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	<title>David Sides, Author at Playground Sessions Blog</title>
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	<title>David Sides, Author at Playground Sessions Blog</title>
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		<title>Easy piano chords you can play countless piano songs with</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/play-countless-piano-songs-with-these-easy-piano-chords/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/play-countless-piano-songs-with-these-easy-piano-chords/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 May 2023 14:53:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Learn Piano]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Piano Music Theory]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=229215</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Playing songs on the piano is a fun and rewarding hobby, but going through the process of learning songs can seem overwhelming for beginners at first. Each song comes with a unique melody that’s set to various rhythms and supported by harmonies. So when you look at a song through that lens, it’s no wonder [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/play-countless-piano-songs-with-these-easy-piano-chords/">Easy piano chords you can play countless piano songs with</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Playing songs on the piano is a fun and rewarding hobby, but going through the process of <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-learn-any-song-on-piano/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">learning songs</a> can seem overwhelming for beginners at first.</p>



<p>Each song comes with a unique melody that’s set to various rhythms and supported by harmonies. So when you look at a song through that lens, it’s no wonder why learning each new song could feel challenging.</p>



<p>But what if I told you that despite the different melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, by learning how to play just 4 easy piano chords you can easily play countless songs on the piano?</p>



<p>That&#8217;s right! With just 4 simple chords, you can play hundreds of popular songs and impress your friends and family.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Easy <strong>piano chords explained</strong></h2>



<p>Now, before talking about the simple and easy piano chords you can learn to play numerous songs, let’s first talk about what exactly a chord is. A chord is a group of three or more notes that are played together to create a sound, and that sound is called a “<a href="https://www.classical-music.com/features/musical-terms/what-is-harmony-in-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">harmony</a>.” The notes of a chord are usually played at the exact same time, but often — especially with piano music — those notes can be played in succession to produce a sound that seems like the notes were played “together.”</p>



<p>In both cases, whether the notes are played at the same time, or in succession, the result is a chord.</p>



<p>The most common chords used in popular music are called “major” chords, or “minor” chords. This labeling most notably addresses the overall “mood” that’s created by a chord’s sound — a major chord sounds happy and upbeat, while a minor chord sounds sad and somber.</p>



<p>Alright, so now that we’ve had a crash course into chords, let’s take a look at 4 easy piano chords that will allow you to play countless piano songs.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords.jpeg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="643" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords-1024x643.jpeg" alt="Two hands on a keyboard demonstrating easy piano chords to play" class="wp-image-229217" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords-1024x643.jpeg 1024w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords-300x188.jpeg 300w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords-768x482.jpeg 768w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords-400x250.jpeg 400w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords-1080x678.jpeg 1080w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords-980x615.jpeg 980w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords-480x301.jpeg 480w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/playing-piano-chords.jpeg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>4 easy piano chords</strong></h2>



<p>The first chord you’ll need to be able to play is a <strong>C major chord</strong>. Arguably the most well-known chord, the C major chord is one of the easiest chords to play as it’s just <strong>C, E, and G</strong> — all white keys.</p>



<p>The second chord you should learn is the <strong>G major chord</strong>. This chord consists of the notes <strong>G, B, and D</strong> — again, all white keys.</p>



<p>The third chord is an <strong>A minor chord</strong>, consisting of <strong>A, C, and E</strong> — all white keys.</p>



<p>And the fourth and final chord that you should learn is the <strong>F major chord</strong>. This chord consists of the notes <strong>F, A, and C</strong> — as you’re probably guessing by now, it’s all white keys.</p>



<p>That’s it!</p>



<p>Now here’s where the magic happens. Despite their different melodies and rhythms, many popular songs consist of just 4 easy piano chords that are cycled throughout. So if you already know how to play its 4 chords, learning the other elements of the song will become much much easier.</p>



<p>A perfect example of this is “Let It Be” by The Beatles. This iconic song uses only 4 chords: <strong>C major, G major, A minor, and F major</strong>. So if you’re familiar with how to play those 4 chords, you’re already more than halfway through learning how to play the song!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ast-oembed-container " style="height: 100%;"><iframe title="How to play &#039;Let it Be by The Beatles on the piano -- Playground Sessions" width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uDxqGkMCwNY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<p><strong>Other song examples like this are:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>“All The Small Things” by Blink-182</li>



<li>“Home” by Phillip Phillips</li>



<li>“Run” by Snow Patrol</li>



<li>“The Days” by Avicii</li>



<li>“No Woman, No Cry” by Bob Marley</li>



<li>“Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper</li>



<li>“Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon</li>
</ul>



<p>And countless others!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Start practicing easy piano chords!</strong></h2>



<p>In conclusion, playing songs on the piano can seem challenging but for a large number of songs, simply learning 4 basic chords will help make playing countless songs much easier. So grab your piano and <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-stay-motivated-while-practicing-piano/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">start practicing</a> those 4 chords! You’ll be amazed at how much music you’ll have at the palm of your hands (no pun intended).</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/play-countless-piano-songs-with-these-easy-piano-chords/">Easy piano chords you can play countless piano songs with</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">229215</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Everything you should know about piano pedals</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/everything-you-should-know-about-piano-pedals/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/everything-you-should-know-about-piano-pedals/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Apr 2023 23:29:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Learn Piano]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=229153</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>When it comes to musical instruments, one of the main differences between the piano and other instruments is that the piano is designed in a way that allows its player to more easily control a wide array of sounds.&#160; One of the most commonly known ways that it accomplishes this is through the use of [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/everything-you-should-know-about-piano-pedals/">Everything you should know about piano pedals</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>When it comes to musical instruments, one of the main differences between the piano and other instruments is that the piano is designed in a way that allows its player to more easily control a wide array of sounds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>One of the most commonly known ways that it accomplishes this is through the use of dynamics. If you want to play something that’s nice and soft, just press lightly on the keys. If you want to play something loud and energetic, press harder on the keys. Pretty straightforward.</p>



