Simply Piano Review: The Truth About Learning Piano With an App

Let’s cut the crap: learning piano is hard. Like, really hard. It’s one of those things that looks easy until you sit down at the keys and realize your fingers are all thumbs and your rhythm is straight-up tragic.

So when an app comes along promising to make it “fun and easy” to play piano from your couch, you’ve got to ask… really?

I’ve been playing for years, and teaching too. So I downloaded Simply Piano with an open mind, but also a raised eyebrow.

Let’s talk about what actually works… and what kind of nonsense this app tries to pull.

What is Simply Piano?

Developed by Simply (formerly JoyTunes), who also makes a few other music learning apps. The whole pitch is: forget boring lessons, just open this app and you’ll be playing your favorite songs in no time.

The app runs on your phone or tablet. You play on a real keyboard (or piano), and it “listens” to what you play through your mic and tells you how you’re doing.

Lessons are designed by music teachers, with patent-protected technology for interactive and adaptive teaching, musical notation generation, adaptation, and display. Includes 24/7 support team and online FAQs.

In theory, it's like having a teacher in your pocket.

In reality… well, more on that in a minute.

Is It Actually Good?

Okay, I’ll give credit where it’s due: for total beginners, especially children, Simply Piano is pretty damn polished. The interface is clean. It holds your hand through note reading, chords, scales, and basic songs. You don’t need to know anything going in.

And yes, it’s kind of addictive. It gamifies the process(like Duolingo). Finish a lesson? You get points. Nail a song? You feel like a legend. It works, psychologically.

It’s also great for people who are terrified of sheet music. The app slowly introduces notation without throwing you into the deep end. Smart move.

But Here’s the Catch…

Simply Piano is good at one thing: making you feel like you're progressing.

But are you actually learning piano? Ehh… that’s a bit murkier.

The app can’t see your hands. It doesn’t know if you’re slouching, twisting your wrists, or using the wrong fingers. That might not sound like a big deal… until you realize bad technique becomes a pain (literally) down the line.

Worse, the feedback is basic. You hit the right note at the right time? Great. You missed it by a hair? Try again. But there's zero nuance. No “hey, maybe use your thumb here instead.” No musical expression. Just red or green.

This is where a real teacher still wins every single time.

What You'll Actually Learn (Curriculum Breakdown)

Alright, let's talk about what Simply Piano actually teaches you. Because "playing piano" is vague as hell.

Simply Piano has 28 courses split into two main paths. And this is where it gets interesting.

Foundation: Where Everyone Starts

First, you start with the basics:

• Piano Basics — Finger numbers, hand position, posture, how to read notes on the staff.
• Essentials I — The musical alphabet, treble and bass clef, basic rhythms (quarter notes, half notes, whole notes).

Nothing fancy. Just the fundamentals. Good for people who've never touched a piano.

Then It Splits: Soloist vs. Chords

After the foundation, the curriculum splits into two parallel paths. And this is smart, because not everyone wants to learn the same way.

Blue Path: Soloist (Classical & Reading Focus)

This path is all about reading traditional sheet music and playing classical pieces.

You'll learn:

• Sight-reading exercises that get progressively harder
• Simplified classical pieces (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven)
• Technical drills for finger independence
• Dynamics (loud/soft), articulation (smooth/choppy), phrasing

Best for: People who want to read music fluently and play classical repertoire. If you dream of playing Chopin one day, start here.

Pink Path: Chords (Pop/Contemporary Focus)

This path focuses on chord-based playing and accompaniment.

You'll learn:

• How to build major and minor chords
• Chord progressions (the patterns used in tons of pop songs)
• Rhythm patterns for left-hand accompaniment
• How to read lead sheets (melody + chord symbols, not full notation)

Best for: People who want to play pop, rock, or campfire-style piano. If you want to accompany yourself singing or just jam, this is your path.

Sheet Music vs. Chords: What's the Difference?

This confused me at first, so let me break it down:

• Sheet music (Soloist path): You read every single note on the page. Precise, detailed, slower to learn. Full musical literacy.
• Chord-based (Chords path): You read chord symbols (C, G, Am, F) and fill in the details yourself. Faster to start playing songs, but you're not reading note-by-note.

Simply Piano lets you do both. You can even take both paths at the same time if you're ambitious.

How Far Will Simply Piano Take You?

Let's be real: Simply Piano is designed to take you from absolute beginner to early intermediate. That's it.

Think 1-2 years of traditional lessons, max.

What you WILL achieve:

• Basic to intermediate note reading
• Both-hands coordination
• Understanding of rhythm, time signatures, basic dynamics
• Ability to play simplified versions of popular songs

What you WON'T achieve:

• Advanced classical repertoire (forget Chopin etudes)
• Jazz improvisation or deep music theory
• Professional-level technique

Simply Piano is a foundation builder. If you get hooked on piano, you'll eventually outgrow it and need real lessons or a more advanced course.

What About the Songs?

This is where Simply Piano absolutely kills it. The song library is stacked. Over 5,000 songs in the library.

We’re talking everything from Billie Eilish to Beethoven. You can learn movie themes, classic rock ballads, and random TikTok hits. If you’re driven by the “I want to play that song” urge, this app delivers.

Genre Variety

• Classical — Simplified Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Debussy
• Pop/Rock — Ed Sheeran, Adele, Coldplay, The Beatles, Elton John
• Movie & TV Themes — Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Star Wars
• Jazz & Blues — Intro-level blues progressions and jazz standards
• Kids' Songs — Nursery rhymes, Disney, simple melodies

But keep your expectations in check. You’re not playing the full arrangements. Think simplified versions. Sometimes painfully simplified. Like, chop-the-legs-off simplified.

Still, if it gets you excited to practice, that’s a win in my book.

The Cost (And Is It Worth It?)

Here’s the part most people gloss over:

• Individual Monthly: $17.90 (28% less than in-app price)
• Individual Yearly: $169.90 (43% off, and it covers just one profile for Simply Piano)
• Family Monthly: $23.90 (31% discount)
• Family Yearly: $209.90 (50% off, and this one unlocks up to 5 profiles across all Simply apps like Piano, Guitar, Draw, and Sing)

That’s not pocket change, especially if you’re not sure you’ll stick with it.

They do offer free trials and Black Friday deals, but once you’re in, you’re paying real money for something that won’t teach you real technique.

So, is it worth it?

If you’re a total beginner with zero musical background and you just want to dip your toes in, maybe. But if you’re serious about learning piano… I’d say this shouldn’t be your only tool.

Who Is This App For?

Let me be brutally honest.

✅ It’s great if:

• You’re a kid (or an adult up to 40) with no clue where to start.
• You want to learn casually and don’t care about perfect technique.
• You love playing pop songs and don’t want to dive into theory just yet.
• You don’t have time for weekly lessons.
• You need flexible, mobile-friendly practice.
• You've got a family that all wants to learn (Family Plan rocks for this).

❌ But skip it if:

• You want to become a proper pianist.
• You’re aiming to read real sheet music fluently.
• You care about form, posture, and advanced stuff.
• You get frustrated with apps that glitch (yep, some users report bugs).
• You prefer learning on a desktop computer instead of a phone/tablet.
• You need detailed feedback on musicality and expression.

Can You Actually Learn Piano With It?

Short answer? Yes, but only up to a point.

Long answer? You’ll probably outgrow it if you stick with piano seriously. It’s like learning to cook with a microwave. Sure, you can make food, but you’re not exactly becoming a chef.

It’s a great starting point. But if you stay here forever, you’ll hit a plateau.

If you want to learn properly, you’ll eventually need to mix in real instruction, either from a human teacher or a more advanced and structured online course.

A Better Alternative?

I’ve tried a bunch of piano apps. If I had to recommend a better option for actually learning how to play, especially if you're an adult, it’s Pianoforall.

This course flips the script. It teaches you chords first, so you’re playing real songs immediately, and then works theory and reading into the mix later. Less robotic. More musical.

It’s cheaper too. One-time payment. No subscriptions. And you can download the lessons to use offline.

But it’s not as flashy. No pretty animations. Just solid teaching.

Final Thoughts

Simply Piano isn’t a scam. It’s useful. But it’s not magic either.

It’s a sugar-coated way to get started. Fun, motivating, and helpful at first, but not enough on its own if you actually want to play well.

If you're curious and don’t want to commit to weekly lessons, give it a go. Just understand what you're getting: a shiny appetizer, not the main course.

TL;DR

• Is it fun? Yes.
• Does it work? Kind of.
• Is it enough? Nope.
• Is it free? Nope.

If you’re dead serious about piano, start here if you must, but upgrade fast. If you just want to play “Let It Go” for your kids and bounce, then it might be perfect.

Whatever you do, don’t fall for the illusion that an app alone can make you a musician. It can’t.

Music takes time, effort, and some actual discomfort. And no subscription fee can shortcut that.

Updated February 2026