Paper Piano app review: print piano keys and tap them to magically produce musical notes from your iPhone

Introduction

This is an incredibly innovative app which enables you to turn a simple piece of paper into a musical instrument by printing off the .PDF document contained within the app and tapping on the keys so that your iPhone detects the movement and plays the corresponding notes.

I must admit, I was highly skeptical when I first saw this app but I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to set up, and how effective it is at providing an accurate reproduction of a piano or keyboard playing experience.

As a musician I’m always on the lookout for new and unique music apps, and Paper Piano is a very exciting development for sure!

Pia-Pia-Piano!

When you first start up this app you’ll be given illustrated instructions on how to get your paper piano up and running in a matter of minutes.

All you need to do is print the PDF document onto a sheet of A4 paper, fix it to a flat surface, and then balance your iPhone against a book or sturdy object so that it sits in alignment with the piano keys you’ve printed off.

It can be a little difficult getting setup correctly if the surface isn’t totally flat or lighting conditions aren’t ideal, but with a little trial and error I managed to start tinkling away within a couple of minutes.

 

Surprisingly Easy Setup

The instructions for getting set up are very extensive so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty, and once you’re up and running you can select from different instruments such as a Piano, Music Box, Organ, and Brass sound.

If you really can’t figure out how to set up the sheet of paper correctly, you can simply tap the button at the bottom of the screen in order to bring up a piano on the screen - so you can still take a shot at being the next Elton John!

All in all, I’m very impressed by Paper Piano and I’ve been having a lot of fun geeking out with my new paper instrument!

 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Print off piano keys on a sheet of paper and your iPhone will magically detect which keys you press and produce the corresponding musical notes
• Instructions are very detailed and cater for different lighting conditions
• Use the onscreen piano if you can’t get your paper instrument set up

 

Cons

• There is nothing negative to say about this app

 

Final Words

If you asked me to sum up this app in a single word, I know exactly what I’d say: cool!

Paper Piano is a truly astounding feat of mobile technology and perhaps it’s just my limited understanding of the technical aspects behind it, but I’m utterly amazed.

Even if you’re not a musician, you absolutely must check out this app and I guarantee you’ll be totally gobsmacked by how well it works.