Keyboard for the Electronic Musician

Syllabus

Lesson 1: The Grand Staff

• The Grand Staff
• Workshop: Playing Notes from the Grand Staff
• Rhythm and Time Signature
• First Position Melodies
• Second Position Melodies
• Keyboard Action
• Assignment 1: Second Position Melodies and Tied Notes

Lesson 2: Half Steps and Whole Steps, Sharps, and Flats

• Sharps and Flats
• Workshop: Playing Accidentals
• Workshop: Half Steps and Whole Steps
• The Eighth Note
• Beyond the Five-Note Range
• Dynamics and Controlling Velocity
• Production Techniques—Drum Groove
• Assignment 2.1: The Eighth Note and Pickup Measures
• Assignment 2.2: Beyond the Five-Note Range
• Assignment 2.3: Bonus, Drum Grooves

Lesson 3: Major Scales and Major Key Signatures

• Major Scales and Key Signatures
• Workshop: Major Scales
• Dotted Rhythms
• Major Triads
• Controllers—The Modulation Wheel
• Production Techniques—Synth Line Hooks
• Assignment 3.1: Dotted Rhythms
• Assignment 3.2: Major Triads
• Assignment 3.3: Bonus, Synth Line Hooks

Lesson 4: Interval Studies and Minor Triads

• Interval Studies
• The Keys of F and B♭
• Minor Triads
• Controllers—Sustain Pedal
• Production Techniques—Bass Lines
• Assignment 4.1: The Key of B♭
• Assignment 4.2: Minor Triads
• Assignment 4.3: Bonus, Bass Lines

Lesson 5: Diatonic Songs

• Diatonic Chords
• Workshop: Diatonic Chords
• Diatonic Progressions with Voice Leading
• Musical Form and the Lead Sheet
• Controllers—Pitch Bend
• Production Techniques—Electric Guitars
• Assignments 5.1 and 5.2: Diatonic Progressions with Voice Leading
• Assignment 5.3: Bonus, Acoustic Guitar

Lesson 6: Accompaniment Patterns

• The British Invasion with Broken Chord Patterns
• 6/8 Time Signatures and a Different British Invasion
• Technique Builders—Chromatic Movement - Repeated Notes
• Controllers—Assignable Buttons and Switches
• Production Techniques—Acoustic Guitars
• Assignment 6.1: The British Invasion with Broken Chord Patterns
• Assignment 6.2: Technique Builders—Chromatic Movement - Repeated Notes
• Assignment 6.3: Bonus, Repeated Notes/Acoustic Guitars

Lesson 7: Seventh Chords and Sixteenth Grooves

• Sixteenth Notes
• Diatonic Seventh Chords
• Diatonic Seventh Chords—”Color My World”
• 12-Bar Blues
• Controllers—Sliders/Faders
• Production Techniques—Hammond Organ
• Assignment 7.1: Sixteenth Notes
• Assignment 7.2: Diatonic Seventh Chords
• Assignment 7.3: Bonus, 12-Bar Blues

Lesson 8: Contemporary Seventh Chord Voicings

• Contemporary Voicing Technique—3-Note Voicings
• Contemporary Voicing Technique—”Just My Imagination”
• Contemporary Voicing Technique—”If I Ain’t Got You”
• Contemporary Voicing Technique—”If You Don’t Know Me By Now”
• Controllers—Continuous Foot Controller
• Production Techniques—The Clavinet
• Assignment 8.1: Contemporary Voicing Technique—3-Note Voicings
• Assignment 8.2: Contemporary Voicing Technique—Songs
• Assignment 8.3: Bonus, The Clavinet

Lesson 9: Pop and Rock Keyboard Grooves

• Block Chord Grooves
• Broken Patterns with Tension 9 and sus4
• “Imagine”
• Technique Builder—Pentatonic Scales
• Controllers—Using Mono, Mono Legato Mode and Portamento
• Production Techniques—Guitar and Synth Lead Soloing
• Assignments 9.1 and 9.2: Broken Patterns with Tension 9 and sus4
• Assignment 9.3: Bonus, Guitar and Synth Lead Soloing

Lesson 10: The Minor Keys

• Minor Keys—”Canzonetta”
• Minor Keys—”Spring Song”
• Minor Keys—Ukrainian Folk Tune
• Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales
• Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales—”Song Without Words”
• What’s the Score
• Controllers—Key Switching and Secondary Instrument Sounds
• Production Techniques—Melodic Bass Lines
• Assignment 10.1: Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales
• Assignment 10.2: Bonus, Melodic Bass Lines

Lesson 11: Hand Independence

• Etudes
• Open Position Chords
• Production Techniques—Strings
• Production Techniques—”I Heard It Through the Grapevine”
• Production Techniques—”Londonderry Air”
• Assignment 11.1: Etude No. 1
• Assignment 11.2: Open Position Chords
• Assignment 11.3: Bonus, Strings

Lesson 12: Stretching the Keyboard

• Covering Wide Ranges with Two Hands
• Arpeggios
• Controllers—Breath Controller
• Production Techniques—Brass and Horn Parts
• Assignment 12.1: Etude No. 1
• Assignment 12.2: Etude No. 2
• Assignment 12.3: Bonus, Brass and Horn Parts