Playing a musical instrument is a complex activity that comprises a motor and multisensory integration in a unique way. We all know that music has a well-known impact on our mind, emotional state, and it can also be a motivating activity. One such musical instrument that has plenty of benefits to the human mind and body is the piano.
The piano is one of the most popular musical instruments and a beautiful piece of furniture that looks absolutely amazing in any home. The string instrument has made a huge contribution to both modern and classical music since its creation in the early 1700s.
In today's article, we will talk about the history of the piano in brief and the benefits of playing the acoustic instrument. Also, we present you with a great application called Simply Piano that assists you in learning how to play piano without having to leave home. So, let us begin!
History Of Piano
Let us begin with a brief history of the piano. Bartolomeo Cristofori invented the modern-day piano in Italy. It is said that Cristofori was unsatisfied with the lack of control that musicians had over the volume level of the previous lines of the piano.
Therefore, he created felt-covered hammers that would hit the string and produce sound, which was the first-ever modern-day piano, built-in approximately 1709. In the modern-day, the standard piano features 88 keys, and a compass of seven full octaves, along with some other additional keys.
The modern-day piano is made up of cast-iron frames capable of enduring huge tensions on the string, therefore creating a much louder sound. Over the years, the piano has faced several developments, from string tensions to the electronic pianos, which made their appearance in the 1930s.
Electronic pianos completely rely on digital methods for tone production (also known as electroacoustic) and are heard through amplifiers and loudspeakers.
Benefits Of Playing Piano
Like with any other musical instrument, playing the piano is quite complicated, until and unless you decide to invest both time and effort into it. On the brighter side of the story, playing the piano offers many health benefits that can supplement every part of our life. Below, we have highlighted few benefits of playing the piano.
First, tones of a piano are great stress buster – people who play piano tend to experience less anxiety and depression. Playing piano just for few minutes can improve self-esteem, make you feel more positive, and lower your blood pressure.
Additionally, piano playing also offers different physical and psychological advantages to players. It sharpens fine motor skills, improves dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Piano music also tends to reduce cardiac complications, increase immune response, make your hands and arm muscles much stronger.
About Simply Piano
Now, let us come to the main part of the article – Simply Piano. Developed by JoyTunes, Simply Piano is created by music educators and is used by tens of thousands of music teachers worldwide.
Simply Piano is probably the fastest way to learn to play piano, for any group of learners, from beginners to pro players. Whether you want to learn piano on your own or start from scratch, Simply Piano is your ultimate guide to learning piano the right way.
The application is prevalent among piano players and has even won several awards, such as Apple's Editor Choice Award, Parents' Choice Award, and Google Play's Best App Award. Creators of the app have defined their application as an educational and fun app for learning piano quickly and easily suited for all levels of learners.
Features Of The Application
Talking about the application features, Simply Piano houses a plethora of amazing features that will help you master the instrument with ease. First, Simply Piano teaches using videos and interactive, progressive lessons, which is similar to a game-like format, thus making the whole learning process absolutely fun.
The lessons are comprehensive, and in plenty, with lots of instructions on what you need to do and where you need to improve. Simply Piano includes a huge song library with tons of fun songs like Imagine, Chandelier, Counting Stars, and All of Me. Users can select songs according to their corresponding level by scrolling the top menu.
Each song is divided into "intro" and "chord" to break up and ease the learning process. The app is designed for learners of all ages and all experience levels. You do not need to have previous knowledge to use the app – the application has a very simple user interface specially focused on beginners. It also has 5-minute workouts that ensure you are making the right process in the right amount of time.
Why Choose Simply Piano?
Now you might have questions about why you use Simply Piano, as there are many other similar applications. Of course, hundreds of other similar applications help you learn piano with its virtual keyboard. But Simply Piano is not just another virtual keyboard that you keep on playing until you are bored – Simply Piano is more than that.
Unlike other applications, Simply Piano does not just teach you the basics of reading music in the first few lessons, but it also makes sure that you keep accessing those lessons now and then. The best part is that it does not let you skip lessons until and unless you complete them perfectly, without any error. The app listens to the notes by itself without needing to connect to MIDI cables.
Therefore Simply Piano works with any piano or keyboard, including the acoustic pianos as well. Additionally, unlike other piano tutorial apps, Simply Piano is not ad-supported and does not harass users with constant ads. Plus, the app works without an internet connection; however, you will require the internet to download the lessons and creating profiles in the beginning.
On the contrary, Simply Piano also has its very own disadvantages. The first one is its customization options - Simply Piano does not have many customization options compared to other competing apps. For instance, Simply Piano's practice mode lets you choose between a few tempos and does not let you split up hands.
How Simply Piano Works?
Unlike other piano learning app, Simply Piano is not just a virtual piano to play. Once you have installed the application and opened it, you will be asked a few questions about your encounter with piano, like do you have a piano or keyboard, what your experiences are with playing piano, and your goals. If you already own a piano or keyboard, you also have the option to connect your piano with your device via USB MIDI.
Doing this is much more reliable when it comes to note recognition while exercising in the app. If you do not have a piano, the application will become your virtual piano, and you can learn from there. The app's home screen will then guide you through a series of courses and lessons, and you can begin by tapping on any one course.
The whole interface is very linear, making it easy for beginners to use the application with ease. Simply Piano takes you through the curriculum by teaching you the basics in the beginning, using various songs. The app will recognize and compare the notes you pressed with the song's actual notes and get back to you with detailed feedback. And the end of an exercise, users are rated based on the notes they get corrected, timing, and places where the song was slowed down.
Downloading, Pricing, And Subscription
The app is available on Android and iOS platforms; however, it is not compatible with computers. Users can download the app for free from their respective app play store or app store. Just put the name of the app in the store's search bar and find Simply Piano by JoyTunes. There are also other applications similar to Simply Piano but are not as efficient and effective.
The free version of the application offers you two free courses and can be later upgraded to a premium subscription to get all courses at any time. With a premium subscription, users get real-time feedback, get access to the updated library of thousands of amazing songs ranging from classics to modern-day hits, and create multiple profiles for their family members at no added cost.
Subscription
Users can purchase the subscription in 3-month, 6-month, or annual subscription plans. The 3-month plan costs $59.99, the 6-month plan costs $89.99, and the annual plan costs $119.99. All the plans comprise a 7-day free trial period so that you can try and test the app before you buy it. Your subscription plan will get auto-renewed before 24 hours of the expiry of your current subscription period.
The Bottom Line
Music is compelling, and in particular, piano music can bring out strong emotions in both listener and player. Simply Piano is a great app for those who want to learn to play the piano but don't know where to start from.
Spanish version: Aprende a tocar piano sin salir de casa con esta aplicación
Last updated on May 23rd, 2023 at 08:05 pm
