KEYBOARDRAUT! (Nothing to do with KrotchRaut...)

[CountVoorhees]

I recently started playing keyboard, just messing around and stuff, but I'd like to actually learn how.

Any advice for a keyboard noob? Like the dos and don'ts, good practice methods, etc.

[Adami]

Watch Jordan Ruddess play a solo and play it the way he did.

[CountVoorhees]

Thanks man, I'll go do that now and become a wizard just like him.

[ScioPath]

I'd say the most important thing is to relax while playing. Also, it helps to have an understanding of music theory.

[CountVoorhees]

The relax thing REALLY helped me and I understand some music theory (I think) from playing trumpet and other musical instruments in middle and high school band.

AND...

I just learned most of The Origins of Ruin (song) and the intro of Black and White World by Redemption.

I've also learned a couple songs from the Silent Hill series soundtrack.

I'm really enjoying playing keyboard, something I've never really done with any of the other instruments I've played.

[Orbert]

Understand your role in the band.  If you're in a rock and roll band, regardless of subgenre, chances are your role is that of "support".  You will hopefully get your moments to stand out, maybe even take a solo, but accept the fact that the singer(s) and guitarist(s) will get the spotlight, glory, and blowjobs.

Now that you've done that, learn what it means to provide support.  You will add to the overall sound of the band in subtle yet important ways.  Pad chords under the verses and chorus, filling things in and making everything sound fuller and better, counter-appegios against the guitar(s), Hammond to fatten the sound during power chords, but unless people are specifically listening for it, nobody even realizes there are keyboards.  During softer parts, the "pretty" parts, add strings and/or piano for great effect.  Occassionally, someone will actually say "Hey, that sounds nice there what you're doing!"  Enjoy it, because that's all you're gonna get for a while.

Does this all sound pretty cynical?  Probably.  But it's where I am right now, and honestly, I'm happier now than I've been in years because I get to do amazing, incredible things musically, and I know what I'm doing, and it sounds great in my ears (Aviom monitors for the win), so I just enjoy getting to play.  I'm tired of trying to keep up with guitars, which by their very nature have a more powerful, more "rock and roll" sound, and tired of arguing with the sound man over whether or not actually hearing the strings during the chorus is important.  Fuck it.  There are things you can't control.  Enjoy playing what you play, knowing how awesome it is, and if others never hear it or just don't get it, it's their loss.

[CountVoorhees]

I'm just trying to learn right now, I'm not playing keyboard in a band. Thanks for the advice though. And that sucks about the blow jobs... Lol word contradiction.

[ScioPath]

I gotta learn some guitar.

[BRGM]

I alrdy play guitar and I wanna learn som keyboard!!   but it's so hard and I do not know a thing about'em! :S i'm a complete noob to keyboard technology.

[nemesiskoen]

Get this book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dream-Theater-Keyboard-Experience-Featuring/dp/0739058010/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1280234549&sr=8-1

Every song is preceded by some exercises which are actually kind of good. I'd advice you to start with Space-Dye Vest, because it's easy and beautiful. It's preceded by an exercise (Spacetude Vest) that's good for your right hand technique. Home is great for practicing rapid riffs, especially the last two pages are great and not that difficult. Just play it slow once and you'll get the hang of it. Then you can play faster and faster, but make sure you play the correct rhythm. The Ministry of Lost Souls is good for practicing support-playing, because the keyboard doesn't have such a big role in the song (apart from the intro, and the solo near the end). And then you're ready to tackle the big ones: Octavarium and In the Presence of Enemies. I would suggest to start with the latter because it's easier, especially Part 2. You should be able to play it prima vista because it's slow and easy. Skip The Reckoning and continue to Salvation which is easy and fun to play as well.

To play around with special sound effects Octavarium is the go-to-song. It's so much fun to play but you'll need some musical understanding if you want to play it Prima Vista. The moment you find out how the structure of Someone Like Him and Medicate works it becomes quite easy to play it, and a lot of fun as well.

When you feel you've practiced enough you can go on to try and tackle the great keyboard solo in Octavarium (which you should also try to break down in parts to understand each bar, which makes it easy to remember) and the riffs in ITPoE, Octavarium and The Ministry of Lost Souls.

This book is great to start with, and after that you should get https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keyboard-Anthology-Electronic-Vocal-Chords/dp/075792008X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c, which has a bit more difficult songs, and is more keyboard oriented (while I feel that Keyboard Experience is more piano oriented). Learning to live, Wait for Sleep, Through My Words, Vacant and the selections from 6DOIT are great to start with.

Both books have amazing track lists, which will really help you develop and learn a lot of different techniques.