PLAY LIKE A PRO
Play well, compose better – starts
By far the most popular method of inputting note data into your DAW is – you guessed it – the MIDI keyboard. Although technology can overcome many of the hurdles faced by non-keyboard players when composing music on computers (think step sequencing, inputting notes by hand in the piano roll, using MIDI chord pads, etc.) things do speed up enormously if you can play a bit. Back in 255, our Play Keyboards Like A Pro cover feature approached the art of playing keyboards from a practical angle, combining a selection of exercises to strengthen your finger muscles and develop independence with practical advice on how to begin tackling typical parts in a variety of styles.
This follow-up packs in even more exercises and practice tips, structured from absolute beginner-level upwards, and is designed to provide you with the tools to develop enough finger strength and dexterity to be able to play some actual music, rather than just scales.
There’s no getting away from it – the three key words when learning any instrument are practise, practise and practise. Keyboards are no different – your fingers will only co-operate with what your brain is telling them to do if you practise regularly.
Something to bear in mind is what to actually practise on. If you practise on a piano, either digital or acoustic, with a proper, fully-weighted keyboard, it’s a bit like doing a workout with heavier weights – you’re likely to find it a bit tiring and difficult at first, but you’ll probably see results more quickly than if you practise on a regular, lightweight synth-action keyboard. Either way, the key is to start out with something comfortable so that you don’t suffer finger fatigue and get put off right at the start by how hard the keys are to actually play.
Work the exercises you’ll find over the next few pages into a regular daily practice routine and you’ll be amazed at how much your technique will improve. By the end of things you should be able to work towards playing a piano improvisation involving the use of broken chords, arpeggios, inversions and a left hand part playing octaves and fifths in the bass.