Rocket Piano Review
Product description
Here, we’re reviewing what we think is the best product aimed primarily at the sight reader. Playing-by-ear products are reviewed here. Some people are happy to take at face value what they are taught, provided it makes sense, while others need to question everything and have a full understanding at one level before moving on to the next level.
If you fall into the ‘must know everything’ category and you are interested in learning about musical notation and understanding how Western music has developed and how it works then, of all the downloadable products available on the Internet, we’d recommend Rocket Piano by Ruth Searle. Rocket Piano is a complete course in piano playing, starting at the absolute beginning, including the history of the pianoforte and its construction.
Through a succession of highly readable ebooks you can work your way up to a fairly advanced level. The package includes a very useful book of fingering exercises. These are essential for all players (but mysteriously absent from many courses), especially so if you’re getting on in years and your fingers aren’t as nimble as they used to be. If you can work at Rocket Piano on a daily basis for somewhere between six and twelve months you should be able to call yourself an accomplished player at the end.
The main part of the course, where you’ll spend most of your time, is contained within the three e-books aimed at Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level. Ruth Searle has a relaxed presentation style which makes the learning experience pleasurable and effective. It’s difficult to overrate this product. For the price it’s very difficult to beat.
Through a succession of graded ebooks you can work your way up to a fairly advanced level. The package includes a primer book of fingering exercises. These are essential for all players (but mysteriously absent from many courses), especially so if you’re getting on in years and your fingers aren’t as nimble as they used to be. Use feedback suggests that if you can work at Rocket Piano on a daily basis for somewhere between six and twelve months you should be able to call yourself an accomplished player at the end.
The main part of the course, where you’ll spend most of your time, is contained within the three e-books aimed at Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level. Ruth Searle has a relaxed presentation style which makes the learning experience fairly comfortable.
Product Research
Contents: Six e-books (336 pages in total) at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Work your way through them as you improve. Read the music, listen to the examples and start to play. Rocket Piano contains a very useful Fingering Exercise book and 2 extra books on Jazz and Gospel piano.
Audio: 133 audio files to illustrate tunes and melodies throughout.
Accessibility: Designed for complete beginners of 8 years and above.
Extras: Four bonus programs to help you learn to recognize notes and chords spontaneously. Also includes a very useful e-book on learning techniques and a program to perfect your recognition of musical pitch.
Price: $39.95 – 60-day money back guarantee
Our Opinion: At the price, Rocket Piano is undoubltedly difficult to beat. The material is clear and straightforward, it contains essential information on posture and hand position and it employs the right sort of exercises to get a beginner playing properly from the word go. We noted the ‘linear approach’ to learning the piano aimed at keeping you on track and not being sidelined into other musical areas.
We’ve used this product with great success. For us, the best way of using it is by having the lessons open on the laptop, then placing the laptop where your music sheet would normally be. That way you can read the music and also play the samples on your laptop to know what it’s supposed to sound like when you play it for yourself. Our third contributor, below, didn’t agree but our firm impression is that most people get on with it very well.
To go to the official Rocket Piano website, click on the link below:
Actual Customer Feedback
I’ve used the Rocket Piano course to teach myself piano and I have become quite good over the last year or so. I think it works just as good (if not better) than having a piano teacher. And it’s definitely a lot less expensive. Plus you can practice whenever you want which is definitely a big plus for me. ~ Actual User Comment On Rocket Piano From Yahoo Answers
I lost a few students who decided to use this program online. I decided I better check it out to see what the course offered. I was impressed and I now use it to help me instruct my students in my one on one lessons. The quality is excellent and the presentation is very professional ~ Actual User Comment From OnLine Piano Lessons Reviewed
I did not teach myself to play the piano, but I have been playing for eight years. I can honestly say that trying to teach yourself to play using any program will most likely be very difficult, if not completely impossible, unless you have a lot of prior musical experience. If you want to try it, go for it, but I personally suggest taking some private lessons. ~ Actual User Comment On Rocket Piano From Yahoo Answers
Accuracy Disclosure: www.pianodetective.com has directly tested this product. However, the above content is based solely on the opinion of the publisher’s experience with the product, and does not represent or imply an “average” result for others.
Filed under: Piano Tuition Products
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