<p>But what if I told you that along with lending itself well to easily control dynamics, the piano also has ways to easily control how long a note’s sound lasts? Or that there is a cool way to make some notes sustain while others don’t?&nbsp;</p>



<p>This is all made possible by piano pedals and in this post we&#8217;ll cover everything you need to know about them. Let’s dive in!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Overview of piano pedals</strong></h2>



<p>When sitting in front of an <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-play-piano-for-beginners/keyboard-vs-piano-choosing-whats-best-for-you/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">acoustic piano</a>, you’ll notice that placed just in front of your feet are three levers, or “pedals,” positioned fairly close together. From right to left, you have a <em>sustain pedal</em>, a <em>sostenuto pedal</em>, and a <em>soft pedal</em>. Each pedal has a different effect on the sound of the piano.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Sustain pedal</strong></h3>



<p>The sustain pedal, also known as the damper pedal, is located on the far right. This pedal is the most commonly used pedal when playing the piano and is operated with the right foot. When stepping down on the sustain pedal, the dampers inside of the piano get lifted off of the strings, allowing them to vibrate freely.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Thanks to the uninterrupted vibration of the strings, any keys that you play while the pedal is pressed down will produce a sound that will continue to ring out, even after you release the keys — producing a sustained, resonant sound. This creates a sense of connectedness between notes and can make your playing sound more fluid, full, or even <em>dreamy</em>. And to top it off, the sound sustains until you release the pedal, at which point the sound will immediately stop.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Soft pedal</strong></h3>



<p>Last but not least, we have the soft pedal. This pedal, also known as the una corda pedal, is located on the far left and is operated with the left foot. This pedal is used to create a softer, more muted sound. When you press the soft pedal, the hammers inside the piano shift slightly, so that they hit fewer strings when you play a note — producing the softer sound. This can be useful when you want to play a passage of music softly, without losing the clarity of the notes.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Sostenuto pedal</strong></h3>



<p>The sostenuto pedal is located in the middle of the other two pedals, and is operated with the right foot. This pedal is the least commonly used of the three. It allows specific notes to be sustained while other notes played after releasing the pedal do not sustain.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ast-oembed-container " style="height: 100%;"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Using All 3 Pedals on The Piano -- Playground Sessions" width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n8JOOHifsn4?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>How to use piano pedals</strong></h2>



<p>Using the pedals can take some time to get used to at first, but with a little practice and guidance, it becomes much easier. Here are a few tips to help you get started:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Using the sustain pedal</strong></h3>



<p>The sustain pedal is used in almost every piece of music, so it’s essential to learn how to use it effectively. When you press down on the sustain pedal, you should feel a slight resistance before it reaches the bottom. This resistance point is where the dampers are lifted off the strings.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As a general rule, you should press down on this pedal when you’re starting to play the notes of a specific harmony (for example, C major), then “reset”, quickly release the pedal at the end of that harmony and press down on it again, once you begin playing the notes of a new harmony (for example, G major). This reset action helps avoid any bleeding from one harmony to the other, helping to avoid any dissonant sounds.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Using the soft pedal</strong></h3>



<p>The soft pedal, unlike the sustain pedal, does not need to be reset as you move from harmony to harmony. Instead, you should press down on this pedal whenever you want to play a passage of music that has a soft sound, and release it whenever you no longer want the music to sound soft.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When using the soft pedal, press it down slowly and smoothly with your left foot. The further down you press, the softer the sound will be. Be careful not to press it down too hard, as it can damage the mechanism inside the piano.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Using the sostenuto pedal</strong></h3>



<p>The sostenuto pedal is the most complex pedal to use as it’s designed to sustain certain notes and not others. To use this pedal, play and hold down a note or a chord, then press the sostenuto pedal. After releasing the keys, those notes will continue to sound until you release the sostenuto pedal.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AdobeStock_367753029.jpeg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1000" height="667" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AdobeStock_367753029.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-229157" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AdobeStock_367753029.jpeg 1000w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AdobeStock_367753029-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AdobeStock_367753029-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AdobeStock_367753029-980x654.jpeg 980w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AdobeStock_367753029-480x320.jpeg 480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Benefits of using piano pedals</strong></h2>



<p>Using the piano pedals correctly can enhance the sound and character of the instrument, bringing out its full potential. Here are some of the benefits of using the pedals:</p>



<p><strong>Increased Expression:</strong> Using the pedals allows the pianist to create a more expressive and dynamic sound. The sustain pedal can help to create a more sustained sound that can add depth and emotion to a piece of music. The soft pedal can be used to create a more delicate and intimate sound, while the sostenuto pedal can be used to sustain specific notes for a longer duration.</p>



<p><strong>Enhanced Tone:</strong> The use of the pedals can enhance the tone of the piano, creating a richer and more resonant sound. The sustain pedal, in particular, can help to create a fuller and more robust sound that can be used to add depth and power to a piece of music.</p>



<p><strong>Improved Technique:</strong> Using the piano pedals correctly requires a level of technique and control. As such, <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-play-piano-for-beginners/how-to-practice-piano/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">practicing piano</a> with the pedals can help to improve your overall playing technique and control.</p>



<p><strong>Musical Interpretation:</strong> The use of the pedals can be used to add depth and meaning to a piece of music. As such, understanding how to use the pedals effectively can help you to better interpret a piece of music and bring out its full emotional and musical potential.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Keep practicing with piano pedals</strong></h2>



<p>In conclusion, piano pedals are an essential part of piano playing, and understanding how to use them correctly can greatly enhance your playing. By using the sustain pedal, sostenuto pedal, and soft pedal effectively, you can create a variety of sounds and moods through your playing.&nbsp;</p>



