Learning to play keyboard on my own

[aud.io]

I would like to learn playing keyboard, at least on a basic level. Now my questions are:
1. Is my only-two-octave midi keyboard sufficient for this?
2. I can't afford the probably best option to take lessons, so what other options are there?

Thanks!

[jeskolajeskola]

try this site

http://www.musictheory.net/

and also google for the ravonspiral guide pdf

[adydub]

I would like to learn playing keyboard, at least on a basic level. Now my questions are:
1. Is my only-two-octave midi keyboard sufficient for this?

Two octaves is a bit limiting - you really need a minimum of three to actually get stuck in (imo)

2. I can't afford the probably best option to take lessons, so what other options are there?

Always woth trying the 'noodle a lot' option. Learn the basic chords and inversions in c (all the white notes) and take it from there. Once you're comfortable with the chord shapes try figuring out some of your favorate tunes. Once you've got the basic basics, try jamming with other musicians as much as possible. This approach will probably be more useful than traditional piano lessons alone if you're wanting to play original music. Probably less useful if you want to start knocking out some bartok piano concertos.

[chardin]

The Ravenspiral Guide
http://www.ravenspiral.com/ravenspiralguide.pdf

[sjm]

If you're serious about playing, get as many octaves as you can. Whilst at the beginning even 4 octaves can seem daunting, you'll reach a point when you find it very limiting. Especially if you ever have the pleasure of playing on a proper piano or full length keyboard for a while! 2 octaves is not nearly enough to play with two hands - although it's more than sufficient for playing most melodies.

Learn a couple of the staples, starting in C: the three chord trick (C F G) and that old keyboard classic C -> Am -> F -> G. Practice playing chords and arpeggios (i.e. the notes in the chords one after another in different orders). And as mentioned before, learn the inversions (i.e. playing the chords with the notes in different orders, such as C major as C/E/G, E/G/C, G/C/E etc.). Being able to play the same chord in different inversion is important as it allows you to both vary the sound of the same chord by accentuating different notes, and because it makes changing between chords so much easier.

Most rock/blues/pop/country staples can be played with just those 3 or 4 chords.

Once you've got C cornered, move on to some of the other scales: G and F are similar to C with only one note difference; and B and F# are quite easy, as they contain all the black notes and two white notes. Because of the way a keyboard is laid out, playing black or white notes involves different movements by your fingers, and different scales encourage different approaches to playing.

Try improvising a lot; it's a great way of discovering new things. Try crazy things. Try to find notes that sound "interesting" together.

Pay attention to your mistakes too. Sometimes you'll hit the wrong key, but it'll sound great anyway. Remember that note for future reference.

Try figuring out how to play simple songs you like on your own. Most simple songs only use 3 or 4 chords and remain nicely in key. It's good training for your ear, and you'll quickly learn to recognise chord progressions when listening to songs.

Get a couple of song books and learn to read the notes or play using the chords. Learning to play a couple of Beatles songs will really teach you a lot.

Practice. You need to play (almost) every day, even if it's only 10 minutes. You don't need a teacher, but you do need to apply yourself and put in a lot of effort. Put in a couple of extended practice session every week (at least half an hour).

And above all have fun. You'll find it much easier if you're enjoying yourself, rather than being concerned that you're not a keyboard maestro after 3 weeks. Too many people give up learning an instrument because they want instant gratification. You should be learning the keyboard because you want to and enjoy it, not because you want to be able to astound people with you leet skillz

[nis]

This site has some useful lessons:

http://www.pianonanny.com/start.html

[kevink]

To some degree it depends on what you want to be able to do, but if it includes being able to play piano, organ, or polyphonic synths with both hands, a 2-octave keyboard is going to be very limiting and could get in the way of developing good technique.

Secondly, while there are many books and web sites that can teach you the basics of music theory as it applies to playing keyboards, I would very strongly recommend that you find a resource that will get you started using more-or-less correct fingering technique right off the bat. I wish I had one that I knew of off the top of my head.

