Learn to play electronic keyboard – Piano – Part 1

Are you eager to learn electronic keyboard? Want to see yourself playing songs on electronic piano keyboard? This article will help you in gathering essential components you will need for learning Piano.

Before directly starting with the instrument I would like you to be equipped with basic prerequisites.

1. Why you want to learn piano?
2. Self-teach or hire a tutor?
3. Method of learning that works for you?
4. Get the right equipment?

These days, everything is instant. Hence, we are so much more likely to be impatient in every aspect of our lives. You do not have to conquer impatience here, but you must be able to control and overcome. For that you must know what is patience? I like to start with the dictionary. “Patience: the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, difficulty, or annoyance without getting angry or upset.”

How do you know when you’re being impatient? You will probably experience one or more of the following symptoms which are: –

• restlessness,
• irritability,
• anger,
• anxiety,
• nervousness,
• rushing,
• quick decisions.

Learning an instrument tests your patience, if you are going for the actual learning part, the journey is not easy. It is as good as learning a new language, there are no shortcuts – you must simply and slowly accommodate yourself with grammar, reading, writing, speaking and expressing.

Beginning with what should you stop thinking and what should you start as of now.

• Stop: –
  • Scared of many keys, notes.
  • Will I be able to read the notes?
  • Will I be able to play both hands together and change from one hand position to another?
  • Will I be able to memorize chords?
  • Expectation is equal to Reality. While you will be struggling to play first note, you yourself Or People around you expect to play full song.
• Start: –
  • Learning piano is a struggle, accept it!
  • Accept delay, difficulty, annoyance without getting angry or upset
  • Accept to learn ABCD… of musical theory
  • Accept to play a simple melody
  • Accept repetitions.
  • Settle for less
  • Think music.

Misconceptions about playing piano keyboard: –

• More suitable if the person would start learning at a young age.
• Not for left-handed

That’s not true. I am left handed – many people find it easier to play with their dominant hand, and it simply takes extra patience and practice to get your non-dominant hand up to the same skill level.

Here I will take an example of a trip. Whenever you plan for a long journey. Your planning begins with imagination and equipment which includes tickets, stay, activities etc. You prepare yourself for excitements and discomforts. As I said learning Piano is also a journey, perhaps you must prepare yourself with mind and equipment. Luggage of this journey contain good amount of patience, eagerness to learn a new talent, interest in music, locus of music, electronic keyboard with at least 49 to 88 weighted keys and minimum 5 octaves, keyboard stand, bench and headphones.

Fig. 0.1 Electronic keyboard, keyboard stand, bench and headphones

Once your baggage is full, trust me its easiest instrument to learn, perhaps the most difficult instrument to master. Whether you dream of playing to entertain your friends and family at home or public function, playing the keyboard can be a rewarding attempt. To make your dream come true you’ll need to learn some keyboarding basics.

• Understanding Keys, Notes and chords
• Sitting Position
• Hand and finger position
• Basic notes to practice

When you are beginning a new task, it is always best to have a starting point. When you have interest in what you are doing, your work drives your passion. No musical background needed, your inclination is your background which makes you to pick it up faster.

Keys, Notes and chords

Starting point is to know about new language and instrument.

Modern piano keyboards make use of 52 white keys and 36 black keys, totaling to 88 keys on a piano.

Each key on the keyboard represents a definite musical note. White keys are divided be seven keys group. Group of seven white keys on a piano keyboard signify the seven note names (A-B-C-D-E-F-G) and the black keys are used to identify sharp or flat notes.

Fig. 0.2 Notes

The music alphabet runs exactly like the regular alphabet, A to G. (A-B-C-D-E-F-G) A always comes after G. This pattern repeats itself on the piano, so there is more than one of every key. Every letter to the same letter (e.g. A to A) is an octave.

Fig 0.3 Octave

Middle C is the key closest to the center of the piano. This C anchors you and helps you find your place right away.

Fig 0.4 Middle C note key.

There are so my things to memorize? Don’t worry, not all at once and we will figure out some creative shortcuts. Like note C stands for chopsticks and note F stands for forks. So, there are three black keys after F and two after C.

Fig 0.4 Black keys identification.

TIP: – An easy way to read the keys of a piano is to find the D first. Its in middle of your chopstick.

White keys are used for Sharp notes and Black keys are used for Flat notes. Sharp means to go up a half step, while flat means to go down a half step. E sharp is F natural, because F natural is one key higher than E natural. E natural can also be considered F flat, since E natural is one key down from F natural.

Chord is a group of (typically three or more) notes sounded together. Twelve major chords are

• C major – C E G
• C sharp major – C♯ E♯ G♯
• D major – D F♯ A
• E flat major – E♭ G B♭
• E major – E G♯ B
• F major – F A C
• F sharp major – F♯ A♯ C♯
• G major – G B D
• A flat major – A♭ C E♭
• A major – A C♯ E
• Bb major – B♭ D F
• B major – B D♯ F♯

Sample: –

Fig 0.5 C Major Chord.

In my next article, I will start with basic notes and other keyboarding basics.

More to come on chords.

Happy Learning

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