Keyboard for the Electronic Musician is aimed at the beginner or early stage keyboard player who wants to build skills that will help them write, produce, and perform using keyboards ranging from acoustic piano to modern controllers with virtual instruments. Along with the development of healthy fundamental playing techniques, the course develops your skills through an exploration of music and musical parts used in a wide variety of genres, including pop, rock, R&B, gaming, film, and television scores.

Each week, you’ll be assigned exercises and songs supported with audio and video examples and audio play-alongs to give you a real sense of performing in a production. In addition to weekly assignments, you’ll have the option to submit weekly bonus assignment that display a greater command of the controller and production techniques presented in the lesson.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Read and interpret music expressively from a notated score
• Effectively play chord symbols to support the harmony of a song in a variety of textures and settings
• Play a variety of virtual parts from a keyboard, including drums, bass, guitar, strings, brass, and synthesizer textures
• Effectively use controllers in your productions, such as pitch bend, modulation wheel, expression pedal, etc.
• Use the keyboard as a writing and producing tool
• Gain a greater understanding of writing and production as you learn to perform excerpts derived from Grammy-award winning music

Syllabus

Lesson 1: The Grand Staff

Lesson 2: Sharps and Flats

Lesson 3: Major Scales and Major Key Signatures

Lesson 4: Intervals and Minor Triads

Lesson 5: Diatonic Songs

Lesson 6: Contemporary Accompaniment Patterns

Lesson 7: Seventh Chords

Lesson 8: Contemporary 7^th Chord Voicing Techniques

Lesson 9: Keyboard Grooves and Fills

Lesson 10: Developing Hand Independence

Lesson 11: Rhythmic Independence

Lesson 12: Crossing Hands and Stretching the Keyboard

Requirements

Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements