An open source fork for Linux called Linthesia also exists, which is used as a base of other forks to fix compilation issues on recent Linux systems. The program was originally for Windows-only, but after a donation drive in early 2007, it was ported to Mac OS X.

Hosted as an open-source project on SourceForge, it was released under the MIT license. Synthesia was started around 2006 by Nicholas Piegdon, and was originally named 'Piano Hero'. It was originally named Piano Hero, due to the similarity of gameplay with Guitar Hero this was until Activision (the owners of the rights to Guitar Hero) sent a cease and desist to the program's creator, Nicholas Piegdon. Additionally, Synthesia can be paired with MIDI keyboards that have illuminated keys, or with virtual player piano on screen, which some people believe makes learning piano easier for beginners. Synthesia is a piano keyboard trainer for Microsoft Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android which allows users to play a MIDI keyboard or use a computer keyboard in time to a MIDI file by following on-screen directions, much in the style of Keyboard Mania or Guitar Hero.

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