<p>One of the best ways to practice your piano pedal skills is by playing along with your favorite songs. And nowadays, thanks to resources like the Playground Sessions <a href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/app">piano-learning app</a>, loaded with step-by-step lessons for countless <a href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/store/songs">songs</a>, practicing pedaling with your favorite songs is easier than ever. Watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@playgroundpiano/videos">song tutorials</a> on YouTube is another great way to find new songs to practice pedals with.</p>



<p>Now that you know the basics of piano pedals, keep practicing your technique and enjoy the beautiful sounds you can create!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/everything-you-should-know-about-piano-pedals/">Everything you should know about piano pedals</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">229153</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to teach yourself piano</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-teach-yourself-piano/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-teach-yourself-piano/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:21:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Learn Piano]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=229085</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Thanks to advancements with the internet and the devices used to connect to it, we’re living in a time like no other, where information about practically anything and everything is easily accessible &#8211; often from the comfort of one’s own living room. And given the curious nature of humans, it’s no surprise that with all [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-teach-yourself-piano/">How to teach yourself piano</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Thanks to advancements with the internet and the devices used to connect to it, we’re living in a time like no other, where information about practically anything and everything is easily accessible &#8211; often from the comfort of one’s own living room.</p>



<p>And given the curious nature of humans, it’s no surprise that with all of this wealth of information in the palm of our hands (thank you smartphones), many take advantage and teach themselves new skills. One of the more popular things that people try to teach themselves is how to play an instrument, specifically the piano.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re interested in learning how to teach yourself to play piano, then you’re in the right place! In this post, we’re going to take a look at how you can learn piano by all by yourself, outlining some of the best ways to set yourself up for success!&nbsp;</p>



<p>Let’s dive right in!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Step-by-step approach to learning piano yourself</h2>



<p>Being a self-taught pianist, I speak from experience when I say that learning music, in a lot of ways, is like learning math in that they’re both topics that are best learned in a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/education/2017/apr/02/music-nature-and-the-arts-are-key-in-education" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cumulative fashion</a>. It’s better to learn concept A, then build on it with concept B, then C, then D, etc.</p>



<p>For example, in math, it’s better to first learn how to add as it would then make understanding multiplication easier. And it’s better to first learn how to subtract as it would then make understanding division easier. In music, the cumulative approach is very similar. It’s better to first learn what a whole note is as it would then make understanding a half note easier. And it’s better to first learn the musical alphabet as it would then make understanding how they’re mixed and matched to build chords much easier.</p>



<p>Because of the cumulative nature of learning music, it’s important when teaching yourself piano that you use a resource that teaches the piano in a step-by-step, cumulative approach. Whether you’re relying on video lessons, text instructions, or any other medium, if the information you’re presented with isn’t organized in a step-by-step way, it will be too easy to get lost and frustrated. I mean, can you imagine trying to learn algebra without first understanding how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide? Nightmare!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ast-oembed-container " style="height: 100%;"><iframe loading="lazy" title="How to Start Learning the Piano - Live! -- Playground Sessions" width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_XZI9rhtNw8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Break your learning down into manageable chunks</h2>



<p>Once you’ve found a resource that breaks the concepts of the piano down in a step-by-step approach, you’ll next want to ensure that the information is delivered in small, manageable chunks. I’m not going to lie, there’s a lot to learn when it comes to music, but that doesn’t mean that you need to learn it all overnight! You want to be able to learn things little-by-little as it’s the best way to understand and retain what you’ve been taught. Otherwise, everything will feel very overwhelming, very fast.</p>



<p>Start off by learning something small, like the <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-play-piano-for-beginners/how-to-read-piano-sheet-music/">musical alphabet </a>(A, B, C, D, E, F, G). Then, use that information to learn how those letters name the keys on your piano. From there, you can use that information to learn how the alphabet just repeats across all 88 keys. And then you can use that information to learn how each key is represented on sheet music. With each successive, small step, you’re building your foundation for the piano in a way that’s manageable while leaving you with a sense of accomplishment.</p>



<p>Remember, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Make practice engaging</h2>



<p>While learning how the piano and the various music theory elements of it works is great, the most important part of your experience is going to be putting into practice what you’ve learned. By practicing you’ll be able to memorize, both mentally and physically (muscle memory), everything that you’ve learned. And as you probably imagine, the amount of practice needed to put everything to memory is quite extensive. This point leads to the next important element of learning piano on your own &#8211; engaging practice.</p>



<p>Practice, in general, often carries a negative reputation mainly because it’s associated with boredom. When you’re playing something over and over again to try to master it, it’s easy to see how the material that you’re playing can get dull. Because of the repetitive nature of practice, it’s easy to lose interest in practicing as a whole, resulting in very little practice and therefore very little progress. To solve this issue, you would need to find resources that make practicing fun and engaging. This would make practice feel less like a chore and more like an activity that you actually look forward to.</p>



<p>The end benefit is, the more you practice, the faster you’ll see results.</p>



<div class="inherit-container-width wp-block-group has-white-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained" style="border-radius:10px;background-color:#f44f00;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)">
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="252" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png" alt="" class="wp-image-229542" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png 300w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-1024x860.png 1024w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-768x645.png 768w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png 1109w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></figure>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size" style="line-height:.9"><strong>Try the Playground Sessions app</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-ast-global-color-5-color has-text-color" id="schedule-a-visit" style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);font-size:32px;line-height:1.1"><strong>Free 7-day trial</strong></h2>



<div class="wp-block-buttons alignwide is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-ee0bc624 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex" style="margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)">
<div class="wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 has-custom-font-size has-medium-font-size" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:700"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-background-color has-text-color has-background has-text-align-center wp-element-button" href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/choose-free-trial" style="border-radius:50px;color:#f44f00;padding-right:0;padding-left:0">Get the App</a></div>
</div>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size">iPhone • iPad • Mac • Windows • Android</p>
</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to measure results when you teach yourself piano</h2>



<p>The last thing that you’ll need when learning how to play the piano on your own is a way to measure your results.&nbsp;</p>



