Learning how to play (complete beginner)

[f001error]

I want to learn how to play the keyboard but don't have a clue where to begin. I've got a 61 key velocity sensitve midi keyboard and I've got it setup with a software sequencer and syth so it happly makes noise. I've been doing some googling for online music lessons for the keyboard / piano, but all I get is expensive ebooks (one particular ebook happly spams itself all over the internet under different names ), or small "free" lessons that are ad's for expensive ebooks. Are there any good, free online resources for newbie players, if not could you recommend a good book to learn from ? I can't afford proper music lesson's at this point, but would still perfer to learn how to play with proper technique upfront.


Cheers

 

[AdamGBB]

erm... piano lessons... find someone in your local area

 

[Laura]

I want to learn how to play the keyboard but don't have a clue where to begin.

It depends what kind of stuff you want to play.
I'm a beginner too but I'm not going to a piano teacher 'cause they would just make me do boring exercises & charge me a lot of money. I can do those same boring exercises on my own. As someone suggested, do lots of scales. Dull, but I also practice a lot of chords. If you jam with others you will need those skills.

Once you are sort of familiar with chords you know where your hands should go on the keyboard & you can play along with the patterns & fills. Hopefully your keyboard has a genre of fills you like.. like blues, ambient, trance.

I have 2 "Rock keyboards" beginner books in the Hal Leonard series. They give you a basic background. If you don't know anything about music or notation, you might need an even more beginner book. I hope you have a good music store in your area.

I realize that it will take at least 6 months of practicing just to get the basic 'chops' down.

Now, if you're interested in being a classical pianist or soloist, you might need a more sophisticated teaching method. But in the rock type genre, a lot of it is "learn the chops & then improvise." Good luck!

 

[AdamGBB]

It depends what kind of stuff you want to play.
I'm a beginner too but I'm not going to a piano teacher 'cause they would just make me do boring exercises & charge me a lot of money. I can do those same boring exercises on my own. As someone suggested, do lots of scales. Dull, but I also practice a lot of chords. If you jam with others you will need those skills.

Yeah the charging money thing is an issue, but you probably only need to take them for a year I guess...

I disagree on the generalisation you made of piano teachers getting you to do boring stuff like scales etc. chances are they'll start you off some practise pieces, ya know, easy litte tunes, no techincal stuff like that... well whatever I could be wrong. But they don't all give you technical exercises at the start... at least mine didn't.

I did start when I was 6 though... but I figure it would be the same as learning to play guitar in a sense... I started learning guitar at 14/15 (I forget ) and my tutoring was focused more on tunes than it was on technical exercises.

 

[Laura]

sense... I started learning guitar at 14/15 (I forget ) and my tutoring was focused more on tunes than it was on technical exercises.

See, I figure tunes are something a person can teach themselves, unless they simply have no ear for music and have never played anything and have no confidence.

But that's just my opinion, of course. I taught myself guitar, one time I tried to take a lesson and I just didn't get anything out of it that I couldn't have gotten from a book of tablature etc.

I'm teaching myself keyboard now, but the technique is a little more complicated than guitar because both hands can be involved in counterpoint/contrasting rhythm. I'm having trouble with this two-handed thing. Hopefully it will come more easily with practice. if not, I might have to go to the local music store & get a few lessons.

 

[AdamGBB]

See, I figure tunes are something a person can teach themselves, unless they simply have no ear for music and have never played anything and have no confidence.

But that's just my opinion, of course.

Haha touche

 

[RotorOnTop]

error! welcome to the keyboardforums, here's a couple freebie lesson sites

http://www.playpiano.com
http://www.free-online-piano-lessons.com/
http://www.musicandyou.com/free_piano_lessons.htm
http://www.8notes.com/school/lessons/Piano/beginner
http://www.playpianotoday.com
blues scales are rudimentally helpful too
http://www.electricbluesclub.co.uk

hope this helps ya get started and are usefull ROT

 

[Pokey]

Learning to play piano

I am a beginner also, or may I say I was a beginner. I have been playing keyboards off and on for about a year now. I to was having trouble learning. I like to read music, best way to learn as far as I am concerned. But learning on your own is fine, but I would advise a teacher for some of it. If you know any good piano players that play in a church or school students, they may show you some stuff for free. Thats how I got me a teacher, through a church and no cost. Learn the basics on your own, scales, , chords and hand placement, learn 4/4 time easiest to learn, then seak the advice of a teacher for the harder stuff, like syncopation, which consists of 8th notes tied to 16th notes and 3/8 time as well as 3/4 time. The simple stuff, just quarter notes and wholenotes isn't to hard to master, but the syncopation is much harder, and also pick a style of music you like and practice on it, it will make it more interesting, also visit youtube, there are some great video lessons there to help. Keep on hammering. My favorite style is Boogie Woogie and Rockabilly style piano. Yea! I like to Boogie!