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Piano Professor | 
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| Category: Software
Buy Used: $34.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Platforms: Windows Nt, Windows 98, No Operating System, Windows Xp, Windows Me
Media: CD-ROM
Operating System: Windows NT
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4.9
Dimensions (in): 25 x 8.7 x 3
UPC: 851244000093
EAN: 0851244000093
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great for a self-motivated learner July 24, 2004
25 out of 28 found this review helpful
It depends on what you are looking for...
I bought this for my 3.5 year old daughter who is a wiz on the computer and can read at almost a first grade level. She enjoys playing games such as Reader Rabbit up to the first grade level whether she knows what she is doing or not.
Her father and I have been considering putting her in piano lessons at four, and we are using this product to see if she is ready. Niether of us play the piano, but we have a music background.
Overall we like the compiano, but it could use some improving. She loves it and has insisted on playing it everyday for a week now (since we bought it). The lessons cover basic music concepts as well as using the keyboard. We do have to clarify a few things for her now and then, but I expected that.
The games could use some work, but after reading the instructions in the book, we can play them. Some are a bit too difficult for her right now, but she'll grow into them.
We really like the music composing section where the kids can move notes to the staff. The note changes tone according to where placed and the keyboard on the screen lights up the correct key. She can assemble a whole song and have the computer play it back. Very cool and she likes it!
There is also a play along section with many songs to choose from. She is not at that level yet.
For the price, I am please with the product. Overall, I think it's great as a fun thing to do to supplement lessons and to introduce music to a child - helping to hold their interest. However, it's foolish to think software can replace a good piano teacher.
 Excellent learning toy December 11, 2004
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
I bought this for my 3 and 5 year olds and they *love* it. They fight over it all the time.
Some of the games that come with it are too advanced, but if you go to the "piano room" you can click on the piano, even the youngest child can play. Whatever notes they press appear on the screen as little cartoon images of fruit (grapes, oranges...), in the correct treble or base clef lines or spaces.
It introduces their little minds to the possibility that the notes they are pressing actually have a visual equivalent. As they grow older, they can play the more difficult (yet fun) games, and even use the "professor" to take lessons and learn how to play.
If you are interested in your child learning to play an instrument eventually, and not just making noise (as fun as that is), this is the toy for you.
 Not the right instrument July 30, 2005
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The keyboard requires a computer. This was not clear from the description and did not meet my needs for a simple keyboard for a young child. The ratings do not reflect the use of the item, but they were required inorder to make a comment.
 Disappointing July 10, 2004
Well, the price is right for what we were looking for: a simple interactive keyboard coupled with light-weight training software. However, as is so depressingly often the case with kid-oriented software, the usability of the system leaves a LOT to be desired.First, if your child can't read and you're not prepared to help them through all the little "games" included, forget it - "Help" instructions are for the most part print-only. The included games have somewhat complicated mechanics, but there's not much of a point to any of them. Also - and this seems quite odd - the games aren't all centered on using the keyboard! In fact the lack of "purity" in the software with respect to the little piano keyboard is probably the biggest flaw. The mouse is really required to actually get through the user interface, and that's a logistical issue for me (where do I put it, once I've used up the desk with the keyboard?). The "Lesson" section is extremely basic, and again requires the mouse for quite a bit of it (!!). The software is annoying in its responsiveness, often insisting on completing a little cut scene before allowing any interaction.
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