Low Cost MusicTechnology Options For The Music Education Classroom
Low Cost MusicTechnology Options For The Music Education Classroom

Finding ways to stretch your budget in a music classroom is always important and even more so when trying to purchase high tech electronics, software, and other materials.  This article provides an updated list of dozens of different low cost or free alternatives to expensive music education products.  It includes such categories as music notation software, drill design software, special needs hardware, and many more.

 

Read more
The Star Spangled Banner- Free Sheet Music For Band Inst.
The Star Spangled Banner- Free Sheet Music For Band Inst.

This document contains sheet music for all common instruments to play The Star Spangled Banner, also known as the sheet music to the National Anthem of the United States of America. You can view the sheet music online or download the individual parts arranged for all common concert band instruments.  If you do not see your instrument listed please scroll to the bottom of the page and try one of the the other instruments.  Most musicians will be able to find at least one instrumental part that matches their range and preferred key signature.  If you are seeking a simple piano version of the song please select from the voice, trumpet, or alto saxophone versions.

 

Read more
Using Plickers as an Assessment Tool in the Music Education Classroom
Using Plickers as an Assessment Tool in the Music Education Classroom

Music, band, choir, and orchestra classrooms can be huge and assessing the knowledge and retention of individual students in such a large class can be daunting.  Plickers are one of several solutions that can be adapted to work in large groups, making the act of assessing a student’s understanding a little easier and a whole lot faster.  

Read more
Is Marching Band A Sport? Pros, Cons, and a Reality Check
Is Marching Band A Sport? Pros, Cons, and a Reality Check

In recent years the question of whether or not marching band is a sport has been brought up time and time again for various reasons and by various groups.  On one side you have the YES crowd who says that marching band is competitive, physically demanding, and every bit as much a team event as any traditional sporting event.  On the other side of the coin are those who say no, that marching band is NOT a sport and it is a musical pursuit that happens to involve coordinated movements.  Both sides are right, but to make a final decision we need to look deeper into the facts.  Read on to find out what they are!

Read more
Portable Digital Audio Recorder Buying Guide With Reviews
Portable Digital Audio Recorder Buying Guide With Reviews

Scroll down to view the comparison chart of over a dozen different portable digital audio recorders.

Buying a portable digital audio recorder is a major decision.  The balance between price, features, and quality is a fine line that has many different options to choose from.  There are dozens of different models of portable digital audio recorders, some of which have drastically different sets of features yet sell for roughly the same price.  This easy to read head to head comparison chart and guide to many of the more popular portable digital audio recorders is intended to help potential buyers more easily see these differences and make an educated buying decision.

Read more
Apps and More for the Choral Classroom
Apps and More for the Choral Classroom

The number of apps, software, and gadgets available for use in the music classroom continues to grow each year but finding things that can actually be beneficial to your classes grows more and more difficult as well.  We spoke with Dr. Christopher Russell, Director of Choirs at Oltman Middle School in St. Paul Park, Minnesota to get his must-have list of apps.

Read more
previous arrow
next arrow
Shadow

The Piano Wizard: Review

Details

A Review Of Allegro Rainbow's Latest "Learn To Play The Piano" System 

Piano Wizard Academy

When it comes to learning to play the piano there can be no doubt that lessons from a private, real life piano teacher is best. For many families a private piano teacher is simply not an option due to financial and time constraints. Recently several companies have come out with interactive ways to learn to play instruments at home in a more traditional manner.  Allegro Rainbow's Piano Wizard is one of these home based piano lesson packages and has several very positive features that make it stand out from the crowd. This review will examine the pros and cons of the hardware and software included in the Premiere version of the Piano Wizard system.

 

What's In The Piano Wizard's Box?

Included with the Piano Wizard software is a very solid and impressive MIDI keyboard. Impressive is the word used because in many companies will skimp on the quality of equipment in order to provide the lowest possible price to the consumer. The Piano Wizard Premiere comes with the M-Audio Keystation 49e. While not a high end MIDI device, it is still a very sturdy and well designed piano keyboard built to stand up to the rigors of repeated lessons and practice. The 49 key pressure sensitive keyboard includes a pitch bend and modulation wheel for special effects. While there is no speaker built into the 49e, the Piano Wizard software allows the user to play through your computer's speakers and power the keyboard as well all through the USB port of your computer. The Piano Wizard Premiere package also comes with a USB cable and software CD-ROM. The software works on both PC and Mac based computers.

Does The Piano Wizard Really Work As A Way To Learn To Play Piano on Your Computer?

Yes and no... In a setup similar to the now popular Guitar Hero video game, beginning pianists follow along with color coded notes that scroll up the computer screen. Colored stickers are provided to allow students to match the notes on the piano with the notes on the screen. If this was all that the system provided then it would not be worth the purchase price. However, Allegro Rainbow has gone much farther, taking the Piano Wizard away from being just a toy and giving it features that can truly give a new pianist a good start toward playing real music while still offering a challenge to more advanced players.

 

Does The Piano Wizard Teach Real Music Notation?

Once the user is comfortable with the software and is able to play a few songs the screen can be altered to display realistic, traditional music notation. The vertical scrolling action can be flipped horizontally to allow the notes to be displayed in traditional notation similar to what you would see in a normal paper based piano lesson book. The icons representing notes can be switched to traditional note heads with stems on a real musical staff when the student is ready.

Are There Any Downsides To Using The Piano Wizard System?

Piano purists will likely take issue with the slightly stiff action of the keys of the M-Audio 49-e as well as the lack of weighted response. In addition, the Piano Wizard Premiere software lacks any real individualized or intelligent instruction methods. In other words it does not offer ideas on how to improve, rather it simply encourages repetition until the user gets it correct. These issues aside, the Piano Wizard is a very good place to start when considering the purchase of a home based "learn to play piano " system.

Note:  The articles on this site may contain referral links to sites such as Amazon and other online retailers.  The small amount of income received from these links has helped keep MusicEdMagic.com up and running for over ten years now.  Thank you for your support!