eMedia EG11031 Learn To Play Piano & Keyboard Pack

by eMedia

Product Details

• Item Weight: 9.7 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 10 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00012UM1O
• Item model number: EG11031
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,783 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

A longtime player in music education CD-ROMs, eMedia now combines their Piano & Keyboard Method software with a unique piece of hardware: a MIDI piano keyboard. Featuring 49 full-size keys, this compact keyboard easily connects to your Windows or Mac PC, enabling you to play the keyboard through your computer's speakers while following the CD-ROM's lessons. It's a great solution for those who dream of becoming the next Horowitz, but don't have room for a grand piano to learn on.

[MIDI, which stands for musical instrument digital interface and is pronounced "middy," is a code standard that works like digital sheet music. It enables electronic musical instruments to communicate with each other and with personal computers via cables.]

The MIDI keyboard plugs into the joystick port on a Windows-based PC desktop, and a joystick port cable is included. (If you don't have a joystick port and have an available PCI slot, you can contact eMedia to acquire a sound card with a joystick port.) For a PC laptop or Mac (on which we tested this keyboard), you'll need an optional USB interface adapter. Once we installed and opened the Piano & Keyboard Method application, we plugged the keyboard into our Mac via the USB adapter and started immediately banging on keys like a three-year old, eliciting a cacophony of discordant notes via our computer speakers. They keyboard was working just fine.

In our younger days, we were compelled to take piano lessons and thus had a vague recollection of reading music notes. For novice players, though, eMedia does a good job with explaining the fundamentals of the keyboard, notes, and time signatures.

Each lesson is accompanied by one or several multimedia helpers, including video of the instructor and audio playback with animated on-screen notes to show what key should be played (and when). After you go through several lessons, you'll get quizzed on what you've learned (we first grumbled at this, but then realized it was an important step to retaining the information we just went through).

If you want instant gratification at conquering the keyboard, you may be disappointed. It does take awhile to get to the first lessons involving the MIDI keyboard, but remember that you do need a solid understanding of piano fundamentals. You can play along with an animated keyboard, which was very helpful (especially if following the notes is initially confusing). When finished with the task, a popup box gives you a percentage score (based on hitting the right notes in the proper time signature). You can then check to see where you made mistakes and re-do the task to get 100 percent.

Just like your old piano lessons, don't expect to learn everything in a day. There are 316 lessons to master, ranging from baby steps (Mary Had a Little Lamb and the Old Gray Mare) to semi-advanced (Bach's Minuet in G or Elton John's Candle in the Wind).

As you advance through the curriculum, you can play back the lessons at variable speeds (using an onscreen slider) as well as have the ability to change the sound of the MIDI keyboard to a variety of sounds (from grand piano and clavinet to synthesizer sounds that revive the 80s). Other advanced software options include a metronome (for tracking your keyboard rhythm) and a recorder so that your computer can record your playing through its internal microphone (which is helpful for fine-tuning your skills as you progress).

The eMedia Piano & Keyboard Pack is a seamless combination of software and hardware tools that will go a long way toward getting you to basic piano playing skills. Due to its reliance on individual motivation, we recommend it for older teens and adults (as younger children will definitely benefit from live instruction). --Agen G.N. Schmitz

Pros:

• Keyboard is easy to install and begin playing
• Well structured lessons, great for beginners or those returning to the piano
• Variety of helpful audio and video aids

Cons:

• Self motivation will be needed for progress and practice (best for mature learners)
• Requires optional hardware for PC laptops and Macs

What's in The Box
MIDI controller keyboard, eMedia Piano & Keyboard Method CD-ROM, MIDI to joystick port cable

Product Description

The eMedia Learn to Play Keyboard Pack includes everything needed to learn keyboard straight out of the box. It’s an ideal affordable solution for anyone who has thought about learning piano or keyboard or wants their children to learn but can not afford the high cost of a piano and private lessons. This package includes a MIDI controller keyboard, eMedia Piano & Keyboard Method CD-ROM and a MIDI to joystick port cable (through which the keyboard is connected and powered). The keyboard features 49 full-size touch-sensitive keys. Its compact size conveniently fits on your computer desk, and it plays through your computer speakers. eMedia Piano and Keyboard Method CD-ROM offers everything you need to learn how to play. Over 300 step-by-step lessons start from basics such as hand position, rhythm and playing on black keys, and move on to 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 with over 70 video demonstrations of techniques. 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 from 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. With your MIDI keyboard, you will get specific feedback on playing mistakes, including wrong notes and rhythms so that you can play better faster. Other accessories include a built-in digital metronome and one-track recorder.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars learn to play piano on your computer, September 21, 2005

By 

Never Too Old To Learn (northern New York State) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: eMedia EG11031 Learn To Play Piano & Keyboard Pack (Electronics)

The eMedia piano keyboard and software are great! I like it that I get a grade for each song I play--I keep practicing until my grades are in the 90's. I have always wanted to learn the piano; it's hard to learn a new instrument and learn to read music at my age (I'm old), but I don't take it personally when the computer grade is low, I just keep practicing. There is one problem, though--you can't play this keyboard without a Midi-to-USB cable, which doesn't come with the keyboard. You have to pay more and order it separately from the company. It comes with a serial joystick cable, but my computer doesn't have a serial joystick port. We bought a generic midi-to-USB cable at Radio Shack, but it didn't work with the keyboard. They tell me that newer computers just don't have serial joystick ports. So, if you are anxious to get started, order the cable at the same time as the keyboard, to save time.

3.0 out of 5 stars Broke! The software is great though., April 28, 2011

By 

Shinique - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: eMedia EG11031 Learn To Play Piano & Keyboard Pack (Electronics)

Worked great for a year & then suddenly wouldn't play, but I've learned to play lots of songs on it & the included interactive software is priceless for beginners.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars E-Mediat Keyboard, March 11, 2008

By 

Marilyn A. Dreger "VLaw" (Wisconsin USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: eMedia EG11031 Learn To Play Piano & Keyboard Pack (Electronics)

I having so much fun! Can't wait to sit down to play - and then have to tear myself away. I don't know if I hooked up smething wrong, but the keyboard was unpredictable--sometimes I would get sound of it and sometmes not. I cured the problem by hooking my computer up to an inexpensive digital keyboard that I purchased, and now all is well. I would highly recommend the software to everyone!