PLAY KEYBOARD LIKE A PRO
Flex those digits and master this essential skill,
When it comes to making music with your computer, the keyboard is surely the number one choice for capturing MIDI data. Sure, you can program notes in one at a time in step input mode, or paint them into your DAW’s piano roll editor using a brush tool, but for getting your musical ideas out of your head and into the computer quickly and efficiently, there’s no question that the keyboard (in the ubiquitous form of the MIDI keyboard controller) is the ultimate weapon of choice.
Besides which, playing keyboards is just an incredibly fun thing to do. So, if you really want to take proper control of your DAW, we reckon it makes sense to get acquainted with it at least to the point of being able to play in simple riffs, chords and melodies. Over the next few pages, then, we’ve put together a complete beginner’s guide to the keyboard. You’ll find advice on what to look for when buying your first keyboard, some pointers on basic technique, a few exercises to get you started and increase your overall dexterity, lots of useful information about chords and scales, how to optimise your synth presets for control over particular performance parameters, and how to get to grips with all those mysterious knobs and buttons that you’ll find on the average MIDI controller keyboard.
Just like with the guitar, there are many different techniques that can be adopted depending on the kind of keyboard instrument or part you’re dealing with. Playing a synth solo uses a very different skillset to performing a classical piano piece, for example, and effective clavinet and organ parts all require their own specific version of the basic piano technique.
Add in extra controls and considerations like sustain pedals, pitchbend and modulation wheels, and you have a fair variety of different skills to get to grips with. So if you’ve ever wanted to conquer the keyboard and become the next Jools Holland or Alicia Keys, but not really known where to start, you’ve come to the right place!