| Better than dull, expensive piano lessons, the I Can Play piano system by Fisher Price uses video game technology to teach kids the piano basics. This interactive, musical toy has a graphics and a musical color-coding system to turn every song into a delightful game. The child plays along on a three-octave keyboard that plugs right into the television. Music is represented on the screen as moving images. At first, the images are colored to match the keys on the keyboard. They slowly move up from the bottom of the screen and pass over a line at the top. As the child pushes on the matching colored key, they hear themselves playing music. The tempo of the song can be sped up or slowed down and played with one or both hands. As the child progresses through the different song modes, game play gradually get a little more complicated. The images begin to scroll sideways and morph into colored musical notes. Eventually, the notes scroll to the side and are colored black, like a real music sheet. Kids will learn to read music by first identifying the keys on the keyboard, then associating the keys with notes. Best for children four through eight, this engaging toy can spark a life-long interest in music. Throw Out Your Sheet Music
Rather than tedious practice methods, this toy improves your child's musical abilities using innovative Piano Wizard video game technology. The system includes a Family Favorites software cartridge with eight well-known songs and two warm up games. Your child may soon be able to play Heart and Soul and Old MacDonald, and many more songs. Additional cartridges are available for purchase with songs from popular children's television series and Christmas tunes. Plus, this system's interface is simple for kids to navigate and using the keyboard is a breeze. A brochure is included for parents with tips on choosing a piano teacher and musical development. This product measures 21-by-8.96-by 2.4 inches (LxWxH) and requires six D batteries. Features
This is the perfect educational tool for peaking a child's interest in music. Not only does it use interactive technology combined with a traditional teaching approach, it has the bright colors and creative graphics of popular video games. Convenient and easy-to-use, it plugs right into your standard TV set and stores easily away. Parents enjoy helping their child learn the basic songs and it provides hours of delight for the whole family. With an easy-to-follow game and sensible design, learning has never been more fun. What's in the Box
Game cartridge, keyboard, and informative brochure. 
Easy plug-and-play allows you to use a three-octave keyboard that plugs right into the television. |
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 Overall a good choice |
| Review Date: December 26, 2006 |
| Reviewer: K. Snively, Baltimore, MD United States |
I am a piano teacher and I think this is a good (but not perfect) way for kids to quickly learn to play a few songs on the piano. It's not a substitute for formal piano lessons, but to get a child interested, this is a fun choice. Consider it a "quick start".
It starts out with the video game feel, but it really is teaching them note placement and gets them used to playing. It does progress in 4 levels and ends up with note reading on a staff. I especially like the use of colors on the keys to match up with the notes on the screen.
It took me a minute to get used to this method, but it's not hard.
I had to show my son how to use his fingers instead of hunt and peck method. Once he got the hang of it, he loved it. He is very proud of himself for being able to play a few songs already and he's only had it 24 hours. We're planning on getting another cartridge for more songs.
The only thing I was a bit concerned about was that it never says anywhere that you should use all 5 fingers, nor does not talk about hand position or finger numbers. Other than that, I feel like it is a good learning tool overall, and a fun stepping stone to the next step, which is formal piano lessons. |
piano basics made fun!
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| Review Date: November 27, 2006 |
| Reviewer: music lover, colorado, usa |
| This product is amazing. My 5 and 8 year olds can now read music and play the piano better than I could after years of lessons. The product teaches the kids to read and play music in an intuitive fashion so that there is no learning stress that so many of us remember from the dreaded piano teacher. We find the kids can now SITE READ music at about a level 2 when they are presented with standard music books on our family's main piano, and that is without any lessons yet! Adults who lament that they quit piano lessons are a dime a dozen, and I think lack of an enjoyable instruction medium (until now!) was the culprit for most of us. Tremendous advance with this product, and I bet over the years it will change basic music instruction techniques for children. I certainly hope so! |
great TOY
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| Review Date: December 26, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Mom2boys, |
My 5 year old son received this from Santa on Christmas. I have to say that I love the toy. I want to make some comments to what others have said.
1) This is a TOY not piano lessons. Several people have complained that it does not teach proper fingering. I agree...it does NOT teach a child to play the piano, but instead pick out a melody with the correct tempo. It shows when and what key for the child to hit. As a result, they are playing the song immediately, which results in instant gratification. Hopefully my child will want to take real piano lessons someday...but this is at least introducing him to the piano.
2) The power would not come on. I found the plug needs to be upside down in the outlet. Even though the plug doesn't look like it had a polarity...my seems to. Just make sure that the power button is pushed down for a couple of seconds and the piano stays on.
3) Tempo too fast. I agree the initial tempo was too fast. So I simply turned it down. I taught my son how to use the tempo button to make the music faster or slower. When the music to too slow...he increases the tempo, when it is too fast he slows it down.
4) Music is bad. The music that comes with the piano is not the best...but they are songs my son already knows, so he is happy. I also purchased the "Jungle" cartridge and the songs are better.
My only complaint is I wish there was a way to turn the background music off. Sometimes it is hard to hear the piano keys over the background music.
This product reminds me to the organ I had as a child. On the one I had, the keys had numbers on it. The sheet music simply listed which numbers to hit in which order. No...the organ did not teach me to play the piano, but I learned how to pick out "Silent Night" and "Happy Birthday" and a few other songs. Even today I can approach a real piano and pick out the melody of those songs. This piano is no better than that. If you are expecting more...than don't purchases it. |
Granddaughter's delite
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| Review Date: January 14, 2007 |
| Reviewer: T. Gable, South Carolina |
Bought this for my 5 year old granddaughter.
She and her friends play with it daily. They
love to play and dance to the music. She loves
it so much that I am purchasing one for my 6
year old granddaughter' birthday. |
Great for all ages!
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| Review Date: January 15, 2007 |
| Reviewer: C. Quintanilla, Oregon |
| I bought this for my 8 year old daughter and was worried it might be too young for her. Not only has she played it every single day since Christmas, but her 12 year old sister has, too! We even went out and bought additional cartridges. We have a full size piano that never gets touched because the girls don't know how to play. Now they are having fun taking what they are learning on the toy system to the full size piano. This was a great buy and luckily, we haven't had any issues with the product as others here seem to have had. |
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