Duolingo, best known for its language learning app, has teamed up with musical instrument brand Loog to launch a portable piano for beginners. The $249 Loog x Duolingo Piano is designed to complement the similar gamified music lessons Duolingo launched last year.
The keyboard is essentially a co-branded version of the portable digital piano Loog launched on Kickstarter last year, with a nearly identical wooden design, 37 keys, and a volume knob. Besides the green color, there are some additional aesthetic differences. The Duolingo version features a lighter wood finish on the knobs and comes with a matching phone holder so you can follow the company’s music lessons while playing, for example.
The most notable feature shared by both models is velocity-sensitive keys, which allow for dynamic effects, meaning the volume output adjusts based on how hard or soft the keys are pressed.
The Loog x Duolingo piano is 18.9 inches (480.8 mm) long and weighs 3.64 pounds (1.65 kg). It has built-in stereo speakers and a rechargeable battery that can last up to 8 hours on a full charge. Also on the rear of the unit are ports for the octave shifter and sustain pedal, a USB-C jack for charging and transferring MIDI, and a 3.5mm headphone jack to keep the rest of the family awake during practice sessions.
Duolingo’s music lessons currently only offer piano lessons and will be paired with any Piano – Not Just a New Loog Collaboration. The Loog x Duolingo Piano does come with beginner-friendly flashcards, though, and the dynamics of the piano are nice because it’s small enough to hide in a drawer when not in use. Note that this is pre-order only and won’t ship until November.
