Music Learning Games
MusicTheory.net & Tenuto app - http://www.musictheory.net/exercises- Apple ($3.99)
- My old favourite, it’s got note-reading and ear-training and more. It can be a little tricky to get it customized to your level, and while it keeps track of your scores, it feels more like a drill than a game. Still good, and excellent for advanced students because it can always be made harder.
NoteRush - http://www.noterushapp.com/- Apple ($5.49)
- This is note reading flash-cards, except with ladybugs, soccer balls, or planets. It hears you play your instrument, so it’s fabulous for making sure you are playing not just any C but the right C, but it isn’t going to keep you busy on long car rides unless you bring along your piano.
PianoMaestro - https://www.joytunes.com/apps#pdb– Apple (monthly $13.99 or annual subscription.)
- This app is for playing along with! It hears your piano or keyboard using the microphone, and gives you a score according to how well you hit the right note at the right time. There are lessons that walk you through how to play a song under Journey & lots of pop tunes in their Library that you can jump to. It only goes up to a Piano Adventures 3B level, but is pretty fun for sightreading as well!
Piano Adventures Player - https://pianoadventures.com/resources/piano-adventures-player-app/- Apple (free, in-app purchases)
- This is basically a “play along with the recording” app, except it also allows you to change the tempo, turn on or off each hand or the backing track so that you can hear each part separately (or see it played on piano keys!), and tracks along with the notation to show you exactly where in the music you are. There are three free songs for each Piano Adventures level to try, and if you love it you can purchase all the tracks in any lesson book for $6.99
Flashnote Derby - https://flashnotederby.com/- Apple ($2.99) & Google ($3.30)
- Learn to name notes on the staff! You can set which notes to test, and you have to answer the questions fast enough to beat the other horse. Fair warning, even when the horse is “walking”, it’s pretty fast, so little ones may want to start out with only a few notes to avoid frustration.
Rhythm Lab - http://www.pedaplus.com/rhythmlab/- Apple ($2.99)
- Gives you a rhythm in standard notation which you need to tap on the drum pad. Starts super-easy but progresses right up to a Grade 10 level. Fair warning, it’s really picky about how exact you need to match the rhythm. More useful for intermediate to advanced students.
Other helpful apps & programs
Metronomes
Just about any one will do! A traditional wind-up clicker works, a digital clicker, or an app, as long as it's always handy by the piano.
Online - https://www.metronomeonline.com/
Metronome+ - http://www.metronomeplus.com/ - Apple (free to try, $5.49 for all features)
Notation
Finale Notepad - https://www.finalemusic.com/products/finale-notepad/ - a free downloadable program for Windows or Mac that will let you print out your own music.
MuseScore - https://musescore.org/ - another free downloadable program for Windows or Mac that will let you print out your own music.
Play-Along
Speedshifter - http://ca.abrsm.org/en/exam-support/practice-tools-and-applications/speedshifter/ - free downloadable program for Windows or Mac that allows you to slow down or speed up audio tracks so that you can play along with it.
Anytune Pro+ - http://anytune.us/ - Apple (free to try, $2.79 for Basic Pack and $6.99 for Pro Pack) - allows you to speed up or slow down audio recordings, adjust the pitch up or down to play in different keys, and set up practice loops. Excellent if you are trying to figure out songs by ear.
iReal Pro - http://irealpro.com/ - Apple ($17.99) - if you're playing from chord charts, this lets you set up a chord chart (or download tons from their online forums) and set up a basic accompaniment track with drums and guitar to play along with. Much more fun than a metronome!
Recording
GarageBand - http://www.apple.com/ca/ios/garageband/ - Apple ($6.99) - record yourself, plus use semi-automated instruments to create multi-layer tracks with drums and whatever your imagination can come up with!
Audacity - http://www.audacityteam.org/- free open-source downloadable program for Windows or Mac - a basic (and not so basic!) audio recording program.
Edmonton Music Festivals
Edmonton Music and Speech Arts Festival - https://www.emsaf.ca/
Contemporary Showcase - http://www.csedmonton.com/
Exams
Royal Conservatory - https://examinations.rcmusic.ca/
Conservatory Canada - http://www.conservatorycanada.ca/
Sheet Music
IMSLP - http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page - an online database of sheet music in the public domain, which is a lot of classical music written and edited more than 50 years ago. Better know what you're looking for.
Long & McQuade - https://www.long-mcquade.com/ - if you're looking to browse and buy right away, their store on Whyte Avenue (10832 82nd Ave NW) has the best selection in town.
MusicTime - http://www.musictime.ca/ - all Canadian online sheet music shopping!
SheetMusicPlus - http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/ - an American online sheet music store, but if you're looking for one particular favourite pop song, it's great for purchasing digital downloads.
ForScore - http://www.forscoreapp.com/ - if you want to keep your sheet music on your tablet, this is one of the best apps for uploading pdfs of your music, creating setlists, and making notes on the music. Add an Airturn, and you can even turn pages with your feet.
Reading
Pianist Magazine - https://www.pianistmagazine.com/ - a UK magazine for pianists including scores from beginners right up to advanced with recordings, tutorials, and lots of general piano news. You can usually get a hard copy at Chapters, but since international subscriptions are pretty expensive, I'd recommend purchasing issues through their Apple or Google apps.
Edmonton Public Library - http://www.epl.ca/ - besides the obvious books (including some sheet music), be sure to check out their digital content for Naxos which allows you to stream music from their extensive classical & jazz libraries.