THE TROUBLE WITH LEARNING KEYBOARDS

Photo: Keyboard player, Hull © Bill C Martin

Keyboard player, course designer & author

Bill C MartinBY

IF YOU TEACH KEYBOARDS

What is your long-term goal for your students?

Piano Circus rehearsal, March 2010 © Bill C Martin

GOOD KEYBOARD TEACHERS

Train their students in basic techniqueswww.localfitness.com.au

BUT WHAT IS THAT TRAINING LEADING TO?

Photo: Stairway To heaven cr Michael Filion via Creative Commons

BUT WHAT IS THAT TRAINING LEADING TO?

Photo: Stairway To heaven cr Michael Filion via Creative Commons

A grade 8 portable keyboard

exam pass, perhaps?

BUT WHAT IS THAT TRAINING LEADING TO?

Or is there something more

we could be doing that would

BUT WHAT IS THAT TRAINING LEADING TO?

Or is there something more

we could be doing that would

REALLY make a difference to

KEYBOARD PLAYERS?

LET’S EXPLORE FURTHERPhoto cr Shako via Creative Commons

TAKE A WELL-KNOWN PERFORMER

Photo: Spotlight On The National, cr ChrisGoldNY via Creative Commons

EVELYN GLENNIEFor example, percussionist

Photo: Evelyn Glennie by Nigel Paine via Creative Commons

SHE LEARNED TECHNIQUES

Using sticks, beaters & handsPhoto: Lefima Timpani by vxla via Creative Commons

SHE PLAYS WITH GREAT MUSICIANSHIP

on a wide range of percussion instrumentsOriginal photo source: Drum Sticks by Andrewa via Creative Commons

TUNED PERCUSSIONAnd she also learned to play

PLAYING MELODY & HARMONYAs well as RHYTHM

WHY DID SHE DO ALL OF THIS?

PROFESSIONALSBecause that’s what’s required by percussion

KEYBOARD PLAYERS?So, what’s expected of professional

PLAYING PIANO

Photo: Unplayed Piano by tunachilli via Creative Commons

PLAYING SYNTH

Photo: Prophet 5 by allert via Creative Commons

OCCASIONALLY, DIGITAL KEYBOARDS

With built-in automatic accompanimentsPhoto: Yamaha PSR-423 Digital Keyboard

ADDITIONAL POWERS...But keyboard superheroes must also have

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STANDARD STUFFThis is all

for our superhero semi-pro & pro keyboard players!

KEYBOARD TEACHING?

So why is so much of this often missing from

Photo: Yellow Piano 2 by MSThurnell via morguefile.com

THE INSTRUMENTIs it because we focus too much on

(mostly the portable keyboard)...

THE KEYBOARD PLAYER?And not enough on

Photo: Keyboard player. Norfolk Keyboard Orchestra © Bill C Martin 2010

KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS

Let’s explore the kind of skills keyboard players are likely to need

KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS (BASIC SET)

Musical Technological

Solo Playing (portable kbd + synth + piano) Controlling the instrument’s technological facilities

Technical (Performing) Ability

Scales & Arpeggios

Notation Skills

Theory

Aural skills (usually to confirm theory knowledge)

KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS (BASIC SET)

Musical Technological

Solo Playing (portable kbd + synth + piano) Controlling the keyboard’s technological facilities

Technical (Performing) Ability

Scales & Arpeggios

Notation Skills

Theory

Aural skills (usually to confirm theory knowledge)

This is the kind of skill set often taught by teachers who use a keyboard exam syllabus as their curriculum

KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS (FULL SET)Musical Technological

Solo Playing (portable kbd + synth + piano) Controlling the instrument’s technological facilities

Technical (Performing) Ability Amplification

Scales & Arpeggios Use of FX (reverb, chorus, delay, etc)

Notation Skills Recording

Theory Use of Apps

Aural skills (imitation at instrument) Data Storage & Retrieval

Aural skills (transcribing from audio source) Programming (synth, sequencing)

Band Playing

Musical Communication

Composing

Improvising

Arranging

Musical Directing

Accompanying (including harmonic capability)

KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS (FULL SET)Musical Technological

Solo Playing (portable kbd + synth + piano) Controlling the instrument’s technological facilities

Technical (Performing) Ability Amplification

Scales & Arpeggios Use of FX (reverb, chorus, delay, etc)

Notation Skills Recording

Theory Use of Apps

Aural skills (imitation at instrument) Data Storage & Retrieval

Aural skills (transcribing from audio source) Programming (synth, sequencing)

Band Playing

Musical Communication

Composing

Improvising

Arranging

Musical Directing

Accompanying (including harmonic capability)

This is the kind of skill set that keyboard players working at intermediate to advanced levelsmight reasonably expect to call upon

1. THE SKILL REQUIREMENTS OF

So there’s often a MISMATCH between:

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1. THE SKILL REQUIREMENTS OF KEYBOARD PLAYERS

So there’s often a MISMATCH between:

As they progress towards higher levelsand...

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2. THE CURRICULUMor syllabus, offered by

some keyboard teachers, courses & exam boards

YOUR EXAM CERTIFICATE

may tell you you’re a grade 8 keyboard player...

BUT DO YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU’RE A GRADE 8:

Improviser? Accompanist? Arranger Band Player? Musical Director?

YOU CERTAINLY NEED THESE SKILLS

But you may find you have too many skill gaps!

BUT MANY PEOPLE LOVEthe overly narrow curriculum!

FEWER SKILL STRANDS= Faster Progression

KEYBOARD COURSES FOR YAMAHA UK

But a few years ago, when I was designing

Yamaha ‘Play For Keeps’ © Yamaha Music Europe GmbH UK

18 SKILL STRANDS

Covering the broader range of skills that keyboard players need to use

The curriculum map I designed contained

KEYBOARD EXAMS HAVE COME A LONG WAY

But some still ignore 50% of these skills*

*Keyboard students are advised to check curriculum/syllabus content with their exam board & teacher

SO TEACHERS WHO RELY ON THESE EXAMS AS A

CURRICULUM

Risk giving their students a very narrow experience

SO, WHAT AM I DOING TO HELP?

I TRAIN

Keyboard teachers in 21st-century approachesBill Martin (right) leading a keyboard workshop for Norfolk Music Service teachers

I PROVIDE A FASTCurriculum Design & Development service

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(using ‘Lean Startup’ principles)

I CAN HELP EXAM BOARDSSHAKE UP their keyboard syllabuses

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ill C M

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MAKING THEM MORE RELEVANT

to the needs of the 21st-century keyboard player

TEACHERS & EXAM BOARDS:

Make sure your offertruly meets the aspirations

of keyboard players

IF IT DOESN’T...

CONTACT ME:

bill@billcmartin.co.ukwww.billcmartin.co.uk

+44 (0)7718 122146