Introduction to the Keyboard

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Instructor

Jonny May

Course Type

Course

Skill Level

Beginner

Duration

04:41:13

If you’ve never played the piano before, this is where your journey begins. Intro to the Keyboard assumes no prior knowledge. You’ll learn the keyboard layout, every note name, and simple tricks for finding any note quickly. You’ll even play your first groove before the first lesson is over.

Next, you’ll build healthy habits from day one. You’ll learn what the piano pedals do, your finger numbers, good posture and proper technique, plus five warm-ups and stretches that help your hands feel great every time you sit down to play. Then you’ll learn the C position, a simple 5-note hand position that unlocks hundreds of beginner tunes, along with the most common note values you’ll see in beginner sheet music.

From there, every lesson pairs essential finger exercises with a fun tune in a different style. You’ll play Ode to Joy as a swing tune, Mary Had a Little Lamb in a Latin style, original tunes in jazz ballad and pop styles, and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star as a blues. You’ll also learn a 3-chord stack position you can use to jam over almost any song. The course finishes with a practical guide to structuring your practice time, so you know how long to practice, what to focus on and when you’re ready for the next course. Downloadable sheet music and backing tracks are included.

Course Objectives

Navigate the keyboard confidently and find any note by name
Develop good posture, proper technique and a healthy warm-up routine
Play in the C position and read the most common note values in beginner music
Build finger control through exercises in stepwise motion, 3-note groupings, chord outlines, 3rds and pivoting off a low note
Play familiar tunes in swing, Latin, jazz ballad, pop and blues styles, and structure your practice for steady progress

Learning Focus

Exercises
Groove
Reading

Featured Reviews

View PWJ member reviews of this course!

Yvan Brunetti verified

Nice to restart after several years of non playing piano anymore.

Very clear explained lessons and approach.

Sophia Fong verified

It's been fun so far!

It's been fun so far. Wish there was downloadable sheet notes to follow with the exercises.

Carol Cole-Lewis verified

Excellent review even for experienced players

I have been playing classical piano for years and was curious to see what I might have missed in my fundamentals. I definitely appreciated learning jazz and some improv right off the bat. I learned the root positions for C G and F chords, so I was a little confused by starting with other inversions. Looking forward to my next course!

Jeff Hufford verified

2nd Time Around

So, I have been a member for two years. However, I never finished the course the first time around. I fell into the trap of buying many courses to achieve my dream. Well, needless to say, I came back to PWJ because it is the best course over all, there are some fine ones out there. PWJ is at the top. I have achieved so much this second time around, even to the point that I feel confident to post some performances to the site, coming soon, I promise. Really enjoyed these lessons, what a great value, so much content, almost overwhelming. Looking forward to becoming a jazz pianist, my dream of all dreams.

Dino Tamburrini verified

awsome sense of achievment

good basics and challenging

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