Learning Piano Just Got Futuristic: New App Turns Apple Vision Pro into Immersive Music Teacher
Since its launch nearly two years ago, Apple’s Vision Pro mixed reality headset has been searching for its killer app – something to justify its hefty price tag of $3,499. Now, a new app from Simply, the music education company formerly known as JoyTunes, might just fit the bill. Released on Sunday, Simply’s Vision Pro app uses the headset’s technology to create an immersive piano learning experience unlike anything else on the market.
For Eliran Douenias, Simply’s head of innovation strategy and leader of the app’s development, the goal was to push the boundaries of what’s possible. "We wanted to go for the most powerful platform available and show what the future looks like today," Douenias said in an interview with Calcalist.
Simply’s app takes advantage of the Vision Pro’s spatial scanning capabilities to identify the keys of a physical piano. It then overlays digital guides directly onto the instrument, illuminating the keys to be played while displaying notes, instructions, and feedback above the piano. Users can learn everything from basic key recognition to playing songs like Beethoven’s "Ode to Joy," all while receiving real-time feedback on their performance.
For those without a piano, the app offers a virtual keyboard projected onto any flat surface. While lacking the tactile feedback of a real instrument, the virtual experience surprisingly delivers a high-quality learning environment.
"This is just the beginning,” Douenias emphasized. "A lot more content will be added in the next month. What we’ve done now is a proof of concept—a glimpse of what the future looks like with Simply. Our infrastructure allows us to quickly add more songs and courses. Not many companies can develop dedicated apps for Vision Pro like we can."
Looking ahead, Simply is exploring the potential of applying their technology to other music instruments.
"Imagine folding laundry while seeing lyrics, vocal range, and pitch accuracy displayed," Douenias said, portraying a vision of seamless music education integrated into everyday life. “The possibilities with this technology are endless.”