<p>When playing the piano, I always say that you really just need to know 2 things: which notes to play, and when to play them.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As you’re looking for a resource to help teach you how to play the piano, you’ll want to find something that delivers that information for you &#8211; otherwise, you’ll be left trying to figure out how well you’re progressing on your own, and trust me, that’s easier said than done. With the right resource, you’ll be able to enjoy learning and practicing while relying on the assessment of the resource to determine how much you’re improving.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conclusion</h2>



<p>Learning how to play the piano on your own, like anything, requires a plan. You’ll need to figure out which approach you’ll want to take and which resource(s) best support that approach.</p>



<p>And if you’re wondering how long does it take to learn piano by yourself, that all depends on how much time you devote, and the quality of the resource you’re using to learn it. Someone who practices every day is going to learn the piano a lot faster than someone who practices once a month. Also, someone who uses a very effective learning tool is going to learn the piano much faster than someone who uses a tool that’s not as effective. It also depends on one’s goals and how they define “learning the piano”. If “learning the piano” to you means learning a few songs, that is a much shorter timeline than for someone who views “learning the piano” as developing the skills to perform at sold-out arenas across the world. So in short, learning the piano can take anywhere from a matter of months, to a matter of years. At the end of the day, learning the piano takes “as long as it takes.”</p>



<p>But thanks to products like Playground Sessions, <a href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/app">the best piano learning app</a>, you can <a href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/">learn to play piano online</a> while taking advantage of all of the elements I shared above. With its step-by-step approach, real-time feedback, and fun and engaging practice sessions, Playground Sessions does an incredible job teaching <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-play-piano-for-beginners/">how to play piano for beginners</a>.</p>



<p>Ultimately, the most important step in learning the piano is to just get started! The sooner you begin learning, the sooner you’ll get to experience the power of music.</p>



<p>Best of luck on your new musical journey!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-teach-yourself-piano/">How to teach yourself piano</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">229085</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>5 benefits of playing piano</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/5-benefits-of-playing-piano/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/5-benefits-of-playing-piano/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2023 16:31:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Learn Piano]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=229075</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>If you’ve ever wondered about playing the piano, now is a great time to start! Learning an instrument has many benefits, and playing the piano is no exception. From improving your cognitive abilities, to fostering creativity and self-expression &#8211; here are five amazing benefits that come with learning this beloved instrument.&#160; Playing piano improves cognitive [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/5-benefits-of-playing-piano/">5 benefits of playing piano</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>If you’ve ever wondered about playing the piano, now is a great time to start! Learning an instrument has many benefits, and playing the piano is no exception. From improving your cognitive abilities, to fostering creativity and self-expression &#8211; here are five amazing benefits that come with learning this beloved instrument.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Playing piano improves cognitive abilities</strong></h2>



<p>Piano playing <a href="https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2008/10/02/musicians-use-both-sides-of-their-brains-more-frequently-than-average-people-65577/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strengthens your brain</a> and improves your memory. Going hand-in-hand with reading music, learning the piano requires memorizing the different kinds of notes that can be played, their different rhythms, and which fingers to use to play them. These elements encourage your brain to make connections between sound, timing, and physical actions—ultimately allowing you to think faster and with more clarity.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>It cultivates creativity</strong></h2>



<p>Learning an instrument allows for creative expression in ways that nothing else can match. As you become familiar with music theory and the various simple elements of music (like “major” sounds are happy, “minor” sounds are sad), you will quickly begin to develop the skill set that allows you to manipulate and create music that serves as the gateway to expressing yourself.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ast-oembed-container " style="height: 100%;"><iframe loading="lazy" title="How playing an instrument benefits your brain - Anita Collins" width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R0JKCYZ8hng?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Playing piano can significantly increase cognitive ability</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Enhances patience &amp; self-confidence</strong></h2>



<p>Playing an instrument isn’t easy—it takes practice to really get good at playing it, and this is especially the case for playing the piano. </p>



<p>The piano is unique in that it’s an instrument that allows you to easily play melodies and harmonies, allowing you to produce a full musical experience all on your own. It’s for this reason that the piano is the foundational instrument used for people to learn how music works, and it’s also for this reason that the piano requires a little extra patience to really get a good handle of. </p>



<p>It requires patience and persistence—and once one becomes proficient, it produces a great sense of accomplishment! Not only does playing the piano boost self-confidence, but it can also positively impact other aspects of one’s life.</p>



<div class="inherit-container-width wp-block-group has-white-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained" style="border-radius:10px;background-color:#f44f00;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)">
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="252" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png" alt="" class="wp-image-229542" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png 300w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-1024x860.png 1024w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-768x645.png 768w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png 1109w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></figure>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size" style="line-height:.9"><strong>Try the Playground Sessions app</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-ast-global-color-5-color has-text-color" id="schedule-a-visit" style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);font-size:32px;line-height:1.1"><strong>Free 7-day trial</strong></h2>



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<div class="wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 has-custom-font-size has-medium-font-size" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:700"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-background-color has-text-color has-background has-text-align-center wp-element-button" href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/choose-free-trial" style="border-radius:50px;color:#f44f00;padding-right:0;padding-left:0">Get the App</a></div>
</div>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size">iPhone • iPad • Mac • Windows • Android</p>
</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Promotes relaxation &amp; stress relief</strong></h2>



<p>One of the great things about music is it has been proven to reduce stress levels thanks to its calming effects on one’s both body and mind—and there’s nothing quite like playing a soothing tune on the piano! Studies have shown that taking part in musical activities can be beneficial in reducing stress hormones such as cortisol while increasing endorphins (the “happy hormone”).&nbsp; It&#8217;s a great way to relax after a long day or recharge during difficult times!&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Strengthens social connections</strong></h2>



<p>Playing an instrument is not only beneficial for your emotional wellbeing; it can also bring joy into the lives of others as well! Entertaining friends with mini performances, or attending local live shows are some of the best ways to socialize and strengthen your relationships while enjoying some fantastic music along the way.</p>



