Top Pick. Music Ace Deluxe is designed for beginning music students. Ideal as a complement to music lessons, the program takes children through a series of lessons that focus on the fundamentals—those concepts that are essential to understanding—of music learning.

Although an onscreen piano keyboard is a focal learning tool in Music Ace Deluxe, the program is appropriate for learning musical notation, tempo, and more, for students of other musical instruments.

Maestro Max, a friendly animated conductor, is children’s guide through the lessons and games of the program. He talks to children as text balloons appear, so that kids can both hear and read instructions. Some answers to questions are in text format only, making the program best for children who can read. Maestro Max offers his congratulations (backed up with applause) for correct answers and simple phrases such as “Try again!” or “You were late on this note” when children falter.

There are 36 lessons in Music Ace Deluxe, each of which is supported by a game that reinforces and tests skills learned in the lesson. The lessons are interactive and straightforward, providing children clear, gradual instruction. With its visual format, children come away from each lesson with a solid understanding of the concept introduced—whether it’s the basic configuration of the Grand Staff or the step patterns of a scale.

Although children can attempt lessons in any order they wish, it is probably best to follow the lessons in order, as they build upon each other. Lesson 1 introduces children to the staff, lines and spaces, ledger lines, pitch, treble and bass clef, and the definition of a Grand Staff. The lessons are interactive—children, for example, move notes to spaces and lines, and discern which of two notes has a higher pitch.

After each lesson, children are presented with an Intermission screen from which they can choose to repeat the lesson, play the lesson’s games, move on to the next lesson, or access the main menu and progress screens. The games reinforce the lessons learned and include a scoring system that helps motivate children to not only do their best, but to repeat the games so that they can better their high score.

Our kid testers were enthralled with the game. For one, they found the program’s animated notes adorable. The colorful notes sport cute little faces. They not only sing, their smiles widen when children drag them into the correct places, and they dance when kids have made a successful match.

Music Ace Deluxe includes a wonderful musical composition tool—the Music Doodle Pad. Children can open a sample song from the Jukebox and then modify it, or create their own compositions by dragging notes from the sound palette onto the staff. Notes can be connected, rearranged, and deleted as users please. There are six musical instruments to choose from, and beats can be inserted into compositions. Children can sit back and not only hear their songs play—they can actually watch both the singing notes and the onscreen piano playing the tune!

As children experience the game, they are exposed to a wide variety of classical music excerpts--from Brahms to Beethoven to Liszt. The program speaks to children, but is never too chatty. In fact, the overall atmosphere of the game is one of patience and acceptance, which builds a supportive environment for learning.

The educational content of the program is well-structured and sound. Children move through lessons at a gradual pace as they learn and develop note reading skills, ear training, and musical terminology. Kids learn about scales, rhythm, melody, harmony, key signatures, time signatures, and more. Music Ace Deluxe is a satisfying and helpful learning tool that will enrich any child's understanding of, and appreciation for, music. Exceptional!

Pros: Cartoon graphics, fun storyline, humor intact. Doable challenges.  Difficulty levels and factors that encourage replay.

Cons: Although elements vary in the game, the program is somewhat short-lived.

Our Rating:   A

[For more information, user reviews, or to buy: Music Ace Deluxe]

...MORE (see screenshots and notes from the game)

Reviewed February 2004

To Buy this CD-ROM:

Buy Music Ace Deluxe at Amazon.com