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Piano and Keyboard Method CD-ROM Review by Rebecca Huff

eMedia Music Corp
664 NE Northlake Way
Seattle, WA 98105
206-329-5657
http://www.emediamusic.com/

eMedia's Piano and Keyboard Method CD-ROM includes lessons starting from the basics and teaching through scales and arpeggios! Piano teacher Irma Irene Justicia, M.A., who has taught at the renowned Julliard School of Music, guides students with video demonstrations of various techniques.

This CD-ROM includes everything you need to learn how to play keyboard and piano. Just pop the disc in your computer and begin the first lesson! Students will be guided through 316 lessons from hand position, notes, rests, and rhythm to scales, arpeggios, and the history of music. You simply watch the video demonstrations of 70 different techniques, then practice them, and finally play along with the animated keyboard guide (you must supply your own keyboard). Your progress is tracked via special reports, which also give feedback on mistakes.

You can print out the lessons and take them to the piano for practice throughout the week. The program includes classical, pop, folk, rock, blues and country songs. Animated Keyboard shows the finger position and finger numbers and is color-coded, moving as the music plays on the audio track. The live multi-track recordings and MIDI tracks can be slowed down or sped up so that the student can play along with ease or be more challenged!

As you play, the program gives interactive feedback to point out any mistakes, and song looping allows the student to repeat any section of music over and over for practice. Other great features include reviews and ear training, a digital metronome and digital recorder, and a selection of over 100 songs.

Young children through adults will enjoy this program, and it is perfect for those who have never played before. It is definitely worth the purchase price, especially when you think about how much it would cost to pay for piano lessons for each individual in your family. Students can review lessons at their convenience and skip ahead when necessary. This is a good program at a great value!

Product review by Rebecca Huff, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, March 2009

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