Top 13 Best Online Piano Lessons for 2023 Reviews

3. Plaground Sessions

This piano app is backed by some big guns in the music industry including the legendary Quincy Jones and artist Harry Connick Jr. The library is filled with songs from all genres from Beethoven to Adele. There are more than a thousand song lessons with each being an interesting deconstruction of the underlying musical concepts. The app has to be installed on a PC or MAC computer. Users can connect their keyboards via USB or MIDI for extra feedback. The online store also sells keyboards from Casio and Yamaha, with buyers getting a membership discount.

PROS
– Fresh music
– Engaging lessons
– Works on PC and Mac
– Compatible with USB and MIDI keyboards
– 30-day money back guarantee
– High user rating

CONS
– Recurring membership fee of $17.99/mo
– No offline access

4. Rocket Piano

If you want a no nonsense approach to piano playing, then Rocket Piano may be for you. It is not as fancy as the others on this list but it doesn’t have to be. It offers step by step lessons divided into multiple books, similar to the approach by Piano For All. They are also both available as downloads with one-time fees. This should be attractive to learners on a budget. The technical aspects are taught in fun ways to keep students engaged in the material. There should be no worries about giving them a try since there is an 8-week satisfaction guarantee.

PROS
– 8-week money-back guarantee
– One-time fee of $39.95
– Offline access
– Lots of bonus content

CONS
– Slower content development

5. Artist Works

Artist Works is a site that caters to a wide variety of musicians, from would-be guitarists to pianists. The instructors are all of high caliber with their respective instruments. As for piano lessons, people can choose from classical, jazz, and popular styles. One of the best things about the site is that the membership fee gives you access to all lessons, not just those for the piano. You can learn so much more than if you were dealing with a highly focused site. On the other hand, the lack of focus also means that it does not have as much specific resources.

PROS
– Wide variety of instruments to learn
– Video submissions allowed
– Monthly broadcasts
– Backing track for all instruments

CONS
– Limited piano lessons
– Large annual fee to unlock all features

6. Flowkey

Flowkey is an interactive app that is available on iOS and Android. The web version is also accessible to Windows and Mac users. Setup is easy and you can start right away. Lessons will be tailored to the individual’s experience and instrument. Anyone can use it for free to check out if it is good for them. Those who want more features can get a premium account which starts at $19.99 per month or $299.99 for lifetime access. This will allow access to hundreds of song lessons, continually updated courses, and many more. The app will listen to your exercises to check if you are doing them correctly.

PROS
– Interactive feedback using microphone
– Good quality videos
– Free trial available

CONS
– No offline access
– Continuous monthly fees

7. Yousician

Just like Artist Works, Yousician does not focus on a single instrument. You can find lessons for guitar, bass, piano, ukulele, and voice. There is a massive library of songs from different genres including pop, metal, jazz, funk, rock, classical, blues, country, and more. They upload new songs all the time so there’s always fresh content to learn. Yousician is available as an app download for iOS and Android. The interface is sleek and colorful to aid in learning. This goes beyond the usual static videos of instructors on the piano. Trial lessons are free while premium plans are $9.99 per month or $119.99 per year.

PROS
– Impressive user interface
– Affordable annual fee
– No extra accessories needed

CONS
– No offline access
– Separate fee for each instrument

8. Piano Wizard Academy

Sometimes piano lessons can be a bit dull and repetitive. The Academy tries to make it more fun by turning everything into a game. It is natural for children to play, after all, so this approach is suitable for very young kids who are having trouble concentrating on notations and other concepts. They can play music right away by following along, giving them the confidence that they need to continue. Theory is later sprinkled to add more depth to their experience. This intuitive form of learning is quickly and effective for the right audience.

