If you’ve always wanted to be a pianist but thought you were too old, too busy, or not talented enough, I know of a computer learning program called Rocket Piano that may prove you wrong. The course will work for absolute beginners, as well as those who took some piano lessons in the past and now realize that their mother was right and they do regret that they quit. Since Rocket Piano is a computer-based course, the practice sessions will fit into even the busiest schedule. It was not designed for children, but for teens and adults, and will be beneficial for students from 12 to 112. Because you can proceed at your own pace, you can gain the satisfaction that comes from acquiring new knowledge regardless of your level of skill or talent.

The teacher of the Rocket Piano course is Ruth Searle, a professional pianist with a bachelor’s degree in Commercial Music. She specializes in classical piano, but she has experience with many other styles of music, as well, including, jazz, gospel, blues, pop and rock. Ruth enjoys sharing her passion for the piano with others, and I think that quality comes through when you participate in her lessons. Rocket Piano was produced by the same folks who have written so many quality courses for teaching languages, and the methods they have perfected for that subject matter can be applied to the piano as well. The course will work equally well whether you use a traditional acoustic piano or an electric keyboard.

Course Components:

Rocket Piano is centered on three lesson books containing 218 lessons which are jam-packed with information. The lessons are presented in a step-by-step manner which will provide you with the fundamentals you need to learn, whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced player. Skills are not taught by mindless drills, but through the use of actual songs, some original and some that are familiar, but all that make your learning time fun. Along with the practical application comes plenty of music theory woven into the lessons in a way that makes it almost pain free. The books are accompanied by 248 sound files and 58 video lessons that help you to see and hear what you should sound like. There are also some helpful hints about getting the most out of your practice time. I believe if you know how to practice as well as what to practice, you will be much more efficient in your playing and advance at a faster rate.

In addition to the books and multi-media clips, Rocket Piano comes with two computer games to enhance your learning. The first is called “Jayde Musica Pro” and provides an entertaining way to learn to read notes. You can choose to play the game at any level from beginner to advanced and compete against your own high score. I think it’s a motivating way to learn note identification. You’ll be surprised how fast you progress.

The second inter-active game is called “Chordinator”. Its purpose is to help you recognize the structure of chords and the way they fit into your piano music. Since understanding chord formation is vital if you want to play piano like a pro, this game will provide an entertaining way to learn the concepts.

Bonus Materials:

The first extra item offered by Rocket Piano is a good way to try before you buy. The company offers 6 free downloadable lessons to anyone who registers for them. They will give you a good idea of the way the course works and let you see if the method appeals to you. You will also get a free newsletter that is full of tricks and tips for the pianist. There is no obligation when you sign up, so there’s no reason not to check it out.

With the basic lessons, you also get the Rocket Piano Jazz Book and the Gospel, Spiritual and Hymn Book. These give you information on the history of some of the most popular styles of piano music and are full of pointers that will make learning these genres even easier.

A listening game called “Perfect Your Pitch Pro” is included as a bonus, as well. It will help you to train your musical ear so that you can identify piano music you hear and then reproduce it yourself. I have heard many people say they would love to be able to play like those great keyboard artists they hear on the radio, and this game is an entertaining way to work toward that goal.

Rocket Piano also comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee. You can be assured that you can return your course for any reason if it doesn’t work out for you. Your money will be refunded cheerfully with no questions asked.

Conclusion:

Overall, Rocket Piano offers a good quality course for learning the piano. However, it does not offer as many video resources and play-along audio tracks as you can get from my number 1 pick in piano courses: Learn and Master Piano. For more information about this fantastic system, check out my Learn and Master Piano review, or if you want to read more about Rocket Piano, click HERE.