Simply Piano Review: Award-Winning App That Makes it Fun to Learn Piano

In this Simply Piano Review, we’re going to cover this one-of-a-kind piano learning app developed by JoyTunes. The winner of numerous awards like Best Google Play App, Parents’ Choice Award, and Editor’s Choice Award by Apple, this app is extremely popular for all the right reasons. Hundreds and thousands of piano enthusiasts and piano teachers all around the world use Simply Piano to learn and teach people how to play the piano.

Let’s get into what makes this Simply Piano App unique:

What Is the Simply Piano App?

Simply Piano is a “learn piano app” that helps you learn to play the piano in no time in a super-fun way. It listens to what you play on your keyboard or a piano and follows through the learning like a teacher. It is based on the robot learning method that helps beginners learn to play the piano without much trouble.

Simply Piano uses learning lessons that allow you to measure and track your progress and video lessons that help you get hold of the skill quickly. This app is a learning hub for anyone who wishes to polish their piano learning skills, with plenty of useful and resourceful learning content.

The app takes you through the learning phase, depending on your skill level. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you’re just a beginner or a professional piano player who wishes to use the app to teach the kids, the app caters to all your needs in the best possible manner!

It helps the user develop good sight-reading and better finger control. The best thing you could achieve through this app is developing the right technique through practice.

How Does the Simply Piano App Work?

To start using Simply Piano, all you have to do is place your device (smartphone or tablet) at the top of your keyboard or piano and start playing. Simply Piano listens to the sound you’re producing and recognizes it through your device’s mic. The app will listen to what you’re playing and give you instant feedback on your performance. This way, it teaches you the skill and helps you play the piano better.

How Quickly Can I Learn Piano with Simply Piano?

A Simply Piano Review would not be complete unless we discussed how quickly you can learn to play the piano by using the app. Simply Piano takes you through multiple courses, one at a time. If you are consistent and truly committed to learning to play the piano, you can start playing songs on your piano in as little as 2 weeks! People who’re already accustomed to piano basics can start playing the piano in a week’s time. Unlike piano learning classes, Simply Piano helps you learn to play the piano in literally no time!

What Do I Need To Use this Course?

All you’ll need to start using the Simply Piano course is a mobile device or a tablet and a piano or keyboard. It is recommended that you use a tablet because the bigger screen size is more convenient while you’re practicing. As for the piano, you can use any piano you like; a keyboard, digital piano, or acoustic piano. The only thing that you need to make sure is that your piano has 88 weighted keys! So, once you’ve got an 88-key keyboard and a mobile device/ tablet on which you can download the Simply Piano app, you’re good to go!

What’s Included with Simply Piano?

The Simply Piano App is an all-in-one app that offers an extensive piano learning experience for everyone, regardless of their skill level. It includes everything that you might need during your piano learning. Let’s see what’s included with the Simply Piano app.

Learning Courses

Simply Piano includes 27 different courses that have been divided into two separate streams; Soloist and Chords. The user doesn’t have to choose either of them. The app takes them through both one after the other. The Chords section teaches you the theory behind playing the piano, and the Soloist section helps you put your theoretical knowledge into use. To be able to play the piano right, it is important that you complete both the learning streams!

The courses start with introductory videos that explain what you will be learning. Further videos included in the course demonstrate new piano concepts. Followed by the videos is the learning interface, where the screen is divided into two parts. The upper part of the screen displays musical staff, and the lower part displays the keyboard. The notes that you need to press are highlighted on the keyboard section of the screen.

Songs

The app also includes a song library that comprises of hundreds of songs for you to choose from. The song library has a relevant collection according to each level, so you don’t have to worry about having to play challenging notes if the level of skill you’ve chosen is the beginner’s level.

5-Minute Workouts

5-Minute Workouts are short practice sessions that are also included in the course. These practice sessions are designed in a way that keeps your skills sharp even if you can’t take learning lessons. You’re assigned a workout depending on the level you are at. The 5-Minute Workouts do not teach you anything new. Instead, they reinforce the concepts that you’ve learned in the courses.

Sheet Music

When we say Simply Piano is an all-in-one learning experience, we mean it.  It ensures that your piano learning experience as smooth as possible. The app includes printable sheet music that enables you to read music even when you aren’t using the app. Reading from the app can be an inconvenience for many. You can print the sheet music out, arrange them on the music rest, and play your heart away!

What Is the Simply Piano Curriculum?

Now that you know what’s included with the Simply Piano app, let’s see how the learning curriculum unfolds.

Initial Courses

We’ve already mentioned earlier that the learning courses of the Simply Piano app are divided into two streams. But before the division, there are two courses that have been designed with the purpose of teaching the students the basics of the piano and help lay a quick foundation before they can proceed further ahead in the course.

These courses are Piano Basics and Essentials I. They teach you basics like basic rhythm, finger numbers, and some easy chords and notes on both right and left-hand sides. You’ll also get to play simplified versions of some popular songs like Jingle Bells and Perfect by Ed Sheeran. Other than these initial courses, there are also some other courses that teach the users to read lead sheets for each track so that they can better understand the melody and chords.

Soloist

The Soloist section of the course teaches the skill of playing solo piano pieces that have both the accompaniment and melody. This section emphasizes on reading scales and music. Each lesson is prepared in the context of a song that makes the users feel that they’re actually learning to play something!

Essentials I and II

Soloist includes Essentials II and Essentials III that further expand your knowledge of notes to two octaves and teach you accidentals, C and F positions, and have you play c major scale of one-octave inside a song.

Classical I and II

Next course in the Classical I is an optional course. Classical I starts with the history of music and different music styles in each period. After covering this much, it takes you to simplified versions of some popular pieces from the Romantic and Classical periods.