PROS
– Great for kids and novices
– Turns lessons into games
– Low-cost trial available
– 45-day money-back guarantee

CONS
– Needs keyboard to PC connection
– $347 lifetime membership
– Limited online lessons

9. Hear and Play

Traditional methods require years of practice. Not everyone has that kind of time to learn piano. Indeed, few are aiming to become professional players. Most simply want to gain another skill and enjoy music. Hear and Play makes things go by quickly by teaching you to play by ear instead of reading sheet music. Sample lessons are available for free. The full course is available via DVDs or digital downloads. Multiple software and content can be purchased depending on the needs of the student.

PROS
– Offline access
– Fast learning method

CONS
– Confusing packages
– Lots of separate purchases

10. Learn and Master Piano

Learn & Master provides courses for different subjects including piano, guitar, drums, painting, photography, and ballroom dance. Their course is contained in a set of 20 DVDs with 5 play-along CDs, and a lesson book. You can do everything at home even without access to the Internet. They cover everything from the basics to the intermediate concepts. The comprehensive DVDs are easy to follow, though it would take some dedication to go through all of them. This is a fairly old package so the song selection tends to be classic rather than contemporary tunes. The classically trained instructor provides in-depth lessons.

PROS
– Offline access
– 60-day money back guarantee
– Multiple styles covered
– Discounts and promos

CONS
– No feedback
– Expensive but fair at $249
– Static content

11. The Complete Piano Course

Udemy holds an incredible variety of courses for online learners. The Complete Piano Course is just one of the many on this topic. While the full price is at $94.99, substantial discounts are often available. This comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The content includes 21.5 hours of video and 15 downloaded resources. The one-time payment enables lifetime access. Those who have successfully completed the course will get a certificate. It is a nice course with good ratings that can take a beginner step by step into intermediate and advanced territory. However, the content will soon become dated as not much updates are available.

PROS
– Excellent instruction
– Affordable with discounts
– Basic to advanced lessons
– 30-day money back guarantee

CONS
– May be too complex for some
– Last updates are over 3 years ago

12. Piano & Music Theory for Beginners Udemy

This course is aimed squarely at novices who want to know all the essentials without paying for costly private lessons. It is a very specific audience. If you want to become a complete piano player, then this is not the course for you. The content is extremely limited. People will quickly outgrow the lessons and want to move on to other courses for advanced topics. There are arguably better packages at this price point, although some might argue that a trimmed down course is exactly what they need. Its simplicity is its main draw. You will not have to tackle difficult concepts but instead play right away.

PROS
– Short and simple
– Lifetime access after one-time payment
– Substantial discount available

CONS
– Only 1.5 hours of video content
– Not much depth

13. Piano Fastlane – From ZERO to HERO Udemy

The last Udemy course on this list is a highly rated package with fairly recent updates. It provides a much more substantial discussion of the various concepts and styles with over 33 hours of video. There are also 97 downloaded resources that students can browse offline. It assumes no prior knowledge and just a few minutes of daily practice. Of course, all these come at a suitably higher price of $199.99. The good news is that you can use coupons or wait for discounts to purchase this at a much lower price. It is all all-in-one course that teaches you to play by ear while also understand the fundamentals of classical music.

PROS
– Comprehensive learning materials
– 30-day money back guarantee
– Highly rated course
– Well-structured and easy to follow

CONS
– Pricy but discounts are often available

Online Piano Selection Tips

Your dream of becoming a master pianist can turn into reality with the help of a competent tutor. The problem is that piano lessons are notoriously expensive. If you are on a budget, then try online lessons instead. Here are a few tips on selecting a piano lesson provider:

1. Define your goals.

Piano lessons come in different lengths, styles, and complexities. There is no single form that could be considered as perfect for everybody. That is why you need to define your goals at the outset. What do you want to get out of the piano lesson? Find a course that meets your requirements. There is no point in signing up for comprehensive lessons if you only wish to play by ear, for example.

