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!

Tan Tan verified

Fun and inspiring

Thank you so much for structuring the lessons in a fun, reinforcing learning and inspiring manner. I really appreciate the encouragement in playing in my own styles (even though is non-existent at this point (LOL), I love the encouragement on very types of groove! Jonny,you are the best..

John Quirk verified

Enjoyed this course

This course has given me direction and the recognition that it’s taken 18 months of practice to become a beginner 😳

Mike DeMenno verified

Well presented

I wasn’t sure my exact skill level. I was a bit beyond this, however excellent lessons and picked up useful tips. Also got a feel for how the lessons work.

verified

Back to square one

I had organ lessons as a child and only learned chords on my left hand. I decided to start at the beginning and am really surprised that I'm learning new stuff!

Oscar González verified

Es muy estimulante sentir que tocas pequeñas piezas.

Siempre me ha gustado el jazz y disfruté el poder tocarlo con acompañamiento! Además de que he podido aprendido diferentes ritmos y eso también me anima muchísimo.

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