This widget come with a 61-key piano that display notes ranging from C2 to C7. You can play the 61-key piano using either a mouse or a computer keyboard. Using a mouse, you can click on the keys to play a note, or you can click and hold the mouse button to drag the cursor across the piano keys to play a sequence of notes. Touchscreen device work in the same way as a mouse.
With the computer keyboard, each piano key have an indicator that displays which computer keyboard key is used to play that piano key. Piano keys with sharps use the Shift key in conjunction with the key for that piano key. For example, to play a sharp key within the bottom octave of the 61-key piano, you would of had to press and hold the Shift key and press the Z key at the same time.
How to Use the 61-Key Piano
Similarly, to play the sharp key within the second octave of the 61-key piano, you would have to press and hold the Shift and A keys at the same time. However, some piano keys, such as the E and B keys, dont have a sharp note. Pressing the Shift key in conjunction with the E or B keys will not change those piano keys to there sharp counterparts.
The Volume slider can adjust the loudness of the piano. Dragging the slider to the left will make the piano play at a lower volume, while dragging the slider to the right will increase the loudness of the piano. Additionally, you can change the tone of the piano using the Tone selector.
The Tone selector can be set to three different settings: Piano, Organ, or Synth. The piano key has a soft triangle-wave sound that decay naturaly, the Organ setting combines several harmonics to create a full sound, and the Synth setting produces a brighter and more buzzier sound. Each tone will take effect when you play the next note on the 61-key piano.
Another control is the Sustain setting. When you check the Sustain setting, the notes will stay played even after you release the key on the 61-key piano. The Sustain setting is helpful for playing chords together or slow melodies.
If the Sustain setting is unchecked, the notes will stop playing when you release your key on the 61-key piano. The Transpose control allow the pianos notes to be moved up or down the scale in increments of 12 semitones. This control is helpful for playing melodies that may be difficult to play on the 61-key piano as it can change its range.
The display will show the number of semitones that the piano is transpose. To reset the Transpose control, simply press the reset button. The Fullscreen button will expand the 61-key piano to take up the entire screen.
Expanding the piano to take up the entire screen gives each key more room and provides an instrument-like experience with the 61-key piano. Pressing the Fullscreen button again will return the piano to its normal size. Additionally, the How to Play button will open a panel that displays the keyboard map and controls for the 61-key piano.
You should click this button to become familiar with the keyboard map for the piano, especially the Shift key and how its used to play the sharp keys. To get started with the 61-key piano, press the A, D, and G keys at the same time to play a C major chord. Press the Sustain button to hold the chord together.
If the songs that you want to play are too low or too high, use the Transpose control to move the songs up or down the scale by 12 semitones. The best way to learn the 61-key piano is to play it as often as possible. The more you play the piano, the more you will remember which keys to press to play which notes.