<p>Additionally, joining a local band or orchestra helps foster strong connections with fellow musicians who share your passion for music — and this leads us back full circle into how powerful music can be at bringing people together.</p>



<p>Ultimately, the benefits of playing any instrument are endless; however, there is something truly special about learning <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/how-to-play-piano-for-beginners/">how to play the piano</a> — whether it’s classical pieces or modern songs — that makes it an incredibly rewarding experience every step of the way! With patience, dedication, and practice, anyone can unlock their musical potential when it comes time to tickle those ivories!</p>



<p> So, what are you waiting for? Start <a href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/">learning piano</a> today!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/5-benefits-of-playing-piano/">5 benefits of playing piano</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">229075</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Playground stories: Toivo Kuparinen</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-stories-toivo-kuparinen/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-stories-toivo-kuparinen/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2018 21:28:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Playground Community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[contemporary piano]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[film score]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[la valse d'amelie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[piano community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[piano lessons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[playground stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solo piano]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[yann tiersen]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=827</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>If you ask anyone in our Facebook Group to name a fellow member who has inspired them, Toivo Kuparinen will definitely be one of the people mentioned. An avid fan of a challenge, Toivo shares his practice milestones in a form of contagiously passionate performances of advanced song arrangements (above is his rendition of&#160;&#8220;La Valse [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-stories-toivo-kuparinen/">Playground stories: Toivo Kuparinen</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>If you ask anyone in our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/playgroundsessions/">Facebook Group</a> to name a fellow member who has inspired them, Toivo Kuparinen will definitely be one of the people mentioned. An avid fan of a challenge, Toivo shares his practice milestones in a form of contagiously passionate performances of advanced song arrangements (<em>above is his rendition of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/store/view-song/la-valse-damelie-piano-sheet-music-advanced">&#8220;La Valse d&#8217;Amelie&#8221;</a></em>).&nbsp;Watching his videos, it seems he can achieve anything he puts his mind to, but that is not where he started. We’ve asked Toivo a few questions to learn more about his early encounters with piano lessons and how Playground has helped him to unlock his potential.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ast-oembed-container " style="height: 100%;"><iframe loading="lazy" title="AD - Playground Stories - Toivo Kuparinen" width="1200" height="675" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wiel6i_jVnA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How has playing piano impacted your life as a whole?</h2>



<p>Playing piano is extremely challenging, but it feels good to learn. I was always fascinated by piano, how it looks and sounds, it is an extremely powerful instrument. This is now my passion and there is no going back. Getting better every day drives me forward to learn more complicated pieces, and it feels great when I realize that I can actually play every song that I am working on.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Did you have lessons before Playground? What was your experience like? How old were you when you had your first lesson?</h2>



<p>I had some lessons when I was child, from ages 8-10. After that, it took me 26 years to buy my first keyboard in April 2017 and it was a 61 lighted key keyboard. I never forgot how to read sheet music, but after 26 years it was challenging to start. I watched tons of tutorials on YouTube and read a lot of theory. I practiced scales every day for several hours. I also practiced a lot of exercises for hand independence. I played a lot of easy songs. My real challenge is that my right ear is nearly deaf and it’s ringing all the time. But I somehow forget that annoying ringing when I play piano.</p>



<p>Last year in August I was thinking that there must&nbsp;be an&nbsp;easier way, and I started to search for online piano learning software, and found Playground Sessions. Then I upgraded my instrument as well.</p>



<div class="inherit-container-width wp-block-group has-white-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained" style="border-radius:10px;background-color:#f44f00;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)">
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="252" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png" alt="" class="wp-image-229542" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png 300w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-1024x860.png 1024w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-768x645.png 768w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png 1109w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></figure>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size" style="line-height:.9"><strong>Try the Playground Sessions app</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-ast-global-color-5-color has-text-color" id="schedule-a-visit" style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);font-size:32px;line-height:1.1"><strong>Free 7-day trial</strong></h2>



<div class="wp-block-buttons alignwide is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-ee0bc624 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex" style="margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)">
<div class="wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 has-custom-font-size has-medium-font-size" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:700"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-background-color has-text-color has-background has-text-align-center wp-element-button" href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/choose-free-trial" style="border-radius:50px;color:#f44f00;padding-right:0;padding-left:0">Get the App</a></div>
</div>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size">iPhone • iPad • Mac • Windows • Android</p>
</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What was the first song you learned in Playground?</h2>



<p>I played some lessons in the Bootcamp, and my first song was “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion. It took me about 2 months to play it. And it was awesome! I never thought that I can play such a complicated piece in just 7 months after buying my first keyboard.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Were there any people in your life or figures in the music industry that inspired you to pick up piano?</h2>



<p>There was one man in my childhood who told my mother that I had perfect pitch and he recommended lessons for me.&nbsp;&nbsp;He was a pianist and piano teacher. I was learning very fast at that age. After I turned 10, my family and I moved to another country, and we had to start everything all over again. In Finland it was extremely expensive, and still is, to take lessons. And I had to learn a new language. So my piano journey had to stop for those reasons.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">As an active member of our Facebook group, how is it contributing to your piano journey?</h2>



<p>One of the best things PGS offers is the great Facebook community of users from all around world. It surely has a huge impact on me, it is inspiring to see all of those performances. Knowing those people is awesome. I am hoping that more people start to share their experience.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">If you had to pick one feature of the Playground Sessions experience that has helped you the most, which one would it be?</h2>



<p>The best one is the moving cursor. It helps a lot to play in tempo when practicing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Do you have any advice to anyone who just signed up for Playground?</h2>



<p>Don&#8217;t be too hard on yourself, if you can’t do it 100% keep going forward, and come back, try it again later, you will be surprised. Share your experience, this is a learning environment, feedback is as important as playing piano. Everyone starts from the middle C. And there is really no stupid questions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Any songs you’re working on right now, so that we look out for your next&nbsp;video in the group?</h2>



