[SOLVED!] Playground Sessions vs Piano Marvel – DETAIL REVIEWS

Lots of people assume that to learn how to play piano, they have to spend a good deal of money on one-to-one classes. In the old day, such a notion would be correct but with the recent introduction of lesson software, you could at least learn the basics of playing piano by yourself. Actually, Playground Sessions and Piano Marvel prove quite popular among people that want to self learn piano due to cost constraints these kinds of days. That being said, one question still troubles many beginners: Playground Sessions vs Piano Marvel, which one is the superior software?  

So you are unable to make up your mind between Playground Sessions and Piano Marvel? If that happens to be the case then this article is exactly what you need. Down below, you shall find a comprehensive Playground Sessions vs Piano Marvel comparison that tell you everything you need to know about these software programs.  

Playground Sessions Review

Advantages

• Play Songs From The Get-Go

Conventional teachings often involve lengthy sessions about techniques, theories and so on which make some people feel bored while learning. Well, Playground Sessions get straight to the songs which manage to keep most learners motivated. David Sides, the main instructor, also arrange the songs as well as the integrated exercises in order to match the skill level of the students. Hence, with Playground Sessions, you could casually learn how to play piano while enjoying some of the most popular songs.  

• Inclusions Of Video Instruction And Virtual Keyboard 

Knowing that people need visual guidance while learning how to play piano, Playground Sessions include a series of video instruction. You would get to see David Sides playing on the keyboard of a real piano. Additionally, a virtual keyboard is present on the screen which allows you to follow David’s strokes without much difficulty. Once you grasp the fundamentals, feel free to play along.    

• PC, Mac And Ipad-Compatible 

In the age of technology, people tend to own a wide range of electronics so it’s a good idea to use multi-compatible apps. Both Playground Sessions and Piano Marvel support PC as well as Mac but only Playground Sessions is compatible with Ipad. In fact, Playground Sessions come with a purpose design version on Ipad that permit you to easily play every keyboard. 

Disadvantages

• Less Than Ideal Video Quality

While the video instruction indeed proves handy on occasions, its quality is mediocre at best. For some people, the overall video quality is acceptable but others may feel slightly annoyed. 

• Upsell Of Songs

Upon subscription, you receive a bunch of songs and after that, Playground Sessions give you 5 more free songs per month. What could you do in order to acquire additional songs? Well, the software requires you to make extra purchase to get more songs which raise some eyebrows here and there. 

Piano Marvel Review

 

Advantages

• Well Broken Down Lessons 

To avoid overwhelming the beginners with a flood of information, Piano Marvel carefully splits learning piano into linear segmented lessons. In addition, tutorials (narrations and illustrations) accompany each of the lessons so you know what to do in specific sections. Once you finish a lesson, the app calculates the score and reward you with “trophies”.  Namely, you get 

• bronze if you score is between 80 to 90
• silver you score is between 90 and 95
• gold  if you score is over 95 

• A Wide Variety Of Song 

The impressive music library of Piano Marvel possesses lots of free songs (mostly classical) that you could download for free. The songs would be accompanied by video tutorials and sheet music so it’s pretty easy to learn how to play them at your own pace. In the case you want to buy popular songs, you must pay a small fee. Unable to find the song you want to play in the library of Piano Marvel? Then click on the “Make a Request” tab, which is located at the bottom of the screen, to request songs. 

• Standard Assessment of Sight Reading (SASR)

One of the features that make Piano Marvel stands out from other piano leaning apps is Standard Assessment of Sight Reading (also known as SASR). To put it plainly, SASR measures your ability to sight-read sheet music, your progress is recorded so it’s a breeze to keep track of your improvement over time. Skilled sight-readers should be able to quickly get used to unfamiliar pieces of music which makes them more versatile. 

Disadvantages

• Hand Positioning Comes Late 

Despite the fact that the lessons of Piano Marvel receive many praises, quite a few people think that the order is a bit counter-intuitive. Hand positioning, an essential issue, is only introduced in the second section of the lesson. That means you start playing without knowing about finger placement. 

• Performance Issues Here And There 

Users complain that their recorded practice time jumps off the chart every now and then. In addition to that, some videos become unplayable without explanation.   

If you’re an instrumentalist, why not check out our other reviews? Maybe you can find interest in a new kind of marvel:

https://www.musictoob.com/washburn-rover-vs-martin-backpacker-reviews/

Conclusion: It’s Hard To Say

Both Playground Sessions and Piano Marvel have something unique to offer so different users tend to have different opinions about Playground Sessions vs. Piano Marvel

For most of the time, Piano Marvel is well-liked by people that have interests in classical piano while Playground Sessions often aim at pop. Furthermore, the purchase nature of Playground Sessions means that it often costs more than Piano Marvel in the long term. Last but not least, Piano Marvel let you learn your own music, a capability that Playground Sessions currently lacks. All things considered, it’s strongly recommended that you carefully consider your budget and the type of music you enjoy before making the final decision.        

Keep in mind that Playground Sessions and Piano Marvel offer limited free options which allow people to test the water. Feel free to abuse options to tackle personal queries regarding Playground Sessions vs Piano Marvel.