Hi TTT8, congratulations for your daughter’s progress!
Now, I don’t deny that SM is trying to come with something easier to get for some people. I have seen their monthly, etc. offers and it’s nothing unusual to what other companies do in other businesses.
But for some of us here on BK, who have been used with a certain SM product offer for years it’s quite a change. And, just like Izp11 and me, others too may have desired to buy the old version these months or so and their plan has to change.
Well, it seems that if we want SM, we have to find and buy the subscription that suits our needs best.
Same reaction here too. I’m quite disappointed with the price increase as well… Was thinking of getting it.
Now that they’ve changed into subsciption based, shouldn’t the price be reduced since we have to pay every month/year?
From the Doremifasoft website, one of their mission statements is to : Dramatically improve music literacy throughout the world by becoming the premier online music learning destination, offering people of all ages and abilities an extremely fun and cost-effective way to learn to play piano and read music; and …
Well certainly they wont be ‘dramatically’ improving music literacy with that kind of price tag… :mellow:
I don’t think it is that expensive because if you compare it to piano wizard which is the only other thing you can really compare it to. It is stillllllllllllllll way cheaper. I know we are all on a budget but in terms of cost it is really not that bad. I have just purchased the SM full version and I am giving it to my girls for Christmas and it came down to price for my husband and I and we decided that we also got the online help to as PW didn’t really offer that.
Are you sure it it still cheaper than PW at least you are buying something that you can use indefinitely with SM you are only borrowing. I cant commit to so much and I’m really disappointed.
I mean If I am not done teaching my kid within a year, then I have to pay more to renew the course.
Look at the LR/LM, it took me more than a year to complete the curriculums. There were numerous days when I was not able to give my son lessons, or he did not feel like it. Thanks goodness I did not have to pay to use the software again.
I would love to be able to teach my kid music at his own pace. I can’t wait to see what Little Musicians look like and hopefully it’s another good or better alternative for me.
For me it’s cheaper and if it doesn’t get used I just don’t renew the subscription plus I already own a keyboard also with currency conversion as I am in Australia it works out a very good deal. For myself I really like the fact I have access to online help and I get my own personal teacher/coach who is with me helping me teach my girls so if I get stuck I can get the help I need. What price do you put on that? Also I am not in your country so I have no idea what the current currency conversion is from USD to your currency you will need to do the numbers for your own situation but don’t forget to add in the shipping as well as you might be surprised as to how much PW charge.
I informed Ms. Hiner of your concerns about the pricing etc- in order for you to get discounts, brillkids and her may have to work out something…
However, I did ask her to consider giving discounts to parents with special needs children. I did this for my wonderful friends in this forum from whom I have learnt so much and who have inspired me This question was also prompted by my medical background because I believe music definitely helps children.
Also, for the other parents using soft mozart, check out the forum and network on the new website. It is like a ‘music school’ where if you have a doubt/question as to whether your child is doing something correctly, you can post those vidoes and someone will tell you if what they are doing is right or wrong!
This is one of the worst software that I ever bought in my life. I bought the previous standalone version and it really sucks. I never know when it works and when it does not. I agree with KL, he once said that installation of soft mozart is really painful.
You said “sometimes it works and sometimes it does notâ€. I wonder could it due to interchange of the dongle with the MIDI cable USB port?
During the installation process, we have to insert the dongle into a USB port (let’s call USB port 1) and MIDI cable into another USB port (let’s call USB port 2). Assuming we have to take out the dongle and MIDI cable from the USB port after the use of Soft Mozart software. The next time we use the software, the dongle has to be inserted in USB port 1 and MIDI cable in USB port 2. Try not to interchange between different USB ports.
If this does not work, you may want to email to the tech support.
I remeber that on SM forum other people wrote Hellene about similar issues regarding the previous version.
You should write to admin@softmozart.com and tell them about the problem, maybe they will help you solve the problem once and for all.
Hellene pays very much attention to problems with SM products (and I think her team is bigger than she had at the beginning).
If you don’t tell them your problem, how can they help you? They are just as receptive as the Brillkids team.
After buying SM - the 12 month subscription -, I didn’t have any installation or functioning problem. It works just fine, either with (when midi connection is needed) or without the midi connection.
Thanks for all your suggestions. I was able to fix the problem with soft mozart’s technical help. I must say that they were very quick in responding to my emails.
Soft Way to Mozart is suitable for any age group (2 and up, but it may be useful even with smaller kids, if they can be there and watch you or someone else playing, I guess - I’m saying that after reading a father review on SM forum).
The “games” in the software are really meant to help you learn and improve your skills. As Hellene sustained, I clearly can agree that the software has a “feeling” of your rhythm and mistakes and will help you along the way giving you what and how you need. I have tried and played so far, in 2 weeks, 4 out of 7 games (Gentle Piano, Guess Key School, Fruit Lines School, Note Duration School). My DS1 has played Gentle Piano (the first song, Hot Cross Buns, and Guess Key School).
Of course, I learn faster than my DS1. And with him I need to be very patient and take it slow, to his own pace, see what he likes and what he doesn’t, to adjust my “teaching” methods. Thanks to ideas on SM or BK forum I can always create something or use what other parents have done to show it to my child and help him learn.
Hellene is giving good advice for each of her students, parents and children, and is trying to answer all questions in due time. Just by reading all of her many answers to other threads and parents’ experience I have learnt so much and found good ideas to put in practice into our learning progress.
Here are links to reviews of Soft Mozart learning software by Parents (both of them Dads ) who are also professional musicians.
Feel free to post your questions to them in SM forum:
Same reaction here too. I’m quite disappointed with the price increase as well… Was thinking of getting it.