Bought a Yamaha EZ220, now what?

[Namdastunna]

I just bought a used Yamaha EZ220. I also have an iPad. Now, where do I begin? What is the next step in learning how to use the keyboard and learning how to play by myself at home?

PS: These questions are really for my father because he doesn't really speak/read English and I bought this as a gift for him to mess around/play with.

 

[delaware dave]

What is the next step in learning how to use the keyboard and learning how to play by myself at home?

start here, you first need to understand what the keyboard is capable of:

owners manual

The IPad piece can come after the basic use of the keyboard is understood.

 

[CharlieO]

I just bought a used Yamaha EZ220. I also have an iPad. Now, where do I begin? What is the next step in learning how to use the keyboard and learning how to play by myself at home?

PS: These questions are really for my father because he doesn't really speak/read English and I bought this as a gift for him to mess around/play with.

Namdastuna: You are a God to gift your father some music! YouTube, and poke around with him.
Hal Leonard is the monster of sheet music. He needs some learning on tab and sheet music.
Get him to pick out the keys to tunes, play by ear. He will learn faster if he gets some lessons.
Adult learners are slower than teens! Say nice things about his playing; this is work here!

 

[CharlieO]

I just bought a used Yamaha EZ220. I also have an iPad. Now, where do I begin? What is the next step in learning how to use the keyboard and learning how to play by myself at home?

PS: These questions are really for my father because he doesn't really speak/read English and I bought this as a gift for him to mess around/play with.

Namdastunna: Go to Youtube and poke around with him. Get him some lessons and he will learn quicker.
Hal Leonard is the king of sheet music education. Good Luck! Say nice things about his playing!

 

[rudy]

I just bought a used Yamaha EZ220. I also have an iPad. Now, where do I begin? What is the next step in learning how to use the keyboard and learning how to play by myself at home?

PS: These questions are really for my father because he doesn't really speak/read English and I bought this as a gift for him to mess around/play with.

First he has to train his fingers to work independently. Start with the C scale. Start at the C key touching each white key until you get to the next C. There is a cross under of your thumb at the E to the F key. You do this over and over until you don’t have to think about it Not much fun but you’ll be surprised how hard it is to move one finger at a time. While doing this get a piano booklet and learn about what keys and cords are. Been playing out for forty years now I can pass the time away enjoying playing it. Instructions with a teacher always give you a weekly goal. Covid makes this hard so start with this exercise

 

[John Bay]

I just bought a used Yamaha EZ220. I also have an iPad. Now, where do I begin? What is the next step in learning how to use the keyboard and learning how to play by myself at home?

PS: These questions are really for my father because he doesn't really speak/read English and I bought this as a gift for him to mess around/play with.

Well I would just learn to play using lead sheets, such as EZ play today books. First find what type of songs he would love like to play, start off with slow songs, hymns are mostly in the range. If he does not mind playing children songs such My Grandfarhers clock which sounds slow or fast.
Ez play today do some good children ones.

The keyboard has what is called one finger chords, which is a good place start, unless he whants to play all sorts of music in depth which can take years. Having played some songs, he could learn full chords starting off with C, G, F. Lead sheets are just Melody Right Hand with Chords in the Left. So learn the Right Hand then learn to play left hand, single finger or full chords.

Also use the styles etc.
Lots could be said but play slowly at first and learn the names of the keys.
All the best

 

[Namdastunna]

Hi everyone, thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it!

Truth be told, I understand very little of what all of you guys have said because I don't have a music background He does play acoustic guitar and was in a church choir so I assume he would know the music notes/chords but I do not know if they are transferable from guitar to keyboard.

I am a little (A LOT actually) overwhelmed with all of the options. Could you provide a simpler 1 2 3 steps for what he should do first?

I assume we would start by reading the manual and show him how to use his new device but then . . . what? Should we start with EZ play today books? You know how when you first learn how to type on a computer keyboard, there is software that shows you what key to press and you practice asdf and eventually, you are able to type the whole alphabet on the keyboard? Well... is there an iPad app that teaches you the same way? I read that the EZ220 has light-up keys so is there a built-in program or iPad app that teaches you how to play a keyboard through the light-up keys?

Thanks again for everything and I'm kind of excited even though I know nothing about music. I wonder if this is something that is easier for me to get into as well since I hated to practice acoustic guitar when I was a kid since it hurts my finger tips.

 

[Biggles]

Start be reading this thread so you have an understanding.

Starting to play a keyboard or piano?

Do you want to play a Piano or Keyboard? That is the question my Teacher asked when I took up playing keys after years with a guitar and bass. He qualified it by stating, there is a difference in how I teach you and in how you will develop. Piano. At its most basic level LH plays the Bass...

www.keyboardforums.com

Then read through the other threads in the Beginners section.

As the EZ22 is a better keyboard for learning to play Keyboard Or Arranger Style than it is as a piano we can go on from there.

As has been advised, left and plays chords (three fingers play three notes at the same time) whilst the right plays the melody line.

An old series but still very capable is Kenneth Bakers, The Complete Keyboard Player (omnibus edition rather than the three separate books if possible) and working through these will give him a good grounding.

Coupled with a specific practice routine and he will soon be playing recognisable songs.

Search this forum for practice routines there are many threads/posts on the subject and there is not a single system there is one that works for the keyboardist.

Best wishes to your Dad.

