newby self-teaching routine

[Laura]

Hi! This topic might have been covered before but here I am, a newby who finally has a keyboard, so now the next step is learning & practicing.

I have been playing basic arpeggios & chords, plus some blues chords I learned in this book 'The absolute beginner series: Rock Keyboards steps 1 & 2." I'm experimenting with chord voicings that you might find in rock. Also I have some kind of simple minuet that someone posted here which gets both hands playing progressions. And a few classical music sheets by Bach, etc.

I usually get distracted after about 45 min. & start noodling around with synth sounds, Cubase, etc.

Does anyone have other suggestions for good learning & practicing scenarios?

Oh, also I just got in touch with some friends of mine who play Grateful Dead, and they invited me to jam. Since they have other folks who play guitar, bass etc., guess what: I'd have to bring the keyboard. Yipes! That gives me about a week or 2 to get up to speed .

 

[peterbright]

Well tell us how it went!

 

[igorpan]

Play scales 1-2 hours a day with 2 or 3 10-15 minute breaks. Start in slow tempo, than when you feel comfortable with it, speed things up! U can't imagine how fast you will progress, and you won't even feel it. In two weeks, you can improve your technique very much. That's for solo parts. Chords are easy, you can ( i don't know how it's sayed in English ) play chords note by note from lowest octave to highest. That's good practice also. For Example, you play C major chord (C-E-G), you play on your keyboard : C E G C E G C E G until you can't go any higher, and than return and again and again.
TAKE THOSE BRAKES OF 15 MINUTES. IT WILL HELP YOU NOT TO BE DISTRACTED WHILE PRACTICING.

 

[Laura]

Play scales 1-2 hours a day with 2 or 3 10-15 minute breaks. Start in slow tempo, than when you feel comfortable with it, speed things up!

Thanks. I think my biggest problem is those black notes. If not for them I think I could develop fast technique pretty quick. But when I try to play a scale with black notes, my fingers slip off, and when I try to play chords with black notes, it makes my hands/wrists hurt.

 

[Laura]

Well tell us how it went!

It didn't happen yet (sigh of relief). But we'll see...!

I do have a few grateful dead Cd copies to learn from. The keyboard parts are pretty easy... just a few notes here & there.

 

[Laura]

Play scales 1-2 hours a day with 2 or 3 10-15 minute breaks.

Also I'm wondering, is it pretty important for a beginner to practice A LOT at first, to get their brain wrapped around the whole concept?

I have been feeling guiltiy about neglecting my guitar to practice keys. Well I've played guitar pretty steadily for almost a year. So it is OK to ignore the guitar for a little while and make Keys my first priority?

 

[igorpan]

Heh, lol, I play piano for 7-8 years now, and I started playing guitar, opposite of you
It is not if you have 5 years to learn, but if you want to really be a good player, you have to practice a lot at the start...when you learn to play, it will be very fun, and when you are tired, for example, you will start playing to relax yourself. Yeah, i think it is ok to ignore guitar for a while, but it would be good if you would play it twice a week for a hour or so because you don't play it for very long time. Pain in fingers and slipping are going to fade away with practice very fast, beleve me. You just need your hands to get used to playing.....

Sorry for my weird and bad english