desktop PC - the instructions in this software suggest resting it on top, but with a traditional piano this would be problematic as (1) the screen would be too high to be viewed comfortably, (2) the piano top may need to be opened to optimise sound radiation, and (3) the vibration might not do your computer much good. In my opinion, this product is definitely aimed at the electronic keyboard market, where positioning a PC would be much less problematic.

I had no problems at all installing the software on various machines: a very new laptop running Windows Vista, a slightly older desktop also running Windows Vista and a six year old desktop running Windows XP. The basic, rudimentary instructions (1 sheet of A5 paper) appeared to be accurate.

There were many things I liked, including: (1) comfortably paced lessons, (2) clear explanations that were almost good enough to be used as an introductory course on music theory (and would be fine for this if supplemented with a suitable book), (3) being able to play back accompaniment parts, or left-hand or right-hand parts individually, at varying speeds (checked by the built in metronome function) to facilitate practise, (4) being able to play user-selected loops to enable more intensive practice of difficult areas, and (5) the ability of the software to tell you when you play a note of the wrong pitch or the wrong duration.

And there were some things that I really did not like, including: (1) the small images - try as I may, like other reviewers I could not get this software to operate in a full screen or `maximised' mode, and (2) the CD-ROM format - surely using DVD-ROM would have enabled better image and sound quality.

In summary, this is a reasonably good example of this type of product, but despite its merits and its economy, it is not the ideal way to learn. I have tried various ways to learn to play musical instruments over the years and there is no real substitute, in my opinion, for lessons with a qualified music teacher. Getting basics, like posture and hand position, correct are vitally important from the outset, and may help avoid medical problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injury later, both potential problems if practising a lot. Although the software provides solid and sound advice on posture and hand position, it cannot watch you and tell you where you are going wrong, as most beginners do at first. Also, unlike a qualified music teacher, it cannot tailor lessons to get the best out of you as an individual. Worth about 3.5 stars really.

Compatiility problems
When I installed this on my laptop (Windows Vista) I could not get the programme to run, because every time I launched it, a component part (keyboard.exe) kept crashing. I tried it on my desktop (also vista) and it seemed to work ok on there. From what I can see of it, the programme itself looks reasonably good, but if you have issues with bugs (as I and at least one other reviewer have had), this will likely outweigh any positive features of the programme.

Could not get this to work at all on Vista. Shame.
Despite my best efforts, following the manufacturers advice, visiting the manufacturers website and downloading the patch, updating all of my third party software, running the software in various compatability modes and even trying it on two different PCs, I could not get 'Piano and Keyboard Method' to work on Vista.

Some reviewers appear to have had some success with it so it's up to the purchaser if they want to take the gamble.