Music Tutor — Sight-Reading Practice

Sight-reading is one of the most consistently tested and consistently underprepared skills in ABRSM grade examinations. Music Tutor addresses this directly by presenting individual notes on the staff and asking the student to name them quickly — building the automatic recognition that makes sight-reading at the piano possible rather than painful.

The app allows students to choose between treble, bass, and alto clefs, and to set note ranges appropriate to their current grade. Sessions run for one, five, or ten minutes, making it easy to fit into a morning routine. More advanced students can restrict the range to the notes that appear in their particular grade’s sight-reading requirements. For ABRSM Grades 1–5, the app covers exactly the note range needed.

Teachers can also use Music Tutor to set a student’s note range in advance, effectively creating targeted homework. A student preparing for ABRSM Grade 3, for example, can work exclusively on the notes in the treble and bass clef range expected at that level, rather than practising notes they will not encounter in an examination for several years.

For further guidance on how to structure practice around sight-reading, see WKMT’s guide on reading notes like an open book.

Aural Wiz — Ear Training for ABRSM Aural Tests

Aural skills are tested at every ABRSM grade, and many students find this component the most difficult to prepare for, precisely because it cannot be practised at the piano in the same way that scales or pieces can. Aural Wiz fills this gap: it covers intervals, scales, modes, chords, and cadences, with audio files for every concept and a clear visual representation of note positions on the keyboard.

The app works in two modes. In Learning mode, the student studies each concept with audio support and visual notation. In Practice mode, a melodic or harmonic pattern is played and the student must identify it. This mirrors the format of an ABRSM aural test more closely than most competing apps, which tend to reduce ear training to simple interval identification.

Students preparing for ABRSM Grades 3–5, where aural tests include recognising cadences, modes, and chord types, will find Aural Wiz particularly useful. The interface is clear and accessible, and the app works well in short sessions — ten minutes of cadence identification three or four times a week will produce measurable improvement before an examination. WKMT’s dedicated guide on preparing for the ABRSM Grade 4 aural test provides additional context on what examiners expect.

Music Theory with AUDIO — Grade 5 Theory Preparation

Passing ABRSM Grade 5 Theory is a prerequisite for entering Grades 6, 7, and 8 in any instrument. Many piano students reach Grade 5 performance standard long before their theoretical knowledge catches up, and this gap can block exam entry at exactly the moment a student is ready to progress. Music Theory with AUDIO addresses this through a flashcard system that covers the full Grade 5 syllabus — notation, intervals, chords, key signatures, form, and rudiments — with audio support for each concept.

The audio component is the app’s defining feature: rather than learning that a diminished seventh chord contains a certain interval pattern in the abstract, students hear the chord while reading its notation, reinforcing both visual and aural understanding simultaneously. This dual-channel approach is considerably more effective for music theory retention than text-only revision, particularly for students who are primarily auditory learners.

A practical limitation: the app is currently available only on iOS (Apple devices). Android users will need to supplement with the ABRSM’s own Music Theory Trainer app, which covers Grades 1–5 and is available on both major platforms.

Music theory is not a separate subject from piano playing — it is the explanation for why what you hear on the keyboard sounds the way it does. Students who understand theory at the keyboard play more confidently than those who do not.— WKMT London editorial team

Flat — Music Notation and Composition for Students

Flat is a browser-based and mobile music notation platform used by over five million musicians worldwide. For piano students taking composition lessons — a growing part of WKMT’s programme — it provides a practical way to notate, hear back, and share musical ideas without requiring expensive desktop software.

The free tier includes the full notation editor, MIDI playback, and the ability to export scores as PDFs. Students can create, edit, and share compositions from a web browser or from the iOS and Android apps. Students interested in exploring composition as part of their piano education can enquire about composition lessons with WKMT, where Flat is regularly used as a notation tool during sessions.

Classics for Kids — Classical Music Appreciation for Young Pianists

Classics for Kids is not a mobile app — it is a website (classicsforkids.com) — but it deserves a place in any guide to free digital resources for piano students because of how effectively it introduces young children to the composers and works they will encounter in their piano lessons. The site is built entirely around classical music for children, with composer profiles, listening activities, games, and printable resources, all designed for ages 5–10.

Teachers at WKMT’s children’s piano programme regularly recommend it as a first port of call for families beginning a piano journey.

PlayScore2 — Practice With Any Printed Score

I, Gisela Paterno, am part of a team of teachers at WKMT that we tried this app for our students and us, and with great success, I should add. This app is terrific for either professional musicians who need to practice duets and can’t find anyone to do it or for students of any level who would like to practice with the music playing to double-check for any mistakes. The interface is delightfully easy and allows to play the piece by taking a photo of it and modifying the speed and instruments. Additionally, you can export the files to notation software such as Sibelius or Musescore. It is 100% recommendable for all musicians!— Gisela Paterno, WKMT Piano Teacher

PlayScore2 occupies a different category from the other apps in this list: rather than training a specific skill, it turns any piece of printed music into a playable audio file. A student photographs a score and the app reads the notation and plays it back. The tempo is adjustable, and individual instruments can be muted, allowing a piano student to hear the right hand part while playing the left, or vice versa.