Learning piano in the digital age
In recent years, piano apps like Simply Piano or Flowkey have become extremely popular. Parents download them hoping their children will discover music playfully – easy, fun, and often cheaper than traditional lessons.
In my lessons, I often see children who started with Simply Piano, or are even still using it alongside piano lessons. Many teachers advise against these apps, but I see it differently: as long as a child enjoys making music, it can actually be a great motivation to continue.
But does it really work? Can you trust as a parent that an app provides your child with the right foundation? Or are there pitfalls you’d rather avoid later? In this article, we’ll honestly examine the pros and cons of piano apps and how they compare to real piano lessons.
What do piano apps actually promise?
Accessible and fun with game elements
Piano apps heavily focus on gamification. Children earn points, levels, and rewards when they play notes correctly. This makes learning fun and approachable – almost like playing a game.
Learn to play independently without a teacher
A key selling point is that children can practice independently, without fixed lesson times or a teacher sitting next to them. For busy families, that sounds ideal.
Quick results and motivation through points and levels
Many apps allow children to play a simple song within the first week. This gives them a sense of achievement and keeps motivation high at the start. Parents often tell me that their children start very enthusiastically because of this.
The advantages of piano apps for children
Easy and available everywhere
A tablet or smartphone is enough. Whether you’re at home or on the go: practice is always possible. That lowers the threshold to start.
Low entry barrier and often affordable
While piano lessons are a significant investment, many apps operate with a low monthly fee. For parents who first want to test if their child really has an interest, that’s appealing.
Children enjoy playing as if it’s a game
The playful approach especially appeals to young children. It doesn’t feel like ‘learning’ but like having fun.
Great for discovering basic concepts like notes and rhythm
Apps can be a nice first introduction to reading music, a sense of rhythm, and simple melodies. Some students who start with me already know notes or rhythms thanks to Simply Piano. That shows such an app can be a nice introduction and give children a first step towards real piano playing.
The downsides parents often experience
Limited personal feedback
An app can indicate if the right note was played, but not if your child’s posture is correct. Bad habits such as tension in the wrists or wrong finger placement are not corrected – and they are difficult to unlearn later.
Lack of depth
Where a teacher pays attention to musicality, expression, and interpretation, an app remains superficial. Music is reduced to right or wrong notes.
Motivation drops after a while
The first weeks are often fun, but without a teacher to motivate and provide structure, many children lose the discipline to persist. Parents often tell me that their child loved Simply Piano at first, but as soon as a harder piece came along, the fun stopped. An app cannot adjust the level. However, I can do that during a piano lesson: I make a piece easier or break it into small steps so it remains achievable.
Children often play alone
Playing together with others, improvising, or experiencing music together – that is completely absent in an app. While these are often the moments when children fall in love with music.
Comparison with YouTube videos
Many parents wonder: why not use free YouTube videos? The problem is that YouTube offers no logical order. Without experience, as a parent or child, you often choose random videos. There is no buildup and no structure, causing children to get stuck quickly.
Apps do this better: they at least offer a learning line with levels and assignments. But here too, once a child encounters a difficult piece, the motivation can fade. Parents often say that their children just stop when that happens.
With piano lessons, it’s different: a teacher can immediately adjust the level. If something is too difficult, it’s made simpler or explained in small steps. This way it remains achievable and fun – precisely tailored to the child.
What a piano teacher does add
Personal guidance and correction of technique
A teacher watches, corrects posture, and ensures that children develop healthy playing habits. This prevents injuries and frustration later on.
Motivation and structure
Regular lesson appointments provide consistency. And if practicing at home is not going well, the teacher can provide new motivation and maintain the fun. I notice that children sometimes find apps more fun than their ‘homework’ for piano lessons, especially if they find the exercises too boring. That’s why I also use gamification in my lessons. At Studio MusicalMente, we work with a system that adds game elements, almost in a Montessori style. Every activity has a playful character, making children eager to return to class.
Creativity and ensemble playing
In the lesson, children learn not only notes but also how to improvise, play together, and shape their own musical ideas. Thus, music becomes more than just a sequence of correct notes.
A safe and inspiring environment
A piano teacher creates a place where children can make mistakes, develop, and learn to be proud of what they achieve.
And here’s the difference with YouTube or apps: a teacher can always adjust the difficulty level to the child. Not too easy, but also not too difficult – exactly the balance needed to stay motivated.
Combining piano apps and lessons – the golden middle way
Apps as a fun addition, not a replacement
Most experts agree: apps can be valuable, but mainly as an extra practice tool alongside real lessons. I think it’s important that children don’t play only with an app. Apps can be a fun addition, but never a replacement.
How apps make practicing at home easier and more fun
With an app, children can replay songs, track their progress, and remain active outside of lessons.
Example: backing tracks and playful assignments alongside the lesson
In our lessons, we use backing tracks and playful assignments. An app can complement this nicely at home, so practicing feels more like making music than homework. In my experience, apps work best as extra motivation at home while we work on technique, creativity, and ensemble playing in the lesson.
Conclusion – what really works for children?
Piano apps are a good starting point to introduce children to music. They offer convenience, playful motivation, and an accessible entry point. But without the personal factor of a teacher, learning remains superficial and motivation can quickly fade.
After more than 15 years of teaching, I see very clearly: apps can give children a nudge, but real growth comes from personal guidance. The best results occur when a child enjoys both technology and the piano lesson itself.
We ensure that balance: children discover music with joy, learn solid technique, and experience how fun it is to make music together.
Ready to start? Discover our piano lessons for children in the center of The Hague.
Who am I?
I am Luca Ridolfo and I founded Studio MusicalMente in 2018. I have been driven by music since childhood. But I wasn’t a Musical Prodigy. I took great pleasure in making music and had a drive to learn more about it. My music teachers always supported and encouraged me to keep going.
Indeed, I continued in such a way that I completed a music education at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. And even now, I never stop learning.
I firmly believe that everyone can improve their musicality and that this should not be reserved only for children. That’s why I decided to open a music school for adults in The Hague.
I believe that learning creative hobbies with experienced role models is one of the best ways to develop new skills and learn more about yourself.