Steve PMHOne of the biggest challenges I face as a pianist is how to get new sheet music and how to improve my skills on my own.
OKTAV is here, and it’s got both of these problems solved.
Sheet music is expensive, and sometimes the subscription service is just the more affordable way to go.
OKTAV not only has over 20,000 titles in its catalog, but it also has plenty of lessons to help beginner and intermediate pianists improve their skills.
I’m going to give OKTAV a thorough review to check out how this website compares to its competitors and see if it really has what it takes to stand out.
A Look Inside OKTAV
OKTAV is a subscription service that gives you active access to tens of thousands of books of sheet music.
You’ll find everything from classic piano music to the scores for popular video games in this library.
Not only that, but OKTAV also offers plenty of tools that can help you improve your skills. Each score offers a few interactive options like auto scroll and annotation.
There are also a wide range of lessons designed to help everyone from people who are sitting down to play piano for the first time to people who are coming back after a few years away from their favorite instrument.
OKTAV definitely seems to have a lot going for it, but I’m going to take a closer look at its features so that you can make the decision for yourself.
OKTAV Key Features
Over 20,000 Piano Arrangements
Overall, the single best feature on OKTAV is the expansive library of sheet music that is always growing.
I was able to find everything from essential sheet music for beginners to contemporary songs like the music of Billie Eilish.
You are never going to run out of sheet music on OKTAV.
Not only are they always working to add new sheet music, but the website is always recommending new songs for you to learn.
Those recommendations come right out of the library of over 20,000 arrangements that you can browse from day one of your subscription.
Personalized Recommendations
The personalized recommendations are one of the best features in OKTAV.
These recommendations are customized based on your chosen preferences in music style, your proficiency as a pianist, and the types of music that you enjoy the most on OKTAV.
I found this feature to be one of the best on the site. It’s always recommending new music that I want to learn.
Manage Your Sheet Music Library
OKTAV comes with some exciting features that allow you to manage your library of sheet music.
I want to start off by talking about the features that OKTAV includes for managing the sheet music that you can acquire through this website.
You’re able to categorize your sheet music into three categories including music that you want to learn, music that you’re actively working on, and music that you’ve already mastered.
You can also search through the catalog based on the difficulty level of music, the style of music you want to learn, or more specific features such as the title of a piece or the name of a composer.
OKTAV also has tools that allow you to upload and manage your own collection of digital sheet music.
This can be a great way to get ahead of your ever-expanding library of sheet music PDFs.
Print Your Favorite Songs
Even though OKTAV has an impressive digital library, there are still times when you want to print out sheet music.
This could be when you’re taking it to your piano teacher, playing with friends, or you just want to step away from the distractions of the digital world and focus on your music.
OKTAV allows you to print a few pieces of music depending on the particular subscription level that you have purchased.
In short, the higher a tier subscription that you purchase, the more you will be able to print out sheet music.
I always make sure to use every allotted printing that I get from a service like OKTAV.
This way I’ve always got a copy of the sheet music on hand even when I don’t feel like walking in.
Method, Workbooks, and Guides
It’s not just sheet music that you can find on OKTAV.
There’s also a treasure trove of methodology books, workbooks, and other educational guides that you can check out alongside your favorite sheet music.
These guides and workbooks are perfectly tuned in to the audience that is going to get the most out of OKTAV.
If you’re a beginner or intermediate pianist who has been teaching yourself how to get around the keys, these educational books are going to be great for your wedding career playing piano.
These books can help you get a better grasp on the fundamentals of playing piano as well as pick up more advanced skills.
Using these workbooks alongside the guided lessons is a great way to supplement your self-taught piano skills.
Over 100 Guided Lessons With Expert Pianists
OKTAV is a service that is strongly aimed at beginner and intermediate pianists who are mostly self-taught.
A great addition to the services offered on OKTAV is the inclusion of over 100 guided lessons that are taught by professional pianists.
These lessons are fantastic and cover everything from playing along to guides for difficult songs to core skills that every pianist should pick up early in their history as a musician.
There is a wide range of lessons and just as many unique instructors ready to help you out with their pre-recorded videos.
Song Tutorials
The song tutorials and OKTAV are one of its strongest features.
There are two different types of tutorials offered in OKTAV.
There is a play along feature that is included with all of the sheet music available on the service as well as guided tutorial videos.
The play along feature moves the cursor along the sheet music as you play. This helps you keep time and stay on track while learning a new song.
They’re also guided song tutorials recorded by professional pianists. These tutorials can help you tackle tricky pieces as well as popular scores.
