Computers and tablets have become more and more common in all areas of education. Music is no exception, with new programs being released every year. Though they represent a futuristic style of learning and have less historical proof of success behind them, they are worth looking into and will without doubt become a huge part of the future of music education.

The course is written for students who already have competent traditional piano skills and wish to move into playing popular styles, a true challenge for players who have spent their whole musical experience reading sheet music. The focus on visual learning may instill a crutch of using the eyes for creating music rather than the ears. Expression is defined by Faber as the ability to communicate an emotion or mood, which the series provides opportunities for by containing an eclectic repertoire, ranging from silly to scary to sad.

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Is primarily based upon classical repertoire, limiting its ability to be useful to the tastes of all returning students. The Technical Requirements consists of scales, arpeggios, chords and patterns. These start basic and progress as the levels rise. The “Middle C Method” teaches the note Middle C first, and every other note is found in relation to it. The hands are set up with the thumb of the right on middle C, and the pinky of the left on either low C or low E. In this way students orient themselves and find notes. Just like Flowkey and Playground Sessions, Yousician allows music to be sped up or slowed down, looped, and the hands to be separated for optimal practice.

Within the course the books are labeled by letters, from A up to F. Students can progress through this a book at a time, or, if the teacher is happy with the students progress they can be easily transitioned to the next series, Alfred’s Basic Piano Course, which contains the same information but moves at a faster pace. In the Repertoire section students select contrasting pieces from a list of available options. This gives students a controlled choice, which is a useful feature that allows for independence with boundaries. Focuses almost exclusively on European Classical music. While the program does provide a wide technical curriculum, it is narrow in genre and music from other cultures. The amount of genres the book teaches limits its ability to be as in depth as it could be. Ideally, each genre would have its own course. Alfred’s Basic Piano Course is the original and best selling Alfred’s course. It runs from Level 1 to 6. The series contains much of the same information as the Prep Course, but moves at a more rapid pace.Accelerated Piano Adventures covers the same concepts as Basic Piano Adventures does, but at an accelerated pace and with a tone more fitting to that of an older beginner. There are two levels to this course, each level containing 4 separate books, Lesson, Technique and Artistry, Theory, and Performance. Playing in multiple keys (even though key signatures are not introduced in earlier books, by accidentals students will play in 7 different keys) Much of the artwork and lyrics are dated. Some lyrics would even qualify as racially insensitive by modern standards (e.g Ten Little Indians). All of the pieces used in the program were composed by the Bastiens themselves, providing a unique and original course for students to work through.