The next step
S
martphones and tablets are fantastic tools
to aid creativity thanks to their scope and
power. It is now possible to see sheet music
for your favourite musician’s latest album and
get virtual lessons on various instruments from the
App Store. The piano is one such instrument that is
brilliantly catered for, with apps on offer to take you
through everything, from the very first time you sit
at a piano, to the point of writing your own portfolio
of songs.
The beauty of using your own device is that it
takes away some of the daunting nature of havingto sit at a full size piano. Instead you can sit back
in comfort (wherever you may be), iPad in front of
you, and experiment as you wish. Just a few quick
downloads from the App Store and you can have
every variation of piano or keyboard in front of you,
as well as virtual teachers to guide you through
every possible process you could ever wish to learn.
These pages will highlight some of the best apps
for improving your piano skills, regardless of your
experience. We will take you through from the very
beginning, up to getting more creative and writing
and playing your own music.Improve your
technique with apps
Get started, hone the basics, then get creative on the
piano using these apps for your iPhone and iPadVirtuoso Piano Free 3
Price: Free
Developer: Peter Nagy
The app in amongst this selection that boasts
the most functionality, Virtuoso responds when
you tap the keys in different ways in order to
give a more realistic sound. It therefore provides
an experience most akin to that of playing a
real piano, making it very valuable as a learning
tool. And if you are taking the learning plunge
with a musical buddy, the app also supports
duet mode on iPad, allowing two people
to play simultaneously. This is a great way of
learning, as you can encourage each other and
learn to harmonise - and the app format makes
the whole experience a little more relaxed
and fun. Virtuoso also comes with support
for AirPlay, so should you want to put on a
performance for friends and family via your TV,
or simply use it to see your finger work on a
bigger screen, this is the app for you.GarageBand
Price: Free
Developer: Apple
GarageBand is probably the most instantly recognisable of all the apps featured here, coming as part of
Apple’s iLife suite on both desktop and mobile. The piano section of GarageBand not only contains a
bigger variation of keyboards than any other app here, but also includes Smart Keyboard, where users
can select a note and then have a melody created for them. It’s a really nifty way to learn about notes
and keys that work well together. Of course, having the editing power of GarageBand at your disposal
makes it a breeze to mix your piano creations with other music tracks from some other instruments.Top tip
Choose wisely
If you have both a tablet and a
smartphone, make sure you pick the
best version of the app you want.
For example, it would be better to
use a chord fi nder on a phone, as it’s
always on you. On the other hand,
there’s not much point in a sheet
music reader on anything but a
tablet. You may have to pay for
an app twice if you want
it on both formats!