Miracle Piano Teaching System

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The Miracle Piano teaching system was a MIDI keyboard/teaching tool created by The Software Toolworks for the Nintendo and Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Apple Mac, Commodore Amiga, Sega Genesis and PC. It consisted of a keyboard, connecting cables, and either software on 3.5" floppies or an NES/SNES/Genesis cartridge. When connected to the console or computer, a user followed the on-screen notes. Its marketed value was as a tool to teach kids and to play the piano. It provided hundreds of lessons, and was advertised as the perfect adjunct to formal lessons. Due to its prohibitive price ($500) and low sales, the keyboard and NES cartridge together are a rare find. Aside from being released in the United States, the Miracle Keyboard was also released in multiple regions within Europe. The European versions are, however, much harder to find. Some of the NES Miracle keyboards were also later converted for PC use - the Nintendo Seal of Quality on these boards was covered up with a piece of plastic.

Students can learn to play classic piano, rock piano or show tunes. Fun exercises making learning the piano seem less like a chore and more like playing a video game. Instead of using the traditional NES controller, the piano becomes the controller as players hits targets in order to perfect their music skills.

There are two games that students can play to help teach rhyming. The first is called Robo Man where you have to press the correct keys at the right time to create a bridge. If you miss, Robo Man falls and you lose. The second game is a duck shooting game. You have to press the correct keys to shoot the ducks.

The Miracle Piano did not ever generate sounds from the NES hardware; all NES MIDI information was converted into audio by the instrument's built-in ROM and played through the instrument's stereo speakers.

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