Mike's NBC-TV stories

How to Play Music Apps

Many people want to learn an instrument like a guitar or piano, but finding the time and money for lessons can sometimes be a challenge.

Fortunately,  a number of apps make it easier and cheaper.

Yousician is billed a “your personal music tutor for the digital age.” It’s for  pianists, guitarists, bass and ukulele players –  from beginners to advanced musicians.  Included are more than 1,500 so-called “missions” and songs with hundreds of videos that help users learn everything from reading music to chords, and more. The app is free for iOS and Android, with premium features available for purchase.

For guitarists there’s the Uberchord app. It uses your smartphone or tablet’s microphone and app listens to your playing, deleivering instructional feedback. Use the app consistently and Uberchord is able to track progress and will adjust teaching accordingly. The app is free for iOS.

For the piano, try the app called Simple Piano.  The app also uses your smartphone or tablet microphone to monitor a user’s playing skills and level.  It teaches everything from the basics of piano to reading sheet music and playing with both hands. Daily workouts ensure skills remain up to speed. There’s also a way to use an on-screen piano if one isn’t available. It’s free for iOS and Android with premium features available.

Mike is a veteran journalist whose video "PC Mike" reports have been distributed weekly to all 215 NBC-TV stations since 1994, making him one of the most experienced tech reporters in the country. His tech stories and videos have appeared on MSNBC, CNBC, the Today Show, The New York Times, USA Today and in numerous national newspapers and magazines. In addition to the PC Mike tech blog, he also publishes the Roadtreking.com RV Travel Blog in which he travels North America in an RV reporting about interesting people and places.