Many people have music lessons, mostly piano, since they are kids. Only a few would pursue more advanced skills because most people would rather spend their time on leisure.
Some people would like to continue their training struggle with the lack of time. Luckily, technology has provided different way for those who want to sneeze out a little time for our musical pursuits.
Below are some of the best online piano courses that are continually gaining popularity among users because of their effectiveness and fun environment of learning.
1. Playground Sessions
The video is very promising. Co-created by the music legend, Quincy Jones, there’s nothing much to talk about here in terms of legitimacy. We are not even talking about the roster of instructors on the course.
This course is for any level of a piano player, even literal starters. Song lesson selections are very wide in accordance with your skill level of course.
You can use whatever piano or keyboard you have, but to access the interactive function of the site, you must have a digital piano connected to your computer. This part may be pretty tricky but surely it will be worth it.
Interactive mode provides Instant Feedback that turns keys into red or green colors to reflect your accuracy. Plus, it makes the learning process fun like video games.
Price: $17.99/month, $119.88/year, $289.99 one-off payment for lifetime membership
2. Flowkey
Flowkey is a modern app that teaches you how to play the piano without a teacher.
Numerous selections of songs in different genres are available specifically for beginners. The app is very flexible for any kind of keyboard since it will personalize your learning procedure according to your skill and the type of piano you are using.
It has two learning modes, the Slow Motion mode, where you can control the phase of the song depending on how much you can follow.
Then there is the Wait Mode, where the app itself, waits for you to hit the right notes before going to the next section.
While all of these tools are very useful, Flowkey doesn’t teach its users how to read music or learn musical theories.
Price: $19/month, $120/year
3. Skoove
“The easiest way to learn piano” sounds like too big of a claim, but Skoove is living up to their promises.
This web-based piano approach incorporates popular music into the teaching of musical principles such as reading music and chords.
It syncs with your device to ensure you’re playing the correct notes and rhythms in a fun learning experience.
The software’s ‘listen, learn, play’ method helps you acquire new skills very efficiently. I personally believe that this is the right order of learning. There’s also basic coaching on how to start improvising with solid technique.
Price: $19.99/month, $39.99/3 months, $119.99/year
4. PianoForAll
Users of this course claim that daily practice in 20-30 minutes will show great progress within a few days.
Pianoforall stands out among most courses because it focuses on teaching you to play by ear, improvise, and compose rather than following a more traditional path.
Upon purchase, you will get 9+1 e-books embedded with videos and exercises that will gradually help you improve your style and instinct in playing.
Price: $79 download or $89 download plus DVD (one-off payment)
5. Piano Marvel
Piano Marvel is an all-in-one piano learning program that teaches students of all ages how to play the piano quickly. It is intended to be used with a MIDI keyboard in order to provide immediate feedback on your progress.
Music theory, sight-reading, ear training, and rhythm can all be practiced.
Free account options are always a plus. It was created for teachers and students, and instructors can use their elements to develop a curriculum.
With over 1,000 pieces to practice, Piano Marvel offers one of the most extensive libraries that you can access for a very reasonable price.
Price: $15.99/month, $110.99/year
6. Piano With Willie
Created by a graduate of Berklee Music School, Willie Myette, most of the lessons from his site came from what he learned at Berklee, which we all know is not a school for beginners.
His site still has content for all levels of musicians, but I personally think that advanced musicians will benefit more from his lessons.
Courses are divided into two essential parts – piano essentials and chord essentials. It provides a deep level of analysis about the foundation of piano for all levels of players.
It is not the most practical course in terms of the price but a subscription to it will give you access to a lot of awesome features including “live training” with Willie himself.
Price: $29.97/month
7. Music2me
Some courses are focused on beginners or advanced. This particular course is made for both but also for the adults who don’t have much time because of their busy schedules.
Music2me can only be accessed through their website but lessons are designed in roughly 6 minutes. Short enough but still very informative.
They are offering more than 150 videos that include lessons for beginners, music theory, and song tutorials. These are what the users are paying for.
Price: $15/month
8. Hoffman Academy
Created by Joseph Hoffman, Hoffman Academy is designed for children and adults.
The course covers teaching the differences with notes on a beginner level to the musical alphabet to posture, theories, and many more as you dig deeper into the lessons.
Beginners will enjoy all the content and Hoffman’s teaching style, though more advanced players might think that the site is lacking in modern styles of piano playing.
Price: $18 a month, $179 a year, or $ 595-lifetime membership
9. Pianote
This is one of those sites that claims they provide the “ultimate online piano lessons experience”. Let’s take a look:
What seems legit is that Pianote provides a fresh approach to the web-based video format and improves on it by providing instant access to highly-trained pros.
