Most folks wouldn’t assess a human piano teacher the way they assess a piano lessons app. But what if an app was actually modelled on a human teacher? If you only give it a brief try (assuming there is little beneath the surface), you might never discover the years of tuition, knowledge and wisdom a truly special app might have to impart.
It’s an odd thing, but the first thing most people do when assessing a piano lessons application is they look closely at the first one or two lessons and try to make a sort of snap judgement based on the assumption that how the course starts out must inevitably be how it continues.
This is of course, understandable. After all, as human beings, most of us are by nature impatient. We want to know now what a future with a given course of piano lessons will hold for us.
And for the most part, when assessing piano lessons apps, this approach is actually not too bad because, more often than not, what we see within the first 30 minutes or so is the full extent of the what the app has to offer.
The limitation of this 'snap judgement' method of assessment is that it precludes the possibility that the app you are currently assessing might have more to offer. What if it has a profound depth to it that is gradually unveiled as you progress further along your piano lessons journey? And how would you know?
Ultimately if you really want to assess a piano lessons app, your focus should not be so much on what the early lessons are like but where can can the course take us. Is it indeed capable of taking us anywhere?
Let’s consider for a moment whether we would assess a human piano teacher in the same way.
In my younger years, my own real life piano teacher, whom I came to know gradually over many years, was an incredibly deep, caring, artistic man with the soul of a poet and he was an exceptionally gifted piano teacher. But when I think back to my first meeting with him, he presented as being a little eccentric, perhaps even aloof (on a first impression).
There was absolutely no way I could possibly have assessed then, or even in the first few terms of lessons, the profound depth of influence this teacher would have in my life. Not only would I learn to read and play piano music fluently, but I learned things about life, art and beauty that forever changed my life. And for that, I will always be truly grateful.
So how did I first make the decision to start on that particular journey with that particular piano teacher? In part, it was because he came recommended by someone my family knew (a concert pianist) who knew this fellow well, and he was also well regarded. But other than this, it was honestly a leap of faith – fortunately, one that turned out very well indeed.
Coming back to piano lessons apps for a moment (which of course didn’t exist when I was starting my piano lessons journey), there is one thing that sets Musiah apart from all other piano lessons apps — it is modeled on a human piano teacher, specifically me.
When talking or writing about Musiah, it’s always tempting to refer to its technology, for example, its Artificial Intelligence, its ability to prioritize, the way it assesses your playing just like a human teacher, etc. But really, these are all just means to an end.
At its core, what’s fundamentally special about Musiah is that it is modeled in minute detail on me —Brendan Hogan, piano teacher — and the way I would teach you personally if I were sitting next to you.
What is embodied in this software is more than decades of experience (remember I started teaching when I was just 11 years old).
I originally wrote the Musiah piano syllabus in 1995 to maximize the efficiency of students’ learning.
Then, during an 18 year period, this course and teaching method were tested in live lessons with more than 80,000 students by approximately 800 teachers — all of whom I recruited, trained and monitored extensively.
And as I monitored both teachers and students who were using my syllabus, I literally encountered every conceivable issue and challenge that both students and teachers might face.
To meet these challenges, I carefully considered and came up with solutions to best manage each and every challenge — and then, over many years, tested and retested every solution, teaching technique and minute detail of my teaching method as it applies to the teaching of this syllabus.
Now that this course is embodied as a software application (which cost a fortune and many years of hard work to create), when you learn a Musiah piano lesson, the marvel is not so much in what you experience and learn, but in the other 95% of the tuition, support and thousands of scenarios you will never get to see – a vast quantum of material that is there in the background just in case you might need it.
Just like a human being, you'll never really get to know them completely, but given a little time, you'll start to sense what's there beneath the surface. A supportive presence that will be there to guide you no matter what mistakes you make or what twists and turns your journey takes.
Intentionally, the first few lessons do not include every teaching technique, game or lesson module type. Instead, these things are revealed gradually as you progress through the course, just as would happen if you were learning piano with me personally, or indeed with any effective human piano teacher.
There is a holistic energy and and a depth of care in the Musiah tuition that comes from me through the software, an energy that you simply cannot get anywhere else. Though you may never meet me, when you learn piano through Musiah’s piano lessons, you really are being taught by me personally.
And, on a side note, if you ever have a question, your emails will always be answered by me personally. No other program offers such a deep level of care, support and guidance.
But of course, it simply is not possible to assess all of this in the first few minutes of trying the software. That’s where taking a leap of faith comes in, just like when choosing a human piano teacher.
You need to place your trust in your teacher – in this case Musiah, and the years of thought that have gone into each and every note or every bar of every piece on the course and every skill and item of knowledge you will be taught.
The fact is that Musiah is not just a course of piano lessons, Musiah really is a living, breathing teacher with all the positives of a highly effective human teacher (available to teach / support you 24 / 7) and none of the negatives (e.g. cost, not being available when you need them, etc.).
It is a truly unique offering that is, as one student recently put it — “almost more human than a human piano teacher”.
So if you (dear reader) would like to evaluate the Musiah piano lessons app, I encourage you to approach it similarly to the way you would approach assessing a human piano teacher...
Initially take our 14 Day Free Trial, and give it a reasonable amount of time — ideally a month or so beyond the free trial.
Gradually work your way through the first few levels and as you do, you’ll begin to see glimpses of the magnitude of the gift that will be imparted to you the more you continue on your journey.
For real piano lessons that will truly change your life, you have absolutely come to the right place, and I wish you every success on your own unique piano lessons journey.
And as always, if you have any questions about Musiah’s piano lessons, please feel free to contact me directly.
Til next time,
Brendan Hogan L.Mus.A, A.Mus.A.
Piano Teacher & Musiah Inventor
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