Beginner In Need Of Help

[SoulTrekker]

Well, I just started playing Keyboard a few days ago , after being fed up about lacking any talent and having a keyboard laying around for a few years. I'm a bit stuck on it though and am hoping for some advice and help for a young beginner.

-Mike

[Automation]

I understand how you must be feeling, because at one point it felt like I'm not making any progress, cluelessly searching for every key.

Thankfully, there are some built in exercises in my synthesizer, which I started practicing. I tried to repeat the ones I knew every day or so and learn a new one every couple of days. At first I was struggling to get the first one right, but eventually the progress started showing. This will get your fingers accustomed to playing the keyboard. Start with something easy, like playing every other key on the keyboard from the middle C to C6 on your right hand and from C4 to middle C on your left hand and repeat it until you can do it perfectly, then move on to others, but still regularly practice what you've learned. I can't really give you any examples of good exercise which you could use (unless you've got Casio ctk-4000), but you can always search the web for some.

I also suggest watching the videos on this channel and this website. They are for learning piano, but practically all of them can be applied to electronic keyboards too. They have been very helpful to me.

Hope this helps.

[SoulTrekker]

Thanks! I appreciate the help Automation.

[ElizabethHannah]

It is difficult to start a keyboard for the first time. For beginner the better way to learn from the key board teachers from the basic things how to use the fingers in the keyboard and how to ride the key board and every thing.To it is bit stuck on it though and am hoping for some advice and help for a young beginner.

[SkylessLimits]

I also suggest watching the videos on this channel and this website. They are for learning piano, but practically all of them can be applied to electronic keyboards too. They have been very helpful to me..

I was also about to recommend this advice. Well, the youtube channel part.

I'm a beginner, and I've been watching his videos for a while. Though I'm only on lesson 3 because I like to practice his lessons over and over again until I can play it without thinking, like I can w/ guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/user/lypur

[mwtzzz]

Well, I just started playing Keyboard a few days ago , after being fed up about lacking any talent and having a keyboard laying around for a few years. I'm a bit stuck on it though and am hoping for some advice and help for a young beginner.

-Mike

 

1. learn the basic three tone chords in the key of C (there are seven of them)

2. start picking out the melodies to well known simple folk songs by ear, christmas tunes (when johnny comes marching home again, i wish you a merry christmas, etc.)

3. figure out by ear the correct chords to go to those songs. the "most logical sounding chords" to fit the melody

4. play along with recordings of simple pop tunes and try to imitate the keyboard part. styles of music that are heavy on accordion/piano include polkas, south american vallenatos and cumbias, and mexican mariachi music.

[Just1L]

Maybe you could try taking lessons??

[Rudi]

Soultrekker,

 

You have enough resourse now to make a start.

 

With any instrument, you must be prepared to put in plenty of regular practice.

I suggest you set aside an hour a day 5 times a week, and post back here again after a month.

 

This practice must be hands on playing (as opposed to watching an instructional dvd etc).

 

Electronic keyboards are the easiest instruments to learn. If you really want to cheat, you can even just learn to play in a couple of keys, and use the transpose function for the rest.

 

It all comes down to your ambition & commitment. Good luck.

[Joe]

You know what?  I've kept saying that I am musically challenged and that all I can play is a bad example of the air guitar.  I happened upon this topic, and darned if I don't think I can do more than be a musical dummy as a result !!!  Great feedback to another person's question has helped me.  I think I will just go buy a keyboard and WORK at it.  Doesn't have to happen overnight, but by doing so mayhaps I will find that I can perhaps put some basic tunes to the lyrics I like to write.....and who knows, it just may help in my thought process of making those lyrics better.  THANKS !!!!!

[Rudi]

Joe,

 

That is the best news I have heard on here for a long time.

 

Great going.

 

 

If you want to feel good real quick:

Find a C chord (notes C, E and G), play it with your left hand and just tinker around all the white keys with the left. You can’t make a mistake (if you leave the black keys alone).

 

Then find Am (notes A, C and E) and do the same thing. Stick to the white keys. It will sound different but still sound good.

 

When you’ve had enough of that, alternate the C and A minor chords with left hand, and repeat all the white key tinkering.

 

Anyone can do this, and it can provide quite a musical buzz & remove that initial nervousness about the instrument.

 

Rudi

[Joe]

Rudi:

 

Thanks for the words pal !  I went to e-Bay today just to kind of get a feel for what's out there, and in the next few days will go check some out so I can get a hands on look at them and ask questions (which should be a hoot given that I know zilch about them!).  Part of the satisfaction is in the hunt I suppose.  I don't want to over buy, nor do I want to under buy.  Just have to take some time and figure it all out.  Thanks once again.

