Piano

The Best Piano App for Beginners - 2023 Edition

By Claire Robertson
Best Piano App for Beginners: 2023

What is the best piano app for beginners? Consider the qualities below

It’s 2023, and there are more options for online piano apps for beginners than ever before! In this article, we’ll share some features that can help you choose the best piano app for you as a beginner. Qualities like organization of the course and methods of instruction can help you decide which piano app is right for you. 

At Hoffman Academy, we believe the best piano apps for beginners offer methodical lesson plans and instruction just like an in-person piano teacher, using the power of technology to guide you as you practice this new skill.  Unlike a traditional in-person teacher, a piano app’s structure can even extend to practice sessions and games, providing instruction that goes beyond one in-person lesson a week. 

The best piano apps for beginners offer a step-by-step approach to learning that prepares students to apply their musical knowledge to the songs they want to play right away! A great piano app for beginners will develop your musical knowledge for the long term, introducing concepts like chords and scales early so you can succeed and grow more quickly as a musician. At Hoffman Academy, our online piano app is carefully designed to provide a comprehensive musical education for the beginning pianist. 

Ready to give Premium a try? Sign up for Hoffman Academy today!

Can you really learn piano from an app?

We believe that you can absolutely learn piano from an app! The best apps for piano beginners combine the convenience of lessons from the comfort of your own home on your own schedule with the expertise of an experienced teacher and method. Plus, piano apps enable you to access musical knowledge at a reduced cost in comparison to in-person lessons. 

At Hoffman Academy, our web-based piano app for beginners teaches beginners the proper technique to play the piano intuitively using the power of video examples. From these model videos that teach beginners music through experiential learning, you’ll play music right away. Hoffman Academy’s method focuses on teaching students tools like sight-reading and learning music by ear. As a web-based app for beginners, Hoffman Academy provides tools that accelerate growth for beginners from the very start. 

What is the best piano app for beginners who want to learn effectively?

When making your selection, it is important to consider your goals in learning piano and what resources are available to you. The best piano apps for beginners demonstrate and repeat for you the best ways and proper techniques to play piano and do so in a way that makes sense to you. We recommend identifying an option that will offer a comprehensive musical education. At Hoffman Academy, our online web-based app is specifically crafted to teach beginners music fundamentals right from the beginning to create well-rounded musicians. 

SimplyPiano also offers a beginner-centered program. Called “Music and Creativity,” these lessons begin with a focus on kinesthetic and aural learning by ear as a “play-based” method that waits to introduce sight reading, or the reading of music notes, until later in the curriculum. 

Rather than focusing on creating an understanding of musical fundamentals, some app options provide real-time feedback and require a device like an iPad to listen to the notes you play on the piano. For example, Playground Sessions app for iPad offers real time feedback from the microphone as you play, and has a variety of bootcamps around reading sheet music. Similarly, Flowkey’s app is partnered with Yamaha pianos to provide an iPad or iPhone app interface that listens for mistakes. 

Hoffman Academy’s focus on music fundamentals provides a unique program of study. Mr. Hoffman’s curriculum offers an accelerated course of study that many beginners may find enjoyable. Students are encouraged to listen to the songs they’re learning so that they can hear for themselves when they’re playing the notes correctly. From the first lesson, beginner pianists are encouraged to play hands together and develop their coordination skills – whereas with Flowkey, pianists will wait until Unit 2 to practice this skill. You’ll have the ability to hear when you need to correct something in your playing and you’ll also be able to read your own sheet music from the beginning through Hoffman Academy. 

Are there free piano learning apps? What’s the difference between paid and free options?

At Hoffman Academy, we offer both free and paid options for our online students. Our entire library of 300+ video lessons and popular songs, the basis of our curriculum, are free for anyone to view, always. Hoffman Academy’s self-guided program provides a unique musical experience that fully immerses students in musical learning and playing the piano. Our free online lessons are proven and engaging for students, and teach the fundamentals of music theory at no cost to you. Additionally, we offer Premium tools that enhance student learning and provide access to additional content, which we will share more about below.

Why Hoffman Academy Premium is great for beginners

Hoffman Academy Premium provides an ideal app for learning piano for beginners by offering additional tools to help new pianists succeed! With Premium, you have access to guided practice plans for every lesson, a library of downloadable listening and sheet music materials, fun online games, and more! The practice plans for each lesson guide beginners through the best ways to practice the topics learned in any given lesson. Our Premium membership also includes access to printable materials like sheet music and unit books, as well as music theory worksheets and activity pages. A favorite feature for beginner pianists who are Premium members are the interactive games, which help students practice skills like rhythm and sightreading. 

Give it a try and sign up for Hoffman Academy today! We hope you feel more informed on options of the best piano app for beginners.

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