Keyboard Lessons – Simple, fast and focused!
When most people think of taking keyboard lessons, they already have a certain style in mind. Classical, Jazz, Contemporary, New Age… all these styles are available to learn.
The problem is that most students, especially adults, don’t want to wait months or even years before they can play something that sounds like music. Especially with the classical style, students are expected to master note reading and do everything “correctly” before playing anything creative.
And what they end up playing is usually a piece written long before their grandparents were born.
The solution to this is to learn a chord based approach first!
What do you think Bach, Beethoven and other classical composers used to create their music? chords! They certainly knew how to compose, but by using chords, they were able to think creatively and quickly lock down entire sections of music.
You don’t need many chords to get started. Just a few to explore the world of music. One chord position I like, the open position chord, allows beginning students to create a modern-sounding seventh chord and use both hands right away. It really is a great way for students to start their study of chords.
Think of guitar players as an analogy for making music. Do they begin their study of the guitar by learning to read music? Usually not. I say generally because classical guitarists have to read music, but in all other genres: rock, jazz, fingerstyle, chords are what are emphasized. Students choose the style in which they want to play, then find teachers or books that give them instructions on how to build chords on the guitar. They are also taught how to create chord progressions.
Within an hour or so, the beginning guitarist is creating his own music! Piano lessons can be the same way. Sure, teachers can and do teach a chord-based approach to piano playing, but they can make a lot more money by dragging students around for years while reading notes and playing other people’s music.
If you want something a little less daunting, start by learning chords. It’s a simple, fast and very focused way to learn to play the piano!