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!

Derrano Green verified

Best Decision Ever

This course put all the dots together and though I thought I was a bit too advanced for this course, I couldn't have been any more wrong, for one it took me a lot longer to master the content within the course than I first imagined but when I played that last song twinkle twinkle and read the notes and grooved along with the track, I felt the feeling of fulfillment that I was longing for when I picked up that book all those years ago and purchased a piano. Jonny really does have the perfect balance between theory, exercises, practice, practicality and fun!

Cheryl Fant verified

This was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed it!

I enjoyed the songs and the exercises

Michał Zawidzki verified

A very nice first-steps-at-the-keyboard course

The course comprises of what one could expect of an encouraging introduction to the piano. On the one hand the exercises and played tunes get incrementally, yet manageably more difficult, on the other, one can see the point of practicing them (both from the point of view of individual technique and instant application in the tune played in a particular lesson).

Ann Boreman verified

Learned so much already

Surprised myself by my progress in a short time. Really appreciate Jonny’s encouragement and inspiring teaching style. Thank you

udaya vivekananthan verified

Thank you Jonny

I've been looking for years to find a comprehensive easy-to-follow course to learn the Piano. I finally found the right course and the right teacher. :)

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