Learning and practicing music: tech is shaking things up
While the pandemic disrupted established routines, it also accelerated the growth of a rapidly transforming sector: music education. Deprived of in-person lessons, both students and teachers turned to digital learning methods . This forced transition paved the way for new, more interactive and personalized ways of learning. It is within this unique context that three key players in the field have distinguished themselves: Solfy , Piano LED , and Guitar Social Club.
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Gathered for a roundtable discussion at the 2025 edition of the PIX festival, their respective founders, Anicet Bart, Anthony Bitard, and Yohann Abbou , shared their vision of a musical education undergoing a complete reinvention. A central question guided the discussions: how can technology transform musical learning—particularly through gamification—without betraying its essence?
The educational revolution through technology
Say goodbye to dusty manuals and tedious methods, and hello to stimulating tools! Each solution presented offers a structured and highly gamified experience: at Guitar Social Club, learning guitar follows clear steps, supported by in-app notifications , adopting a model similar to Duolingo's for language learning. Piano LED, on the other hand, relies on its LED strip, which adapts to the user's playing, making practicing the instrument much more intuitive. As for Solfy, the platform reinvents music theory by integrating with existing music courses, while injecting a dose of fun : rewards, collectibles, and even a card game.
One of the key takeaways from this exchange was the need to integrate a personalization system at the heart of the devices, relying heavily on AI . Solfy and Guitar Social Club are also collaborating with CNRS teams to integrate educational artificial intelligence into their solution.
Anicet Bart, CEO of Solfy
In practice, Solfy provides teachers with concise analyses of student progress . Piano LED collects playing data to adjust the user experience in real time, with the goal of expanding its offering to include automated transcription of YouTube videos. As for the app for aspiring guitarists, over 4,500 videos, analyzed according to 27 criteria, allow for personalized learning, adapted to each individual's level and difficulties.
User engagement: the key to success
Beyond the possibilities for personalization and interaction, the challenge is clear: to maintain student motivation in order to limit dropouts , which are frequent at the beginning of learning.
Solfy understands this well: the music theory app is designed to integrate seamlessly into the classroom routine, create an emotional connection through a mascot, and foster loyalty among young users thanks to a strong brand identity. While the core content remains largely unchanged, occasional events and a seasonal approach help to engage the community. As Anicet Bart explains, the goal is to "reward users to maintain short-term motivation in the face of a very long-term objective."
Yohann Abbou, CEO of Guitar Social Club
At Guitar Social Club, we play the "phygital" card (physical + digital): monthly masterclasses, face-to-face events, exchanges within the community... Everything is designed to make this "online" guitar school a learning space based on participation.
Piano LED, on the other hand, focuses on performance analysis features and the social aspect of its application. In addition to its presence on social networks, it will soon offer the sharing of recordings and leaderboards to encourage users to progress together.
In short, far from isolating, music apps can become a place for exchange and sharing. Yohann Abbou sums up this vision well: " Today, digital technology divides and isolates, whereas it can truly be a force for bringing people together. And this force for bringing people together exists because we have a common interest, whether it's music theory, piano, or guitar."
Finding the right balance between digital and human
Far from putting teachers out of work, these tools are designed to complement their lessons. At Solfy, teachers remain at the heart of the process, supported by AI-generated recommendations . Guitar Social Club and Piano LED also acknowledge the limitations of a purely digital approach: when it comes to improvising or refining one's technique, nothing replaces the guidance and experience of a teacher.
Anthony Bitard, CEO of Piano LED
The PIX festival brings together the cultural and creative industries ecosystem
Anicet Bart, Yohann Abbou, and Anthony Bitard were invited in April 2025 to participate in the PIX festival organized by Plaine Images. PIX was created to showcase the talents of cultural and creative industries in the Hauts-de-France region.
PIX is both a time for meetings between players in the creative industries sector and a showcase of inspiration for professionals "from elsewhere" who want to take advantage of the good ideas, methods, creativity and innovations produced within the CCIs.
Find more information on the festival website.
And below, the full replay of the conference:
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