Learning piano/keyboard

[chocky909]

I have a real urge to learn to play. Is there a good online video series or would that be a waste of time? I can't really afford to have regular lessons from a decent instructor. Maybe I could supplement a few lessons with online tutorials and books.

I just want to be able to noodle about on a keyboard and play along with people, jam. Not too bothered about being able to play complicated arrangements. I'd just like to be able to create my own music and play a bit of jazz. I suppose learning scales is important? Oh I dunno...

So any recommendations for learning and also a cheap keyboard?

[Twit 2]

Keyboard or digital piano?

[chocky909]

I don't mind. What's the difference?

[Darles Chickens]

Digital pianos attempt to emulate a real piano, usually have weighted keys and a 'touch' more like the real thing. Won't have a large array of voices, but there are usually a few to choose from, normally all keyboard instruments.

Keyboard is its cheeky little brother. Often don't have weighted keys, which means they're lighter to the touch (but don't offer the same kind of tactile feedback as a [digital] piano). And they'll normally be built around a whole synthesis engine meaning you can make it sound like a piano, guitar, sax, flute, strings, the whole caboodle.  They're far more versatile audio-wise, but you won't necessarily get the same fidelity from them if you want to make piano sounds.

I have a Roland Juno Gi keyboard, which does me fine for live gigs - and I've never really wanted a digital piano.  But different instruments for different... needs.

[Keebleman]

Studied piano for four years, at the end of which I just managed to scrape a pass at Grade 1.  I quit while I was ahead.

[chocky909]

I guess digital pianos are generally a lot more expensive than keyboards. Do you think it would be better to learn on a digital piano? I do love a piano sound but I also enjoy synth.

I was thinking of buying second hand, that way I can change or upgrade to my taste later on or sell if I give up on this endeavour.

[chocky909]

Anyway, buying stuff is the fun part. The hard bit is learning. Is there a 'go to' online course for learning keys? Maybe a digital piano that is interactive with a tutorial via ipad?

[hedgehog90]

Is there anything like Duolingo for midi keyboards?
That would be good.

[colacentral]

Nowadays there are decent YouTube lessons you can follow. Used to be that they used YouTube as an ad to get you to buy their proper lessons but now they've cottoned on to using ad revenue and Patreon to make their money. Have a look at a few and find someone you like.

[hedgehog90]

I mean something like guitar hero with sheet music I guess, with lessons and training exercises.
Should be possible to do in a web browser.
If it doesn't exist, why not?

[NoSleep]

I guess digital pianos are generally a lot more expensive than keyboards. Do you think it would be better to learn on a digital piano? I do love a piano sound but I also enjoy synth.

I was thinking of buying second hand, that way I can change or upgrade to my taste later on or sell if I give up on this endeavour.

Learning to play piano is different to learning to play electronic keyboards. You can't just translate piano technique from one to the other. I learnt to play both piano and organ and they were quite different. Even without the foot pedal bass and a keyboard for each hand the organ is completely different from the piano. Firstly the notes are not sensitive to being hit harder or softer (and are fairly light to touch in comparison to a piano) and secondly the organ notes will carry on for as long as you hold them down.
The piano needs a little more strength to play because it can play both quietly (piano) and loudly (forte), hence its full name. And the notes decay rather than sustain. The sustain pedal on a piano just means you can lift your hands from the keyboard and the notes carry on (but still decay) which can be useful so that you can move your hands to the next place without a break in the music.

If you get a synth, you'll have an array of differing sounds that touch all the possibilties between the piano and the organ. The thing to bear in mind is that every sound you come across demands its own technique to play; you just have to play it by ear, e.g. If you pull up a sound reminiscent of a flute, then make it sound like a flute player, etc. But you're not stuck on this, some new technique might be inspired by the sound.

[NoSleep]

My organ teacher was different to any other music teacher I've known. He taught us how to play chord shapes from the symbols you often see written for guitarists along the top of the music. From this he showed us how to make a bass and rhythm part played with the left foot on the pedals and the left hand on the lower keyboard (and how to vary this). Then you would play the melody with your right hand on the upper keyboard (and would encourage us to add extra notes). So, from the start he got you making stuff up on your own instead of just following dots on the page for every last note. i.e. He taught us about music, not just how to play the organ. It didn't take me long to work out that I could write my own chords and melodies rather than use somebody else's.

[Norton Canes]

I went on a keyboard evening class years ago. It was cancelled after the first lesson because not enough people attended.

However

In that first lesson I learned that if you start with any one key, then count four more keys up (including black and white keys) and count three more again (don't forget to include back and white keys), then play all three at once, that's a major chord. It works if you start on a black or a white key! Also, if you start with any key and count three keys up (including black and white keys right) and then four keys more (Black and white!), that's a minor chord! It works with literally any key! Unless you choose one that's too near the end. Then, right, if you've got a major or a minor chord, it doesn't matter, you can count three more keys up (it don't matter if they're black or white) and you've got the same chord but with a bit extra, it's technically called a chord with a bit extra.

All that from one lesson! Imagine if they hadn't cancelled them.