Piano Apprentice

Learning to play the piano used to be about as much fun as washing the car, mowing the lawn, or any other household chore. But now the days of surly tutors, endless practice and nerve-wracking recitals are numbered. Because the excitable ivory-tinklers at Ion have developed the incredible Piano Apprentice.

Just plug your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch into this discreet mini keyboard. Load up the free piano teaching app and your lesson will begin. On your gadget’s screen you’ll be able to watch as a skilled pair of hands plays a whole range of pieces on a similar 25 key setup. As they play, the keys of the Piano Apprentice will light up in time so that you know exactly where to place your own hands. Ingenious!

It’s a great way to learn, since you can practice at your own pace – programming ever more complex pieces as time goes by. And there’s no sour-faced tutor standing over your shoulder. What’s more, the keys of the Piano Apprentice are touch-sensitive so you’ll even learn the correct pressure to apply for different playing styles.

Combine all these features with the battery-powered portability of the Piano Apprentice and you have a mobile music centre for playing anywhere. So no more winding up your neighbours with endless Chopsticks. Plug in a pair of earphones and tap away on the train until you’re ready for Rachmaninov (or Run Rabbit Run).