Education: A Right Career Move

I was taking lessons from the internet FREE and decided to get Teach Me Piano with a gift certificate. This is without a doubt the worst software EVER. I installed and uninstalled it 3x. After muddling through the lack of any START instructions, I could play (I think) the beginning of the course until I exited and try to return later. Each time the software was “performing an illegal operation and will close” So unless you can spend the next year or so of your life while the software is working to learn the piano, forget it, you’ll never get back in. I emailed the company 2x and have yet to get a response. So much for technical support. I have returned the junk for a refund. Thanks to..great return policies. I’ll go back to FREE internet instructions.
Rating: 1 / 5

Before buying Teach Me Piano (TMP) I read about possible issues with installation on Windows XP. The copy I received listed XP as a compatible OS. I did not encounter any problems and it works fine.

I (20 years old) have absolutely no musical background and would like to read and play music. So far, after completing several lessons, I have made some progress.

The lessons become more complex as you progress. Each exercise is broken up into two preliminary assessments — one on the timing/duration of note and the other on accuracy of note selection. After that, you are tested on both of those simultaneously. My keyboard connects to the computer via USB and the TMP software grades your performance on both of the above criteria. I have learnt a few songs so far which I am now able without having to read the music. It’s nice to be getting somewhere.

I must note, however, that I don’t think I actually read the staff while playing. So far I have not been actively taught to read music. Only the types of notes are introduced but not too much though.

Right now, the finger numbers appear above each note as you play. Depending on what you are trying to learn this may be something to think about. This software teaches you to play but may not teach you how to truly read the music. It is understandable that something may not be able to teach every detail because it may make learning boring, so one may look at this as a positive. Since learning to read music is one of my goals this is why I took one star off my rating.

One advantage with the software is that you look at videos that books do not have and it also grades your performances, as I mentioned. This is good so that you can actually tell whether you are playing the piece properly. I do not go take piano lessons. The exercises also come with demonstrations but I haven’t really used them since the sub-exercises are very useful.

I have spend several hours — though not nearly as many as I should — and it seems like it will take a while to complete all the lessons. To me I think it should go well in depth.

Right now I am waiting for a book called “Learn to Read Music” by Howard Shanet to reach my local Barnes & Noble. Hopefully I will get around to writing a review for that also.

If you are already using this software, does it teach you to read music in the latter lessons? Please add on anything else worthy of noting.

Although I have not used it, the “Alfred’s Basic Adult Piano Course” series for learning piano receives decent reviews as well and might be worth taking a look at.

I hope this helps with choosing appropriate means for your learning.
Rating: 4 / 5