Classical II course comes after Intermediate III. It teaches you to play a popular excerpt from Beethoven’s Für Elise.

Intermediate

Intermediate I, II, III, and IV take you to syncopation and ties. These courses also teach G major and scales D and expand the concepts that you learned in the Essentials course in the beginning. Some areas that the Intermediate courses focus on include playing higher notes and shifting positions.

Taste of Bach

There are two courses under Taste of Bach that introduce Bach, the Baroque era, and also teach some well-known minuets and airs by Bach. Taste of Bach courses are option, just like the Classical courses.

Pre-Advanced Course I

The next in line in the Pre-Advanced I course. It is the second last course. You get to learn key signatures and the 16^th notes. This course explains key signatures and put you into practicing the F major and D major.

Other Courses

Apart from the skill-related courses, Simply Piano also includes courses to help you learn to play Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen and Scott Joplin’s The Entertainer with the help of videos.

Chords

The Chords section of the Simply Piano app teaches you chords to enable you to play any song of your choice. This section teaches with the help of chords for jazz, rock, and pop songs.

Pop Chords

Pop Chords I introduces different chords, including E minor, G major, D major, and C major in the context of specific songs like Guns ‘N’ Roses’ Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. The concept of the baseline is also introduced at this point.

Pop Chords II and III teaches the chords D minor, B minor, E major, F major, and A major. You’re basically re-taught the chord, made to do some practice before you get the chance to play a song with the new chord.

Chord Styling

Chord Styling I, II, and III shows you the skill of playing the same chords in a number of different styles like classic rock, ballad, and soft rock. You’re encouraged to make your own variations of well-known songs with different techniques and chord patterns at this stage of the course.

Blue Chords I

The Blue Chords I course teaches you to play the chords, C7, D7, and G7 in new styles like rock ‘n roll and swing. You’ll be taught 12-bar blues in this section.

Jazz Chords

Jazz Chords I and II are more theoretical than practical. Along with the theory, this part of the course teaches you Jazz patterns and chord progressions, including turnaround progressions and minor and major 2-5-1 chord progressions. Other chords covered in this section include diminished chords and minor seventh chords.

Slash Chords

The Slash Chords course is the last in the Simply Piano course. It covers the moving base, pedal base, and chord inversions and introduces slash chords.

These courses help you learn some bars of music, first by hearing and then by reading from the staff. Once you’ve completed some short sections, you get to put them together through a backing track, with the music scrolling across your device’s screen.

If you play the note right, it is highlighted in blue and in red if you don’t play it right. If you take too long to play the note, Simply Piano displays an on-screen hint for you, and the note is highlighted yellow. In case you play several yellow notes, you’re required to repeat them before you can move ahead. However, if you play several red notes, you’re taken to the practice mode, which makes you play with a metronome and that too much slower so that you can catch the notes easily.

How Much Does Simply Piano Cost?

Simply Piano offers three courses for its users:

• 3-month recurring subscription for $59.99*
• 6-month recurring subscription for $89.99*
• 12-month recurring subscription for $119.99*

* The prices of the Simply Piano app can change at any time

What Can You Do For Free With Simply Piano?

Simply Piano offers two courses for free for all its users. To get access to all the courses, you can opt for a premium subscription at any time!

How Long Is The Simply Piano Trial?

The app offers a 7-day free trial that lets you try the app and its courses before paying for it. Once the trial period is over, you can choose any of the three subscription packages.

What Do You Get For Simply Piano Premium?

With the Premium version, you get access to all 27 courses, song library, practice features, and the printable sheet music. None of this is available in the free version.

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Simply Piano?

The pros and cons of Simply Piano are listed below:

Pros

• It is compatible with any keyboard or piano
• It teaches you how to read notes right away
• It doesn’t let you move ahead until you get one section right
• You can have up to 5 people use the same account from different devices
• It can work without an internet connection
• Before every course, there is a recap of the previous one

Cons

• You can’t skip any sections
• It doesn’t offer customization offers
• Many users have reported facing trouble with note recognition
• It recommends that you spend two years to complete the course which is quite slow
• It doesn’t teach advanced concepts

Who Is Simply Piano Best For?

The app is suitable for people of all ages, from kids to adults.

Is Simply Piano Worth It?

Simply Piano offers extensive coursework for people of all skill levels. It helps lay a strong foundation for your piano playing skills. While it does have some shortcomings, this app is definitely worth a try!

Simply Piano Alternatives

Some of the alternatives are listed below:

Simply Piano vs. Flowkey

Flowkey helps you learn to play the piano faster as compared to Simply Piano. Flowkey offers all that Simply Piano does and a lot more. In fact, Flowkey offers a better understanding of scales, chords, and helps you learn reading sheet music better. Flowkey also offers a 14-day free trial. All in all, Flowkey supersedes Simply Piano in various aspects.

Simply Piano vs. Yousician

Yousician and Simply Piano are more or less alike, but Yousician has the edge over Simply Piano in one area. With Yousician, you can keep track of the time you practiced. It allows you to set goals for yourself, and therefore, Yousician offers a greater sense of achievement as compared to Simply Piano. With Simply Piano, on the other hand, it can take a while to complete all the courses.

Simply Piano vs. Playground Sessions

Simply Piano is an ideal piano learning app for beginners. However, the Playground Sessions app is based on the assumption that people who listen to music already know the basics of a piano. Therefore, Playground Sessions is not as good an option for beginners as Simply Piano.

Wrapping Up

Simply Piano is an excellent “learn piano app” for anyone who wants to learn to play the piano from scratch. It takes you through the basics and takes you a step ahead slowly so that you can grip the concepts well. If you’re looking for a digital piano teacher, Simply Piano might just be it!