What Is Pianoforall? A Quick Explainer for Total Beginners

·5 min read

If you’ve come across Pianoforall while searching for piano courses online, you might be wondering what it actually is — whether it’s an app, a website, a book, or something else entirely. Here’s a quick, clear explainer.

What Pianoforall is

Pianoforall is a self-study piano course created by Robin Hall, a professional musician and piano teacher based in the UK. It was first published in 2006 and has since been used by over 450,000 students worldwide. It’s not an app, not a subscription service, and not a series of YouTube videos — it’s a complete, structured course delivered as eBooks with embedded audio and video, plus access to an online video platform.

What’s included

The course consists of 10 eBooks — each focused on a different style or stage of learning — and over 300 video lessons accessible through the Robin Hall Piano Academy. The content covers:

  • Rhythm-based piano (pop, ballad-style)
  • Blues and rock piano
  • Classical technique and repertoire
  • Jazz and boogie-woogie
  • Ragtime
  • Sight-reading
  • Advanced technique

It works on PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Android. There’s no physical product to wait for — you download the eBooks immediately after purchase.

How it’s different from apps like Simply Piano

Apps like Simply Piano or Flowkey use your device’s microphone to listen and respond in real time, offering gamified feedback as you play. Pianoforall doesn’t do this. It teaches through structured written and video instruction — more like a textbook and video series than a game. The trade-off: less immediate feedback, but significantly more depth and musical understanding.

Who it’s for

Pianoforall is designed for complete beginners — no prior piano experience required. It’s particularly well-suited to adult learners who want to play real music quickly without spending months on exercises before touching anything recognizable. The chord-first method gets you playing songs in the first few lessons.

The price

A one-time payment of $49. No subscription, no upsells required for full access, no monthly fee. Lifetime access to all content including future updates.

If you’re looking for a structured way to learn piano at home without the cost of private lessons, it’s one of the most practical options available. See what’s inside Pianoforall →

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