2. Consider your connection speed.

Online piano lessons generally use canned videos to teach students about different musical concepts. If you want to watch these in high definition, then you should have a speedy and reliable Internet connection. It’s best to use Wi-Fi through cable or fiber since data over 4G will be too expensive. If yours isn’t reliable, then find a downloadable course that you can play offline. You may also opt to purchase courses on DVD.

3. Try sample lessons.

It’s hard to know whether a particular lessons provider is a good match for you unless you give them a try. This doesn’t mean you have to spend lots of money doing trial-and-error. Look for free sample lessons and see if they work for you. Compare the different approaches of various instructors. To be on the safe side, check whether your options have a money-back guarantee. If you aren’t making good progress within the allotted time, then you could get a refund.

4. Read the reviews.

Learn from others so that you don’t repeat the same mistakes. Most of the popular piano lessons online have numerous reviews all over the Internet. These can be highly detailed. You will find information not found in the marketing materials. Be sure to read both the positives and the negatives. If the pros outweigh the cons, then you might have stumbled upon the course for you.

5. Compute your budget.

There is a great deal of variety when it comes to pricing and payment options. Downloadable and DVD content are usually offered with a one-time fee. Online content, on the other hand, will require a monthly membership fee for continued access. The fee is cheaper if you commit to a longer period. Sometimes they offer a one-time lifetime membership fee as well. Discounts can significantly reduce the cost so stay alert for these deals.

Types of Piano Lessons

Instructors will take different approaches to teaching. Some will focus on memorization and playing by ear. It’s a fast way of learning how to play an instrument, giving encouragement that makes students stick for longer. Others emphasize the ability to read music sheets so that students can play virtually any song they want. They can even compose their own melodies by the end of the course. These two extremes can be combined to guide novices and turn them into intermediate and advanced players.

Average Piano Lesson Pricing

The Internet is so vast that you can probably find piano lessons online for free from several sources. However, these are likely to be dated, static, basic, and unstructured. Feedback is also impossible from the instructors. If you want better lessons, then you will have to pay for them. Monthly subscriptions usually start at $10 but can reach hundreds of dollars for exclusive online schools. The latter keep the number of students low to ensure that each receives a good level of attention and feedback. Lifetime-membership fees can be around $300 depending on the provider. Digital downloads and DVDs are often older and discounted to under $100.

Offline vs Online Piano Instructors

There are benefits and downsides to both. Offline instructors can see you play. They can fix your posture, timing, hand positioning, and other things that only a trained eye can notice. You can ask them questions and get immediate answers. They can monitor your progress every sessions. On the other hand, they can cost a lot over time. Online instructors are far more affordable. They teach the same things and have a high level of competence. However, they give little to no feedback. They can’t adjust their style based on your progress.

FAQs

What is the cost of hiring a piano tutor?

A private lesson of one hour can cost around $30 to $80. The tutoring fee depends on many factors, such as the qualification and reputation of the tutor. Other factors in deciding the tuition fee include the level of the course to cover such as beginner, intermediate, or expert-level talents.

How can I teach myself to play the piano?

As a beginner, you should learn the basic theory of playing the instrument. You will get some good books for beginners as well as many free online options to download books on fundamental lessons. You can check some online tutorials to play some simple tunes on the piano. Once you get through the basic piano playing exercises at home, you can apply for school lessons.

What is the best piano for kids?

For young children who are starting to experiment with the instrument, the piano needs to be simple and easy for them to run their fingers on when learning simple tunes. The best piano for children under eight years of age is the traditional keyboard piano that you can get from the local music store.

What age should you start piano lessons?

Anyone can learn how to play the piano; however, how well one plays also depends on when one starts to learn the instruments. According to most experts, the best age is when a person is young. Piano teachers encourage the learning in children between 6 to 9 years of age and consider it the best time to start the lessons.

What do you do in your first piano lesson?

The first lesson is an introductory theory on playing the instrument. The tutoring will follow some beginner techniques to cover the basic sequential exercises. The students will continue to learn piano theory for a week and practice the simple playing skills that they had in their first lessons.