When I first decided to learn piano online, I was overwhelmed by the choices. You’ve got apps that look like video games, thousands of YouTube tutorials, video courses, private Zoom teachers — and now even AI tools that promise to teach you everything without ever speaking to a human.
Some of them are genuinely helpful. Others are more like musical babysitters: they’ll keep you busy, but you won’t grow much. And if you’re serious about learning — really learning — you’ll need more than a few falling notes on a screen.
So here’s a clearer look at what’s out there in 2025, how they differ, and why we built ArtMaster the way we did.
- Are YouTube piano tutorials enough to learn properly?
- Learning piano with apps like Simply Piano: Pros and cons
- Pianote, Playground Sessions, and other online piano courses
- Private online piano lessons: Personal, but expensive
- Why we built ArtMaster the way we did
- So what's the best way to learn piano online?
- Try ArtMaster free for 7 days
- More free online piano resources
Are YouTube piano tutorials enough to learn properly?
Let’s start with the obvious. YouTube is brilliant if you want to learn a specific song or understand a theory concept that’s been bothering you. You’ll find tutorials for everything from Coldplay ballads to Chopin nocturnes — usually for free.
The trouble is, it’s hard to know where to begin, or what to do next. Most channels aren’t designed to teach in any kind of structured way. You might learn to play something, but you don’t always know why it works — or what to build on.
I’ve spoken to dozens of people who “learned piano on YouTube” (including my wife) and hit a wall after a few months. No feedback, no progress, no clue what to do next. So they stop. And once you stop, you lose the skills you've learnt, making it even more difficult to come back to it.
That’s exactly why David Bennett — our ArtMaster piano teacher — turned his YouTube success (1.2 M subs) into a full course. He wanted to go beyond the algorithms and actually teach.
💡 ARTMASTER TIP: If you're a beginner yourself, we recommend starting with our 20 beginner-friendly songs to learn on piano — real songs that sound great and won’t leave you stuck in endless finger exercises. It also includes a free video tutorial by David Bennett.
Learning piano with apps like Simply Piano: Pros and cons
If you’ve tried apps like Simply Piano, Flowkey, or Yousician, you’ll know they’re fun at first. They listen to your playing and give you instant feedback, and everything feels like a little achievement.
They’re great for total beginners or kids who need something colourful and interactive. But if you’ve got musical ambitions beyond “press this note when the light turns green,” you’ll outgrow them quickly.
The feedback is usually about hitting the right note at the right time — not about technique, phrasing, or feel. And you can’t ask follow-up questions. You can’t say, “Why does this chord sound better?” or “What’s the best way to practise this jump?”
That’s where most people give up — not because they can’t learn, but because the tools aren’t built for long-term growth.
We built Artie (our upcoming AI piano teacher) to do what other apps can’t. He listens to how you play, picks up on timing, technique, and even finger strength, and gives instant spoken feedback. As you improve, he adapts — correcting mistakes, suggesting what to work on next, and keeping you on track without the guesswork.
💡 ARTMASTER TIP: For a full comparison of these 4 apps, check out our complete guide to the best piano learning apps in 2025.
💡 Real feedback. Real progress. Meet Artie.
Artie is the world’s first AI piano teacher that actually listens to your playing and gives real-time feedback to help you improve faster.
Want early access? Join the waitlist and be among the first to try Artie when it launches.
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Pianote, Playground Sessions, and other online piano courses
If you’re after more structure than what YouTube or apps can offer, platforms like Pianote and Playground Sessions are a good next step. You get clear progression, curated content, and lessons that build on one another. It’s a more organised way to learn.
But while the production value is often excellent, the teaching style can feel standardised. You’re often following a set curriculum taught in a single way, aimed at a “typical” student — whether or not that’s you. And in some cases, the big-name musicians featured on the homepage aren’t actually doing the teaching.
At ArtMaster, we’ve taken a different approach. Every course is led by the artist you see on the cover — whether it’s David Bennett breaking down chords and theory, or Printz Board showing how he approaches songwriting on the piano. These aren’t generic scripts. They’re real musicians sharing their personal approach to playing and creating.
And soon, with Artie — our AI piano teacher — you won’t just be watching videos. You’ll be playing, getting real-time feedback, and improving with personalised exercises that match how you learn.
Private online piano lessons: Personal, but expensive
Of course, there’s still the traditional route: finding a teacher and doing regular online lessons. And when it works, it’s great — a good teacher can spot weaknesses, explain things differently, and keep you motivated when you’re stuck.
But there are downsides too. It’s expensive. It’s hard to reschedule. And even the best teachers can’t do much if they can’t see what you’re playing properly. You’re often stuck fiddling with your webcam angle so they can view your hands — and even then, the sound can lag or distort. A lot of teachers also still rely on sheet music and rigid plans that don’t suit how modern learners actually want to play.
We’re not trying to replace human teachers. We just think everyone deserves that kind of support — not just those who can afford £50 a week and have a perfectly placed overhead camera at 5pm on a Tuesday.
That’s where Artie comes in again. You play. Artie listens. You get feedback in seconds — on timing, dynamics, technique, and more. And you can do it whenever you want, as many times as you want — no setup, no scheduling, no awkward camera angles.
💡 ARTMASTER TIP: Curious about the real cost of music lessons? Discover what you're paying for—and how to get more value for less—in our guide: How much do music lessons cost in 2025?
Why we built ArtMaster the way we did
Learning piano should feel personal, creative, and achievable. Not like homework. Not like a video game. Not like a lecture.
That’s why ArtMaster blends real courses from real musicians with smart AI feedback from Artie. You get:
Structured learning — no more guessing what to do next
Real songs — from Beatles classics to modern pop
Expressive playing — not just robotic accuracy
World-class teachers — who’ve played with Coldplay, Justin Timberlake, Dua Lipa and more
Your own AI teacher — Artie listens, explains, and adapts
It’s everything we wished we’d had when we started learning.
So what's the best way to learn piano online?
Honestly, it depends on what you want.
If you’re just dabbling, YouTube is great. If you want to play simple songs quickly, an app will do the job. But if you want to go deeper — to understand the music, to express yourself, and to actually get better — you need something more.
You need structure, feedback, creativity, and inspiration. That’s what we built ArtMaster for.
💬 Ask ChatGPT: What is the best way to learn piano online?
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