Learn to Read Music Online
If you or anyone you know wants to learn to read music, it's a lot easier to do than it used to be. The Internet gives us all access to almost unlimited information, and can deliver an incredible array of products and tools right to our desktops. Not surprisingly, there are some really clever products out there that can help you learn to read notes.
"Piano is Fun" from Anthony Fernando is a great beginner package for a very reasonable price that will teach you how to read music. The knowledge and practice available here would cost many times the purchase price ($24.95) in personal lessons. Included in the price are free lifetime upgrades and a 30 day money-back guarantee.
Purchase and Installation
Purchase and installation are both a snap. The entire process takes no more than five minutes and is virtually foolproof. So, what's in the product? A series of lessons and practice games that teach you how to read music and make it fun! And that's quite an accomplishment! Most students find it an awesome, dreadful task, but it really doesn't have to be, as this product demonstrates. When you start the program, you might think that the product is just for kids. Well, it is great for kids, but it's also fun for anyone that wants to learn to read music for the piano. My own bass clef reading skills fade in and out, and I actually enjoyed clicking through the lessons and "games" (review tests).
Getting Started
The basic package features a series of twenty lessons that start very simply and progress through both the treble and bass clefs. The graphics are big and bright and easy to read. There are good sound and visual effects - enough to keep your interest up but not so much that it distracts from the point of learning the notes. The way to get started with the product is to take the tour, which explains the layout of the lessons and the "games" that are used as review tests for each of the twenty lessons. As a student progresses through each lesson, awards are given and displayed on a separate screen - great little reinforcers to keep you going.
Menu and Options
The main menu is completely self-explanatory and includes a button for "Start Here" which leads to the "tour", a "Lessons" button, which leads to the twenty lessons, an "Options" button (explained below) and buttons for advanced tests called the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Challenges. The Options button lets you control what happens when a correct answer is entered (there are a few different choices), and contains an option for teachers that allows the addition or deletion of a student's name. It is also possible for a "teacher" to construct "custom" lessons that operate like the other lessons. The option is in choosing the notes that are presented in the test. So, if you want your child or student to concentrate on recognizing certain notes, you can easily create exercises that contain only those notes. There is also a sound option that lets you turn on or off the sound effects that accompany parts of the program.
Extra Challenging Exercises
The Bronze, Silver, and Gold Challenge exercises are more note recognition tests but with the notes passing across the screen at a faster pace, obviously requiring a quicker response from the user. If a student can master these, there isn't much doubt that they know their notes.
So that's about it! This program doesn't balance your checkbook, manage your portfolio, or vacuum your carpet, but it never claimed to! If you want to learn to read music, or have a child that's about to start lessons or just shows interest, this product is a great buy. Imagine your piano teacher's surprise when your 5 year old shows up knowing how to read music on both the treble and bass clefs! She'll fall off her piano bench! By the way, my son, who has been taking lessons for two years, came home from school yesterday and ASKED if he could use the Piano is Fun program! Think about that!
Peter Cullen is the Webmaster at http://www.PianoLessonReviews.com. The site reviews piano lesson offerings on the Web and offers may other piano-related resources.
Related Articles:
How to convert Audio cd/files to PSP music and get tunes on your PSP
How to convert Audio cd/files to PSP music and get tunes on your PSP
Hilary Duff, Adam Barta Shaping Next Generation of Dance Music on MTV's LOGO Network
The next generation of dance music has arrived ladies and gentleman, and with the emergence of networks such as MTV's LOGO, artists such as Adam Barta and Hilary Duff are breaking onto the scene in a way like never before. Barta's music video for his Billboard-breakout dance single, I Wanna Hold You, hit the number one spot this week on MTV's LOGO network's weekly music countdown, The Click List.
imeem Brings Music Fans Closer Than Ever to South by Southwest Showcases with Live Footage and Interviews
imeem, one of the fastest growing media-centric social networks, will be giving music fans an up close look at South by Southwest (SXSW), one of the biggest music events in the country, for the second year. Through the imeem SXSW 2007 group page, bands, artists, labels and fans will be sharing exclusive live concert video, interviews, and party photos on the week's showcases.
