PopuPiano: The Smart Portable Piano Review

PopuPiano: The Smart Portable Piano Review.Do you love the idea of playing the piano, but not sure if you want to spend years learning and mastering a new skill? PopuPiano by PopuMusic is a portable MIDI keyboard that can be used with a mobile app to learn how to play the piano from scratch.For those who know how to play the piano, this device is also suitable as a portable keyboard. You can take this smart piano with you anywhere, improve your skills and learn new songs on the go.If you’re not sure if this digital piano is right for you, check out our PopuPiano review to see if this musical instrument is worth buying for you.

PopuPiano Smart Portable Piano MIDI Controller: First Impressions & Specs

PopuMusic is a company that makes smart musical instruments accompanied by apps with tutorials and free lessons. Some of the most popular smart portable musical instruments they produce started as Indiegogo crowdfunding campaigns – Popupar T1 and T2 (smart guitar), Populele 1 and 2 (smart ukulele) and smart portable piano Popupiano.Popupiano is not a regular keyboard, but a MIDI controller (or MIDI keyboard). MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface and gives you more options in terms of sound effects than a traditional musical instrument.While a MIDI keyboard may look like a normal keyboard (which is the case with the PopuPiano), it does not produce sound on its own. This means that PopuPiano does not have a built-in speaker and requires a mobile app to function properly, i.e. to play sound. The good news is that PopuPiano has a great PopuMusic app with everything you need to learn and practice your musical skills. Is it possible to learn how to play the piano with the PopuPiano MIDI keyboard? Before I share my experience with this instrument with you, here is the complete list of specifications for PopuMusic’s Smart Portable Piano PopuPiano:

Dimensions: 18.3 x 4.8 x 1.3 inches (46.5 x 12 2 x 3.3 cm)
Weight: 3.85 lb (1.75 kg)
Keys: 29 LED keys + chord pad
Codec Audio player: MIDI
Connection : Bluetooth 5.0 BLE (Bluetooth MIDI support), USB Type-C.
Battery: 2200 mAh lithium battery, charging time 1.5 hours.
Colors: glowing black, sparkling white.
Additional features: Supports professional arranging software Logic, Cubase, Garageband and other software.
Price: Starting at $348 (with bag) at Amazon and $299 (without bag) at PopuMusic. – You can choose whether you want the version with or without a case when you place an order.

Design and Unpacking

Before I received PopuPiano, I was intrigued and somewhat worried about the product I would receive. Although the keyboard has 29 keys, which fits my needs, it looks like a big shiny toy in the picture. I was wondering if this product is mainly for kids and if I can use it without being annoyed by all the lights and constantly changing colors.However, when I got the PopuPiano, I couldn’t take my hands off it for hours! This brilliant and colorful interactive MIDI keyboard makes you want to learn and play even more.

What’s in the box

The kit I received for review is a black PopuPiano with a carry bag (or PopuBag). Here’s what you’ll find in the box when you unpack the PopuPiano:

PopuPiano LED keyboard
Chord stand
USB-C charging cable

< li >User Manual

PopuBag Carrying Case

The PopuBag is a durable strapless case with a glossy plastic finish for your PopuPiano and chord pad. The case has a rubberized handle that makes it easy to carry the PopuPiano. The bag may look waterproof, but it has an opening to power your device on the go. The keyboard itself is relatively small and light. Contrary to what I imagined before receiving the product, the keys are a decent size (not too small as I expected) and I didn’t experience any difficulty while playing. At the same time, if you have large hands, you will probably want the keys to be slightly wider.The main keyboard has 29 acrylic keys with LED backlight underneath them. The LED backlit keys illuminate as interactive finger pointers to help you master the keyboard. For my taste, the keys look even prettier when the piano is turned off, but of course visual cues are an essential part of learning to play. The chord pad has 18 buttons grouped into six keys of different colors. It connects to the main keyboard via the magnetic connector found on the sides of the chord pad and keyboard. You can use the PopuPiano keyboard without a chord pad, but not vice versa. The chord pad cannot work if it is not connected to the main keyboard. While I couldn’t find it on the website when writing this review, PopuMusic originally offered a left-handed keyboard as an add-on to PopuPiano on their Indiegogo campaign page. It plugged into the main keyboard instead of a chord pad, and you could use the PopuPiano to duet with a friend.

