Tonebase vs Pianote for late beginner

As a student of Pianote, I found the platform to be very helpful during my first year of learning piano. It was great for learning the basics, but it didn't offer much in terms of classical or advanced content.

When I transitioned to Tonenase, I initially felt overwhelmed due to its advanced content. My advice would be to start with the level 1 content on Tone base (this is what I'm doing now).

It's worth noting that Pianote provides a lighter, more casual learning experience, whereas Tonebase demands more concentration and offers a more serious approach to learning a piece. Initially, I gained a lot from Pianote as a total beginner, however, I've since realized there are certain techniques I didn't learn or practice. Now, I'm focusing on music theory and reinforcing fundamental skills. I hope you find my experience helpful.

Hi Jason, happy to share my experience. I was a self-taught late-beginner without any professional guidance, when I realised I can't progress without proper lessons. So I subscribed to Pianote for a year, which was a fantastic foundation for basics, theory, techniques and building a practice routine for someone without any such foundation. I skimmed through their 'method' lessons and only focused on topics which I was not familiar with. But I skipped most exercises which I found too basic (including their 'simplified' versions of famous classical pieces - I only want to learn the real stuff!). I fully agree with the response of One Beat, Piano did not offer enough true classical content, which I was primarily interested in. 

So I switched to Tonebase - but also felt a bit overwhelmed. I went through most of the theory and beginner-level lessons - which was again quite useful, reconciling my knowledge gained on Pianote, and gaining many new insights. I would recommend to follow lessons on the same topics as Pianote, as it helps gaining deeper knowledge on the same subjects (e.g. circle of fifths, intervals, chords, etc.), especially useful for classical piano (rather than pop, jazz, blues etc. which I was not particularly interested in on Pianote). I think doing Tonebase without Piano would have been more difficult, to be honest, as they often use terminology which I wasn't previously familiar with. I slowly followed lessons about simpler pieces, realising that the approach of Tonebase is quite different from Pianote. While Pianote simplifies a lot and provides more step-by-step, bar-by-bar approach how to learn a piece, the lessons on Tonebase kind-of expect that you can learn the piece by reading the sheet-music on your own, and provides much more guidance how to play it properly, instead of what you think it should sound like. Tonebase goes deep into certain focus topics, to help you play the piece like a true pianist (e.g. phrasing, techniques, interpretation, what to focus on, etc.). 

So - overall I found both very useful, quite different from each other, but Tonebase is certainly giving me more in terms of knowledge of classical piano music. Last, but certainly not least, both platforms are much more effective if you also get a in-person piano teacher - which I also did. If you are serious about learning piano, you need an actual musician next to you, to give you direct feedback on everything important - including the way you touch the keys, what you do right or wrong, and provides you a proper one-on-one coaching. Combining all these approaches is also financially very effective, as you don't need to pay an expensive teacher to teach you theory - that can all be covered by online platforms. Also, if you start learning a new piece, Tonebase provides a great library of pieces to use as a starting point, give you all the foundations, and then the teacher helps you play it properly, personalise fingering that fits your hands, gives feedback on your playing - and most importantly, takes away some of the anxiety to play 'in front of people' which is my biggest challenge.  

Hope this helps!

I have been using both Pianote (now Musora) and Tonebase, I did the lifetime access for Tonebase and am annual with Musora.

Agree with all that has been said above.

Musora is very lighthearted, but they do slip in some challenging content, and I have noticed in the last two years they are upping their game a bit. I am way over my head with Tonebase but I like their more serious approach. 

At this point, I use both equally.

I've been studying classical piano for 5 or 6 years as an adult and a few years as a young adult..I have a teacher...I like tone base because it takes me past basic techniques and concentrate on ways to improve tonality, phrasing and intention...Although I practice everyday I am probably the slowest learner in the world and that doesn't bother me..I have been working on some pieces for years..it keeps changing as my skills improve...the piano is for life...the process is as rewarding as the final product if there is such a thing as a final product...play on...I am 76 years old..there is a video where seymore says he didn't get moonlight sonata first movement until he was 80...

