''The Miracle Piano Teaching System'' is
educational software
Educational software is a term used for any computer software which is made for an educational purpose. It encompasses different ranges from language learning software to classroom management software to reference software. The purpose of all t ...
which uses a
MIDI
MIDI (; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers, and ...
keyboard to teach how to play the piano.
It was published in 1990 by
The Software Toolworks
The Software Toolworks (commonly abbreviated as Toolworks) was an American software and video game developer based in Novato, California. The company was founded by Walt Bilofsky in 1980 out of his Sherman Oaks garage, which he converted into ...
for the
Nintendo Entertainment System,
Super NES
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in ...
,
Macintosh
The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and software en ...
,
Amiga,
Sega Genesis, and
MS-DOS
MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few ope ...
compatible operating systems.
Description
![Miracle-Piano-Teaching-System-keyboard](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Miracle-Piano-Teaching-System-keyboard.jpg)
The Miracle Piano Teaching System consists of a keyboard, connecting cables, power supply, soft foot pedals, and software. The software comes either on 3.5"
floppy disks for
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
s or on cartridges for
video game consoles. After the supplied MIDI keyboard is connected to a console or computer and the included software is loaded, a user follows the on-screen notes. Its marketed value is as a tool to teach users to play the
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
. It provides hundreds of lessons,
and was advertised as the perfect adjunct to formal lessons. It was sold for US$500 and had low sales, in part due to its high price.
It was released in the United States and in multiple regions of Europe. Some of the NES Miracle keyboards were later converted for PC use and the
Nintendo Seal of Quality on these boards was covered up with a piece of plastic.
With the exception of the metronome that is used in the Miracle system's lessons, the Miracle system does not ever generate sounds through the video game console hardware. All MIDI information from the console is converted into audio by the instrument's built-in ROM and played through the instrument's stereo speakers, allowing the keyboard to be used independently of the console.
Features
Students can learn to play
classic piano,
rock piano, or
show tune
A show tune is a song originally written as part of the score of a work of musical theatre or musical film, especially if the piece in question has become a standard, more or less detached in most people's minds from the original context.
T ...
s. The Miracle system assesses the player's ability to create custom lessons. Fun exercises were meant to make learning the piano seem less like a chore and more like playing a video game. Instead of using the traditional NES controller, the
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
becomes the controller as players aim at targets in order to perfect their
music
Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspe ...
skills.
There are multiple games that students can play to help teach musical skills. One game is called ''Robo Man'' where the player has to press the correct keys at the right time to create a bridge. If they miss, Robo Man falls and the player loses. In the duck hunting game, the player has to press the keys that correspond to the positions of the ducks on a musical staff to shoot them.
In the ''Ripchord'' game, players must press the correct combination of keys for a chord to land
paratroopers
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...
onto a target.
Successors
Around 1995, technology from the Miracle system was incorporated into the ''Piano Discovery System'', an interactive PC software application that works with any MIDI keyboard including the Miracle keyboard. By 1997, the Miracle product had been discontinued in favor of the ''Piano Discovery System''.
Reception
The Miracle system failed commercially with its high price of – (equivalent to US$–US$ in , depending on format),
but it was overall well received by critics.
''
Computer Gaming World'' liked the Miracle system's games and graphics, describing them as "not only entertaining and challenging, but they are also cleverly designed to reinforce the lessons". The magazine concluded, "everything that Software Toolworks promises about this system is true
utthere is still no substitute for parental involvement". David Wesley and Gloria Barczak mentioned that the system was praised by educators and that in 1990 it was the highest-rated third-party NES title by Nintendo's software review team.
It was not well-suited to average gamers who lacked musical experience or who were not highly committed and dedicated to undertaking long-term electronic piano learning.
''
PC Magazine'' mentioned the system as being easy to use and likely more patient than a live piano teacher though the system did not cover certain aspects of piano playing such as hand position.
The game was reviewed in the ''
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Guide Book'' where the authors described it as "by far the highest use a video-game machine has ever been put to".
[
]NPR
National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
personality Noah Adams
Noah Adams is an American broadcast journalist and author, known primarily since 1987 from National Public Radio.
Career
A former co-host of the daily ''All Things Considered'' program, Adams is currently the contributing correspondent at ...
begins his 1997 memoir ''Piano Lessons'' attempting to teach himself how to play through the use of Miracle for PC software, ultimately finding greater success by taking more traditional lessons.
References
External links
*
''Miracle Piano Teaching System FAQ for PC Versions'' at the Piano Education Page
{{Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System accessories
Music video games
Video games developed in the United States
Children's educational video games
1990 video games
Sega Genesis games
Super Nintendo Entertainment System games
Classic Mac OS games
Amiga games
The Software Toolworks games