Learning To Play The Keyboard Suggestions?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Phreesoal
  • Start date Start date
P

Phreesoal

New member
I want to learn to play the keyboard, as I've had one for years staring at me that still looks new (Roland JD-800). I've finally realized that it's not going to play itself, so it's time I get to learning it. :-)

I thought about learning the piano then applying what I learn from that to a keyboard. However, I don't have immediate access to a piano like I do my keyboard.

My biggest challenge is going to be discipline which has me thinking of going the private teacher route.

Will anyone share how you've learned to play your keyboard easily and efficiently that I should try? What exactly worked for you?

Thanks....

Phree
 
Like any instrument you need to understand the various scales and as with any chording insturment you need to learn your chords.

I was self taught - then later took lessons mostly to learn more about theory. I first learned the basic major & minor triad chords (root, 3rd & 5th), with the inversions (root on bottom, root in the middle and root on top) then I grabbed some basic song books and started to learn several 3 and 4 chord songs (songs that I had heard - so I could figure out the melody lines with limited reading chops)..

I spent a lot of time trying to vamp over those basic chord progressions - as with anything you need to spend a lot of time trying to improve.

If a teacher will help you with disipline then thats what you should do (but you still need to practise between lessons).
 
Yo Phreeeeeeee:

If you take lessons, you can use your keyboard to practice; you may not have 88 keys as does a regular piano; however, you can still practice and get the job done.

There are "free" lessons given on-line but I'd rather have a pro teacher showing me the way if I had to do keyboard lessons.

If there is a junior college near you, you might check out their music department. Take a chords course and take lessons from one of the staff at the same time. I did that as an undergrad and took a term of trumpet. [That's a tough ax -- it takes a few months to build up a lip.]

You can also check at any other college or university for a course in chords, reading, and playing. I mentioned the Jr. College first because the tuition is usually cheaper and the quality is excellent.

Good luck and get those fingers moving.

Green Hornet:p :D :cool:
 
Thanks for the advice! I'll search for classes at local colleges and get (updating) private lesson pricing.

Green, you kinda scared me about your trumpet lip...I've been looking into various horns to learn also, as recently as today.

I've been online the last 2 days listening to various songs/clips using horns that I like the sound of. I wish there was a mega site containing sound clips of all kinds of horns!

I'm thinking of learning the Clarinet and/or Flute. This of course is in addition to the keyboard.

I tend to like the sound of the Clarinet a better (vs the flute) and really like the range it has. I was close to buying a starter flute on eBay last month (Yamaha YFL 221) but I didn't because I wanted to research other horns and their sounds.

You got any learning advice in the horn realm??? ;-)

Phree
 
there's an instruction system called "Learn piano in a flash" I saw a 30min clip on PBS and it was awsome.
 
Hi Zek....

Is this a book, video, CD or some other instruction setup???

When I looked up "Learn piano in a flash" on Google, I found a book called "Play Piano In A Flash" written buy Scott Houston.

Would that be it?

Also, what did you think was awesome about the PBS story?

Thanks...

Phree
 
The PBS series "Learn Piano In A Flash" was a good series because the guy (can't remember his name) tried to get right to learning basic triads, etc.

His system is very much how I taught myself (which I referenced in a previous post). Once you learn the basic triads and scales it is very easy to figure out a sus4 or a Maj7, etc. (since you already have learned the root, 3rd & 5th).

I think keyboard is one of the easiest instruments to learn (I did not say "master" - simply learn) since every note is laid out in front of you.

Phreesoal - if you check out the libray or a local book store (Barnes & Nobel as an example) - There are many books that show the fingering for chords and normally the various scales (major, minor, blues, etc)

Also, if you are trying to choose between flute and clarinet - I recommend clarinet, smnply because the transition to sax is relatively close - and someone that can play keys and blow sax would get a lot of gig offers - if that's something you would want.
 
I kept keyboardist close to me, and I asked questions and studied many of their moves. I still can't read music for the life of me (I can read it, but I'm rather slow if you know what I mean)
Piano lessons would be great, I wish I had taken that route...