You’ll receive access to weekly live-streaming video classes and the option to connect with teachers and students in the community forums, as well as have your questions addressed by real-life piano teachers.
Pianote provides unrivaled support due to its usage of real teachers and live features. Your teachers work hard to make your experience as unique as possible, starting with a personalized welcome video and how-to guide.
Quite the experience for most piano students.
Price: $29 a month/$197 a year
10. Simply Piano
An award-winning app developed by JoyTunes, Simply Piano is gaining popularity because of its advanced features and solid foundation.
It listens to what you play on your keyboard or piano and, like a teacher, guides you through the learning process. It’s based on the robot learning approach, which makes it simple for novices to learn to play the piano.
Depending on your skill level, the app guides you through the learning phase. The most important thing you can accomplish with this software is to practice the proper technique regardless of whether you are a beginner or a professional player.
Price: 7-day free trial/ $119.99 per year, $89.99 for six months, or $59.99 for three months.
11. Onlinepianist
Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals of the piano, OnlinePianist provides a platform for music tutorials as it is very dedicated to beginners. It works with iOS and Android smartphones, as well as computers with microphones.
The basic principle of OnlinePianist is quite simple: forget about the theoretical aspects of the piano to devote yourself entirely to what is most fun: learning your favorite songs on piano.
The learning methods allow you to break down the song into individual hands, so you can learn the left hand first, then the right, and then merge them.
It has a wide horizon of song selection from pop to your favorite anime songs. Some are free but like other apps, you have to pay for premium access.
Price: Lowest plan $59.88/year or $4.99/month.Highest plan $39.96/3 months or $9.99/month.
12. HearAndPlay
HearAndPlay is a program that allows you to locate keys, learn songs, and build chord structures entirely by ear. By adapting to this kind of learning, you will be more progressive as you journey on your musical chase.
If you’re stuck on a concept or having trouble figuring it out, there are plenty of forums, ideas, reviews, videos, and other resources to check at. Lessons here might be pretty tricky since it’s not that intended for beginners.
This is not the most convenient way of learning but then again, there was a time when none of these courses exist and still, the world is breeding great musicians. These musicians relied on nothing but their hearing and by continually harnessing their skills.
Price: Individually priced lesson packages available in software, books, and DVDs starting at $25.00.
13. Piano in 21 days
Created by Jacques Hopkins, this course is a modern approach to teaching piano based on Jacques’ personal experience when he first started learning piano the traditional way.
Learning any skill in a limited number of days might put the learners under pressure. However, this course is designed literally for piano training in 21 days. It focuses more on song learning rather than musical theories and technicalities.
Of course, it’s the user’s choice if they will finish the course in 21 days. The course includes all the basics and bite-sized videos to incorporate all the knowledge in a short period of time.
Subscription will give you access to complimentary courses like ear training and hand-eye coordination aside from the 21-day lesson plan. There is a free trial of 3 e-books for starters which makes the course more awesome.
Price: payment plans starting at $57 to one-time payment options up to $497
14. Piano Academy
This is for people who “suddenly” want to play the piano. Developed by Yokee Music, most users of this app reveal that they feel like a child trying to learn something they have no idea about.
Is that a bad thing? Definitely not. If a kid can learn from this, then so do you.
Free lessons are available, as well as a free trial of the main app. The course includes basic songs like happy birthday, twinkle twinkle little star, to some of your favorite pop song, and some classical pieces as well.
The young ones would really enjoy this app, or those that are young at heart.
Price: $27.99/month $10.99/week
15. Tonebase
If you are looking for more musical theories and an in-depth explanation of what music really is, then this is what you’re looking for.
Tonebase focuses mainly on the classical approach in their learning materials. With exclusive content from a dazzling assortment of outstanding musicians, it may be your door to a deeper understanding of proficient piano playing.
However, with all the information provided, it may be overwhelming to beginners. If you are just starting in playing the piano, check out the other sites that are mentioned in this post.
Price: $29.95 or $19.95/month $495 for lifetime access
How to Choose the Most Compatible Course?
Most of these courses have a free trial option for users before purchasing. To find the most suitable course for you, you must know how your most efficient learning style.
Some contents and training are for beginners, advanced, or even hybrid learners who like a lot of explanations before they start practicing. Some want fun content, while others want the more serious and structured approach.
There are different styles of teaching and learning. We must first understand what works best for us before we choose to avoid a waste of time and money.
But in the end, whatever course we choose, the biggest factor will still be ourselves. Our discipline and motivation will still be our key factors for our progress.
Did You Find What You’re Looking for?
This post aims to help its readers to find the best course for their musical passion. We hope that we have served our purpose.
If you have some comments and suggestions or some additional information, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you.