Play the Keyboard

It's always so impressive to watch a piano master at work, with their fingers flying across the keyboard and their faces wearing a look of total concentration. This article may not teach you acrobatics on the ivories, but it will definitely give you a few ideas to get you started down that path.

Steps

The History

  1. Get familiar with your instrument. Whether you want to be a concert pianist or the keyboard whiz in a rock band, the basics are the same.
  2. Learn the terminology. The instrument has many names and variations that all use the same interface. Let’s take a non-comprehensive look at the history of the keyboard.
    • Organ. This would be among the earliest keyboard instruments with some of the earliest being played with one hand while the other hand operated the bellows.
    • Harpsichord. These were some of the earliest keyboards, and made their sounds by plucking the string like a guitarist would do, only the plectrum was attached to the key. The resulting sound had little dynamic range, but the dynamics were mainly achieved using stops which added or subtracted the number (choirs) of strings on the larger instruments. When the harpsichord was played as usual, it wasn't too noticeable that the instrument wasn't capable of sustaining any note for long.
    • Piano. This refined the process of making sounds, using a hard-felt hammer rather than a pick. The hammer was activated by the keyboard, and the pianist was given control of full range of dynamics, from very soft to very loud.
    • Electric Piano. While a piano sounds incredibly rich and beautiful, it’s really hard to carry around to a gig. When musicians started plugging in back in the 50s, they wanted something at least as portable as a drum kit. The electric piano (and organ) were born.
    • Synthesizer. After 300 years of harpsichords and pianos, musicians were very familiar and comfortable with the layout of the keyboard. When electronic sound synthesizers came along, it made sense to use the same key layout, but there was a subtle shift in terminology. Until then, people who played the keyboard were generally called “pianists” or “organists.” However, for an instrument that has a keyboard like a piano, but can sound like anything from a symphony orchestra to singing kittens, the word “pianist” just didn’t fit any longer, and the keyboard player was born.
  3. Now you know. It’s time to practice.

Understanding the Keyboard.

  1. Look at the keyboard. Whether you’re playing an iPad recreation of a vintage synth, a monster digital workstation keyboard, or a full-fledged concert grand piano, they all have exactly the same key layout, and may differ only in the number of keys.
  2. Notice there are 2 different kinds of keys: Black keys, and white keys. It may look confusing at first but here are a couple things that will make it easier.
    • There are only 12 basic notes. Every set of 12 notes is the same as every other set of 12 notes, only higher in pitch, or lower in pitch.
    • Every single white key is part of the C Major scale.
    • Every single black key is either called a “sharp” (#) or a “flat”(b).
  3. Look at the keyboard again. Notice the pattern, starting from the C on the left side of the picture. It has a tab pointing to the right. The next note, D, has little tabs on each side, and the next note, E, has a tab to the left.
    • Notice the pattern of 2 white keys bracketing 2 black keys and a white key in the middle.
    • Notice the next group up has the same type of grouping, only with 3 black keys and 2 white keys in the middle, between the notes F and B.
  4. Find the next C up on the keyboard. Notice that the same pattern is there. This is the same for every octave on the keyboard.
  5. Find the C closest to the middle of the keyboard. This is Middle C, or C3. The C notes above it are C4, C5, C6, etc. The C notes below it are known as C2, C1, C0.
  6. Play a song. Yes, that’s right. It’s that easy! Start on C3, imagine yourself walking normally, and for every step you imagine, play the next white key up, until you reach C4—then stop. Okay, it’s not much of a song, but all the basics were there—playing specific notes in a specific order for a specific amount of time. This is what you played looks like on sheet music:
    • Play it again. Just like before, imagine yourself walking, and for each step, play the next note up the keyboard. This time, look at each note, reading from left to right, before you play it on the keyboard. Now you're not only playing a song, you're reading music!

How to Learn

  1. Learn keyboard your way. There are a couple basic ways to learn how to play the keyboard or piano.
    • Learn to read music. You can teach yourself this invaluable skill, you can take lessons, or you can do both. It's a great skill to learn, and it's a skill you can take with you should you wish to learn to sing, play the bassoon, the guitar, or the saxophone.
    • Learn by ear. In some ways, this is easier. You just listen to a song, and then figure out which keys on the keyboard make the same notes. It's hard at first, but with a little ear training it gets easier. Plus, you don't have to be bothered with learning what all those little black dots mean.

Learning to Read Music

  1. Get some sheet music. Go to your local music store, and explain to them that you are just learning to play the keyboard, what style of music you want to play, and if they can recommend a good book for beginners. They will be able to recommend the right method for your style of learning.
    • They might also recommend a piano teacher. If you want to become a skilled player, take their advice.
    • When first positioning your fingers, be aware that some sheet music has little numbers to help guide you. These numbers represent your finger placement for the notes on the score. These correspond to: 1=thumb, 2=index finger, 3=middle finger, 4=ring finger, and 5=little finger.