I think that there is a large library of material on tonebase starting at the very beginning of the learning curve up to professional.  I can't make helpful comments on what you should be working on in your lessons, but I can tell you that it is invaluable to see where you need to go as you are learning so that you can better assimilate what you are currently learning and tonebase is a great resource for that.  Best of luck just keep going

Hey Jason.  I have never even seen Pianote.  I am a professional musician, and have profited from some of the lessons/courses of great masters that ToneBase offers; they are truly great.  My best advice, again, without knowing Pianote, is: find a profesional pianist/musician who can guide you,,, nothing substitutes the personal advice/guidance, especially at early stages, of a responsible teacher who understands where you are and where you need to move!  Then do the “toppings” in ToneBase.   All the best !!!!!  Cheers

When Roland offered a few free months with Pianote, I signed up thinking it was Tonebase. My background is that I have a MM in piano so it wasn't what I was looking for. That said, Pianote started as heavily more to get people to enjoy playing as soon as possible via pop songs. So you are learning chords and melodies from pop lead sheets. And, there are a lot of pop lead sheets so that people can always find songs that they want to play. (I"ve kept my copy as it's a great resource to have.) Many times it's just to play the chords and sing. Then they started branching out into other styles including classical. I would say it's a fun relaxed atmosphere perfect for getting started. Lisa is an absolute gem.

But, you can only go so far with Pianote. Once you get past some of the basics and want to get into real piano playing (not just playing for fun and friends) it's time to move up to Tonebase. If Pianote kept you interested and wanting to get more serious, it did it's job. If you just want to play the songs and enjoy doing so, then it did its job. At least that's how I see it. I have nothing bad to say about Pianote. Pianote has its niche and is very good at it. Tonebase has a different niche and is very good at it. I don't see them as competitors. 

All that said, I still recommend a teacher as the best way to learn the fastest. 

That's my two cents. Good luck.

Hi Jason, 

First congratulations on taking on the piano and classical music. I agree with all the responses above although I don’t know anything about Pianoforte. But I can tell you that if you are serious about classical music, Tone base is almost like the Netflix of piano performance. It addresses all the details about the key elements of piano playing , and dissect it into its component parts, Masterclasses, course work,  lesson on a particular work etc. You name it , they cover it.  There are so many works  which I play,they cover in detail.  I have been so surprised at times of why I have not thought of this or that. Some of the things, even my superb teacher did not have time to address them. And they did it with the very best of professional concert artists who are also excellent teachers (this is hard to find, sometimes!). So I would recommend keeping Tone base for sure.  You won’t be sorry. Just buy the lifetime subscription and be done with it.  Priscilla

Hi Jason,

I tried Pianote some time ago and to be honest found it to be quite basic, poorly structured and unhelpful. I don’t know if you have come across Key-Notes before by Albert Frantz but I would highly recommend it for someone at your stage of learning. It is based completely on classical piano playing. 

Tonebase is excellent for many things but it does not provide a clear, structured and incremental path for beginners.

Albert is a top class concert pianist and a piano educator of the very highest standard and capability. His knowledge and ability to provide clear, structured, step by step instruction is second to none. The method is predominantly based around pieces, increasing in complexity and sophistication as you progress. There are specific elements to cover theory, scales & arpeggios and technique. There are also some brilliant interactive tools on the platform that will help you to learn pieces and better understand the underlying theory. I can’t do it full justice here so definitely best to have a look. 
 

As you go through the course you will receive incredibly detailed information about not only how to play the pieces but about theory and music history. This is all paced superbly and you get what you need at the right time without ever being overwhelmed. Whilst aimed at beginner and intermediate students I believe there are many more advanced players that would benefit from Key-Notes due to the comprehensive nature of the instruction provided that would complement their knowledge and plug any gaps - particularly for those that may be largely self taught. 
 

I have no affiliation with Albert other than to be a user of Key-Notes. I have explored many online and other resources as someone who has been a self learner for much of my piano journey and I don’t think there is anything out there that comes close to Key-Notes in providing what you are looking for. I offer these comments as a genuinely satisfied and highly impressed member of Key-Notes and I hope you find them helpful. 
 

Good luck with your piano studies. 
 

Regards

Greg

I feel it should be mentioned here too, as it helped me immensely to make a fresh start after a long break:

https://practisingthepiano.com/

by Graham Fitch!

I feel it should be mentioned here too, as it helped me immensely to make a fresh start after a long break:

https://practisingthepiano.com/

by Graham Fitch from the UK!

Ive never used pianote, but if you want a jazzistic approach I think open studio is the better service on the market. I've signed for 3 months and have some real development on improvisational skills, btw I realized that the true basis for a language on this style only can be achieved by ear, learning songs and licks by ears in actual the path for jazz, but you can have some insights with open studio. Therefore, Ive come to tonebase and instantly felt the difference, specifically on the technique, on the touch, on the articulation, I think that the jazz process lacks a lot in this. While music theory, ear and creative skills are focused, much is lost in the search of achieving the best sound you can have, as such as to a ergonomical playing, clarity, and so on. My idea is to develop a full potential on the classics here, and then move to jazz again. Moreover I know Ive skip the line a little bit, but I think its a point to be taken.