 

[cpcohen1945]

There are probably User Manuals in several languages -- find one that he can read, if it exists. (The EZ-220 model is unique to Costco. Find out what the _non-Costco_ Yamaha model is, that matches it. _That_ model will have manuals in several languages.)

If he plays guitar, and understands "major chord" / "minor chord", and if he has _any_ music-reading ability:

. . . Find the section of the manual that covers "auto-chording" and/or "auto-accompaniment" (= "Styles", in Yamaha-language).
. . . Roughly, page 34-38.

He'll probably understand what it says, even if you don't.


A guitarist will have pretty good control over finger-motions in his left hand. His right hand (which strums, unless he plays classical guitar) will probably have less finger independence.

You don't say whether he does "pop", folk, jazz, classical -- each one will have its own learning sequence.

 

[Namdastunna]

A Vietnamese user manual would be amazing. I tried to google but couldn't find the non-costco model number and couldn't find a Vietnamese manual anywhere on the web. . . can you do a quick search, if you got a few minutes?

I have no idea what style of music he plays. He randomly bought a keyboard from a the brand Audster from Ross for $45 last week to play around with. Being the research-oriented person that I am, I was like, why don't you return it and I can help you find a better one for a bit more money. I bought a used one from American Musical Supply... and now here I am

 

[cpcohen1945]

A Vietnamese user manual would be amazing. I tried to google but couldn't find the non-costco model number and couldn't find a Vietnamese manual anywhere on the web. . . can you do a quick search, if you got a few minutes?

I have no idea what style of music he plays. He randomly bought a keyboard from a the brand Audster from Ross for $45 last week to play around with. Being the research-oriented person that I am, I was like, why don't you return it and I can help you find a better one for a bit more money. I bought a used one from American Musical Supply... and now here I am

i was wrong -- it's not "Costco-specific". It's an older model (2012 or so).

The EZ-220 is comparable to (but not the same as) the Yamaha PSR-E363 (which is a common model) and the PSR-EW300. There are many similar features among the three of them.

I'd e-mail Yamaha Musical Instruments -- either the head office in Japan (Yamaha Global), or the US office, or the Viet Nam office -- and ask them about a Vietnamese version of the manual for any of those models. (There's a Yamaha Musical Instruments branch in Viet Nam, and they might have translated the manual from its original language to Vietnamese.)

You'll also find "video manuals" on YouTube for the EZ-220. They might be easier for your dad, than a printed manual in English.

I have a feeling you'll be learning a lot about keyboard playing, in the next little while!<G>

Good luck to both of you --

. Charles

 

[John Bay]

Well I would just learn to play using lead sheets, such as EZ play today books. First find what type of songs he would love like to play, start off with slow songs, hymns are mostly in the range. If he does not mind playing children songs such My Grandfarhers clock which sounds slow or fast.
Ez play today do some good children ones.

The keyboard has what is called one finger chords, which is a good place start, unless he whants to play all sorts of music in depth which can take years. Having played some songs, he could learn full chords starting off with C, G, F. Lead sheets are just Melody Right Hand with Chords in the Left. So learn the Right Hand then learn to play left hand, single finger or full chords.

Also use the styles etc.
Lots could be said but play slowly at first and learn the names of the keys.
All the best

Now for the following I am in the main talking to older adult, every journey starts with one step, in the case of learning the piano starts with one key. So in the very beginning just understand where middle C is. Then where every C is on the keyboard.

So you have C (middle) D, E, F, G A, B, C This pattern is the repeated cross the Keyboard. This is the most simple way for a beginner. Working with the Right Hand from Middle C, the pattern is of course repeated on the left side of middle C. For the beginner just be concerned about the Right Hand at the start. Any piano book should show you the fingering staring with the Thumb as 1, next finger 2 and so on to the little finger as 5.
C. D. E. F. G
1. 2. 3. 4. 5
That does not mean that every D is played with finger 2 it just means every finger is numbered starting with the Thumb as 1 …… 5 as the little finger. Every piano book shows this relationship.

Ok now place fingers of the right hand over the keys and play from C to G one finger at a time, and try each key played the same time interval apart. Let's say at between 1 and 2 seconds so C is played 1 second later D is played, next second E is played etc. Play slowly at first the try to increase the tempo. You may well find when trying to play fast you make errors, that play at different times or miss a key. That is good we learn by our mistakes. Just find a speed you are happy with, and only increase your tempo in baby steps. At this time when you can do this with out errors you are ready for the next step no matter what your tempo is. Fast Tempo will come in time best to play at your own speed.

One way is to say one, and two, and three, and four, and five
Then 1 2 3 4 5
I could go on but what I have stated maybe you can already do so if you can that's great. I am not a piano teacher but am self taught and of course a teacher is best, but they cost money and books for me do not always show what I need and when you a teaching your self you need to know what you are looking for. The most simple books are best, not necessarily the most expensive.

And as I have already stated EZ play today are for me the best for Adults and those that play from a lead sheet.
A book which I can recommend is Teach Yourself to play Electronic Keyboard ISBN-10 is
0-88284-680-9 by alfred.com get it on Amazon, EBay etc.

The next step is to learn the scale of C Right Hand only. You need to understand thumb under/over etc.

 

[Namdastunna]

Just want to say thank you again you guys!! Awesome community for beginners, so much info!