<p>I am learning <em>Prelude in C major</em>, inspired by <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-stories-chris-vance/">Chris Vance</a>.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/playgroundsessions/"><span class="s1">Click here</span></a><span class="s2"> to explore our Facebook Group for more inspiration from the Playground Sessions community!</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-stories-toivo-kuparinen/">Playground stories: Toivo Kuparinen</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">827</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Playground stories: Chris Vance, CEO of Playground Sessions</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-stories-chris-vance/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-stories-chris-vance/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Oct 2018 15:38:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Playground Community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[apologize]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chris vance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[david sides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[j.s.bach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[one republic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Piano]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[piano journey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[piano lessons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[playground sessions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[playground stories]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Q&A]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=811</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Our CEO Chris Vance is not only the visionary behind the organization, but also the ultimate Playground Sessions success story.&#160;Struggling with the inconvenience of private lessons, and realizing that all of his practice time between lessons was alone, without the feedback from his teacher, Chris decided to build Playground Sessions, so he could more easily [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-stories-chris-vance/">Playground stories: Chris Vance, CEO of Playground Sessions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p><span class="s1">Our CEO Chris Vance is not only the visionary behind the organization, but also the ultimate Playground Sessions success story.&nbsp;Struggling with the inconvenience of private lessons, and realizing that all of his practice time between lessons was alone, without the feedback from his teacher, Chris decided to build Playground Sessions, so he could more easily learn piano at home, have more fun, and importantly have real-time feedback even when practicing. Watch his performance of <a href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/store/view-song/prelude-in-c-piano-sheet-music-advanced">Prelude<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> in C Major</span>&nbsp;by J.S. Bach</a>&nbsp;below and learn&nbsp;about his piano journey in the Q&amp;A!&nbsp;</span></p>



<p><iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pcHsxYWmEbw" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="s1">What drew you to piano?</span></h2>



<p>I always loved the sound, and wished I could play.&nbsp;It just felt like if I could play I would really be able to express myself through music which just seemed to make sense to me.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="s1">Did you have piano lessons prior to starting Playground Sessions?</span></h2>



<p>Not really.&nbsp;I tried for about 4 weeks with 2 different teachers but I just failed at it.&nbsp;The traditional approach didn&#8217;t work for me.&nbsp;I was 35 years old when I first gave it a shot.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="s1">How did you feel after playing your first song? What song was it?</span></h2>



<p>I found David Sides on YouTube and was inspired by him, I wanted to play like him! The first song I learned was <a href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/store/view-song/apologize-piano-sheet-music-advanced">Apologize,</a>&nbsp;since that was one of David&#8217;s biggest hits!&nbsp;I felt amazing. The song sounded amazing, and I was amazed that it was coming from me.&nbsp;And of course it feels great when other people are amazed by you!</p>



<div class="inherit-container-width wp-block-group has-white-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained" style="border-radius:10px;background-color:#f44f00;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)">
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="252" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png" alt="" class="wp-image-229542" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png 300w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-1024x860.png 1024w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-768x645.png 768w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png 1109w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></figure>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size" style="line-height:.9"><strong>Try the Playground Sessions app</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-ast-global-color-5-color has-text-color" id="schedule-a-visit" style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);font-size:32px;line-height:1.1"><strong>Free 7-day trial</strong></h2>



<div class="wp-block-buttons alignwide is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-ee0bc624 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex" style="margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)">
<div class="wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 has-custom-font-size has-medium-font-size" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:700"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-background-color has-text-color has-background has-text-align-center wp-element-button" href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/choose-free-trial" style="border-radius:50px;color:#f44f00;padding-right:0;padding-left:0">Get the App</a></div>
</div>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size">iPhone • iPad • Mac • Windows • Android</p>
</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="s1">How did learning piano change/improve your life?</span></h2>



<p><span class="s1">Are you kidding me? It&#8217;s a huge part of my life. I play every day. Whether I&#8217;m having a good or bad day, the piano always makes things better for me. There&#8217;s no way I could live without it now. I&#8217;ll play for the rest of my life. The best investment in me that I&#8217;ve ever made.&nbsp;</span></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="s1">What is your next practice goal?</span></h2>



<p><span class="s1">I like to play around with songs in different genres, and I&#8217;m always thinking about the next song i&#8217;ll play for Quincy Jones!&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span class="s1">Any advice to people who want to learn but don’t know where to start?</span></h2>



<p><span class="s1"><strong>A:</strong> Jump in!&nbsp; You won&#8217;t regret it.&nbsp;And most importantly, you can 100% do it.&nbsp;Don&#8217;t let your own doubts, or what you&#8217;ve been told in the past have any influence over you.&nbsp;Trust that you&#8217;re human, and with the best tools today you can be your best self through playing music!</span></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><span class="s1"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/playgroundsessions/">Click here</a></span><span class="s2"> to explore our Facebook Group for more inspiration from the<br>Playground Sessions community!</span></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-stories-chris-vance/">Playground stories: Chris Vance, CEO of Playground Sessions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">811</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Playground Sessions — Best Piano Resource by Tutorful</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-best-piano-resource-by-tutorful/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-best-piano-resource-by-tutorful/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Mar 2018 15:17:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Around Playground]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=779</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Hey everyone! We are honored to by selected by Tutorful as one of the Best Piano Resources. Tutorful, the UK&#8217;s leading tuition marketplace, surveyed 60,000 of their students, parents and tutors to recommend the best ways to learn piano. Playground Sessions made&#160;the shortlist. This selection would not be possible without our thousands of users! We [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-best-piano-resource-by-tutorful/">Playground Sessions — Best Piano Resource by Tutorful</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Hey everyone!</p>



