Lessons for teens and adults are offered online or in-person, or as a hybrid. Online lessons are here to stay: effective. and offering unique and convenient benefits. All you need is a keyboard and your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Register for a free trial lesson.
Perhaps your ambition is play in a church praise band, a rock band, or a jazz combo or big band at school. You possess some basic note-reading skills and keyboard facility. You’re ready for band keyboard lessons!
From here, playing in a band requires a special skill-set:
- Reading a lead sheet, which often contains only lyrics and chord symbols, and possibly the melody. The rest is up to you!
- Constructing chords—major, minor, diminished, dominant seventh, sus, eleventh, and so much more.
- Playing common chord progressions, using inversions to move smoothly from chord to chord, in various keys.
- Creating chord voicings—your unique sound—from all the possibilities of 88 keys.
- Executing scales—major, the various minors, pentatonics, blues, and more—with facility, and knowledge of how to apply them in fills and soloing.
- Learning licks, fills, and patterns for soloing.
- Developing your ear—recognizing common progressions, transcribing an enviable solo, playing songs and licks you hear. This involves recognizing intervals, chords, and scales.
- Playing in the style and groove of the song. Playing with a click-track.
- Navigating today’s keyboard technology.
- Not over-playing—knowing when to play and when to lay back.
Get your band keyboard lessons here at Sykes Piano Studio in Brooklyn Park, MN!
“Our God is Greater” (Tomlin), performed by Katie and Laura, recorded on Garageband software.
Here is the debut of Bill’s original song, “Poster Child.”
Visit YouTube/SykesPianoStudio for more student performances.
You’re invited for a free get-acquainted session online or at Sykes Piano Studio in Brooklyn Park. We are convenient to Maple Grove, Champlin, and Brooklyn Center. Contact us for your no-obligation, no fee appointment time.
Combo playing multiplies the fun–Go for it!