Learning Piano the Homeschool Way: Notes from a Beginner (Part 2)

Learning Piano the Homeschool Way: Notes from a Beginner (Part 2)

In part 1 of this series, I shared how I am learning the piano along with my family members. I also described what you need to get going and why it’s a good idea! Today’s post is going to be about the first app I started using and how it propelled me on my piano learning journey: Simply Piano!

Simply Piano is one of the best-known (and well-loved) piano instruction apps and with good reason. It helped take me from knowing absolutely nothing to recognizing and playing notes for a variety of songs in a short period of time. It has a no-pressure format that feels like you are playing a game. 💕 Even though I’ve incorporated other apps into my learning routine, I can’t imagine being without Simply Piano because it’s what I turn to when I want a low-key practice session that feels like more fun and less work.

At first, I wondered if this was really going to work. I read a ton of reviews, but most of them were written by people who already knew how to play the piano and were trying to evaluate apps based on how they thought they’d work for a beginner, not from a true beginner’s perspective. I was a little skeptical, but I decided to dive in anyway. Even though using apps is a lot less expensive than working with a teacher, it’s still an investment, so I wanted to make sure I was picking the right one. One thing that gave me confidence is that Simply Piano wasn’t just created by music teachers; it also has Trinity College London accreditation.

You can purchase a TCL piano certificate after completing the Essentials III, Intermediate IV, or Pre-Advanced II courses. Each family member (profile) who completes one of these courses is eligible to buy their own certificate. That’s a great option for homeschoolers who are building their college transcripts and want something that can help demonstrate documented progress and outside validation of what they’ve learned.

I decided to go with the family subscription since it offers the best value. With a family subscription, I’m able to share the app with my daughter Hannah and some of my grandchildren. The family subscription varies in price and offerings. Right now (as of April 2026) you can have up to 5 profiles for a little over $200 a year. That is a TON cheaper than paying for private lessons, especially if you just want to test the waters out and see if playing piano is a fit for you or one of your children.

With a subscription to Simply Piano, you get access to a lot more than just a piano app. There are several other apps you also get access to in your subscription like Simply Guitar, Simply Sing, and Simply Draw. I think this is great for a homeschooling family where some of the children may want to branch out into other skills.

Here’s my home screen, with the profiles for me, Hannah, and 3 of my grandchildren:

What I really loved right away was how welcoming the app feels. It doesn’t assume you know anything, and it builds on each skill in a way that actually makes it stick. Early on I was just finding notes on the keyboard, but it wasn’t long before I was confidently reading notes on the staff and playing actual songs.

Simply Piano does a great job of making you feel like you’re playing something real from early on, especially because the fully orchestrated background tracks make even beginner pieces sound full and musical instead of just… plinky. The sense of accomplishment is real!

I also like that the lessons are short and manageable. I never feel overwhelmed or pressured. I can practice a little each day and still see steady progress. Over time, those small steps really added up.

It wasn’t long until I was playing real songs and reading (some) sheet music comfortably.

Although I’ve turned to other apps for more in-depth and “serious” lessons (with more music theory and so on), Simply Piano gave me a fun introduction and I still turn to it frequently when I want a more relaxed practice session or to work with a favorite song, etc.

The following screenshots are for the kids’ lessons. They break things down even easier by showing a visual representation of fingering you can refer to.

If you get a note wrong, you can immediately see it. That makes a huge difference for me because it helps me correct mistakes quickly and builds confidence. At the end of a full song, you also get feedback on how many notes you played correctly, the timing, etc.

While some of the lessons have static notes for you to read, most of the songs have scrolling notes that make it feel like a video game. This is one of the things I really enjoy, but my mom (who is in her 70s) was not so thrilled by that. She moved on to using a different piano app that takes a more traditional approach (which I also use and will be reviewing later).

Here’s an example of the scrolling notes (this is not me playing – I grabbed it off of YouTube):

The scrolling helps you keep on track and forces you to think through what you are playing in “real” time vs. by fits and starts. It motivates me to work a bit harder to get things timed right. If you’ve ever played a side scroller video game, it has that kind of feel to it.

