KVR Audio

SuitcaseOfLizards · Post by **SuitcaseOfLizards** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 11:51 pm

Can anyone recommend a reasonable book on learning how to play keyboards? I've had some lessons (years ago), went back to guitar, and am now trying to transition to synthesizers only.. and my chops are gone!

Something that mixes theory with practical stuff would be best. I'm tired of learning by the "poke and remember if it sounded good" system.

Rick1114 · Post by **Rick1114** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:06 am

I've looked around for ages and haven't found anything decent for keys! As a guitar player I was looking for something besides 'standard notation' for keyboards with a focus on Jazz/Classical chord progressions and some melodic scales and such. All I've seen are 'fake books' or really cheezy 'this is a C7 chord' stuff.

I will say if anyone is looking for to improve on Bass Guitar, I found The Finger Funk Workbook Vol. 2 (No tab in Vol. 1). The most amazing exercises in this book - It's like hundreds of dollars of lessons in a $22 book!

DevonB · Post by **DevonB** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:08 am

Why not a software program that teaches you how to play the keyboard? I would think something more interactive would be better, personally.

Devon

SuitcaseOfLizards · Post by **SuitcaseOfLizards** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:15 am

DevonB wrote:Why not a software program that teaches you how to play the keyboard? I would think something more interactive would be better, personally.

Devon

D'oh.

I'll have a look around and see if I can find anything that isn't targeted for children! Good idea!

TechNoiZ · Post by **TechNoiZ** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:41 am

Sadly i don't think there is an easy way to learn the keyboards. Its a bit like learning to cook. It depends on what you want as an end result. If you want to learn how to play chords you need a cheesy book that tells you how; if you want to add melodies over the top you need a book on how to do this from the chords - like it or not books on consructing Jazz and Classical scales would be your first option; if you want to play other peoples stuff you need to understand some sort of notation. The alternative is the 'poke and remember if it sounded good' approach.

There is no quick and easy way to create music - only quick and easy ways of making it sound good once you have the basic skills to invent/discover/record musical ideas in the first instance.

SuitcaseOfLizards · Post by **SuitcaseOfLizards** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:47 am

I'm starting to think I might be better served by getting a book on basic theory and working from there - not necessarily with the goal of sight-reading but to get the underlying info on how to build chords, etc. and then use that when I'm sitting at the keyboard.

I'm not into covers, and most of what I do is electronic or ambient/dark soundscapes, so maybe I'm not really in need of improving my performance skills as much as I am in need of improving my compositional skills.. hmm..

There's certainly plenty of relatively cheap piano-lesson software out there, I might grab one just to get some basic practice in.

seamonkey · Post by **seamonkey** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:08 am

woolyloach wrote:I'm starting to think I might be better served by getting a book on basic theory and working from there - not necessarily with the goal of sight-reading but to get the underlying info on how to build chords, etc. and then use that when I'm sitting at the keyboard.

I'm not into covers, and most of what I do is electronic or ambient/dark soundscapes, so maybe I'm not really in need of improving my performance skills as much as I am in need of improving my compositional skills.. hmm..

There's certainly plenty of relatively cheap piano-lesson software out there, I might grab one just to get some basic practice in.

I have a 3 volume VHS video set by Tal Tochin?(have to go into the shelves and see what name it is again)which is very good.
Bought it years ago from an ad in Keyboard magazine.
Lost interest after awhile since I can't concentrate more than a few seconds on hard work like that.

I would be willing to send them to you for the cost of shipping.

SuitcaseOfLizards · Post by **SuitcaseOfLizards** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:16 am

seamonkey wrote:
woolyloach wrote:I'm starting to think I might be better served by getting a book on basic theory and working from there - not necessarily with the goal of sight-reading but to get the underlying info on how to build chords, etc. and then use that when I'm sitting at the keyboard.

I'm not into covers, and most of what I do is electronic or ambient/dark soundscapes, so maybe I'm not really in need of improving my performance skills as much as I am in need of improving my compositional skills.. hmm..

There's certainly plenty of relatively cheap piano-lesson software out there, I might grab one just to get some basic practice in.
I have a 3 volume VHS video set by Tal Tochin?(have to go into the shelves and see what name it is again)which is very good.
Bought it years ago from an ad in Keyboard magazine.
Lost interest after awhile since I can't concentrate more than a few seconds on hard work like that.

I would be willing to send them to you for the cost of shipping.

Ugh, wish I had a VHS player! I only have a DVD player and that's in my computer.

DevonB · Post by **DevonB** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 5:41 am

woolyloach wrote:I'm starting to think I might be better served by getting a book on basic theory and working from there - not necessarily with the goal of sight-reading but to get the underlying info on how to build chords, etc. and then use that when I'm sitting at the keyboard.

I'm not into covers, and most of what I do is electronic or ambient/dark soundscapes, so maybe I'm not really in need of improving my performance skills as much as I am in need of improving my compositional skills.. hmm..

There's certainly plenty of relatively cheap piano-lesson software out there, I might grab one just to get some basic practice in.

Book? Who needs a book? The net has PLENTY of good material. Hell, check out this site if you want some REAL good explanation of theory.

http://www.completechords.com

I keep meaning to buy their posters, but still haven't gotten around to it.

The guide is EXCELLENT, and it's online and free. Start there, and let us know if you have questions.

Devon

mindless · Post by **mindless** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 6:24 am

I've been learning from a book "The Ultimate Beginner Series Keyboard Basics". It was like $9.oo at Guitar Center. I recomend it if you don't know the first thing about keys (like I was).

Rick1114 · Post by **Rick1114** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:33 pm

My copy of

Funk Keyboards - The Complete Method

just arrived!

This is the only keyboard instructional book I've ever liked. The smartest thing they did was showing you these great chord progessions visually (you know pictures of the keyboard with dots etc) in the first chapter before easing you into the standard notation.

Improv · Post by **Improv** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:50 pm

woolyloach wrote:
DevonB wrote:Why not a software program that teaches you how to play the keyboard? I would think something more interactive would be better, personally.

Devon
D'oh.

I'll have a look around and see if I can find anything that isn't targeted for children! Good idea!

This one's pretty good:

http://www.pgmusic.com/beginnerpianomasterclass.htm

Beginner Piano MasterClass $29 USD

Interactive lessons.

Cheers

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:56 pm

Rick1114 wrote:I've looked around for ages and haven't found anything decent for keys! As a guitar player I was looking for something besides 'standard notation' for keyboards with a focus on Jazz/Classical chord progressions and some melodic scales and such. All I've seen are 'fake books' or really cheezy 'this is a C7 chord' stuff.

Rick,

Someone here(who, I cant remember but thanks) recommended Mark Levine's Jazz Piano Book a while back. I haven't read it but those that like it seem to love it.

HelgeG · Post by **HelgeG** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:34 pm

db wrote:This one's pretty good:
http://www.pgmusic.com/beginnerpianomasterclass.htm
Beginner Piano MasterClass $29 USD

I concur. They also have some Jazz Piano Masterclass courses which are nice.

I also like the book Jazz Piano from scratch by Charles Beale.

Recommend book on learning to play keys?