Musiah Review: Why I Stopped Waiting for Retirement to Learn Piano
Is 50 too late to start piano? Liliane from Luxembourg decided she had waited long enough. In this review, she shares how she transitioned from the Do-Ré-Mi system to Musiah’s method and found a 'personal refuge' and a 'musical band' to help her unwind after a stressful workday.
"Musiah is not just an app for music. It encompasses much more than just learning to play the piano."
My love affair with Musiah began 3 months ago, when I finally decided to act upon my lifelong dream of taking piano lessons as an adult. Tired of saying to myself that I would wait for my retirement days, I decided there had been enough waiting and in came the keyboard. I had a second moment of illumination when I found a testimony of Musiah on YouTube. It grabbed my attention in a way no other method did.
Transitioning from Do-Ré-Mi to English Note Names
I knew Musiah was what I was looking for, but I was used to the notes as Do-Ré-Mi. The free 14 days trial gave me security in the knowledge I had nothing to lose and everything to gain in trying it out, and that learning the notes with another name was merely just going to be another exercise for my ageing brain of soon 54.
What drew me to Musiah in the first place truly proved to be one of its aspects I currently enjoy the most. Its rigour and emphasis on rhythm while checking for notes, action and duration is second to none. The balance of precision required when you are learning a piece is just right. Not too little so as to not learn it shoddily but not too high so as to be a hindrance on your progress and motivation by asking you to be perfect. Musiah guides you on a clear path, ensuring you’re building a strong base on which you can layer another difficulty, carrying you forward step by step.
The 'Personal Band' Experience: Playing with Backing Tracks
The compositions of the pieces are to me a great source of fun. When you practice a tune with the backing track on, or when you pass the audition for it, it feels like you are playing with other people around you, giving you a hint of what it may be like in real life for that matter. I could lose myself in this mode, I get sucked in the atmosphere, I just love it. I’ve come to fondly call it ‘my personal band’.
What Musiah has to offer doesn't end here. It doesn't just teach you the piano by plodding along, hitting a chord here and a chord there. The pieces you learn become gradually more complex in rhythm, and build up independence in your two hands over time. On top of that is the ability to practice a track or any part of it at any time during the learning stage, set the desired speed, with or without the personal band at your fingertips.
The icing on the cake is that you can preview the pieces, including those that are still unlocked. Currently half way through the course, I find that this gives me purpose, by visualising myself playing that advanced track I long to be able to play one day ‘The Spy Who Practiced’, one of the many pieces unique to Musiah, composed by its inventor, Brendan Hogan, who takes the time to personally respond to any query you may have.
Piano Lessons as a Refuge from Workplace Stress
I will never recommend Musiah enough around me. Here is a product that brings me joy, it is a refuge after a long stressful day at work, something to look forward to.
Most of all, Musiah is not just an app for music. It encompasses much more than just learning to play the piano. Beyond it, there is a man who is passionate about his music and who gladly shares his knowledge to anyone with the will to learn it.
No. Musiah is not just an app. It is a piano lessons app with a true AI teacher that provides a complete musical experience to live.
Liliane C - Luxembourg