At any time, you can stop the scrolling notes and swipe to go back to a section you need to work on more. You can also slow the music down, so that you can practice a tricky part or just move through things more carefully before speeding up. You are in charge of how you practice and if you need a bit more help, it’s available.

If you don’t like the scrolling, Simply Piano also offers a more traditional sheet music type of section, which I’ll explain more in a minute. However, when it comes to the main lessons, you are stuck with it.

There are 2 tracks of courses. You can learn a more traditional note-by-note approach, or you can learn chords which allow you to play more modern songs quickly and simply (or both)! Each course is comprised of a series of lessons that branch out into more lessons. You can kind of see how that works in the video below:

Notice in the video above on the left hand side how there are the icons and words for courses, songs, play, and “In 5 days.”

The courses are the main lessons. You can choose which track you want but must complete each section before being allowed to move on.

The songs section features a library of over 5000 songs in a variety of genres and levels. I love that they are always adding more! All of the songs in this section have fully orchestrated backgrounds (and some have vocals too). You can pick whatever you want to play in this section. It’s a super fun area to practice your skills.

The play section is unlocked after you reach a specific level. It features a hybrid of traditional sheet music and lessons that break the songs down into manageable chunks. You can play the songs either way and still get feedback on what you get wrong and right. Many of the songs have 2 or even 3 different levels you can play. That way if you are a beginner (or in the intermediate level), you don’t have to wait until you are advanced to play your favorite songs! You can browse different music genres to find what you want to learn and play. The categories are:

• Christian & Gospel
• Country & Folk
• Musicals
• Pop
• TV, Film & Game Themes
• Classical
• Jazz & Blues
• Oldies
• Rock

In the “Play” section, if you’re trying to play a song using the traditional sheet music and get stuck, a handy virtual keyboard pops up to show you exactly which note to play. You get feedback about all the notes you play, too.

Don’t want to play a song at once sheet music style and would rather practice it via the Simply Piano approach? You can do that too. The app will have you practice small pieces first before putting both hands together and moving on from there. It makes even a harder song totally doable.

I love that there are TONS of songs to choose from, so you can practice at the level you are at with things you want to play vs. being stuck in just the course work. I also like that it exposes you to a more traditional way of playing music with the option to not scroll through the notes.

The songs in the play section don’t feature an orchestrated background. It’s like getting to browse through a sheet music store and picking what you want to play in a traditional way, but with extra help, if you need/desire it.

Last of all, there are monthly challenges where you can earn badges. Each month there is usually some type of theme for the challenge.

Simply Piano got me off to a great start with my piano playing. I did eventually incorporate other apps because I wanted to take my learning up a notch, but I still find myself returning to it again and again when I want to “play.” I’m not the only one who loves it, though!

Here’s what my daughter, Hannah, a 2nd generation homeschool mom has to say about the app:

Simply Piano is an excellent resource for learning to play the piano at home! The only equipment I need is my phone and an electronic keyboard. You can use a cord to connect your phone to the keyboard, but it is not necessary as long as you have your piano volume on high enough. The easy setup is really helpful for me as a busy homeschooling mom, when the difficulty of setup determines my motivation to start a task! It is easy to play in little moments of free time and you don’t have to set aside unbroken hours before seeing results. The lessons are also simple and fun, making you feel that learning to play music is actually attainable. Instead of focusing solely on music theory, you can be able to see the results of your study quickly by playing modified versions of songs that fit your skill level. It feels like a game, and kids can enjoy as well as adults!

My 12-year-old grandson may also be writing a review, and if/when he does, I’ll be sure to share that as well!