Both of these features are ideal for new musicians as well as people who are feeling a little stuck with a particular piece of music.
Annotated Sheet Music
I’m always annotating the scores that I have printed out in my personal library.
I find it can be incredibly helpful to highlight sections, take notes on performance cues, or just write useful notes in the margins.
OKTAV picked up on this utility and built an annotation feature into its app.
The annotation feature built into this program allows you to focus on specific sections that you might be struggling with, look up the fingering for chords, and see notes on performance for each section of the music that you’re working on.
Excellent Customer Support
Every good review needs to touch on the nuts and bolts of a service in addition to its key features.
I went ahead and checked out the customer support behind OKTAV so you know what you can expect when you have to get in touch with this service.
Overall, I’m very impressed with the response time of the OKTAV customer service team.
The general attitude among the community of users on the OKTAV website is that the customer service team is responsive and acts quickly to help resolve any problems that you might have.
You can expect a bit of a way when things are getting busy, but I had all of my inquiries answered quickly and helpfully in short order.
Making the Most of OKTAV
I’m a big fan of OKTAV overall, but there are a few things that you can do to make the most of this service.
Here are three key steps that you need to take to make sure that you’re getting the most value for the money you’re spending on OKTAV.
Learn the Basics Before You Subscribe
OKTAV definitely has enough sheet music and lessons to support a beginner who’s playing piano for the first time, but you’re going to be able to make the most of this website by learning the basics before you pay for a subscription.
Specifically, I’ve got a few suggestions for core skills you should develop before subscribing to OKTAV.
The first suggestion is that you should be able to read sheet music.
You don’t have to play like a virtuoso, but you should be able to slowly work your way through some basic sheet music before paying for a subscription.
In fact, I recommend being able to play a few basic songs on piano before getting a sheet music subscription.
Even if it’s just Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, it’ll give you a massive head start before you start paying for new music.
Use the OKTAV Algorithm to Your Advantage
One of the standout features on OKTAV has to be a suggestion algorithm.
I was really impressed by how quickly this website figured out my taste and my skill level when it comes to piano music.
When you first set up your account, you’ll be able to set your skill level and pick a few broad categories of sheet music for your preferences.
The more you use OKTAV, the better it understands what kind of music you like to play.
The suggestion algorithm was never out of ideas before new tunes that I could pick up even when I was feeling like there was nothing else I could search for.
Build Up Your Skills
One of the things that makes OKTAV so popular is all of the piano learning features that are built into this service.
There’s a wide range of utilities inside of OKTAV that can help you improve your piano skills.
One of the most essential is the annotation feature that is on every score which can help you learn new pieces of music faster.
There are also plenty of lessons in OKTAV.
This covers everything from core skill building to play-a-long guides for sheet music you’re having trouble learning on your own.
Definitely take advantage of these skill building and educational features if you plan on getting a subscription to OKTAV.
OKTAV FAQ
Does OKTAV have more than just sheet music?
OKTAV is primarily for sheet music, but the service does offer a few other benefits.
OKTAV has video lessons aimed at established beginners and intermediate players while also offering play-along guides for some of the music on this app.
Does OKTAV have modern music?
OKTAV has a wide range of scores. You can find modern pop hits, classical piano music, and more on this app.
OKTAV makes it a point to add new music on a regular basis.
How do I cancel OKTAV?
The easiest way to cancel your OKTAV account is to head to the OKTAV website.
Once there, log into your account, navigate to your settings, and you’ll find the option to cancel your account.
OKTAV Pros
- Impressive collection of sheet music ranges from classical piano music to contemporary favorites
- OKTAV customer supports gets rave reviews from the community
- Ideal for beginner to intermediate pianists looking or sheet music
- Annotated and play-along feature especially useful for pianists working on their skills
- OKTAV features leaning content that is expressly aimed at beginner audiences working on the basics
OKTAV Cons
- No guarantee that OKTAV will have the sheet music you are looking for
- Not as useful for advanced or expert level pianists
- OKTAV makes it difficult to browse their catalog without signing up first
- More classical titles than modern options
- No personal lessons, only self-teaching with video and software support
OKTAV Verdict
OKTAV is a fantastic resource for beginning and intermediate pianists who are looking for a fresh approach to how they interact with their scores.
I particularly love the interactive features like the auto scroll on the annotations.
The suggested scores that the algorithm offers have generally matched my skill level and interest which means I’m never out of new pieces to learn.
If you’re ready to take your self-top piano lessons to the next level, you should give OKTAV a try.
