The authentic approach to playing American music (R & B, the blues, rock & roll, country, pop) is not by reading notes on a page. Instead, you have to train your ear and develop an understanding of music.
This website contains a course for the keyboard that will teach you this unique skill set. After taking this course, you will be able to play your favorite tunes in any key and without needing to read sheet music.
About the Course
This course contains 10 essential lessons that will teach you ear training, harmony and music theory. Take the lessons in order. Watch the intro video in Getting Started to begin the course.
After taking the 10 essential lessons, then move to the three supplemental lessons or to the chord progressions. Here are more details about what you will learn:
Getting Started
If you're new to music or the keyboard, there are two introductory lessons that will teach you everything you need to know in order to begin this course. Example.
Language
Lessons 1 - 6: In the first six lessons you will learn about harmony. You will learn to play all the important triads and and chords found in American music - and you'll do this without needing to read notes! Example.
Lessons 7 - 8: These two lessons focus on understanding melody and relationships. You will learn the two main scales used for creating melodies, and the related harmonies you can play to support a melody. Example.
Lesson 9: This lesson focuses on music theory. You will learn more about relationships, why the modes are important, and how songs in major and minor keys are made. Example.
Lesson 10: This lesson focuses on rhythm, which provides structure to a song. With a metronome, you will learn to 'tah' then play common rhythm patterns on your keyboard. Example.
Supplement 1, Inversions: Here you will learn to invert, or play in different ways, the triads and chords you learned in Lessons 1 through 6. Example.
Supplement 2, The Blues: In this lesson you will learn everything you need to know in order to play great sounding blues on the keyboard. Example.
Supplement 3, The Diminished Harmonies: Here you will learn to play diminished triads and chords and understand how they're used in common chord progressions. Video coming soon!
Art
These lessons will teach you common chord progressions that serve as the foundation of literally thousands of different songs. You will learn that harmonies have different functions, depending on how they're used in a chord progression. Example.
Cost
An affordable, high quality education.
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Yearly subscription: $95 - less than $8 / mo.
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Monthly subscription: $15.