Scott Houston, The Piano Guy, Strikes a Beautiful Chord with Piano Wizard

“The problem with the way many people learn piano is that they go through all the traditional methods for months and months, and they’re still not playing anything they want to play,” Houston said. “They aren’t inspired to practice, and they stop learning. That’s why I think Piano Wizard is really clicking with people. Instead of saying they have to go and practice, they are genuinely getting immersed in this game. It turns practice into simply learning to play quicker. For any of my students who come in the door and say they are nowhere, don’t understand how to read music and need a place to start, I will definitely be using Piano Wizard. To be able to see how the progression of this product turns the playing of the game into playing real music, and how easily that transition takes place, is very impressive to me.”

Scott Houston is a musical innovator and troubleshooter. In his regional seminars, national television shows and private lessons he specializes in helping student musicians overcome bad teaching experiences and learn how to play the piano fast. No matter what has kept these students from becoming musicians, Houston finds a way to turn the problem around.

Piano Wizard combines the fun of a video game with the fundamentals of piano lessons. That means that anyone can sit at a keyboard and instantly play music. What once felt like practice now becomes play, and the tedium disappears, as does the resistance, and soon the kids are competing with the parents as to who gets to play with Piano Wizard.

To keep the game infinitely interesting, players can choose (and change) any of four different fantasy worlds to play in. They can change the speed, the instrument sounds, the skill level, and more. And in addition to the MIDI songs that come standard with Piano Wizard’s Easy Mode version and Piano Wizard’s Premier version enables thousands of songs to be downloaded from internet libraries. So players can download and play any MIDI song from virtually any artist, whether it’s classical, pop, rock, country, or alternative.

The Piano Wizard PC video game includes a CD containing its proprietary computer game, color-coded stickers, and is bundled either with or without an electronic MIDI keyboard. The Piano Wizard software allows kids to simply and quickly hit the correct note at the correct time, letting the user play actual songs immediately, and in the process, learn music logic, theory and notation while playing a game.

Houston added, “We just teach the kids to play the right notes at the right time, which Bach said was his secret 300 years ago. We start so simply that a three year old can play Beethoven in minutes, but with the ability to import new songs and choose musical parts, the musical payoff and game challenge level is infinite. Load a new song, and you have a new game, and so they never tire of Piano Wizard, as another song always beckons them.”

Allegro Multimedia CEO, Chris Salter commented, “Scott and I agree. Music should be a birthright, like language, like reading and writing, not just for the few who manage to muddle their way through years of painful struggle, but for everyone. Next year is the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, and we believe that Mozart’s kind of musical fluency is an untapped potential in all of us, which we enjoy bringing out in countless children, even in little ways, through our teaching tools. We also believe, that from the very first day, and for every day after that, music should always be a source of joy, and fun, and never a reason for ridicule or shame. Scott Houston’s methods and Piano Wizard complement each other wonderfully, and we look forward to many new collaborations and joint musical projects.”

For more information, visit: www.pianowizard.com

About Allegro Multimedia and Allegro Rainbow

Allegro Multimedia, Inc. (dba Allegro Rainbow) is a leading provider of music gaming software and musical educational tools that teaches both young and old alike how to play the piano and read music. Allegro Multimedia's mission is to increase music literacy and the ability to play and read music among all classes of people; to provide an answer for parents and educators as well as religious groups and government agencies to combat the onslaught of mind-numbing violence and destruction that has traditionally dominated the video game industry; and to build long-term relationships with our customers by providing quality products, training, support and additional exciting gaming products that continue to move our mission forward in a fun, safe, exciting, and yet non-violent and yet exciting way for their children. Allegro Multimedia would like to create a tidal wave of interest in music making and achieve universal musical literacy among all people regardless of age, national origin, or economic status through fun and exciting non-violent, music training video games. Allegro Multimedia is aligned with a wide variety of promotional and technology partners, including: keyboard manufacturers, M-Audio; MIDI software partners, Midisoft; interactive ad agency Euro RSCG; infomercial production company, One Productions and MIDI song provider, CyberMIDI.

About Scott Houston
Scott's Play Piano in a Flash! and The Piano Guy with Scott Houston public television shows continue to delight and entertain people who have always wanted to learn how to play piano or keyboard, but, for whatever reason, have been unable to accomplish their goal.
Scott Houston presents the piano workshops in many locations for many different audiences. Whether it is public television stations’ fundraisers, an educational institution's continuing education program, a corporate or association convention session, or a fundraiser for any organization, Scott continues to delight and entertain thousands of "students" a year with his highly sought after presentations. For more information, visit www.scotthouston.com.

Contact Information:
Brian Metcalf
Account Executive
Max Borges Marketing Solutions, Inc
www.MaxBorges.com
3550 Biscayne Blvd. Suite 501
Miami, Florida 33137
T: 305-576-1171 Ext 11
F: 305-402-6373