This piano plays right in your browser, so you can start instantly. There are three ways to play: with the mouse, tapping with your finger on mobile or tablet, and above all with your computer keyboard, which is the most comfortable way to really play. The middle row of your keyboard is the white notes and the top row the black keys, exactly as shown in the map. Hold the spacebar to turn on the sustain pedal and chain chords smoothly, and use the left and right arrows to move through the octaves when you need lower or higher notes. If you have a MIDI keyboard, plug it in over USB and you can play with it directly. Switch the instrument to practise the same passage with a grand piano, electric piano, organ, strings, synth or music box tone, and turn on the labels in letters (C D E) or solfège (Do Re Mi) while you learn where each note is.
To start, try the C major scale: all the white keys in a row from C up to the next C. Then practise the three chords that open almost any song: C major (C-E-G), F major (F-A-C) and G major (G-B-D). Play each chord with the pedal on and listen to how they connect. Once you have them, chain them in the order C - G - A minor - F: it is the most used progression in popular music and with it you can already accompany a huge number of songs.
How do I play the virtual piano with my computer keyboard?
Each key on your keyboard maps to a note. The middle row (A, S, D, F, G, H, J, K, L) plays the white notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B and beyond; the top row (W, E, T, Y, U, O, P) plays the black keys (sharps and flats). The full map is right below the piano. Press the spacebar for the sustain pedal and the arrows ← → to change octave.
Does it work on mobile and tablet?
Yes. On touch screens you can tap the keys directly, even several at once to play chords. The keyboard adapts to your screen width and you can scroll horizontally to reach the low and high octaves.
Can I connect a real MIDI keyboard?
Yes. If you plug in a USB MIDI keyboard the browser detects it and you can play with it: the keys light up and sound the same. It works in Chrome, Edge and Opera; Safari and Firefox still have limited Web MIDI API support.
What is the sustain pedal for?
The sustain pedal (the spacebar) holds the sound of the notes after you release the key, just like the right pedal on a real piano. It is what gives chords and arpeggios that full, connected sound. Turn it on with the spacebar or with the button in the control bar.
Can I record what I play?
Yes. Press Record, play whatever you like and press again to stop. Then you can listen with Play. The recording stays in your browser while the page is open, so you can repeat it as many times as you need to study a passage.
Is it really free and do I need to install anything?
It is completely free, no sign-up and nothing to install. The sound is generated right in your browser with the Web Audio API, so it works instantly on desktop, tablet and mobile.
