| Rocket Piano is a very professionally
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| | side of the display. You can click on the
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| done piano lesson package. It includes a
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| | name of the note with your mouse, hit the
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| number of ebooks, audio tracks, and video
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| | letter on your keyboard that corresponds
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| tracks to support the instructional
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| | to the note(s) displayed, or type the
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| material. In addition, there's a ton of
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| | number that you'll see associated with
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| extras, all extremely well-done, and
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| | each note. The game has an Options menu
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| described below. The product is simple to
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| | that lets you control the level of
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| download, and is perfectly paced for the
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| | difficulty (basically the speed at which
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| introductory piano student. It runs on
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| | the notes move), and there's even a high
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| Windows and Macs, so it doesn't matter
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| | score screen that records your name once
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| what kind of computer you have. In a
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| | you start to excel. Kids love this stuff.
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| word, if you want to learn to play, you'd
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| | This kind of game makes learning to read
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| be nuts to pass on this. I highly
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| | notes so painless, that there just isn't
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| recommend it.
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| | any excuse anymoreAnd it gets
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| Read on for the details.Chapter One -
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| | better...the second extra is another game
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| Piano Facts and HistoryDon't skip this
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| | called Keycelerator which helps you
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| chapter. It's full of really interesting
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| | learn chord nomenclature and keyboard
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| facts about the piano and includes a bit
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| | patterns. The game consists of a display
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| of history, a lot of physical facts about
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| | of a chord pattern on the left of the
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| the instrument that the beginning piano
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| | display, and four choices on the right -
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| lesson student should know, and some
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| | a multiple choice test...the choices are
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| great diagrams that show the mechanics of
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| | shown as keyboard segments with different
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| how a piano produces sound. There's also
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| | notes depressed. So if you can read the
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| a nice section about the pedals, which
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| | notes of the chord, you then pick the
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| you don't find in most courses, that
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| | notes that represent the chord from the
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| actually explains what the pedals are for
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| | set of four choices; much more fun than
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| and how they work. All in all, a great
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| | studying a chord manual. The game keeps
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| introduction.Chapter Two - The
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| | score and has a number of options you can
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| BasicsChapter Two provides all the basic
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| | control. (I'm not bragging, but I got a
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| information you'll need to get started in
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| | perfect score on my first test :)The
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| the right direction. It has the most
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| | next extra is called Chordinator , which
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| complete description of how to sit at the
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| | is designed to improve your chord
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| piano that I've come across so far. You
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| | recognition abilities. Structured much
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| get the idea very easily from the
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| | like Keycelerator , but the answer
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| included diagram that shows the proper
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| | choices are in the form of chord names,
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| position for your head, back, arms, and
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| | not notes on the keyboard. Okay, I missed
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| legs. Pay attention students There's
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| | one on this game, but it was only because
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| nothing worse than seeing a beginning
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| | my finger slipped off the mouse and hit
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| player struggling because of a slouch or
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| | the wrong choice :) ...99/100 isn't bad
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| being too high or too low in relation to
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| | though, right?The next extra is really
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| the keyboard. Chapter Two continues with
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| | addictive It's called Perfect Your
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| an explanation of proper hand position,
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| | Pitch - it's an ear-training tool to
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| and dispels the popular myth that you
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| | help you home your pitch recognition
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| need very long fingers to play well. The
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| | skills. It plays a series of four notes
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| author correctly points out that finger
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| | and you have to pick the right choice
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| strength and agility are far more
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| | from a set of four answers. It really is
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| important characteristics than finger
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| | a lot fun. My score wasn't perfect on
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| length. The standard and necessary
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| | this one, and I had to force myself to
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| assignment of numbers to each finger is
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| | stop ....like eating ice cream As you
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| included too, accompanied by a very good
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| | ear gets sharper it gets much easier to
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| diagram. No confusion possible here. The
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| | play songs by ear , and you'll start to
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| layout of the keyboard is explained next,
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| | recognize note combinations in common
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| again with very clear graphics, and then
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| | melodies and songs on the radio...just
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| the connection between the finger
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| | like learning a new language. This one is
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| numbering system and the keyboard is
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| | highly recommended. But don't ignore the
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| introduced with some very simple
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| | other parts of the course while you try
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| exercises - so after only sixteen pages
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| | to perfect you pitch recognition
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| of background, the new student is
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| | abilities.There's yet another bonus
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| actually using the keyboard. Note reading
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| | included called Advanced Learning
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| is introduced next with a very clear and
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| | Techniques for the Piano , but I think
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| simple approach that starts with the
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| | the little book is misnamed I think you
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| definition of a note, and then introduces
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| | should read this first when you get the
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| the concept of rhythm. The notation for
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| | package, and I also think this little gem
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| whole notes, half notes, quarter notes,
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| | is worth the cost of the package all by
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| eighth notes, and sixteenth notes is
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| | itself. What it tells you is how to
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| illustrated, and the standard duration of
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| | practice - a topic that is completely
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| each is explained. What follows is a
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| | ignored by most teaching packages - even
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| series of easy exercises to reinforce the
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| | by a lot of teachers I think it's one of
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| basic concepts of note type and duration.
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| | the most important aspects of learning to
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| Audio clips are available for each
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| | play any instrument. Read it as soon as
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| exercise to assure the student that they
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| | you get Rocket Piano. If you're just
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| are proceeding correctly.Chapter Three -
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| | starting out, the insights you'll pick up
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| The Musical AlphabetChapter Three starts
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| | here will save you a lot of
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| with a graphic of the keyboard with all
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| | frustration.The Metronome program
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| the notes labeled and then shows you the
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| | (another bonus) is really well-done. Just
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| middle C hand position, followed by a
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| | turn up the volume and save yourself the
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| short exercise that gets both hands going
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| | cost of a physical metronome. The
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| to familiarize the student with middle C
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| | graphics are marvelous.If you like jazz,
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| and the surrounding notes. Chapter Three
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| | after you've gone through the basic
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| also introduces time signatures, the
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| | Rocket Piano book, take a look at the
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| other component of rhythm. Good examples
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| | add-on called Introduction to Jazz Piano
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| follow the explanation, and there are a
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| | . It has eight informative chapters that
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| few practice exercises, again with sample
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| | cover everything from jazz rhythms to
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| audio tracks.
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| | chord progressions to syncopation. If
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| The rest of the chapters in the book are
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| | you're not familiar with those terms,
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| just as good and cover such topics as:*
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| | don't worry Start with the basic Rocket
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| the musical staff
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| | Piano book and then dive into the more
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| * intervals
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| | advanced Jazz book.So, my advice to you
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| * sharps and flats
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| | is to start your own personal countdown,
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| * playing scales
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| | and then blast your musical knowledge and
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| * rhythm
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| | your playing skills to new heights with
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| * arpeggios, and more.Okay...if I review
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| | this piano lesson package. Think about
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| any more Chapters, you won't need the
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| | it...you get all the stuff described
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| package, But I do want to tell you about
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| | above for less than the cost of one or
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| the extras that come with Rocket Piano.
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| | two private lessons.Peter Cullen is the
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| First of all, there's a Music Theory Game
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| | Webmaster at
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| called Jayde Musica that is really
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| | and an avid amateur pianist. The site
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| wonderful. When you start up the game,
| |
| | reviews piano lesson offerings on the Web
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| notes move past you on the screen from
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| | and offers many other piano-related
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| right to left and your job is to identify
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| | resources.
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| them before they scroll off the left-hand
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|