I had formal lessons for a few months, after which I pretty much taught myself, and as a consequence, while my timing and expression are OK, my technique for fast scales and runs is dismal. It didn't help that for years I played a Fender Rhodes with an action so heavy that my little fingers were pretty useless for anything other than block chords.

[gambaytheunspoken]

I don't know where you live, but my town/city usually offer a wide variety of courses like karate, french, spanish, swimming, piano lessons, etc., for about 60$ for three months. That's a pretty good deal because you get acces to real pianos at any time and a real piano teacher, although you might have to put up with retirees looking for something to do. So have a look at your local community newspaper. Also, I use the resources at the library, example, Jamey Aebersold play along books, popular piano, classical piano, how to read a score, etc. In addition, for most piano courses offered by professionals, the first course is usually free, take advantage of it and check them out, you can probably work out a deal with them because piano teachers don't get out much. You can always rent a piano for a couple of weks if you need to. Plus, there are a whole lot of video tutorials on the web for improving your fingering and technique and that sort of thing. Another thing I do to learn difficult songs and generally figure things out is to rip a song I like to mp3 on my harddrive and play along with it. Just get creative. And yes, practise your scales. You don't need too may keys to do that,
Ciao!

[pascual]

J. S. Bach: Selections from Anna Magdalena's Notebook.

[aud.io]

Erm, I'm a bit late to the party, sorry. Wow, what a feedback. If I wasn't motivated enough before, now I am, thanks a lot guys!

I will stick to my two-octave keyboard for the next weeks, looks like the *very* basics are still possible to do. And that Ravenspiral guide is a great help too.

[wrench45us]

I would at least take a look at Rikky Rooksby 'Songwritong for Keyboards' or something like that.
Some basic chords and progressions and enough to build some momentum to actually play something.
I tried to teach myself piano many times over the years and found that chords and progressions and a bit of theory was really the best entry point because it lets you play songs.
(much like guitar starts out with chords)
and Rikky Rooksby books provide a nice 'pop' approach. I found it pretty easy to build a base there and then go on with various Hal Leonard Style Series and pick up jazz theory and chord shapes.
I started out playing just closed right hand chords, but stressing the inversions for good voice leading (which usually means minimum hand movement) then adding one note bass, then two note bass root 7, root 5 and more open shapes
I'm sure I'm missing a great deal by not having a teacher, but things are coming along.
and I'd say in a while you'll be wanting at least a 4 octave keyboard

[Download SOphist]

I've learned all alone to play the piano. It's been five years now. The results are a incredible poor technique, bad timing and attack, lousy, bumpy scales and lack of harmony invention. On the other hand, it's been all pleasure along the way. My advice would be to have some kind of formal lessons at some stage, cause it wont hurt you much. And the sooner, the better. As for octaves, i don't believe i'm exagerating if i say four octaves is an absolut minimum. And it can be very limitating if you want to do anything besides comping. If you invest in a bigger, weighted keyboard, after some years i'm sure you won't regret it.

Some nice, helpfull insights in this thread, by the way.

Cheers.

[MaliceX]

Self-paced piano training is always inspired by something, but the pace you learn at always depends on the type of music you like to hear and play yourself.

When it comes down to learning without reading (I can vouch for this), it's probably the fastest way to train your ear. Though if you want to learn all keys fast, best memorize the Cycle of Fifths and develop a routine to memorizing all keys by going around the circle in clockwise/anticlockwise order.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_of_fifths

At least for me, learning piano by myself using the circle as a starting guideline has been an essential asset to my understanding of scale memorizing and notation. This way, depending on how logical you can think, you can determine relationships between keys and determine the direct harmonies that work in one scale, while using another at the same time.

Course, the last poster is correct, bad technique is quite common in self-paced learning, and I'm still working to change that. (Though it hasn't slown me down yet, my left hand's vestigal condition on the index and pinky fingers do hold my speed back as well as contrary/parallel motion coordination.)