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I thought I’d give you a bit of a rundown on the fundamentals of Flowkey today.
Flowkey works with any piano, digital or acoustic, because it uses the microphone on your device to hear your playing, but you can also connect it to your instrument with the USB to MIDI port if your instrument has one.
It is a really great ‘learn to play’ type app, however there are up to four levels of difficulty from Beginner to Pro, so can be used by more than just those in the early stages of learning to play.
When I switched it on I was met with a really straightforward interface with four sections:
I used it with an iPad so it was clear and very simple to operate with swipe and touch.
However you can use on the following operating systems:
Computers and laptops (PCs, Macs, and Chromebooks/Pixelbooks)
iPads (from 2013 on) with at least iOS 14
iPhones (from 2014 on) with at least iOS 14
Android smartphones with at least Android 7 (The device also needs to have “USB host” support)
Android tablets with at least Android 7 (The device also needs to have “USB host” support)
Windows tablets with at least Edge browser 80 or with the latest Chrome browser.
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The Yamaha P-S500 Smart Piano has a dedicated app and Stream Lights technology to aid learning
There are three main sections under learning: Beginner courses, Exercises and Scales, and Chords and Improvisation. Within each there are a further set of courses.
These courses are really clearly presented in video format with sections for you to play along or try what the instructor has just shown you. If you are fortunate enough to have one of the latest Yamaha CSP range, you will also note that the Stream Lights interacts with the keys to help you find the note directly on the piano keyboard!
There is a large range of songs that you can choose to learn.
Most have 4 levels of difficulty from Beginner to Pro. There is also the option within each of silencing one or other hand so you can learn.
There is a ‘loop function’ that enables you to cut sections of a piece so you can practise it repeatedly until you’re happy with it.
These are also divided up into genres.
The My Songs section can be used to save your favourite pieces.
One of the things I particularly like about the song sections is that you can change the tempo to 50% speed or 75% speed giving you the chance to go a little slower than the programmed tempo.
The ‘wait mode’ option on Flowkey listens to your playing and will wait for you to play the correct note before moving on, ensuring that you’re learning the score correctly.
In my opinion, Flowkey is a great app whether you are a seasoned player or a complete beginner.
It’s easy to use and fun, my only slight reservation was that there is less autonomy for advanced players, unlike playing with a hard copy of music.
My interpretation of pieces that I knew were sometimes slightly different to the programmed ones, so if I chose to put in a bit of rubato, or the ritenuto or rallentando was faster than I was anticipating, I often found myself slightly behind or ahead of the pianist.
My other slight niggle was that the score scrolls horizontally across the screen as you play and therefore you needed to remember what key you were in or had modulated to as there is no reminder as there is on a hard copy of music.
Perhaps simple, but if there are lots of key changes or it is a particularly long piece or a lot of sharps or flats, it would have been nice to have a reminder following you intermittently.
Yamaha are currently extending their 3 month free trial to Flowkey until the end of March 2023 with every purchase of a new Yamaha digital piano.
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Comments:
Hello Rachel.Thank you for your introductory explanation of ‘Flowkey’. I have bought a number of keyboards from ePianos in the past but I am not currently contemplating the purchase of a piano. Can you please tell me how I would get involved in ‘Flowkey’ using the keyboards I already have. Thank you.
Hi, the interesting thing about Flowkey is it actually works from your device’s microphone, making it more compatible with a broader variety of instruments. That said, I have read that sometimes the mic feature doesn’t always pick up or you may have to play louder, so connection via MIDI or USB is advisable. There is a 7 day free trial I think with Flowkey so you could give it a go and let us know at sales@epianos.co.uk how you get on.
Hi
So you need a specific piano to get the most out of this app?
Eg the Yamaha smart piano. I was under the impression you need a specific type of piano for it to work at its best.
Thank you
I am using Flowkey with a 30 year-old (Yamaha PSR400) keyboard. It has an ancient MIDI Port with DIN-type plugs to USB on a Samsung tablet. It works but sometimes it does lag behind a little bit. I got the lead from internet.
Only wish learning Piano was as easy.