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 ...

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...

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...