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21st-century keyboard players need much more than simply being able to play two or more different kinds of keyboard instruments. But digital keyboard teaching tends to focus mainly on the portable keyboard and typically omits training in vital skills such as arranging, band playing and improvising. In this deck I explore the issues and suggest some solutions.
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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
Origin
al photo
:Swiss Arm
y Knife 1301233178
openclipart.
org co
mmons.wikim
edia.org
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
Ph
oto
: Sam M
artin, Sp
iritus B
ars © B
ill C M
artin
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...