Piano and Keyboard Method V2.0 2007 [Old Version]

by eMedia

Product Features

• Over 300 step-by-step lessons starting from the basics; such as hand position, rhythm, and playing on black keys; followed by music notation, sight reading, scales, and much more
• Get specific feedback on note and rhythm mistakes to help you get it right the next time; personalized reports show your rate of progress, including scores for specific songs
• Over 70 high-resolution, large-format videos and a built-in recorder to help you hear your progress
• Songs and exercises are enhanced by live recorded audio, variable-speed MIDI keyboard tracks, and colorful MIDI accompaniments
• Animated Keyboard displays correct fingerings as the music plays or for any note or chord that you double-click

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000VSDNMI
• Item model number: EK08071
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2007
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,102 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #40 in Video Games > Mac Games > Mac Game Hardware
  • #47 in Software > Video & Music > Software > Instruction
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com

This latest version of eMedia Piano & Keyboard Method offers everything you need to learn how to play and more! Over 300 step-by-step lessons start with the basics, such as hand position, rhythm, and playing on black keys, and move on to reading music notation, sight reading, scales, and much more! Piano teacher Irma Irene Justicia, M.A., who has taught at the renowned Juilliard School of Music, guides you through over 70 large-format video demonstrations of techniques.

Over 300 step-by-step lessons start with the basics, such as hand position, rhythm, and playing on black keys, and move on to reading music notation, sight reading, scales, and much more. Click to enlarge.

Learn songs and exercises from either the music notation or an animated keyboard that displays fingerings in time with the music. Songs and exercises are enhanced by live recorded audio, variable-speed MIDI keyboard tracks, and colorful MIDI accompaniments. You will learn over 100 popular classical, blues, pop, and rock songs, including hit songs from artists such as Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, and Elton John!

Interactive review and ear training screens help reinforce new concepts and develop your ear. When used with an electronic MIDI keyboard, you get specific feedback on playing mistakes, including wrong notes and rhythms. Other accessories include a built-in digital metronome and a recorder. This new version includes larger easy-to-read screens, enhanced audio & video, progress tracking, and an updated curriculum. eMedia Piano & Keyboard Method is the ultimate way to learn how to play piano or keyboard!

Animated keyboard displays color-coded fingerings as the music plays.

Over 70 large-format videos.

Features live multi-track recordings and MIDI tracks that allow you to slow down or speed up the music.

Includes tools like a digital metronome and recorder.

Features over 100 songs including:

• "Piano Man"--Billy Joel
• "Candle in the Wind"--Elton John
• "Ode to Joy"--Ludwig van Beethoven
• "America the Beautiful"--Samuel Ward
• "La Bamba"--made famous by Los Lobos
• "Minuet in G"--J.S. Bach
• "Tishomingo Blues"--Spencer Williams
• "The Entertainer"--Scott Joplin
• "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"--Bob Dylan

Makes Learning Easy as 1,2,3

1. Watch the video for a demonstration of the technique.
2. Practice the technique slowly with warm-up exercises.
3. Play along with the songs as the animated keyboard guides you through fingerings.

Built-in Tools Include:

Digital Metronome
Set your own speed and keep a steady beat with audio or visual feedback.

Digital Recorder
Save your recordings and play them back to share and compare.

Audio Tracks
Features live multi-track recordings and MIDI tracks that allow you to slow down or speed up the music.

New--Progress Tracking
Personalized reports show your rate of progress, including scores for specific songs. Requires a MIDI Keyboard.

Animated Keyboard
Displays color-coded fingerings as the music plays. Double-click on any note or chord for fingering.

Product Description

Over 300 lessons from a former Juilliard instructor. Learn to read music and play songs. Gives specific interactive feedback on your playing.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I can play piano!, September 16, 2009

By 

Manuel R. Rincon "the listener" (New York, New York United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Piano and Keyboard Method V2.0 2007 [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

I started using this software tool June, 28th. Before that, I took some lessons but never believed myself capable of playing an instrument. I thought my ears were plastic and my fingers were wood. Today, after 250 lessons and two months and a half, I am playing. I put about an hour daily. More or less, one song every day. At the beginning of each lesson, computer feedback is 50 or 60% but it improves faster to more than 90%. Once I get more than 90%, I consider that lesson learned and start next one. The feedback provided by the computer every time I play is tremendously helpful for a better try. I have played in public "country gardens", "piano man" and "heavens door" in a satisfactory manner. Thanks to emedia! I am now planning moving to intermediate level, which also looks like an amazing product.

41 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars This is not a teaching machine, December 3, 2008

By 

T. H. Sackett (Seattle, Washington, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Piano and Keyboard Method V2.0 2007 [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

Potentially, a computer could really help a person learn piano. However, most of this product's features fall short of helpful. The midi preview of each exercise and tune is useful for anyone who cannot read music at all, but nothing you could not get with an audio CD. The animated keyboard is just a distraction. The course includes occasional video clips, but they add little. At least one potentially useful feature, the musical accompaniment, is actually broken, at least on Macintosh. If you turn on the accompaniment, you won't be able to hear your own playing. There is a volume adjustment control for it, but it does nothing. The company is aware of the problem, but they still advertise this feature, and keep shipping the product.
The program runs in a cramped little window. A menu command lets you make it full screen, but it just lowers the resolution of your monitor, making the contents of the window larger, but blurry.
I would recommend a book and audio CD (like the Alfred's All-In-One, level 1 piano method) over eMedia's Piano software.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent MIDI based software that actually works, October 25, 2009

By 

Christopher J. Benz "CJB" (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Piano and Keyboard Method V2.0 2007 [Old Version] (CD-ROM)

I was really surprised to see so many dubious reviews here.

I've had this software for a few years now and basically, it works, it's engaging and it's very well thought out.

I found my progress improving rapidly using this software.

The songs are fine in that they a very well chosen to introduce each new concept.

The marking of the user's playing works surprisingly well.

Sure, the music is very 'straight'; it's not bluesy or particularly soulful, but there are wonderful classical tunes and it gets down to the business of getting you to play as soon as possible. There is room for you to play with expression with this software.

There are ample quizes, tunes and videos to keep you interested and I found the whole thing hard to stop - which is pretty impressive for what is, essentially, piano practice.

I don't know of any software up to the standard of eMedia's and I can heartily recommend this package.

It may seem obvious, but you obviously need a MIDI keyboard and a MIDI connector to make this software work. I had no problem on my MacBook Pro. I just plugged it in and off I went.

I hope they add more to this series because, basically, it works, it's a substantial body of work and a great way to learn without having to fork out for a piano teacher.