Still in beta stage, the JoyTunes glove will take you from 1 note to Beethoven in a flash. Our gloves allow your hands to auto magically bend and move to play any song your heart desires! Check out this video for more info.

Want to order your very own JoyTunes glove & start playing like Mozart today?

Purchase your gloves here!

The post JoyTunes new magic gloves allow you to play the piano instantly appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

The simplest solution to these problems comes in the form of affordable digital keyboards. The piano teachers we know have little issue with kids practicing on keyboards. In fact, many piano teachers’ studios are filled with keyboards. Teachers are reporting that they still have a steady stream of piano students and our company, JoyTunes, has 4 million users, with a steady increase every day.

What is JoyTunes?

JoyTunes is changing the way children learn to play music. By focusing on what kids love, technology and gaming, JoyTunes’ music education apps are designed to capitalize on the way children learn by “speaking” to them in a language that they find exciting and engaging. Through a game-like concept, the apps challenge students to achieve higher scores and unlock new levels. In addition to thousands of songs ranging from pop to classical and everything in between, the Piano Maestro app also includes well-known method books and exercises. All of JoyTunes’ apps help children learn important music skills including sight reading, rhythm, coordination and more.

Learning  to Play Piano is a Smart Choice

Learning to play piano has many brain benefits

Learning to play piano or any other instrument has always been a popular activity and there is no reason to speculate that it will decline. Similar to other extracurricular activities, learning to play music is a way for children to develop important life skills. However, what sets music apart from other options is that not only do students gain confidence, a sense of accomplishment and poise, but their brain actually benefits and changes as a result of learning to play an instrument.

Take a look at the infographic below to see some of the most impressive brain-benefits. Remember, it’s never too late to get your child started in music lessons! What parent wouldn’t want their child to be engaged in an activity that is fun, skill-building and actually makes children smarter? It’s time for every child to start learning to play piano!

The post Learning to Play Piano Makes You Smarter appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

So, as you ask yourself if you should even make one of the traditional resolutions -we all know the common ones. However, we are here to offer up a new one. Why not learn to play an instrument? Learning to play a musical instrument is a great way to express yourself and be creative. Now, we’re not saying that you need to become a professional musician but developing new skills and finding new hobbies is what your New Year’s resolutions should be all about.

Find bands and musicians that inspire you to play and get started!

Decide to do something fun this year and you’ll enjoy the benefits for the rest of your life! And, it’s never too late to start playing an instrument so that cannot be your excuse!

Picking which instrument to learn can be a challenge within itself which is exactly why we created this fun quiz! Just answer 10 questions and we’ll recommend an instrument for you to learn.

Happy New Year and Happy Playing!

https://www.playbuzz.com/joytunes10/which-instrument-should-you-learn-to-play-in-2015

The post Which Instrument Should You Learn to Play appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

With the major holidays just a few days away, we have prepared a lovely little gift for you. It’s not a stocking stuffer nor a present you can wrap – it’s better! Why? Because it’s a fun quiz which answers the super important question of December: What is your holiday theme song? Even more, this entertaining bit of content will come in handy if you have any awkward moments at your office holiday parties, family dinners or wherever else you choose to celebrate.  You can just mention this awesome quiz and everyone will drop what they are doing, forget about their arguments and focus their attention on finding their own theme song.

So, take a five minute break from all the holiday madness (or work, if you’re sitting at your desk) and take this “scientifically developed” JoyTunes quiz. By answering a series of holiday-themed questions, we’ll tell you which holiday song should be your personal theme song (at least for the next few weeks)! Each theme song answer includes a fun YouTube video for you to sing along with and play every time you enter a room.

If you're ready to get fancy and impress your friends and family, you can learn to play some holiday songs (including a few of the theme songs) with our Piano Maestro app. It’s free to download and you’ll look like the rock star you've always wanted to be! Piano Maestro is the gift that keeps on giving!

Download Piano Maestro Now Learning to play is just a download away!

Ready to discover your holiday theme song?

