The piano is an instrument with immense potential, uniquely capable of delivering percussive rhythms, melodic sequences, and harmonic depth simultaneously. Its widespread availability and versatility make it unparalleled in the musical realm.
Given this, mastering the piano is an endeavor rich with content. In our information-saturated era, the challenge lies not in finding resources but in discovering well-structured methods to assimilate all the knowledge available.
Piano Marvel steps into this space as an online learning platform, ambitiously designed to help students of all proficiency levels “master the piano.” According to Piano Marvel, students can achieve progress “four times faster than with traditional teaching methods” using their platform.
It promises much of what one would expect from an online learning tool. We conducted an in-depth evaluation to see if it lives up to these claims.
HOW DOES PIANO MARVEL FUNCTION?
Piano Marvel operates by connecting your digital piano or keyboard to your computer via a USB or MIDI cable. It’s compatible with both Mac and PC, accessible through a web browser or the iOS Piano Marvel App on an iPad.
You might need to download an additional driver from your keyboard’s manufacturer. We tested it with a Yamaha p45 digital piano on both Mac and iPad, and the setup was seamless—just plug in and play, with no technical difficulties.
The service is subscription-based, with pricing set at $15.99 per month or $110.99 per year. While it’s optimized for digital pianos, it can also be used with acoustic pianos and keyboards.
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For acoustic piano users, the ‘book mode’ grants access to all the platform’s music and lessons, except for those features that assess your performance.
WHO IS THIS COURSE DESIGNED FOR?
Piano Marvel is well-suited for:
- Beginners seeking a comprehensive online learning experience with a strong foundation in music theory and technique.
- Students interested in classical music.
- Children learning under a teacher’s supervision.
- Individuals aiming to enhance their sight-reading skills.
- Students looking to make better use of their private lesson time by drilling notes, rhythms, ear training, scales, and sight reading with Piano Marvel, reserving in-person lessons for technique and musicality.
- Music majors at the university level.
WHO MIGHT NOT FIND THIS COURSE SUITABLE?
Piano Marvel might not be the best choice for:
- Beginners eager to quickly learn popular or “fun” pieces.
- Students interested in practicing improvisation.
- Those seeking an extensive library of Pop and Jazz music.
OVERVIEW OF THE FEATURES
Let’s start by exploring the key sections and features of the Piano Marvel platform before diving into our personal highlights and criticisms.
The Library
Piano Marvel boasts a vast library, encompassing over 25,000 songs and piano exercises. This extensive collection includes method and technique books from well-known publishers like Hal Leonard, Alfred, and FJH Music.
Hidden within the method books of specific schools and universities are some exceptional pieces and arrangements, all of which come with the platform’s interactive features and tools. For instance, you can find curriculum books from the Royal Conservatory of Music and Brigham Young University made publicly accessible.
When it comes to genres, the library leans heavily towards classical music, offering enough material to satisfy any classical music enthusiast. Additionally, there’s a significant selection of traditional hymns and church music.
While the selection of pop songs and jazz pieces is comparatively smaller, there is still a modest variety available for those genres.
For most songs in the library, you can choose from different arrangements to match your skill level. Unlike many other online piano learning platforms, Piano Marvel provides the original scores written by the composer, as well as simplified versions tailored for different levels of proficiency.
Method
The Method section forms the core of the Piano Marvel curriculum, organized into 6 levels, each divided into 5 subsections (A-E), with each subsection containing 20 lessons to complete.
Technique
The Technique section is closely aligned with the Method section, mirroring its structure with 6 levels, 5 subsections (A-E), and 20 lessons per subsection.
As you progress through the Method levels, the Technique section complements your learning by providing drills focused on hand positions, scales, intervals, and counting exercises that reinforce the concepts you’re currently mastering.
This section emphasizes theory, offering a wealth of flashcards, ear training, and harmonization exercises.
Sight Reading Assessment
The Sight Reading Assessment section, or SASR, adopts a game-like approach to improving sight-reading skills—this is one of our favorite aspects of Piano Marvel, and we’ll elaborate more on this later.
You begin by selecting your starting level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced). Once you’ve chosen, you have 20 seconds to review each example before the timer starts, and you must play without stopping or repeating.
The objective is to maintain a score above 80 percent; if you fall below this threshold three times, your assessment concludes. The difficulty of the examples steadily increases until it becomes challenging enough to truly test your limits.
A Tool for Teachers
Piano Marvel is not intended to replace live piano instruction; rather, it is designed to complement it as a valuable tool for teachers.
As a resource for educators, schools, and universities, Piano Marvel offers detailed reporting features that allow teachers to monitor what, when, and how long their students have been practicing.
Teachers can create their own lessons and upload their own music. Using software like Sibelius or Finale, this can be done relatively easily by uploading MIDI and XML files for each piece.
Consequently, any material you upload can be utilized by your students with the same interactive tools that apply to the content in the Library.
Additionally, there’s a ‘Find a Teacher’ section on the linked Music Marvel page, where you can search for certified Piano Marvel instructors.
Extra Motivations
Piano Marvel goes the extra mile to keep students motivated by offering various incentives.
Traditional rewards such as trophies, badges, stars, and certificates of completion are awarded as students progress through each lesson, section, and level.
Since all these rewards are consolidated in one place, and you can track your progress across levels, there’s a video game-like experience of leveling up. The platform fosters the belief that learning anything is achievable if you break it down into manageable steps.
For those seeking an additional challenge, there are online competitions.
For instance, the platform hosts a monthly Method Challenge, where achieving a 100% score enters you into a lottery for an Amazon gift card. There’s also an annual YouTube competition with cash prizes.
CONCLUSION
Piano Marvel offers an extensive library, an exceptional sight-reading tool, and a well-rounded curriculum, all presented within an intuitive and user-friendly interface. These features make the platform highly appealing.
The claim that Piano Marvel facilitates “four times faster progress than traditional teaching methods” initially seemed like standard marketing hype. However, after extensive use, this statement appears to hold true.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Piano Marvel good for beginners?
Absolutely. We highly recommend Piano Marvel for beginners aged 16 and older, especially those keen on learning to read music. For younger children, the platform works best when used in conjunction with a teacher.
Does Piano Marvel work with acoustic pianos?
Yes. With the ‘book mode’ designed for acoustic pianos, you can access all the music and lessons available on the platform, though performance assessment features won’t be available.
Do you need a teacher to use Piano Marvel?
No, Piano Marvel is effective for solo learning, particularly for mastering the basics of reading music, theory, and ear training.
Ideally, having a teacher would enhance the learning experience. By using Piano Marvel for drills on notes, rhythms, and sight reading, you can reserve your teacher’s time for focusing on technique and musical interpretation, making your lessons more efficient and cost-effective.
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