Piano Innovations in the Computer Age
presented at the Kansas & Missouri Music Teachers Annual Convention
Dr. Nathanael May, Missouri Western State University
11 June 2010, MidAmerica Nazarene University
Featured Composers
Featured YouTube Clips
| Max/MSP Tutorial |
| The Fur Elise Project |
| Pianist Stephen Hough on the iPad |
| Cold Play: Clocks |
| Performance on 6 iPhones |
| iPhone: Fur Elise on split keyboard |
| iPhone: Nocturne Duet |
Additional Resources
iPhone Piano/Music App Reviews
| Virtuoso Piano Free 2 HD |
| glissando touch, key label option, easy to move octaves (with a central mounted scroll bar) — lacks sustain of tone/variance of touch, smaller key size than other piano apps, no supporting features |
| Baby Piano Lite by Dream Cortex, Free |
| Visual interface akin to toy piano layout, but with real piano sound, can switch to pitched, cute animal sounds (very entertaining for toddlers), 3 learn by rote songs (illuminates keys to be pressed) — very limited record function; only 5 seconds |
| Musician’s Practice Journal Free |
| Lets you organize the pieces in your practice schedule, records length of practice on each piece, combines total daily practice in a bar graph, sets metronome goals — no actual metronome sound to practice with, not able to publish/share practice goals or bar graph online |
| Disklavier Controller |
| Allows you to control many of the basic playback functions of your Disklavier Mark IV from any location in your house, with a wireless connection |
| PianoTutor $1.99 |
| “I purchased Piano Tutor for my 7 year old as he is struggling with learning to read music. This was just the app that I was looking for. Works great as he is more motivated to sit down with the iPod than in front of the Piano. It is a great little app and he is making great progress.” By Chris B. A very simple app, allows for treble or bass reading, option for exercises key signature reading, live game clock timer mode; giving average # of seconds to find 20 pitches, smiley feedback face |
| iPitchMaster $0.99 |
| test in 3 categories: SCALE (nearly 40 scales) — most scales are obscure, spelled with enharmonic equivalents (not as you would normally see them), and no way to limit the field of scales for testing, does not conclude with upper octave of tonic pitch; CHORD (25 types) — wacky, non-sensical spellings, same issues as with scales above; PITCH — tests on single pitch recognition, or by 2 note intervals |
| Rhythm in Reach $1.99 |
| Nice graded series of rhythm exercises in basic meters (2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8), appropriate for most levels of piano study, beginning through late intermediate. One of the few rhythm apps that tests on the length of longer notes (allows for sustained touch/pitch), and also gives a detailed report of exactly which notes in which measures were missed; Email results function; perfect for keeping up with your students |
| iMetronome Free |
| allows for 1/4 through 12/4 even/odd meters, plus 3/8, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8; interface is traditional looking metronome; downbeat click different pitch than other beats |
| MelodicaFree |
| A music application that mixes lights and sounds in a unique way, allowing anyone to compose music intuitively creating visual effects with the tips of your fingers |
| Beatwave Free |
| An app similar to Melodica, only 10 times better. Ability to create four independent tracks, and change the timbre, register, pitch, etc. Can also publish arrangements to the web |