Q&A for How to Play the Keyboard

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  • Question
    Is keyboard difficult to learn?
    Michael Noble, PhD
    Professional Pianist
    Michael Noble is a professional concert pianist who received his PhD in Piano Performance from the Yale School of Music. He is a previous contemporary music fellow of the Belgian American Educational Foundation and has performed at Carnegie Hall and at other venues across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
    Professional Pianist
    Expert Answer
    Consider taking keyboard lessons if you want to progress past the basics. You can teach yourself basic theory, chords, and harmonics by watching YouTube videos and online tutorials. However, if you want to get better technically, it's a good idea to get a music teacher.
  • Question
    Can I teach myself how to play the keyboard without any outside help?
    Community Answer
    Of course, but you have to be motivated and have discipline. Using apps for learning helps, as well as spending at least 1 hour on practice daily.
  • Question
    How do I play a song by making notes?
    Community Answer
    Think of a song in your head, then listen to the notes that play when you touch a key on the keyboard. Try to match the sounds you hear with the notes in your head to play a song.
  • Question
    How do I position my hands on the keyboard?
    Community Answer
    Curve your fingers. To achieve this, you might want to let your hands dangle from your sides, limp. The curved posture should be the one you want, because flat fingers will greatly slow down the process of being able to play.
  • Question
    Is it mandatory to use both hands?
    Community Answer
    It's not mandatory to use both hands, but for most sheet music, you have to play with two hands. Some sheet music only requires you to play with one hand.
  • Question
    How can I play with both hands?
    Diana Quezada
    Community Answer
    Try playing one hand at a time. For example, try perfecting your right hand, then move on to your left hand, then try playing both at once.
  • Question
    How do I play praise songs on the keyboard?
    Samuel Shadrach
    Community Answer
    You have to be familiar with your keyboard and improve on the keys as you practice. Then you work on the speed as you play on the same song multiple times. You then build confidence in yourself.
  • Question
    How do I use the voice on a keyboard?
    Community Answer
    The default voice of most keyboards is usually a grand piano sound. To change the voices, type any number on the keypad corresponding to each voice (which are listed in categories). For example, sounds 043-061 could be brass instrument sounds, 062-075 could be woodwind instrument sounds, etc.
  • Question
    My hands are too small to hold wide chords or a simple C to C octave. What can I do?
    Joseph_85
    Top Answerer
    Avoid anything that requires octaves for starters. If you're not an adult yet, your hands should get larger eventually. In the meantime, practice gentle stretches.
  • Question
    How can I compose a love song?
    Community Answer
    All you have to do is to spend some time listening to your type of love song and think about how you can form the lyrics which goes with the tune of your instrument. This can help enhance your emotional skills in your type of preferred love song. Then you can slowly upgrade and go for the higher levels of beauty in the music of the songs. Of course, you yourself can make beautiful alterations in the future.
  • Question
    How do I sing and play at the same time?
    Star8779
    Community Answer
    Well, that is hard. You need to be an expert at the song, then you won't even notice you're playing. You can only focus on singing or only focus on playing piano.
  • Question
    How can I keep in time with others?
    Community Answer
    Tap your feet or count in your head. If you have an electric keyboard, use the metronome. If you really have trouble, find a good piano or keyboard teacher.
  • Question
    How can I teach myself on how to play the keyboard without a teacher?
    Community Answer
    You could get one or more beginner's piano books. You could find tutorials online, too.
  • Question
    How can I simultaneously look and play without missing the notes of the keyboard?
    Community Answer
    Get used to the keyboard and get a feel of where each note is. Then, practice the song from right hand, to left, then both. After that you should try to memorize. After memorizing and knowing where the notes are, you won't have to constantly move your head up or down to find the notes, and you won't have to always be staring at your hands and forgetting the notes.
  • Question
    Can I play a great variety of songs with 76 keys or do I need to get a keyboard with 88 keys?
    Community Answer
    Most songs can be played with 76 keys, my own keyboard has 76 keys and I play tons of different songs on it. Hope this helps
  • Question
    How to play bass on a keyboard?
    Community Answer
    The bass side is on the right side of the keyboard. It is the right side of middle C.
  • Question
    How can I learn more than just playing the basic chords?
    Community Answer
    You should get a book that has theory all over it, so then you would know more about the keyboard.
  • Question
    Are full notes, half notes, and quarter notes the only notations that can be played on a keyboard?
    731mns15
    Community Answer
    No, there are many notes! There are eighth notes, sixteenth notes and one sixteenth notes, which are presumably faster. They usually have the accent sign or a staccato or dot to represent staccato.
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