Which Keyboard/Piano Software Tutor?

Using software to support you while you learn to play piano or acquire keyboard skills makes a lot of sense, even if you are also having traditional piano lessons as well. The key advantage is the interactive nature of the software, and the instant feedback you get. It can be soul destroying to attempt to work through traditional self-teach piano books on your own, as you can never be sure if you are doing the right thing or not.

However, if you use tutoring software and a keyboard connected up to your PC you can find out if you are playing the right notes at the right time. Additionally you can benefit from a range of approaches, with video demonstrations, games, pieces and songs to learn, and theory and music reading lessons to name a few.

Essential exam skills such as sight-reading, aural tests and scales can all be developed using the right software too - so how do you make a choice between the software that is available?

Adventus Piano Suite Premier is a well-established and highly-regarded software package. For the price of a few traditional lessons it offers a complete piano course which takes you right from the basics: how to sit at the piano correctly, how to position your hands and so on, through reading music to playing over 500 graded pieces which come built-in to the software.

In addition, there is a complete theory course, a large music history section, and a composer's corner where it is possible to create your own pieces, or to load in external MIDI files which can then be used in the same way as the built-in pieces, making the software inifinitely extensible. So much thought has gone into the package it is difficult to find much fault with it. And there are so many different ways it might be beneficial to you.

If you want to have a go at playing from scratch for a minimal investment, then this software might just be the answer. If you learnt to play when you were a child then this might be the very tool to help you get back those old skills and carry on where you left off.

If your child is taking traditional lessons, then you might find this is a fantastic environment for them to practise things like sight-reading skills: usually the most dreaded part of any piano exam! If you don't play yourself, then knowing that the software will tell your child where they went right, and where they made mistakes is vital. Also, in a half-hour lesson it is difficult for teachers to find the time to teach the practical playing skills and the theory, so this can provide really useful back-up.

As well as the graded pieces and the theory section, you also get the chance to practise your scales, yet another tricky but essential exam skill - again, even if you don't play yourself, you can let the software show your child if they are playing the right notes or not. (You can set it up so that the software waits for you to play correctly before continuing).

Finally, playing and practising the piano can be quite lonely - this software gives feedback, and many of the pieces come with accompaniments which makes the whole experience of playing much more interactive: just as music-making should be.

Charanga Piano Coach Deluxe is a new product which builds on the phenomenal success of the Charanga Music Coach range. This is a really comprehensive tuition package for anyone wanting to learn to play piano, or who wants to take their playing to the next level. This package contains 6 CD-ROMS and is suitable for beginners to mor advanced players. Featuring the renowned Charanga video instruction and a compreshensive series of lessons, this software is definitely worth a second look.

So which one? Clearly the PianoSuite is the most extensive package, and offers an impressive array of features and a wealth of learning opportunities. If you wish to learn classical piano it has a great deal to recommend it. But for less money the song-based approach of the Piano and Keyboard method can provide hours of educational fun for anyone who wants to learn to play or simply enhance their traditional learning experience, and the interactive keyboard displays really are excellent.

Charanga Piano Coach Deluxe is the one we have found that is most compatible with Vista out of the box, although all the software in this article is suitable for Vista once the latest updates have been installed

Whichever you choose, all these products offer benefits which are simply not available through traditional books and learning methods. Interactive feedback and motivation really are the key here to improving your piano or keyboard playing skills. Update - both products work on Windows 7.