[playbuzz-item url=”https://www.playbuzz.com/joytunes10/whats-your-holiday-theme-song”]

The post What’s Your Winter Holiday Theme Song? appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

Take the quiz here

Music is something that is very personal.  The type of music you listened to as a young child is probably quite different from the tunes that are on your favorite playlists these days.  For most of us, if our parents listened to classical music when they drove us around town, then so did we.  If our parents sang along to the lyrics of the latest country anthem in the house, then those lyrics were imprinted into our minds.  Even to this day you can probably remember all of the words to your parents’ favorite songs.

Consider the fact that by the time you are 6 or 7 years old, your personality traits are stably formed. Plenty of psychologists believe that there is a direct correlation between the type of music we listen to and our personal characteristics.  Now you might be wondering if the music you listened to during those first few years of life had any effect on your personality.

Just for a moment, imagine a fan of heavy metal music standing next to a classical music fan. (Of course, we are asking you to draw on social stereotypes but just humor us for now.) At first glance, these two people appear to be pretty different from each other, right? They are dressed differently, they make different word choices when speaking, etc.  As you probably guessed, the younger person liked to listen to metal while the older person gravitated towards classical music.  However, what one recent study proved is that the two people, while outwardly different, actually had very similar personality traits.  When you start to examine both types of music you would find similarities as well, mainly the fact that they are complex, dramatic and theatrical in nature.  What does that mean?  They attract the same type of person!

Are you curious about want type of music would be associated with your personality? Well, we can help!   Designed for fun, but based on a bit of actual “scientific” data, you can take this quiz and find out.  You may even discover some new things about yourself.  But remember, no cheating… answer the questions honestly if you want to find out the truth.

The post Take the Quiz: Which Type of Music Are You? appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

However, this immersion also often motivates young gamers to learn more, independently. In this, games hold great power, piquing the students’ curiosity enough, to be intrigued to learn on their own.

Here are 4 (and I could list more) school subjects I aced thanks to being a gamer…and one I didn’t.

1. Geography:many games use real world maps and location as their settings. I sent virtual troops to almost every corner of the globe, from Dublin to the Sakhalin peninsula; Sailed through every corner of the Caribbean with my pirate frigate; and lay railroad tracks across the USA.
2. History: many game plots and settings are anchored in real historical background. Having played Total War: Shogun, I can not only quote names of Japanese provinces, clans and leaders of the era, but also have some insight as for the political structure and the challenges the Japanese faced at that time. As an assassin from Assassin’s Creed 3, I participated in the Boston tea party, crossed the Delaware river with George Washington and sailed a ship-of-the-line in the battle of Chesapeake bay.
3. Economy: if you want to run a virtual empire, army or alien-fighting secret agency, you need to be well-versed in basic economics concepts such as supply-and-demand curves, interest, budget management and more. Some games have an underlying economic engine that would put to shame business game simulators of top business schools.
4. English: for gamers who are not native English speakers, games are a facilitator and a motivator to gain command of the language. Yes, it’s not like reading books, but thanks to games my English vocabulary at the age of 10 contained words such as ‘disband’, ‘stateman’ and ‘supersonic’.

And then, there was one topic I did not ace at school… Music.

I spent three years studying the organ in grade school, and it never truly clicked. While  one may question my natural talent, there’s no doubt that I found it hard to maintain the rigorous practicing routine needed by any musician to hone in on their skills. Despite enjoying music, I found the repetitive nature of practice hard, especially given temptations… like my computer games. If only JoyTunes existed a couple of decades ago, this post may included music.

Now, thanks to being part of the JoyTunes development team, I am fortunate to re- discover the pleasure of playing a musical instrument, and I genuinely enjoy practicing! As a new comer to the team, my love of games and the positive influence it had on my life, was a main driver to work for JoyTunes. I truly believe that music education, and the education world in general, can be transformed, for the good, by the iPad (if used correctly, of course.)

At JoyTunes, our music apps are educational by design, while still maintaining the fun element of a game, which sparks the young players’ curiosity. This genuine curiosity, and passion, is what happens when practice time turns from a chore – to a game.

The post Four Subjects I Learned from Computer Games..and One I Didn’t… appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.