<p>We are honored to by selected by <a href="https://tutorful.co.uk/">Tutorful</a> as one of the Best Piano Resources. Tutorful, the UK&#8217;s leading tuition marketplace, surveyed 60,000 of their students, parents and tutors to recommend the best ways to learn piano. Playground Sessions made&nbsp;the shortlist. This selection would not be possible without our thousands of users! We would like to thank all of you who voted in Tutorful&#8217;s survey, and we would like to thank Tutorful for featuring us!</p>



<p><a href="https://tutorful.co.uk/blog/how-to-learn-to-play-piano-the-ultimate-list-for-beginners">How To Learn To Play Piano: The Ultimate List For Beginners</a></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><a href="https://tutorful.co.uk/blog/how-to-learn-to-play-piano-the-ultimate-list-for-beginners"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="244" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/PIANO-300x244.png" alt="" class="wp-image-780" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/PIANO-300x244.png 300w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/PIANO-768x626.png 768w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/PIANO-1024x834.png 1024w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/PIANO.png 1375w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></figure>



<div class="inherit-container-width wp-block-group has-white-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained" style="border-radius:10px;background-color:#f44f00;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)">
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-medium"><a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="252" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png" alt="" class="wp-image-229542" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-300x252.png 300w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-1024x860.png 1024w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard-768x645.png 768w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Playground-lesson-score-on-tablet-at-keyboard.png 1109w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></figure>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size" style="line-height:.9"><strong>Try the Playground Sessions app</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-ast-global-color-5-color has-text-color" id="schedule-a-visit" style="margin-top:0;margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);font-size:32px;line-height:1.1"><strong>Free 7-day trial</strong></h2>



<div class="wp-block-buttons alignwide is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-ee0bc624 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex" style="margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)">
<div class="wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-50 has-custom-font-size has-medium-font-size" style="font-style:normal;font-weight:700"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-background-color has-text-color has-background has-text-align-center wp-element-button" href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/choose-free-trial" style="border-radius:50px;color:#f44f00;padding-right:0;padding-left:0">Get the App</a></div>
</div>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-small-font-size">iPhone • iPad • Mac • Windows • Android</p>
</div>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-best-piano-resource-by-tutorful/">Playground Sessions — Best Piano Resource by Tutorful</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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			<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">779</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>MTNA Conference 2017 &#8211; Baltimore</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/mtna-conference-2017-baltimore/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/mtna-conference-2017-baltimore/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 Apr 2017 18:24:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Around Playground]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=477</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Each year, the Music Teacher National Association (MTNA) hosts a national conference to showcase music products to teachers all around the country. This is a great event because it helps us raise awareness of Playground Sessions as a supplemental teaching tool for private piano teachers and piano teachers who teach at schools. This year, our team [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/mtna-conference-2017-baltimore/">MTNA Conference 2017 &#8211; Baltimore</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Each year, the <a href="https://www.mtna.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Music Teacher National Association</a> (MTNA) hosts a national conference to showcase music products to teachers all around the country. This is a great event because it helps us raise awareness of Playground Sessions as a supplemental teaching tool for private piano teachers and piano teachers who teach at schools. This year, our team attended the conference in Baltimore, Maryland, and demonstrated Playground Sessions to those in attendance.</p>



<p>Our exhibitor booth, complete with a&nbsp;Yamaha keyboard and Bose speakers, was the perfect setup for people to get a sense of the power of Playground Sessions. One of our greatest assets, as we&#8217;re constantly reminded of by our users, is our library of current popular songs, arranged in different difficulty levels, and their backing tracks. Having a setup that featured these elements of our program proved to make a great first impression.</p>



<p>The amount of positive feedback we received from the teachers who came to our booth to use Playground was amazing! People stopped by, sat at our &#8220;play station&#8221;, picked their favorite songs to play from our song store, selected the difficulty level (most of the teachers picked our Advanced arrangements), then performed those songs for everyone who stood by, often stopping other attendees in their footsteps!</p>



<p>Popular songs included &#8220;<a href="https://playgroundsessions.com/store/view-song/1485" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Feather Theme (Main Title)</a>&#8221; from Forrest Gump (click the image below to watch it performed):</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BR1XzP8Aaig/?taken-by=playgroundsessions"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="597" height="589" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.29.02-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-482" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.29.02-PM.png 597w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.29.02-PM-300x296.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 597px) 100vw, 597px" /></a></figure>



<p>&#8220;<a href="https://playgroundsessions.com/store/view-song/1051" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Girl from Ipanema</a>&#8221; by Antonio Carlos Jobim (click the image below to watch it performed):</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BR3ssUfgASd/?taken-by=playgroundsessions"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="595" height="594" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.43.52-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-483" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.43.52-PM.png 595w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.43.52-PM-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.43.52-PM-300x300.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px" /></a></figure>



<p>&#8220;<a href="https://playgroundsessions.com/store/view-song/1279" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Can&#8217;t Stop The Feeling!</a>&#8221; by Justin Timberlake (click the image below to watch it performed):</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BR1IlOxgokD/?taken-by=playgroundsessions"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="587" height="591" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.46.21-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-485" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.46.21-PM.png 587w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.46.21-PM-150x150.png 150w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-11-at-6.46.21-PM-298x300.png 298w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 587px) 100vw, 587px" /></a></figure>



<p>And &#8220;<a href="https://playgroundsessions.com/store/view-song/1354" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Closer</a>&#8221; by The Chainsmokers (click the image below to watch it performed):</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BR5yrvxgn-o/?taken-by=playgroundsessions"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="595" height="334" src="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-13-at-9.22.21-AM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-490" srcset="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-13-at-9.22.21-AM.png 595w, https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-13-at-9.22.21-AM-300x168.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px" /></a></figure>



<p>By the end of the 3-day conference, many teachers had signed up to use our program for their classrooms or their private lessons. What piano teachers expressed that they loved most about Playground Sessions was:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Our selection of current popular songs and that they were arranged in different difficulty levels (Rookie, Intermediate, Advanced)</li>



