As you all know, my kids love music. My oldest plays the guitar and my youngest is a walking dictionary of classic rock (ugh, am I that old that Bon Jovi is classic?). Since my youngest has very poor fine motor skills though due to both of his disabilities (spina bifida and autism) it has been hard to really teach him an instrument. But, he is very interested. So, when I was contacted by a very nice PR rep for Harmonic Vision and asked to try Music Ace Deluxe I was thrilled. Harmonic Vision claims:

“This interactive program gives homeschooling parents a fun way to bring music into their kid’s (aged 6+) lives. The game-type Windows and Mac-compatible CD-ROM features 36 self-paced lessons shored up by games that introduce kids to the basics of music — rhythm, pitch, note reading, listening and the keyboard — while entertaining them at the same time.”

and it certainly delivers. My youngest (10) and I sat down to do a few lessons together before I turned him loose on it alone. He seemed to really benefit from the visual clues given in the pitch lessons. And even I learned some new terminology. Maestro Max (the animated teacher) provides a fun and non threatening way for everyone to learn music theory.

So, would I recommend this? Absolutely! Music Ace Deluxe is available directly from Harmonic Vision, http://www.harmonicvision.com for the MSRP of $79.95. More importantly, it is available from other sources such as http://www.amazon.com and http://www.jr.com/ for between $45 and $50. Also, a Homeschool Instructional Guide is available for download at no charge from the Harmonic Vision website for owners of Music Ace Deluxe. I love it when companies realize the power of the homeschool community and provide products tailored to our needs!