4. Press the C chord key and release it immediately.  Your keyboard will begin playing a C chord with bass and drum accompaniment, and continue playing until you press another key, or the stop button. Look in your owners manual if you need more help to use this feature. Press the C key once for playing C chord continuously. You can also play C major chord by pressing together the three keys C, E, G by left hand with finger number 5,3,1. Or play C major chord with right hand fingers 1,3,5.

In single finger mode you can play any major chord by just pressing the key in the chord area with the same name. Adding a black key on the left of this key will make it a minor chord and an extra white key on the left will make it a 7th chord. If you just began learning to play keyboard I would strongly advise against choosing this mode. It might seem the easiest way, but if you learn to play the basic major and minor chords with three fingers then you will also be able to play your music on keyboards without auto accompaniment (like a piano).

Full keyboard mode is mainly intended for MIDI players but you can also use this to play keyboard. There is no distinction between chord area and melody area. Any note that is played will be regarded as both a chord and a melody note. In this mode only basic major and minor chords are recognized. Because all notes are regarded as chord and melody notes, you can't use notes to switch variations. Use either the PC keyboard for that or use pedals that produce controller or patch( voice) messages.

If you use this mode with a keyboard then you should make some adjustments to your playing style to prevent that melody notes lead to unintended chords. If you press a chord that is recognized then (while you keep it pressed) it will not change when extra notes are pressed (for the melody). If you release the chord keys to make rhythmic moves, then try to avoid pressing more then two keys at a time until the chord keys are pressed again.

SONGS WITH CHORDS

Before playing songs with chords, practice each part separately. First practice the melody of the song by itself (right hand part), then practice the chords by themselves (left hand part).  Once you have learnt both parts, play them together.  Before you play, adjust the tempo to a comfortable speed.  To do this, press the start button, and the drums will play by themselves. If the drums are too fast, slow the speed down by adjusting the tempo control.   You can increase the speed as you become more confident playing the song.  If you are  playing along with the recording, play only the right hand part. For playing single key function for a chord use auto-accompaniment section of keyboard.

ENDING

Most electronic keyboards have a control which can automatically add and ending to a song you are playing.  Press the ending button when you have finished playing a song.  You can, however, use any voice or rhythm that you think suits the song.

Exercises for fingering practice:

In these exercises your fingers will be able to play smoothly and you will be able to learn my notation technique. With this technique you will  learn where to give silence or rest while playing. You will use proper finger numbers for specific keys.

  LOW SOUNDS                                                                            HIGH SOUNDS

                                                   On the keyboard, DOWN is to the LEFT, and UP is to the RIGHT.
                                                   As you move LEFT, the tones sound LOWER. As you move RIGHT, the tones sound HIGHER.

                                                   On the keyboard, DOWN is to the LEFT, and UP is to the RIGHT.
                                                   As you move LEFT, the tones sound LOWER. As you move RIGHT, the tones sound HIGHER.

 

 

Name That Key:

Piano  keyboard keys are named for first seven letters of the alphabet, beginning with A.

A    B    C    D    E    F    G    A    B

Keyboard keys are named for seven letters of the alphabet, beginning with C.

C    D    E    F    G    A    B    C   D

 

Each white key is recognized by its position in or next to a black-key group! For example: A's are found between the TOP TWO KEYS of each 3-BLACK-KEY GROUP.  Play the following. Use LH 3 for keys below the middle of the keyboard. Use RH 3 for keys above the middle of the keyboard. Say the name of each key aloud as you play

 

You can now name every white key on your piano.  The key names are C D E F G A B and C, used over and over again. The keys of Piano start from A note. But it make no difference.  Play and name every white key beginning with bottom A. Use LH3 for keys below middle C, and RH 3 for keys above middle C.

 

Low Sounds

 

On the keyboard, DOWN is to the LEFT, and UP is to the Right.  As you move LEFT, the tones sound LOWER. As you move RIGHT, the tones sound HIGHER.

 

How to read music notes in western system

 

 

 

Treble Clef

     This symbol is called a treble clef.  There is a treble clef at the beginning of every line of keyboard music.

 

Treble Staff

 

A staff with a treble clef written on it is called a treble staff.  Notes on the treble staff are usually played with your right hand.

 

 

The Quarter Note

   This music note is called a quarter note.

 

 

 

Clap or tap the following rhythm.  Clap once for each note, counting aloud.

Notice how the bar lines divide the music into measures of equal duration.

 

 

 

 

 

Ode To Joy (Theme from Beethoven's Symphony)

 

1. Clap or tap the rhythm evenly, counting aloud.

2. Play & sing or say the finger numbers.

3. Play & count.

4. Play & sing or say the notes names.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music notes are written in the spaces and on the lines of a staff.

 

The Note Middle C

 

Middle C is written just below the staff on a short                                    line called a leger Line.

Exercise 1

Play eight Middle C notes .  Count aloud as you play.  Use the thumb of your right hand.  On the recording there are four drumbeats to introduce this exercise.  Music is divided into bars (or measures) by bar lines.  In this exercise there are two bars of music.