 

Joe

[Blissman]

I'm no good at keyboards either and I dislike practicing, but when I have a song that needs some more instrumentation beyond my guitar, I figure out the chords and melody line on the keyboard and create a part to play.  It is usually beyond my ability to do play this but when it is my own song that needs help, and I know no one else is going to do it, I make it happen. It might take me hours and hours of resetting that record button but in the end I can do it.

 

 Necessity is the mother of learning keyboards..

[Kel]

Rudi:

 

Thanks for the words pal !  I went to e-Bay today just to kind of get a feel for what's out there, and in the next few days will go check some out so I can get a hands on look at them and ask questions (which should be a hoot given that I know zilch about them!).  Part of the satisfaction is in the hunt I suppose.  I don't want to over buy, nor do I want to under buy.  Just have to take some time and figure it all out.  Thanks once again.

 

Joe

Ebay is a great idea Joe. I bout quite a nice older keyboard for less than $10!

 

I play piano, but didn't have one, and just wanted to muck around some. After I figured I'd use it, I bought a better one, and gave the Ebay one away to somebody else starting out.

 

As you've read here, tinkering is what it's all about. Once you aren't afraid to tap a key and get a fright when a noise comes out, you can look up all sorts of lessons on youtube. Some are better than others, as you might expect but it's not all that scary at all.

 

Have fun!

 

Kel

[mwtzzz]

My 16-yo nephew was up visiting a couple weeks ago. He plays drums and he wants to learn keyboard. So the first thing I had him do was figure out the melody to "twinkle little star" in the key of C., and then.... the challenging part! ... figure out the correct chords to harmonize the melody with.

 

This is really the best way to start playing the piano. Pick several simple tunes and figure it out by ear. If/when you get stuck, a little nudging from an experienced person.

[midsummermagic1111]

Learn chords!!!  It's actually really easy.  I learned classically and pop music was a far away nebulous place in the sky to me until I found out it was so simple I was missing it.  Here is the system I use for my students.  Even the little ones pick it up quick.

 

Requirements:  know the names of the white keys so you know where to put you hand.

 

CHORDS are COLORS to put in your SONGWRITING TOOLBOX.

 

Happy Sounding Chords:

• All White Key Chords:  [C] [F] [G] (3 individual chords)
  • To find each of the chord sounds above, place the thumb of your RH (right hand) on the letter name of the chord you want to play.  Fan each finger up consecutively.
  • Push down your thumb, middle finger, & pinky to play the chord.

Play these three chords up and down the piano so you can get familiar with them.  

• White Black White Chords:  [D] [E] [A]
  • Again (same as above), place the thumb of your RH on the name of the chord you want to play.
  • Fan your hand out so each finger is on a consecutive white key.
  • Your thumb & pinky will play the white key that it is resting on.
  • The middle finger needs to be on a black key.  The black key will be located right next to where your middle finger is already.  Put your middle finger on the black key directly to the right.

Play these three chords up and down the piano to get familiar with them.

• White Black Black Chords:  
  • is different than the rest.  It has two black keys
• Follow the instructions for the above only your middle and pinky finger will play the black key to the right of the key it's resting on.

Sad Sounding Chords:

• After you have learned how to make happy chords (major) you can turn them into (sad) sounding chords really easy.  To do this first play a happy chord.  Take the note your middle finger is playing and move it to the key directly to the left.  So if you are on a black key the key directly to the left will be a white key.

Applying Chords to Sound Like A Basic Song

 

Now you have your toolbox stuffed with sound colors.  Here is how to Generate Some Energy for a song:

• Songs can easily start from two chords.  Three is probably more interesting, but two will get you going.  

Pick two chords (of any quality) that you like how they sound next to each other Play the first one with your right hand In your left hand copy whatever note your thumb is playing in the RH (the note name of the chord).  That kinda beefs the sound up a little. To beef the sound up even more double up the note your left hand is playing - meaning find another of the same note and stretch your hand so your pinky is on one and your thumb is on another (so if the chord is [C] your left hand pinky will be on a C and your left hand thumb will be on another C).  So you've got your right hand on a chord and your left hand is emphasizing the chord by playing the first note of the chord.  Hold the right hand chord down and let it ring.  While you do this tap the LH notes in a steady tapping rhythm. Now switch to your second chord and do the same thing.

 

It's really a basic start.. but a considerable amount of inspiration can be had with a few more basic rhythm patterns and ways of playing the simple chord tones.  If you've listened thus far and want more let me know.. I don't want to bog down this topic.

 

Hope it helps