Does it listen to me play through the microphone?

No. Connect a MIDI keyboard and use Wait mode: the music waits until you play the right keys (Chrome or Edge).

Can a complete beginner use it?

You can follow easy pieces slowly with falling notes, but there are no music-theory lessons.

Partly free. The core features and the free pieces are free to use. A few extras, such as the high-quality piano and medley mode, come with Pro — see "Basic vs Pro" above for every difference.

Piano: Soloist

A Simply Piano alternative: Piano: Soloist

Simply Piano is a well-known subscription app for iOS and Android that teaches piano step by step and listens to you play through the microphone, giving feedback as you go. Piano: Soloist is not a step-by-step course. If you already have pieces you want to learn and want to see them as falling notes with the real score in sync, right in your browser, it is a lighter alternative.

Open it in your browser Browse 400+ pieces

What you get

One-time Pro, no subscription: No account needed. Pro is a single one-time purchase, and its trial needs no card.
Score and falling notes together: The sheet music is highlighted as it plays while notes fall onto the keyboard.
Many file types: MusicXML/MXL, MIDI, printed PDF scores and piano recordings.
2D, 2.5D and 3D with themes: Space and Classic themes, Christmas and Neon with Pro, plus your own background.
Video recording: Landscape videos and vertical 9:16 renders for Shorts and Reels.

How to use it

Open the piece you want to learn (or pick an easy one such as Burgmüller or a sonatina).
Play it at 0.5× with one-hand view.
Loop the bars you find hard.
Show fingering numbers if the score has them.
Speed up gradually; with a MIDI keyboard, use Wait mode.

Comparison: Piano: Soloist · Simply Piano

	Piano: Soloist	Simply Piano
What it is	Practice the pieces you choose with score and falling notes	Step-by-step lesson path
Pieces	Your own scores (MusicXML, MIDI, PDF, recordings) + 400+ classical pieces	The app's own song list
Where it runs	Browser (computer, tablet, phone)	iOS and Android app
Checks your playing	Wait mode with a MIDI keyboard (no microphone)	Listens through the microphone with live feedback
Payment	Partly free, Pro is a one-time purchase	Subscription

Comparison as we understand each product today; features and prices change, so check Simply Piano's own site for its current details.

Which one fits you

You are starting from zero and want a guided path: A lesson app like Simply Piano walks you through the basics.
You already know which piece you want to play: Open its score in Piano: Soloist and learn it slowly, hand by hand, looping the hard bars.

Basic vs Pro

Partly free: the basic features need no payment or account, and a one-time Pro purchase adds the following.

	Basic (Free)	Pro
Price	No payment	One-time lifetime purchase: $19.99 launch price until 2026-12-27 (regular $29.99). No subscription
Files you can open	MusicXML (.musicxml, .xml, .mxl), MIDI (.mid), PDF scores, piano recordings and videos (MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4…)	Same
Views	Falling notes + highlighted score, 2D / 2.5D / 3D, themes (Space, Classic)	+ Pro themes (Christmas, Neon)
Practice	Speed 0.5–1.5×, one-hand view, jump to bar / loop, MIDI keyboard	Same
Wait mode (waits for the right key)	1 piece a day	Unlimited
High-quality piano (16 velocity layers)	1 piece a day	Unlimited
Video recording / render (MP4)	720p, 30 fps, watermark, 2D/2.5D, vertical 9:16 available	1080p and 4K, 60 fps, no watermark, 3D
PDF to score	3 a month (up to 10 pages)	10 a day (up to 30 pages)
Recording to score	3 a day (up to 8 min)	20 a day (up to 8 min)
Fast recording conversion (GPU)	1 a day	10 a day, priority when busy
Medley (play several pieces in a row)	—	Yes
Saved scores	Latest 5	Unlimited
Account	Not needed	Not needed (activate with the key from your receipt)
Devices	—	Up to 3 per key
Trial and refunds	—	3-day trial (no card), refunds within 14 days

Only need more score conversions? Pro-Lite ($3.99, one-time): PDF to score 3 a day (up to 20 pages), recording to score 5 a day (3 fast), unlimited saved scores and no ads. Everything else is the same as Basic.

FAQ

Does it listen to me play through the microphone?: No. Connect a MIDI keyboard and use Wait mode: the music waits until you play the right keys (Chrome or Edge).
Can a complete beginner use it?: You can follow easy pieces slowly with falling notes, but there are no music-theory lessons.
Is it free?: Partly free. The core features and the free pieces are free to use. A few extras, such as the high-quality piano and medley mode, come with Pro — see "Basic vs Pro" above for every difference.