For years, many musicians have been transitioning to the use of digital sheet music. Seeing a performer walk on-stage with an iPad has become increasingly commonplace, and no longer elicits the same novel response as it once did years ago. However, digital scores have been slow to gain a strong foothold in private...

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I admit it: technology has won a firm, long-lasting place in my heart. At present, I own two iPads, an iMac, an iPhone, a laptop, a music video camera, and a number of digital pianos. Other odds and ends of plug-in equipment and Bluetooth gadgets litter my home and studio. These are all completely necessary—or at ...

Looking for fresh ways to prepare students for an upcoming theory test? Need a new method to reinforce and build student confidence in any music-related topic? Consider using Heads Up or Kahoot.  Heads up  Ellen DeGeneres introduced Heads Up for her show years ago, as it makes a terrific family game for holiday fun. The app comes with a v...

Do you panic when prompted to enter a password? It's virtually an impossible task to remember every password you create as most websites now require you to make an account and follow a specific set of rules for the username and a "strong" password.A high-tech guru who sensed my frustration with passwords advised me to keep things simple and wr...

Why integrate popular or "non-classical" music into piano lessons? Retain students Integrating pop music into your curriculum can meet students "where they are." Encouraging them to learn what's on their Spotify or iTunes playlist may draw them to practicing more, which results in progress. Progress motivates, and will keep them on the bench. Devel...

ArtistWorks OVERVIEW: Equipment needed: Computer, phone, or tablet with video recording capability; internet connection. Mac and Windows are supported. Pricing: Packages are $105 for 3 months, $179 for 6 months, and $279 for 12 months. Video lectures/ lessons, backing tracks, video exchanges and submissions, and theory cour...

Much to my pleasure (and astonishment!), a number of my students signed up to take theory tests at the National Federation of Music Clubs (NFMC) local festival. None of these students owns a theory book. The NFMC Bulletin provides an outline of concepts covered in each test level, as well as practice tests from prior years. From the online bul...

Backing tracks (pre-recorded or automated instrumental accompaniments) are inherently motivational. Why? Because playing with a snazzy drum groove is simply more compelling than practicing with a metronome. Here are suggestions for integrating backing tracks into your curriculum to enhance technique, timing, and creativity—all at the same time...

Editor's note: In the November/December 2014 issue, Clavier Companion launched a series of articles addressing the future of piano teaching. This article is part of that series, which will continue in future issues. Susan, a teenage piano student, loved the music of pop star Katy Perry. Susan was especially fond of the song "Dark Horse," which...

This is the ScreenFlow editing environment. Mario has captured the animated, on-screen keyboard as well as his own hands on a real keyboard. He has additionally added fingerings to the video using the annotation tools of ScreenFlow.  Over the past several years, enrollment in my group piano classes at Stephen F. Austin State University has ste...

Overview Price: Free for now. Subscription pricing will take effect when beta period ends, date and price to be determined. Technical Requirements: High-speed internet connections, iPhone or iPad. Android and desktop versions currently under development. Website: practicia.com Customer support: Excellent communication ...

Overview Price: Free zone or full premium access for $5.99/month (both student and teacher must purchase) Systems: Only available for the iPad Equipment: Any acoustic or digital piano; no cables or equipment necessary Website: tonara.com Pros Large catalog and ability to scan any PDF score into the appNo extra equipment neededTe...

Quizlet is an app that generates flash cards. These are not the traditional, last-century, paper flash cards. Once you set up an account, you can create customized sets of virtual flashcards with engaging study modes, and access them on laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Most students are familiar with Quizlet because the app is frequently used in ...

Paper leaves a trail, and usually the trail leads to the trash can. For that reason, I prefer to avoid paper and ink and offer virtual lesson assignment sheets. All my notes for student lessons are written in Pages, a word processor app similar to Word and available for all iOS devices. The notes are emailed as a PDF (portable document file) after ...

OVERVIEW:  Three subscription options:  1 Month - $14.99  3 Months - $29.99  1 Year - $89.99  Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch  Requires iOS 9.0 or later and internet connection  Optional: USB midi cable and Apple Camera Connection Kit for use with headphones  Website: www.joytunes.com/simply-pian...

by Kristin Cahill  OVERVIEW: • PRICE AND OPTIONS: -$9.99/month (billed annually); includes $20 in song credits -$17.99 for a single month; includes one free song -$269.99 lifetime membership; includes $40 in song credits  *All subscriptions have full access to Playground software, community features (social media, leader boards), free Boo...

OVERVIEW Price: • Free for level 1 materials. Premium account ($15/month or $99/year) provides full access to all levels.  • Some repertoire must be purchased in addition to the subscription. • The teacher and student both need subscriptions. Students are "linked" to teacher accounts upon subscription.  Technological Requirements: • ...

Not too long ago (say, way back in the 1990s), if you wanted to learn to play the piano, you basically had two options: you could find a teacher and take traditional lessons, or you could buy a book and try to teach yourself. With the growth of the internet and the arrival of smart mobile devices, those opportunities have expanded considerably.&nbs...