We like to win

“The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”This catchphrase from ABC’s Wide World of Sports aired decades ago still rings true today. The thrill of victory obviously outweighs the agony of defeat as we witness athletes, politicians, sports teams, lottery players, spelling bee contestants, musicians, and countless others pursue what it takes to win even if they have previously suffered the agony of defeat. Why? Because winning is SO pleasurable.

We like games

You can’t win unless there is something to lose which ultimately means there must be a source of competition: a game. The Olympic Games demonstrate the world’s fascination with gaming as the obsession crosses all borders, governments, demographics, and time zones. Millions will sacrifice sleep to observe world-class athletes

• finish in triumph collecting the gold
• face disappointment missing the medal podium by a tenth of a point
• fall in despair shattering a lifetime dream.

Closer to home, stacks of board games, decks of cards, the latest X-box system or apps are enjoyed regularly in most family rooms.

We like to play

Stating the obvious, a game requires play. The components of play—curiosity, discovery, risk-taking, social etiquette and other activities—are the same as those needed when acquiring a new skill. No one seems to mind playing. It turns out that “children at play are like pint-sized scientists testing theories.”Research has found that play is not only important for kids; it’s a crucial part of what makes all humans so smart.”

We like to do it again

In any worthwhile game, earning a victory usually demands a number of attempts. The lure of a challenge combined with the drive for a “W”wrapped up in fun will hook any gamer to repeat any task over and over until it is mastered.

Do the Math and Play the Music

WIN + GAME + PLAY + REPETITION = LEARN

Learn what? Virtually anything worth doing.  For example, playing an instrument requires attaining new skills which makes it a perfect candidate for implementing “gamification.”

Gamification = the application of typical elements of game playing—point scoring, competition with others, rules of play—to other activities in order to encourage the learning new skills.

We like to succeed

Learning how to create music on an instrument is a challenge at which most wish to succeed. Unfortunately, at the onset, there can be little satisfaction. Much like signing up and going to a gym every day, it is difficult to see progress from day to day, even week to week. In fact, in 2010, a Gallop survey conducted in the US showed that nearly 85% of all people who started to learn a musical instrument quit in their first year or two. The world of traditional music education is fighting for the hearts of music beginners as many suffer the “agony of defeat”thanks to the steep learning curve and never get a chance to taste the “thrill of victory.”

With a non-traditional approach, Guitar-Hero, one of the pioneer video games that combined gaming and music making, lead to a burst of converts seeking to study guitar thanks to the power of gaming.

This proves that using tactics similar to those of games and especially video games can result in progress at an instrument—even in small, measurable  increments. For instance, understanding and reading music notation is challenging and requires adequate sequential instruction accompanied with a good deal of reinforcement. By using game mechanics, and instant feedback, early musicians can practice and enhance reading skills by playing—having fun—rather than through the normally tedious and often frustrating traditional modes.

We like to play music

Any skill worth having takes determination. Most would agree that learning an instrument is worth the weeks, the months, the years of tedious practice and even the occasional agony of defeat if the process remains fun and ultimately leads to the thrill of music making.

Piano Maestro, developed by JoyTunes for practicing the piano, is ranked the number one educational app in the US and 20 other countries. Sensitive to the power of gamification, Piano Maestro successfully combines the lure of video games, shiny graphics, and trendy music to create a teacher-and-parent approved app. The developers dangle “carrots”in front of young pianists by offering a growing library of familiar repertoire and even the latest current pop hits. The app requires no extra wires, just an iPad or an acoustic instrument. Players must play the correct notes on the keyboard as they stream across the screen. Once a piece is finished, the app provides immediate feedback on timing and accuracy. If three gold stars are awarded, the next piece is unlocked and the student moves up in rank. This virtual experience creates a dynamic and beneficial practicing experience for any budding musician all in the spirit of fun.

Should tablets take the place of completing homework, dancing, swinging, playing? Absolutely not. However, there are substantial reasons to allow your child time with educational-based apps that tune into the power of gamification.  An iPad  is a relevant and critical tool for learning new skills and will keep your budding musician engaged with making music even when the going gets tough.  Keep this in mind when searching for a music teacher and a positive learning environment for your future music maker.

The post Education and Gamification appeared first on Learn to Play an Instrument with step-by-step lessons | Simply Blog.