Is It Suitable for Beginners?

The main questions people seem to be asking about PopuPiano are: is it suitable for beginners and is it possible to learn how to play piano with PopuPiano if you’ve never done it before?Surprisingly, the answer to both questions is yes. I have a musical education, as a child I spent ten years in a music school, mainly playing the piano. At the same time, I didn’t touch the piano for more than ten years, which caused me to lose most of my skills in this area.Against this backdrop, I downloaded the PopuMusic app on my smartphone, connected my keyboard via Bluetooth, and decided to immerse myself in it. I opened up the Pop Hits module, expecting the worst – that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the app and would have to start with the beginner’s guides. To my surprise, I didn’t have any problems following the instructions on the screen and the LED indicators on the keyboard. However, when you run into these issues, the app has Practice and Demo options so you can play quickly.I then gave the PopuPiano to my boyfriend who has no experience with any musical instrument, let alone the piano. Since he is a complete beginner, he started with a piano course. The course starts with simple things like correct hand position on the keyboard so that your wrists are comfortable to play. The course is then divided into sections that introduce new skills in a playful way. In addition, the lessons are built in the form of tasks. You can only move forward after completing the task in the previous section, which makes the learning process like playing a video game and gives you a sense of accomplishment.Compared to standard tutoring lessons (which I had to take for ten years, so I’m speaking from experience), the PopuMusic app will teach you the same skills you’d get in half a year, in a few hours.Visual LED cues and real-time feedback will also help you master finger movements. Further lessons in the course strengthen the basics, and you will start mastering them before you notice.

How About Advanced-to-Pro Musicians?

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll be able to explore other sections of the PopuMusic app designed for more advanced performers and musicians. One of my favorites is the Freeplay section, which allows you to use PopuPiano to create tracks and share them with the online community.This is also where the powerful Chord pad comes into play. Although its main function is to replace the chord keys on a standard numeric keypad, you can get creative with it. For example, in the Free Play section, change the keyboard voice from piano to drums and use the chord pad as the drum pad. If you feel like you’re done with the PopuMusic app, you can use PopuPiano for its MIDI capabilities. Thanks to the USB-C connector, you can connect PopuPiano to a digital audio workstation like Garageband or Logic and use it to create your tracks from scratch. (Then you can use your tracks in your YouTube videos instead of looking for free music online).

The Companion App

We’ve already touched on the PopuMusic app, but I’ll say it again: the app is very impressive, both in terms of tutorials and in terms of practicing your skills. Learning which section is which can take a while as they aren’t always clearly marked, but you won’t regret going through this learning curve. Having had PopuPiano for a few months, I’m still finding new things to do and learn on the app.Some of my favorite features this music app offers include playing with your favorite artists in the Pop Hits section and recording your voice with music using Tap and Sing. You can download PopuMusic app for iOS and Android and APK file for free. The app supports the following languages: English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.

Battery Life

The PopuPiano is powered by a 2200mAh Lithium battery that provides a decent 5-hour gaming session with continuous use. The charging port is located on the back of the main keyboard. As soon as you connect the charger, a green flashing light will show the battery status. When the battery level drops to 10%, the keyboard will flash red to remind you to charge the battery. You can charge the keyboard with the included USB-C charging cable in about 1.5 hours from scratch.

Should You Buy the PopuPiano Smart Portable Piano MIDI Controller?

In my reviews, I usually only recommend the products I test for a certain type of person. “If you have pets, this gadget is perfect for you, but if you have kids, don’t buy it.”With PopuPiano, I would recommend almost everyone to buy it. If you love music and are even remotely interested in learning how to play or creating your own music, PopuPiano will fit in well in your home and find its place in your soul.