Keys

From the makers of gTar (a digital guitar that works with an iPhone to make learning it much, much easier) comes Keys. The minimalist keyboard has 24 keys that light up but also respond to gestures; for example, wave your hand to the left to transpose down an octave. Beginners can teach themselves piano through the complementary app, while producers and electronic music artists will …

Pocket Piano

Forget strings and keys. Just turn a knob to playCritter & Guitaris Pocket Piano.We wanted anyone to be able to make music anywhere, saysChristopher Kucinski,who designed the gadget with partnerOwen Osborn.

Playground Sessions

A new software program trains aspiring pianists through interactive learning

Gaming meets Chopin with Playground Sessions, a downloadable software that teaches piano through its breakthrough “Play to Learn” approach. Riffing on the strumming-to-scoring simulation of Guitar Hero, Playground Sessions enables users to practice “in an interactive environment with real-time feedback,” backed by an interconnected keyboard and hit music library. Created by brand invention firm, ZAG, Playground Sessions is a “Choose-Your-Own-Adventure” method of self-driven learning motivated …