Learning to Play By Ear

  1. Train your ears. No method of learning is instant, and learning by ear is no different. Remembering the sound of a song and finding which notes on the keyboard to press is a skill that takes some practice to develop. The good news is that every great improviser in the world knows how to do it, so it's a skill that will never be wasted. Here is how you can start.
  2. Learn the art of solfège. It's pronounced "soul-fezh," and it means sight singing. You already know the basics, if you know how to sing "do re mi." The notes of the basic solfège scale are as follows: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do. In the key of C (the white keys), this corresponds to C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.
  3. Try it. On your keyboard, play the C scale we covered above. For each note you play, sing the next note in the solfège scale. Don't worry if your singing won't get you on American Idol. The idea is to connect the sounds with the notes. But what about the black notes?
    • Here is the scale, including the black notes in italics: do-di-re-ri-mi-fa-fi-sol-si-la-li-ti-do. Try that on your keyboard now, and see how it sounds. You'll notice that the do-re-mi parts are starting to sound familiar.
  4. Practice intervals. Instead of just singing "do re mi," try singing them in little jumps: "do-mi-re-fa-mi-sol-do." Make up your own combinations, write them down, and sing them. Then match them to the keyboard, and see if you were close.
  5. When this starts to feel comfortable, try it with a simple song. It may be a song you already know well, or a children's song that's very familiar. Only this time, instead of singing, for example, "Mary had a little lamb," sing "mi-re-do-re-mi-mi-miiiiiiiii."
    • When you develop the ability to do this, you can learn the solfège words to any song, anywhere you might be, and then when you get back to your keyboard, play them back.
    • The more you do this, the better you'll get.

The Keyboard Workstation

  1. Think of the keyboard as having 3 kinds of "brains." Each of these brains has a type of memory.
  2. The first type of brain is called a sound brain, or more commonly known as a tone. These are sounds like pianos, strings, flute, or new and unusual sounds that you can create yourself.
  3. The 2nd type is known as the "rhythm brain." This section might be called "rhythms" on some keyboards, or "styles" on others. The keyboard may include drum kits, bass guitars, pianos and other combinations using preset patterns. It's like a backing band you control with your left hand, and with your right hand, you play the melody.
  4. The 3rd kind of brain is where all your musical creations can be recorded. For instance, if you played a left hand bass guitar part, you could record that, save it, and later play accompaniment with that. You could then play something entirely new, like a piano or synthesizer melody, to fit together with what you've originally recorded.

Making Choices

  1. Decide between keyboards versus a regular piano. Consider the following factors.
  2. A piano has 88 keys. It's big, it's heavy, and it's loud. And you can't plug in headphones to your piano to practice at 2 in the morning!
  3. Classical music sounds far better played on a piano than a keyboard. A digital piano is comparable to a piano, but remember, the process by which a digital piano is sampled from a real piano causes a small loss in sound quality.
  4. The digital keyboard is easier to play. Next time you're near a piano, press down on the lowest note. Then press down on the highest note. Feel the difference? It's heavy and firm on the lower end, and light and easy on the higher end.
    • Now try the same thing on most keyboards. Unless they're made to emulate a piano keyboard, the keys on a synthesizer or workstation all feel the same. The "action," as it's called, is very light and fast, and much easier on the hands to play for long hours.
    • Many keyboard players do not need the full range of the piano. The notes you're playing can be moved up and down the keyboard electronically. For example, the note that is currently at middle C—C3, can become C4, or C1, or any other octave at the touch of a button.
  5. The digital keyboard is a very versatile instrument. It's also more practical if you are playing in a band. Rhythm guitarist late for band practice? The keyboard player can call up a guitar sound patch or take the rhythm guitarist's role in the band by playing chords in the background with a piano patch.
  6. Ultimately, although keyboards may never make the world of classical music, in the world of popular music (jazz, rock, reggae, pop, punk, etc.) they are coming into wide usage.

Ready for More?

  1. Once you've learned the basics, try taking it up a notch. Play in a band!
  2. Get a couple of friends who can play drums, guitar, and bass. Learn to play a song you all love.
  3. Work through the song until it sounds the way you like it.
    • When you're done, learn another song. Don't stop until Kanye is your opening act!.



Tips

  • Don't get frustrated. Keep on trying and you will succeed.
  • if you make a mistake just keep trying
  • Practice, Practice, Practice.
  • Accept constructive criticism as graciously as you accept praise.
  • Believe in yourself.
  • Practice with rhythms which are in the keyboard to improve timing and playing on the correct beat.
  • Don't be afraid of mistakes. Even the best flub now and then. Remember this rule: If you're not making mistakes, you're not trying hard enough.
  • Listen and learn from people who know.
  • Playing the piano is the same basic principle as playing the keyboard.
  • You can learn to play the keyboard on your own with method books, but taking lessons is often of more use—you get the benefit of somebody who can let you know when you're doing it right, and help you when you can't get past a stumbling block.
  • Don't expect it to come over night, practicing is a good starting point.
  • Try to count the notes when playing a song in your head. (example: C,F,G,E,C,A).
  • If you're playing keyboard, don't get discouraged from looking at the computer effects built into the instrument. It will become simpler as you continue to practice!

Warnings

  • Don't expect to learn overnight. Even Mozart and Beethoven didn't learn things quickly, so practice.

Things You'll Need

  • Keyboard
  • Sheet music (Not necessary for learning to play.)
  • A good teacher
  • Enthusiasm
  • Patience and plenty of practice

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  • Download this free book which may help you learn the first rudiments of keyboard music: [1]
  • Try these Online Animated sound Classical Techno and Rock keyboards lessons at Ezmusic4u.com. They include alternate easy "alphabet letter notes" as well as standard notation and helpful finger diagrams.
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