NAMM Foundation Names the 'Best Communities for Music Education' - Designation Recognizes Community Support for Music Education Programs
The NAMM Foundation today announced the results of the ninth annual "Best Communities for Music Education" survey, which includes 110 school districts across the U.S. The designated programs exemplify community commitment to include music education as part of a quality education for all children.
Steve Freund Brings Blues Trio and Chicago History to Local Music Studio
Blues guitarist Steve Freund will visit 851 Music Studio in Benicia. Freund will play a guided guitar tour of the evolution of modern blues with roots in country blues and a touch of 40's jazz.
Hollywood's Leading Online Music Venue Puts Artists and Fans in Control of Online Music Experience
LivefromTheGig.Com Introduces Expanded List of Online Features Giving Fans "Front Row" Access to some of the Best Unsigned Musicians, Bands and Indie-Label Acts.
Rockmaster Rolls Into Nashville: Next Gen Piano-in-Minutes Book to Hit TV and Schools in Music City
"Everyone Can Play" Piano book phenomenon to sing on TV, schools and more in Nashville, Music City after U.S. grants it a rare patent and New York City Schools put it to the test. "The Rockmaster System" uses next generation of learning by visual cues that have keyboard greenhorns playing pop and country songs in minutes not months.
The Paradox Of Free Music Downloads
When the Internet was first developed as the information superhighway, who would have envisaged that many of us would be clamoring to get our hands on the free music downloads that soon became available? Of course nothing lasts forever, and it wasn�t too long before the record companies began crying out about the pirating laws and copyright. For a little while, it seemed that the halcyon days of downloading free music over the Internet were over. Many music sites sprung up giving promises of free downloads, but these usually formed part of an offer where you needed to purchase a certain amount of music before gaining your free music download.
How Does Music Copyright Infringement Affect Me?
Music copyright infringement happens all around us every day, by people downloading music from their favorite social networking site to the guy who?s reselling MP3s. Most people who commit music copyright infringement don?t realize that it?s illegal and they can be prosecuted in the United States.
Real Music for a Virtual World
Canadian indie band Uncle Seth are set to "simulcast" a live concert in Second Life. The band's real life performance on November 25th at C'est What in Toronto will have a real-time mirror in the popular community-build virtual world.
"Turn Up the Music!" Wins 8th Award for Excellence - Children's CD featuring Lanny Sherwin is "Teacher's Choice"
Sandman Records' newest children's CD, Turn Up the Music!, has earned its 8th children's music award in just over a year. Sandman Records' President, Lanny Sherwin, announced that the CD was recently honored with a Learning Magazine Teacher's Choice Award for the Family.
Spirit Wing Records Announces Catholic Music 2007 (Praise and Worship 2 CD set)
Spirit Wing Records proudly announces the two CD compilation project entitled Catholic Music 2007. Catholic Music 2007 will feature 32 Catholic recording artists and will resemble the popular Christian project, WOW, which is released every year.
Rap Music Downloads - What You Need To Know
There are so many things you can do with an internet connection these days. Aside from sending emails, sharing photos and the like, you can now download movies and music files into your computer or compact multimedia device to get yourself entertained. The internet is filled with sites that will enable you to make even rap music downloads.
BSO Music Director James Levine Returns to Tanglewood Podium July 28 to Lead Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra, World-Renowned Cast of Singers and Tan
James Levine also leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven?s Symphony No. 8 and Ravel?s ?Daphnis and Chloé? (August 3); Bartók?s Concerto for Orchestra (August 10); Mozart?s ?Così fan tutte? (August 11, 12, 14); Tanglewood on Parade (August 15); Brahms? First Symphony (August 17); and Berlioz? ?La Damnation de Faust? (August 18).
Topman.com Launches Topman Music Downloads
Topman, a British based leader in cutting edge men's fashion, are offering online shoppers the chance to download free music albums from Topman.com.