How to play piano on your computer keyboard
Cascada is a free piano rhythm game you play with the QWERTY keyboard you already have. You don't need a piano or a MIDI keyboard. Letters fall toward an on-screen piano. Press each letter as it reaches the glowing line, and you're playing the real song.
The basics
Every letter key is mapped to a piano note. Notes for your left hand are blue and notes for your right hand are orange, so you always know which hand plays what. Press any letter to hear its note and see which piano key it lights up. The MAP button shows the whole keyboard at once.
A real song covers more notes than your keyboard has keys, so Cascada uses note maps: fixed hand shapes that shift as the song moves up and down the piano. With Auto-Shift on, Cascada moves your hands for you and you just press the letters.
Pick a layout
Standard: two hands, like a real piano. Left hand on the left side of the keyboard, right hand on the right.
Keyboard Game: a wide, two-octave right hand. Great if you're new to piano or want to focus on melodies.
Prefer your own setup? Customize Map lets you choose which note every key plays.
Make it easier (or harder)
When a song feels too hard, open your Teklet. It holds the assists that make playing far easier:
- Speed: slow the song right down while you practice, then speed it back up.
- Auto-Shift: moves your hands between note maps automatically.
- Auto-Slow: eases the tempo down when you start missing notes.
- Key letters on the slice: shows the letter right on each falling note.
Each song also has a difficulty rating from one to five stars, so you can start easy and work up.
Songs you can play
Cascada comes with a library of classical, ragtime and traditional songs, charted and ready to play:
- Für Elise (Beethoven)
- Pathétique Sonata, 2nd mvt (Beethoven)
- Clair de Lune (Debussy)
- Gymnopédie No. 1 (Satie)
- Prelude in C (Bach)
- Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9 No. 2 (Chopin)
- Fantaisie-Impromptu (Chopin)
- Piano Sonata No. 16, K.545 (Mozart)
- Träumerei (Schumann)
- Canon in D (Pachelbel)
- The Entertainer (Joplin)
- Maple Leaf Rag (Joplin)
- Ode to Joy
- Jingle Bells
- Silent Night
- Amazing Grace
- Greensleeves
- …and more
Want something else? Upload any MIDI file from the song library and Cascada charts it for you on the fly. You can even load an .sf2 soundfont for a sampled piano sound.
FAQ
Can I play piano on my computer keyboard?
Yes. Cascada maps piano notes to the letter keys on a normal QWERTY keyboard, and letters fall toward the piano so you know exactly what to press and when.
Do I need a real piano or a MIDI keyboard?
No. All you need is a computer with a keyboard and a web browser.
Is Cascada free?
Yes. It's free to play in your browser, with no download.
Can I play my own songs?
Yes. Upload a MIDI file from the song library and play it right away.