Introducing.... Tonara!
We're rolling out some new apps and technology in the studio this year!
I first heard about Tonara at the 2019 National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, where I met one of the founders and got a tour of the app's features. Now that piano lessons have moved online, I figured it was high time to give it a test drive for the year!
Tonara functions as a virtual assignment book and one-stop practice support system. All students enrolled for fall 2020 will have free access to a personalized account as part of your tuition.
To watch a quick video outlining the app, click here, or keep reading for a quick tour of features!
Assignment list: when you log into your student account, you'll see a list of all your assignments for the week. Click each assignment to see any specific reminders you need to know
Video and recording links: access any reminder videos and recording right in the app. They'll be linked in each assignment!
Track your progress each week: Tonara will keep track of how long you practice, how many assignments you complete, and how close you are to completing your weekly goals
Check in with your teacher: if you run into problems during the week, use the message feature to send a quick note to Ms. Valerie. You can even send a recording!
Measure accuracy: As students move closer to mastery of a piece, Tonara will analyze their playing and compare it to a finished performance. The app will then give feedback on pitch and rhythmic accuracy
Earn points and compete on the leaderboard: Some students LOOOVE competition and thrive on it- this is a great feature to keep them going throughout the week! After you finish your practice session for the day, check the leaderboard to see how many points you've earned and how other students in the studio are doing. Other students feel most successful by tracking their own progress without comparison (that's definitely how I learn best now, as an adult). If that's you, just ignore the points and focus on finishing your goals!
Watch your inbox at the end of August for a link to download the app and log in. Check back here next Monday for a sneak peak of other new apps coming this fall!