Trizza
 
Yo TrumP:

You know what is so great about this business and this site and those folks who you may meet who have great talent, IS they are so generous to share their skills.

I have a friend who is a CLASS A keyboard player; has owned his own studio and has done big time commercials for BIG $$ and he still will come to my studio to do a clip of something he needs to send to his musician friends.

He reads, he writes, he arranges, he scores, and he is a "gem" of a person.

So, if you read music SLOW, like me? So what? If you can do a cut and enjoy the results, that's the best. If you are out to make a living, that's another story--it's a tough world in the world of music; but, tough as it may be, IT'S A HELLOVA LOT OF FUN.

Green Hornet:p :p :D :cool: :cool: :p
 
When I started playing guitar (a few years back) my grandfather had a keyboard just sitting around his house not being used so he mailed it to me. Of course when I got it I had no previous keyboarding experience, so I just started playing and putting things together that sounded good. It has been only recently that I have actually looked into learning how to play from other people and I have been doing okay. So one of the best things I can suggest to you is to just play. Simple enough. - la
 
I really appreciate the additional advice from others on my question! Everyone here is always so cool...

I read about Scott Houston online today who wrote that book that Zek mentioned. I then went to the bookstore this eve and his book isn't normally stocked - it's a special order item.

I read some other keyboarding and piano books there but none of them really seemed to 'do it' for me after thumbing through them. I'll keep on my quest for printed material and will get pricing this week on private lessons. I used to have a book with chords in it a long time ago but it's been well misplaced. I should be able to find that online and print them out in the interim.

I also visited a local music store today who's been in business many years and talked with them about clarinets (mostly) and flutes. Clarinet appeals even more to me after discussion and I really appreciate your advice on the Clarinet mikeh! I didn't realize the easier transition to sax. This music store also teach Clarinet classes.

They have some used Yamaha, Selmar & Buffet clarinets for purchase or rent, and they have an upcoming sale on all equip new and used.

I thought about looking on eBay for a used Yamaha (beginner) Clarinet...any suggestions on buying new vs used?

Btw, you're right too lala with the "just do it" advice. Thanks!

Phree
 
Here's my Piano experience - I took classical lessons since I was about 10 years old (I'm 27 now) but I never really clicked with the music I was learning. By the time I quit lessons during High School, I could kind of make it through Fur Elise (or something comparable) but that was about it. When I was 13 though, I started teaching myself chords, and how to play them in a modern music context, much like alot of guitarists just learn chords, and then can play the song from looking at the chord chart/lyrics. I got really good at this (in my mind at least!), but I think what helped me more than the classicial piano lessons was learning alot of theory (Circle-of-5ths, how chords are related to scales, intervals, etc). But I don't think I would have gotten as far without at least starting with lessons (I also learned to read music during lessons, which is great skill to have)

Regarding that Houston dude, I watched his pitch on TV, and it looks like he's trying to teach you exactly the way that I play, so I'm curious to see what any other piano folks think of his approach.

BTW, you can listen to me playing piano on the following tracks - http://www.evangordon.com/sounds.html and listen to Mercy of the Wheels or I Don't Like Mondays.

Good luck Phreesoal!
 
mikeh said:
...snip
Also, if you are trying to choose between flute and clarinet - I recommend clarinet, smnply because the transition to sax is relatively close
snip...
Click to expand...

The feel of the reed is similar, but the clarinet overblows at the twelfth, whereas the flute and the sax overblow at the octave - one reason why many sax players double on flute…

- Wil
 
Thanks for the encouragement Green Hornet...............
What is frustrating at times is when I let people listen to some of the tracks I have put together. They'll say "I didn't know you could play keyboards"........Oh, I am great at putting together a piece and jazzing it up a bit...........Or laying down a funky bassline, adding some chords, and riffing a bit............To the point that I feel alot of my music, which is what you want.....................
But when you put that sheet in front of me and say "PLAY", you had better be in for the long haul..........

Trizza
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top