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!

Shauna Zink verified

Fun and educational

I love how the exercises/techniques went with the songs. And being able to jam and improvised in different styles!

Julie Green verified

Fun !

Good encouragement from Jonny. I learnt a lot. Still struggling playing 2 hands together!

Walter Suhr verified

Going back to basics!

In some regards, I am an intermediate piano player but decided to go back to the very basics to make sure I didn't miss any information. Glad I did! There was advice on how to stretch properly which I didn't know, suggestions on how you should divide your practice time and more. The MOST REWARDING aspect of going back to such simple melodies was how very FREE I was to improvise and make up my own melodies and rhythms. When I didn't have to concentrate so much on my left hand chords my mind was freely telling my right hand what to do. That's one of my ULTIMATE goals for when things get more complex.

Robert Elder verified

Trusting the Process

The first 5 lessons or so were just refresher for me, but the rest of the lesson was challenging but rewarding when the concept was competed. TBH, I’ve kinda been lost in the sea of piano lessons. Wondering what’s the right approach? Some teachers on YouTube and else where have said that reading music and music theory will just slow the progress, and that a total chord based approach is more suitable for late adult beginners. While I still have questions about that, I want to be a somewhat rounded pianist. I really like Johnny’s teaching style, and I’m glad I have found him. I’ve decided to just put my head down and “trust the process”.

Jimmy Green verified

Getting Started

In the 60's through mid 70's I played violin and guitar but life got in the way and I quit playing. Now retired I decided to learn to play keyboards. This course is perfect. It builds incremental understanding and skill and is fun!

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