ADULTS USING Anybody Can Play PIANO app

The Anybody Can Play PIANO app teaches students how to play songs with each hand alone, hands together (parallel as well as contrary motion), and how to read music notation. The curriculum is vertical, which means something new is added with each song and also means that each song needs to be learned well so it can be played by memory with ease. The same songs are used for each level...just increasing in technique. So, you can ultimately play a "theme and variation" of each song...each hand alone followed by hands in parallel followed by hands in contrary motion!

The presentation is visual, which works really well with all ages (and makes it possible for very young students to learn). Adults just have to remember pay attention to all the visuals! The fingers are color coded, so if a key is shown in a particular color, that means that same "colored" finger plays on it. The finger numbers are shown, but not used because fingering goes in opposite directions (both thumbs are #1), which makes it hard to learn to play in parallel. The finger colors are in parallel and once the hands learn to play in parallel, they always remember the process.

Adult students are many times shocked that their hands are so "young". There is specific muscle dexterity that has to be established by carefully learning to play the piano one step at a time...just like a younger student.

NOTE: The SHOW ME part of the app plays all the songs in every level. If you listen to the songs and become familiar with the sound of them it will greatly shorten the length of time needed to learn to play them. The tempo (speed) of the songs can be slowed down so you can hear different parts more easily at the beginning.

This is probably really obvious, but use a MIDI keyboard, not the touch screen. Your hands are fully grown - much too large for the computer screen. If you need to mark the keys with colored dots, do it. At the beginning pretend you are 4 or 5 years old. Your hands are young! Have fun!

FYI, turn the keyboard volume to zero sound. Due to the distance between the computer and keyboard, the computer and keyboard do not function precisely at the same time. In addition, the computer app is programed to make no sound when an improper key is played. Looking at a key on screen and hearing the correct sound is important...don't want to hear the wrong sound.

Be VERY particular about that color coding….not to the point of color coding your fingers (unless you want to!), but making sure you are using the correct finger on every key every time you play a particular song. EVERY adult I have personally seen playing with the app for the first time has totally ignored the color coding for correct fingering. They were matching "key to key", but ignored which finger was to be used. By using the correct fingers EVERY time, muscle memory is established.

Start with the easiest song…the one at the top of the list. Memorize it. The app allows you to turn off the arrows and cartoon notes so you can practice playing a song by memory. If you make a mistake it will show you the correct key(s).

After memorizing each song with your right hand as well as the left hand (Level 1), try playing it with both hands in parallel (Level 2). If it is really difficult to play in parallel, skip Level 2 for the time being and just play the songs with Level 1.

Take your time and go through this procedure until you have all the songs memorized. Keep playing the songs you already know. This strengthens the memory reflex. If you are sporatic about memorizing the songs, the memory reflex does not get trained. As I mentioned before, the Anybody Can Play curriculum is a vertical curriculum. The attempt is made to add something new to every new song so your expertise continually rises. This means you can take all the time you need on a song. You are only learning one song at each level, not 10 or 12 per level as in some curricula. With a vertical curriculum it is really important to learn each song well. The end result, however, is much faster progression than with a horizontal curriculum with many “same level” songs.

Again, keep playing the songs. Once you are comfortable with playing songs with your right hand alone and left hand alone, move on to Level 2. Start at the top of the list again and start learning to play the songs with both hands at the same time. Memorize each song playing in parallel. It may be a good idea at this point to play a song right hand alone, then left hand alone, then hands together...another memory skill. Be patient with your hands! They are young.

Once you can play in parallel, then back to the top of the list again and start learning the songs in contrary motion, that is with each hand simultaneously doing something different. Some of the songs may really seem difficult, but just take your time. The icon at the top of the page lets you choose a part, touch the “again and again repeat icon” and work on just a little part at a time. Working a small part at a time will produce the greatest success in the least amount of time.

Feel free to work on NOTES part of the app at any time! This is a parallel activity to learning how to play songs, so can be started at the same time you are starting to learn to play songs or you can wait until your comfort level is a bit higher. When you do start playing those Silly Songs at one of the high levels, your will be able to play written songs in any books you choose. In the beginning, they need to be easy ones though.

Look at the piano lessons on this website. Watch the videos. They will all help and should be enjoyable to watch.

Have fun! Take your time!


The Anybody Can Play PIANO App costs a total of only $0.99!

To purchase the Anybody Can Play PIANO app for Windows 10/11 click here.

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