While there are a lot of positives to Simply Piano, there are also some cons. Here are the things I think are weak:

• There’s very little in the way of music theory. Simply Piano does a good job teaching you to recognize notes and play songs, but it’s pretty weak/blah when it comes to theory, in my opinion. When I wanted to take my playing and overall understanding of music up a notch, I ended up turning to a couple of other things, which I’ll review and share about in the future. I also felt I needed more note reading practice than Simply Piano offers.
• While the app does recognize if you got notes right or wrong, it’s very forgiving. This is good for those of you who may feel overwhelmed by getting too many things wrong. I didn’t like it (maybe I’m more perfectionistic when it comes to playing, though, so take that into account).
• There are no printables. The other programs I turned to have printable method books and materials that are much more traditional. I miss that with Simply Piano. I was told that they are going to possibly develop some printables for homeschoolers, but that’s something you can’t get in the app currently.
• Some of the children’s courses feature modern songs that have potentially questionable lyrics in my opinion. Here are the ones I ran into (and this is just my opinion – I know most people would be fine with the following):

Bones:

Gimme, gimme, gimme some time to think

I’m in the bathroom looking at me

Face in the mirror is all I need (ooh-ooh-ooh)

Wait until the reaper takes my life

Never gonna get me out alive

Dance Monkey:

They say, oh my g*d, I see the way you shine

(As a Christian, for me, taking God’s name in vain is highly negative).

Believer:

Pain! You made me a, you made me a

Believer, believer

Pain! You break me down, and build me up

Believer, believer

Pain, oh, let the bullets fly, oh, let them rain

Misery:

Oh, the misery

Everybody wants to be my enemy

Spare the sympathy

Everybody wants to be my enemy

Pray it away, I swear, I’ll never be a saint, no way

My enemy

Pray it away, I swear, I’ll never be a saint

A Sky Full of Stars (in the basic rhythm section):

Cause you’re a sky, ’cause you’re a sky full of stars

I wanna die in your arms, arms…

The homeschool page advertises that you can hide songs you don’t feel are right for your home, but I believe that is still being tested (as of the spring of 2026) and may not apply to the coursework songs.

As an adult, I know what the songs mentioned above mean, but I think that some people will be uncomfortable with them for a very young child (like my 5-year-old grandson who has a profile in our family account). Having said that, I went through all the other songs up to a fairly advanced level and didn’t find anything else that was questionable (for my standards).

• There is very little in the way of encouraging good habits like proper hand/arm position or good timing. Even though you have the scrolling notes that force you to be on track somewhat, I’ve seen many videos of people playing piano with the Simply Piano app that are just “off” or with very mechanical and/or awkward playing.
• There isn’t any instruction on more advanced things like transposing, playing with feeling, or any other number of skills I feel are important if you want to be a good piano player, not just an adequate one.
• There are tons of modern songs that I find distasteful in general. That is a personal preference, though. I want to play more traditional songs like classical music, etc. Although Simply Piano has some of that, that is definitely not the focus. I think they are trying to appeal more to modern people who want something other than the old-fashioned traditional approach. I had to just grit my teeth through some of the coursework and play through the songs anyway, because you can’t skip course songs.

Though Simply Piano isn’t the perfect app, it is one that I really enjoy, and it helped take me from not understanding anything at all to reading notes and playing real songs with confidence. I still use it, even though I’ve turned to some other apps for more serious learning.

If you or your children are just starting out, I think it’s a great app that will help you realize that playing the piano is not that hard to get started with and can be super fun. It’s not as ideal for younger children (I think that Hoffman Academy is the BEST for that), but preteens and teens will probably enjoy it, especially because of the game-like feel.

For adults, it’s a great way to build confidence before moving on to more serious apps. I’m glad I started with it because it helped me realize I wanted to continue learning and practicing, even though that eventually meant turning to other apps and programs for more advanced study. I’m glad I stuck with it because it’s so addictively fun that I want to come back to it again and again, especially when the other programs feel more like work while Simply Piano feels like fun!

If you’d like to try Simply Piano, click the link below to take a quick quiz and get signed up:

https://simplypiano.sjv.io/GK64v6

Disclosure:

I paid for Simply Piano (the family plan), Hoffman Academy, and Piano Marvel out of my own pocket for the last year or so (a little more or less depending on the program). I’ve recently chosen to become an affiliate for all three, and money earned from this series of posts will be put back toward more lessons for me and my family. Please consider clicking on my links! 😉

If you have any questions about Simply Piano (or learning how to play piano from scratch), please leave a comment below! Also, if you haven’t read the first post in the series, you may want to take a look at that as well!

In the next post, I’ll be reviewing Piano Marvel!