Keyboard lessons on a piano

[Ziglinda]

Is it ok to go to a piano teacher if you only have a keyboard at home to practice on? Or is it better to go to a teacher who specialises in keyboard? I'm wondering if the technique is different. The keyboard is sensitive to touch but doesn't have a full keyboard (I think it's about 3/4).

Some teachers can be very fussy about this but for a complete beginner, especially a very young child, I'd say it doesn't matter at all. Yes it will feel different, and yes there may be fewer keys, but a complete beginner is only going to be playing at most an octave either side of middle C. Learning to identify the notes, to play a rhythm and developing some finger independence can all be done on a basic keyboard.

As above its ok for beginners but if you want to progress to a high level in piano you will need a piano eventually.

I have answered this many times, so Search on my name plus piano or keyboard etc.

There is so much confusion about all this, and some people are rather snobby about it.

FIRSTLY: Is it for an adult, or for a child? And if a child, how old and how good are they at reading, counting and concentrating?

I hope the keyboard has FULL SIZE keys; there are probably 61. (What make and model is it?)

FINALLY: Are you aiming to play like a PIANIST (ie Classical music) eventually? Or are you wanting to play 'pop, rock, Middle of the Road', in other words in a Keyboard kind of way?

As you say, the two styles - Piano or Keyboard - are TOTALLY different.

So: answer the above sometime, and I'll advise your next move.

Thanks everyone for your replies. It's for my 12 year old niece. She wants to play pop rather than classical.

Forgot to say- it's a yamaha keyboard. I'm not sure of the model

I'd suggest finding a keyboard teacher if you can. I teach piano, including jazz and contemporary (e.g. Rockschool syllabus) but a keyboard teacher would probably approach things differently. E.g. Keyboard music is often written as melody&chords, piano usually as two lines of music. Keyboard involves controlling voice settings, using and creating backings etc. which are skills I don't usually teach. You can do contemporary piano exams and keyboard exams, just so you know. I also let beginning students for piano start on keyboards but by grade one standard they kind of have to choose.

Thanks very much for the replies. That makes a lot of sense about keyboard music using chords and melody. From what you have all said, I think a keyboard teacher is definitely the way to go

Hi OP -

In that case, she is plenty old enough to be able to use Tutor Books (of which there are many different series) and many come with CDs, either for you to play along with, or to hear how it should be played.

She wants to play Pop - but there are so many different kinds of Pop these days, that she probably needs to pin it down more precisely. And 'modern' pop relies so much on weird effects, multi tracking etc, that it is very difficult to replicate it on an ordinary keyboard.

So, I'm afraid that many tutor books will feature 'old' Pop: Beatles, Tom Jones, Abba, right back to 'quality' songs by Frank Sinatra, the standard stage shows and musicals etc.

Has she done ANY music before (recorder, school percussion etc) so that she does know the basics? Or is she starting right from scratch?

One of the standard Keyboard tutors is by Kenneth Baker, and covers tuition books and 'song books' for when she can play a bit. Many book shops stock Kenneth Baker books, and he also does a series for Piano, and Organ (so don't get them confused.)

www.themusicpeople.co.uk/acatalog/The_Music_People_The_Complete_Keyboard_Player_7.html

[I am in the process of doing more advice on music for other people, in a week or so, so I will look back and send you that if it seems relevant.]

Thanks Ferg for the suggestions. Really helpful.

Ziglinda,

If you can't find someone specialising in keyboard, you could at least talk to a couple of piano teachers and see if there is one who is more into modern music, playing from "lead sheets", and willing to teach these kinds of skills. It's not my strength but I try to do it to a certain extent with some of the students. Keyboard is a real instrument in its own right but skills are transferrable especially at the early stages, just like most pianists can play manuals-only organ music without too many problems (feet is another matter). Like the organ, keyboard comes with it's own skill-set that is related to, but not quite the same as, playing the piano.

Grade exams exist, should people want to do them, with different boards, for classical piano, jazz piano, contemporary/rock piano, band-based keys, keyboard, electronic organ, church organ and harpsichord (hey, harpsichords are cool, alright?). You can also do piano duet, piano accompaniment, ensemble and rock band assessments. They are all different as playing these instruments requires different skills based on context - e.g. organists often have to transpose (change a piece to another key) so are examined on this, while you don't have to do that for piano exams.

I say this just because not all piano teachers are stuck up - but I teach piano, I don't really teach keyboard, so I ask my students to get a piano (or at least a digital piano) if they can. :)

OP our piano teacher is a RCM graduate and a music examiner. I know of two children who took Grade 2 piano exam last year who have a keyboard, not a piano, at home.

I know that she would prefer that her pupils had access to a piano but it certainly doesn't stop her teaching them and them being successful in exams. To quote her "we are a distinction and merit only establishment" .

At the early levels or grades if that is what you want to do, I think that the difference can be overcome.

My mother was a music teacher and she wouldn't have taught anyone without a piano so everyone is different but some more accommodating than others.