What is popMATICS?
popMATICS is a curriculum that has developed organically over 20 years of teaching students how to play the music they love. Our online music school provides the opportunity for all to experience this incredible program.
We offer:
- live, interactive group classes
- recorded lessons to work through at your own pace
- personalized feedback and support on independent projects
- an online student community to keep you inspired
Here’s how our students describe it:
- “A wonderful, online piano school for those wanting to improvise, play by ear, and apply practical theory”
- “A highly tactile opportunity to learn, improvise, and build music skills in an awesome community”
- “An online, flexible program to learn to play the pop music you love with a creative method”
- “An approach that quickly gets you up and running, making music in a fast, natural way”
- “A chance to fall in love with music and an instrument again”
Can anyone learn to play by ear?
Amy—a classically-trained pianist—always wished she could play her favorite songs by ear.
Amy spent years studying ear-training at the collegiate level. She could sight-sing melodies and transcribe rhythms. But her goal of just sitting at the piano and playing favorite songs by ear remained out of reach—until she joined popMATICS.
Amy has been studying chord progressions in the context of her favorite songs for the past two years. She says, “Each step in approaching this goal is more clear, exciting, and rewarding than what I experienced in college.”
“Tony and Angela have created a unique online approach to teaching piano to students of all ages and abilities. If your dream is to be able to listen to any pop song, and play it by ear on the piano, then this program is for you!”
–Vicki Edwards
Play Music with Freedom
popMATICS focuses on the skills you need to play piano freely. We teach music as a language, not as a set of instructions to copy. We call it Music from the Inside Out, and it’s the popMATICS difference.
Whether you are new to the piano or just looking for a new approach, you’ll enjoy your piano from Day 1.
“The piano has always seemed so mysterious to me. It just sat in my house staring at me for years. And now it’s like a trusty friend I can visit and interact with.
Tony and Angela are excellent teachers. They are kind, patient and always looking to improve. They have helped me bring the piano to life. So grateful for their program.”
-Gerry Adair
What you will learn in popMATICS
Within the first 10 days, you will
- Produce beautiful sounds using the entire piano
- Play along with favorite popular songs
- Learn landmarks that help you find notes with ease
In your first few months, you will
- Learn to play melodies and bass lines by ear
- Play favorite songs with increasing levels of complexity
- Improvise in new keys and styles
- Study theory in the context of popular music
In more advanced courses, you will
- Create chord charts and create custom arrangements
- Learn chord progressions by ear so that you can play any song you know
- Improvise freely in order to jam with friends or with your favorite songs
- Play like your favorite artists and develop your own style
How our Membership Works
Our online group classes provide a premium experience at an affordable monthly rate. You’ll be surrounded by a community of supportive musicians with similar goals.
All of our members have access to—
- 50+ Live Classes and 20+ Recorded Classes every month, with options for all levels
- Free Sheet Music, Chord Charts, and Practice Activities, with new content added each week
- Our Online Learning Community
Get Started today with our 14-Day Free Trial.
No Credit Card Required.
Try the Gold Plan on Us
Our program is unique, and we want you to know it’s a good fit.
We offer a Free 14-Day Trial. No Credit Card required.
Get Started today with our 14-Day Free Trial.
No Credit Card Required.
I’ve studied classical piano for years and wanted to give ear-playing and improvisation a try. I was nervous and doubtful at first, but am completely won over by the popMATICS approach and the expertise and creativity (and warmth) of the teachers.
Another beautiful thing about their program is how they incorporate ear training with popular songs. It is a wonderful and fun way to learn the piano, ear training and music theory all at the same time. This leads right into how to improvise your own songs.
I feel fortunate to have found popMATICS at this stage of my musical journey. I thank Tony and Angela for being two sincere individuals that are there for one reason. and that is to help us become the best musicians we can be.
Who created popMATICS?
Tony Parlapiano is a piano instructor and the creator of popMATICS—a curriculum for students who love music and want to take an active role in the direction of their learning. Tony resides in Massachusetts and carries his birth certificate as “proof of authenticity” for his last name.