<li>How good the background tracks sounded</li>



<li>That we offered the ability to earn points, stars, and badges, which make the program fun to use</li>



<li>That we have a section of the app (Bootcamp) that focuses on teaching different piano concepts, which they can use as supplemental content for their lessons.</li>
</ul>



<p>We&#8217;re excited by how our program was received by those in attendance at the MTNA conference. As we continue to innovate and improve Playground Sessions, we&#8217;re looking forward to rolling out our &#8220;Teacher&#8217;s Portal&#8221; which will allow teachers to easily manage and track the progress of their students. Stay tuned for more information to be provided on this new portal soon.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/mtna-conference-2017-baltimore/">MTNA Conference 2017 &#8211; Baltimore</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">477</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Playground Sessions 2.5</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-2-5/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-2-5/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Mar 2017 02:43:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Around Playground]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=466</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>We are excited to announce the release of Playground Sessions version 2.5! This version includes many improvements and bug fixes. You can download the new version here: https://www.playgroundsessions.com/support/downloads Change Log Lesson Player Application Updates Manage My Lessons prompt In App Forum Browser Courses Song Store Offline Mode Settings Let us know what you think about [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-2-5/">Playground Sessions 2.5</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>We are excited to announce the release of Playground Sessions version 2.5! This version includes many improvements and bug fixes.</p>



<p>You can download the new version here:</p>



<p><a href="https://www.playgroundsessions.com/support/downloads">https://www.playgroundsessions.com/support/downloads</a></p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Change Log</h2>



<p><strong>Lesson Player</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Fixed glitch with cancelled practice records</li>



<li>Removed tempo slider from toolbar</li>



<li>Improved custom tempo prompt to show slow, normal tempos better and allow 200% of normal tempo.</li>



<li>Metronome is now defaulted to be on.</li>



<li>Videos are now 75% smaller in file size for quicker downloads and smaller hard disk requirements</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Application Updates</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Shows multiple version updates (if user hasn&#8217;t updated in a while).</li>



<li>Version data is now shared across the system, so the version numbers that show up on the website will also be the same as the update screens.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Manage My Lessons prompt</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>You can now search by lesson name</li>



<li>You can now view installed lessons, where as before you could only see lessons the server said you had bought. This is useful for when you on are a computer with multiple accounts.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>In App Forum Browser</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Back, home, forward buttons</li>



<li>URL bar (can&#8217;t edit, but can view)</li>



<li>Copy URL button for sharing the url with others</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Courses</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>New UI for showing / access more courses.</li>



<li>We will be rolling out the first few extracurricular courses in the next couple weeks</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Song Store</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Now shows more relevant song on main page.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Offline Mode</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Offline mode now gives you a nice score dialog.</li>



<li>Major UI improvements for offline mode.</li>



<li>Courses now show up in offline mode.</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Settings</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Can now control sound effect volume.</li>
</ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p>Let us know what you think about the update in our forum:</p>



<p><a href="https://forums.playgroundsessions.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&amp;t=11761&amp;p=14986" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://forums.playgroundsessions.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&amp;t=11761&amp;p=14986</a></p>



<p>And keep an eye out for more updates coming in the near future!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-2-5/">Playground Sessions 2.5</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">466</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>Playground Sessions for iPad Version 2.0</title>
		<link>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-for-ipad-version-2-0/</link>
					<comments>https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-for-ipad-version-2-0/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Sides]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 28 Feb 2017 03:34:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Around Playground]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/?p=447</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Hello Everyone! Today we&#8217;re excited to announce a big update to our iPad app: it&#160;now supports videos!! This is a huge step forward in bringing big features and functionality to tablet versions of Playground Sessions. Along with this, we&#8217;ve also&#160;added some huge improvements, including the ability to play Playground&#8217;s interactive sheet music lessons using the [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-for-ipad-version-2-0/">Playground Sessions for iPad Version 2.0</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Hello Everyone!</p>



<p>Today we&#8217;re excited to announce a big update to our iPad app: it&nbsp;now supports videos!!</p>



<p>This is a huge step forward in bringing big features and functionality to tablet versions of Playground Sessions.</p>



<p>Along with this, we&#8217;ve also&nbsp;added some huge improvements, including the ability to play Playground&#8217;s interactive sheet music lessons using the app&#8217;s on-screen keyboard instead of a physical keyboard. Our on-screen keyboard now supports multi-touch (you can play and hear more than one note at a time) and can be used in the lesson player for real-time feedback.</p>



<p>We&#8217;ve also updated the iPad app with the same keyboard configuration process that you experience on the desktop version (playing the far left key, then the far right key), allowing you to now configure&nbsp;the on-screen keyboard to match the size of your actual keyboard.</p>



<p>Thank you all for your suggestions, requests, and patience as we continue to improve our iPad app. We hope everybody enjoys this new version. Let us know, in the comments section below, what major features you&#8217;d like to see added to the iPad next!</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p>Change Log</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>On-Screen Keyboard
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Now can play more than one note at a time.</li>



<li>Now can use in lesson player, for when you don&#8217;t have a keyboard with you.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Lesson Player
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Video player with notation-sync</li>



<li>Minor performance improvements for sheet music</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Lesson Library
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Removed checksum checking (lessons download much quicker now)</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Login Prompt
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Moved input prompts up to allow more space for onscreen keyboard (soft keyboard)</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Settings -> Piano
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>85 key option replaced with 88 key option.</li>



<li>&#8220;Custom&#8221; keyboard option added to configure the on-screen keyboard to match your actual keyboard.</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Updates System
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>We&#8217;ve added in a new update check system that will notify users of updates, similar to how the desktop version of Playground does today.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The post <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com/playground-sessions-for-ipad-version-2-0/">Playground Sessions for iPad Version 2.0</a> appeared first on <a href="https://blog.playgroundsessions.com">Playground Sessions Blog</a>.</p>
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