Product Description

Teach young aspiring musicians to play the piano using video game technology. I Can Play Piano is a piano teaching system that allows kids to quickly and easily master the basics of piano, and have fun doing it. There are easy-to-follow graphics and a musical color-coding system that turn each song into a simple game kids can play using the keyboard. The keyboard features three octaves and can be plugged into your TV or played alone. Includes one software cartridge, "Family Favorites," that features eight popular songs, plus two warm-up games. Requires 6 "D" batteries (not included). For use with other I Can Play Piano software titles, sold separately. Measures 21" x 9" x 2.5". Some assembly required.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27292 in Toys & Games
• Brand: Fisher-Price
• Model: J7522
• Dimensions: 24.10" h x 13.00" w x 3.10" l, 7.05 pounds

Features

• I Can Play piano system uses video game technology to teach kids basic piano
• Interactive, musical toy turns every song into delightful game
• Game system's interface and keyboard are simple for kids to navigate
• Best for children 4 through 8; can spark lifelong interest in music
• Includes keyboard and software cartridge with 8 well-known songs and 2 warm-up games

Amazon.com Product Description
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.

From the Manufacturer
An innovative learning system utilizing the Piano Wizard® method that turns piano lessons into fun and games as it teaches young children to play the piano and read music. Kids simply plug the three-octave piano with color-coded keys into their TV. On the screen, standard sheet music becomes a colorful game with fun, moving images that tell kids what note to play and when to play it. Comes with "Piano Favorites" song & game cartridge featuring 8 songs, 2 games and a fun freestyle mode. Other song & game software sold separately. Requires 6 "D" batteries.

Customer Reviews

Could be improved with explanation of hand position
My daughter asked for this for her 8th birthday. We'd been trying to get her to take piano lessons but she was intimidated by having a stranger teach her. We own a piano and I play, but she didn't want to take instruction from me either as I'm "mommy" and she felt she knew everything already (she likes to work tunes out by ear on the piano). When she expressed an interest in this and it claimed to be able to provide instruction as well as being a toy, we thought it would be a good investment and serve both as entertainment and a teaching vehicle. Unfortunately, it is lacking a bit in the teaching area. There is no instruction regarding hand position on the keyboard (a basic concept in piano). The idea is that the kids hunt and peck for the right colored key to be able to earn points in the software game. If they get the right colored key, they end up playing the tune. According to the theory behind the software, they are eventually going to be able to transfer that hunting and pecking to reading real piano notes and being able to play the piano. However, without understanding hand position and playing keys with the correct fingers, their piano playing will be like typing with the hunt and peck method on a typewriter/computer; it gets the job done but not in the quickest fashion and not with the best accuracy. It certainly isn't going to give them any foundation for playing music that requires anything more than playing single notes (hard to do chords with two index fingers).

They could improve it simply by coming out with a cartridge that contains some instruction on hand position and some simple games to reinforce it. Otherwise, it isn't much better than just tooling around on your own on a piano without any help. Of course, if you don't have a piano, then it at least does give you that opportunity to play around a little. My daughter likes to play with it since it is like a computer game, but as far as really learning much more than she already knows, it really wasn't worth the money.

I don't see how anyone would learn to play piano from this
I bought this for a 5-year-old and decided to try it out before giving it as a gift. Good thing I did.

First of all, I thought it was hard to keep up with the tv - and I used to play piano. I had to slow down the tempo just to try to keep up.

Second of all, I don't see how anyone would ever LEARN to play piano from this. It doesn't teach you proper hand positions, nor does it teach you the notes on the keyboard or paper. It has four levels of difficulty and the final level puts the note names on the screen. By the time kids would get to that level, they'd have the song memorized and I doubt they'd pay any attention to the note names.

Third, the games are lame. Fisher Price should have made games that help kids learn hand positioning and notes. The games are boring and don't really teach anything except colors and finding the corresponding colors on the keyboard. I only tried out the cartridge that came with it. The others might be better, but I won't be finding out.
This keyboard MIGHT be ok as a game/toy, but it's not going to teach anyone how to play piano. Plus, you have to be glued to the tv to even attempt to learn. Otherwise, it's just a keyboard.As a keyboard, it's fine, but you can get a regular keyboard much cheaper. I'm definitely returning this and the two cartridges I bought to go with it.

Overall a good choice
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.