Synthesia is a desktop app for learning piano through falling note animations, similar to Guitar Hero for piano. It requires a purchase and a download. BeatKey Virtual Piano serves a different need: producers and musicians who want to play notes in the browser, see their exact Hz frequencies, check chords, and integrate with a full production suite. No purchase. No download. No falling notes.
"Learn to play this song" - falling note animations for specific songs, requires $39 desktop purchase and download, no Hz display.
"What note is this, and what Hz is it?" - a free browser-based production reference tool that shows frequency data and connects to BPM, chord, and delay tools.
Free virtual piano. No download. No purchase. Hz display included.
Open Virtual PianoSynthesia is a Windows and Mac desktop application that displays piano songs as falling colored notes, similar to a music game. Users connect a MIDI keyboard and follow along as notes fall toward the keyboard visualization, learning timing and finger placement for specific songs. Synthesia supports MIDI file import, has a built-in song library, and connects to digital pianos and MIDI controllers.
Synthesia costs approximately $39 as a one-time purchase. A limited free trial exists but locks most content. It requires a desktop install on Windows or Mac. Synthesia does not show Hz frequencies for played notes and is not designed for music production workflows like BPM detection, chord analysis, or delay calculation.
| Feature | Synthesia | BeatKey Virtual Piano |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $39 one-time purchase | Free forever |
| Download required | Yes (Windows/Mac) | No - runs in browser |
| Account required | No (but license tied to device) | Never |
| Mobile/iPhone | No | Yes (any mobile browser) |
| Falling note tutorials | Yes | No |
| MIDI keyboard support | Yes | Computer keyboard + touch |
| Hz frequency display | No | Yes - every note in real time |
| MIDI number display | No | Yes - every note in real time |
| Waveforms | 1 (piano only) | 4 (sine, triangle, square, sawtooth) |
| Note frequency chart | No | Yes (full reference table) |
| BPM detection from audio | No | Yes (beatkey.app) |
| Chord detection from audio | No | Yes (chords.beatkey.app) |
| Delay calculator | No | Yes (delay.beatkey.app) |
| Production suite | No | Yes (8 tools) |
Play C1 on the keyboard to see 32.7 Hz. Play C2 to see 65.4 Hz. Tune your 808 or sample root note without opening a DAW or buying software.
Play notes and check chord voicings without a $39 purchase or a monthly subscription. Permanently free, works on any device.
Play a note to find its frequency, then set EQ notch points or fundamental boosts at that exact Hz value in your mix.
Synthesia has no iPhone version. BeatKey Virtual Piano works in any iOS browser. Play notes, see Hz values, and check your production on the go.
Synthesia shows you falling notes. BeatKey shows you falling notes AND their exact Hz frequency. That difference is irrelevant if you are learning piano songs. It is critical if you are producing music.
When you tune an 808 bass, you need to know that C1 = 32.7 Hz and Eb1 = 38.9 Hz. When you EQ a kick drum, knowing that the fundamental resonance of D2 is 73.4 Hz tells you exactly where to boost. When you flip a sample, knowing the root note frequency tells you what pitch to re-tune it to in your sampler. These are production workflows that Synthesia was never designed for.
Virtual Piano is part of a free 8-tool production suite. No purchase, no account, no download for any of them.
BeatKey Virtual Piano is a free browser-based piano keyboard with no purchase, no account, and no download required. It works in any browser and shows the exact Hz frequency and MIDI number for every note you play, which Synthesia does not provide.
Synthesia requires a one-time purchase (around $39) for the full desktop application. A limited free version exists but locks most features. BeatKey Virtual Piano is entirely free with no paid tiers and no download required.
No. Synthesia is a falling-notes piano tutorial application. It does not show Hz frequencies or MIDI numbers for played notes. BeatKey Virtual Piano shows the exact Hz and MIDI number in real time for every note you play.
BeatKey Virtual Piano is built for music producers and musicians who need frequency reference and production tools, not animated falling-note tutorials. For learning songs with falling note guides, Synthesia is the better choice. BeatKey is for production workflows: 808 tuning, chord checking, Hz reference, and BPM detection.
Play piano in any browser. See Hz values instantly. Free, always.
Open Virtual Piano Free