The tech world is full of innovative products, apps and games designed to help the amateur musician improve their craft and make life a little easier for professionals. These days, you can record studio-quality tracks, learn how to DJ and more, using your Smartphone, tablet or home computer.
When Guitar Hero was released in 2005, many critics bashed the game for its ineffectiveness to actually teach music; after all, how much can you learn from a fake instrument with 5 plastic buttons to emulate guitar strings? To combat this, next came more innovative software that hooked up to real instruments, like the gTar and Rocksmith. Next up? Aspiring piano players might want to check out Playground Sessions – a new project from Chris Vance, recently backed by 27-time Grammy award-winner Quincy Jones.
The piano tutorial software uses a “play to learn” model, allowing beginner musicians to play along with accompaniment for songs and watch instructional videos. The library of tracks includes everything from Beethoven to David Guetta, and is organized by difficulty level: Rookie, Intermediate and Advanced.
Of course, any great game these days needs that extra social media aspect – and this is where the program sets itself apart. Players can see instant on-screen feedback as they play along, and you’ll also receive an accuracy score. You can then see where you place on the global leader board, show off the badges you receive after reaching certain accomplishments, and share recordings with friends.
Intrigued yet? Take a look at their promotional video below to see a demonstration, and check out the Playground Sessions website for more info:
Readers, what do you think? Would you buy a program like this? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts!
– Suzy S., TakeLessons staff member and blogger
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Suzy S.