You may not become Mozart overnight, but there is nothing stopping you from trying now that Skoove, the 21st-century piano-learning platform, is available to download for free on your iPad. Over the course of the last two years, the previously browser-only platform has given eager musicians from 187 countries more than 200,000 lessons on tickling the ivories. Now that it is coming to iOS and the iPad, that number will only grow.
Promising “the most effective and complete way of learning the piano,” Skoove takes the traditional elements of learning how to play an instrument and combines them with modern technology. That results in an interactive platform that claims to help anyone from a true beginner to a seasoned expert learn a little something about the instrument.
Skoove features a virtual guide that offers advice throughout each and every lesson, providing real-time feedback and listening to the user as he or she practices. All elements of piano playing are included in the Skoove experience, including technique, improvisation, and music theory. During “lessons,” your iPad’s built-in microphone is actually capable of detecting the sounds of up to 10 simultaneous notes played on a piano, and notes are highlighted on-screen as budding musicians begin to find their way around a keyboard.
Much of the platform’s curriculum has been derived from experts in music, like the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, which is said to have “contributed their educational expertise to ensure Skoove’s piano lessons meet the needs of players of all levels.” Skoove also gathers information from its users to determine what students need to improve, providing an adaptive experience that helps ensure that practice makes perfect … or, at least, better.
Skoove is available around the world in English and German and is free. To access full access to lessons, one-on-one learning support, and other exclusive content, however, you will need to upgrade to Skoove Premium, which starts at $10 a month.
