1000 KEYBOARD TIPS

Jacky Dreksler and Quirin Härle

This unique book is a tutor, reference book, songbook and dictionary all in one. It's fun and easy to understand with plenty of informative tips, which makes it well-suited to beginners and amateurs who wish to get the most out of their keyboards.

Split into 12 progressive sections, the book covers practically everything you need to know about electronic keyboards, such as intervals, dominant and subdominant chains, all scales, riffs, licks, phrases, patterns, intros, and endings. Moreover, youll learn about improvisation, arranging and composing in Blues, Rock, Pop and Jazz styles.

Finally, various special keyboard voicings, programming drum machines and MIDI make this book an invaluable encyclopedia. The accompanying CD includes many examples and songs to listen or play along to. Most of the material in this book can also be used by pianists.

Beginning-Intermediate levels.

Contents

Preface and guide to use
A keyboard gadget for you to make yourself
1 PLAYING WITHOUT NOTES
A quick, "Idiot-proof" course which gives you the feel of things
1.1 The ABC of keys: Is it really possible to tell the difference between the white and the black keys?
1.2 A chord: Occupational therapy for itchy fingers
1.3 Major and minor: Big and small in the music world
1.4 The C-Major-Chord family: 1 scale and 6 chords
1.5 Chord inversion: Turn around before its too late!
1.6 Bass notes: The storming of the Basstille
1.7 Rhythms: What the word nobody can spell really means
1.8 Triad variations: Why don't you triad?
1.9 Black triads: No room for prejudice on the keyboard!
1.10 Four note chords/tetrads: How to make a fourtune
1.11 Chords of five and six notes: The chord monster attacks
1.12 Bass variations: Basstardized chords
1.13 Rockbass-Patterns: ...but don't try to cut them out!
1.14 Rock and Pop improvisation: Oh, solo mio
1.15 Harmonies: It's not my money, it's harmoney!
1.16 Circles of fifths and fourths: Don' t make squares out of my circles
1.17 Transposing: Chord transport
1.18 Song accompaniment: We're of one achord in the singing hoard!
2 KEYS-NOTES-TIPS
Short information for beginners
2.1 A sentence about fingering: Hey, why can't I strike all of the keys with my agile index finger?
2.2 Tips for practising
2.3 The system of notation: Lines with personal notes
2.4 Accidentals: Has it all to do with "noughts and crosses" and "silly b's"?
2.5 Scales: Fishy business!
2.6 Signatures and keys: This has nothing to do with signing the rent contract
2.7 Intervals: You always have to keep your distance
2.8 Note values: Full and empty heads
2.9 Time and bars: Time ladies & gentlemen please'
2.10 Signs and abbreviations: But we'll take a short cut
3 CHORDS
How the hoards of chords came about
3.1 Intervals: Double trouble?
3.2 Triads: Three wise men
3.3 Chords of four notes (tetrads): A striking keyboard foursome!
3.4 Chords of five and six notes: Chord giants hit out
3.5 Chords and symbols: We make a symbowl of chord punch
3.6 Chords in five languages: In case you're speechless
4 HARMONIES
Musical etiquette
4.1 Scalar chords: "Who's who" in the C-major royal household
4.2 The Tonic: Her royal highnote
4.3 Dominants and Subdominants: Rulers without crowns
4.4 The basic triads: Together they stand strong'
4.5 The secondary triads: Minor relations
4.6 Counter-triads: Mysterious counter-attacks
4.7 The diminished triad: Cousin with diminished responsibility
4.8 Mediants-variants-shifts: Shifty characters moving in various circles
4.9 The circle of fourths and fifths: Lord Tetrachord reporting
4.10 Minor: It's all a question of minor differences
4.11 Substitution: Temporary jobs in the royal household
4.12 Modulation: New robes for the Queen
5 RHYTHMS
From Rock to Pop-Reggae to Alka Salsa
5.1 The Bass: Fishing for bass in Piano Bay
5.2 Strike patterns: Strike rules for rhythmic unions
5.3 Simple rhythms: It's simply really easy
5.4 Feeling: Tootling with sentiments
5.5 Basic rhythms: Something to build on
5.6 Standard pop rhythms: Rhythm joker
5.7 Arpeggios: One after the other
5.8 Rock: People in glasshouses shouldn't throw ROCKS
5.9 Ballads: Musical softies
5.10 Country-Pop: As taste of the beautiful country (side)
5.11 Reggae: Rhythms which put you amongst the palms
5.12 Funk-Disco: Funky junk
5.13 Latin-Jazz: No dog-Latin here!
5.14 Rhythms for Drum Computers: Microchip eardrum punishment
6 IMPROVISATION
About the chances of being hired or fired in Musicland
6.1 Improvisation techniques: All about the basic rules in a free democratic society
6.2 Major and minor scales: Will this lead to a major minor catastrophy?
6.3 Blues scales: Exchange of notes with Africa
6.4 Modal scales: Scaling the church wall
6.5 Pentatonic scales: The five wise men from the Orient
6.6 Altered scales: How to employ foreign workers
6.7 Improvisation table: Let's spend the knight together (at the Round Table)
7 KEYBOARD-STYLES
The most important styles in current pop music
7.1 The Building-Brick System: D.I.Y. keyboard style
7.2 Blues: In the style of John Mayall, Eric Clapton and ZZ Top
7.3 Rock 'n' Roll: In the style of Jerry Lee Lewis, Stray Cats and Fats Domino
7.4 Rock: In the style of Bruce Springsteen, Huey Lewis and Chicago
7.5 Rock Ballad: In the style of Elton John, Billy Joel and Phil Collins
7.6 Reggae: In the style of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and UB 40
7.7 Country-Pop: In the style of Floyd Kramer and Kenny Rogers
7.8 Latin-Pop: In the style of Matt Bianco, Sade and Herbie Hancock
7.9 Funk: In the style of James Brown, Commodores and Earth, Wind & Fire
8 PROFESSIONAL TRICKS
Intros, Hammerings, Licks-Riffs, Runs, Tricks
8.1 Introduction: Champagne or soda water?
8.2 Intros: Musical beginnings
8.3 Suspensions: Hey big suspender'
8.4 Hammerings: Go on... have a bash!
8.5 Playing with intervals: Parrot play
8.6 Rolls: The Rolls-Royce amongst the tricks
8.7 Hooks: Fishing tricks
8.8 Licks: But not with your tongue, stupid!
8.9 Bass-Riffs: Play it again...and again
8.10 Linear Grooves: Groovy, groovy, groovy lines
8.11 Scalar runs: But where are they running to?
8.12 Arpeggio-Riffs: Stop harping on, of course we'll return!
8.13 Arpeggio-Runs: Chord marathons
8.14 Chord-Riffs: Not suitable for Omar Shariffs
8.15 Endings: Musical finals
9 ARRANGING AND COMPOSING
From Fuzzy to the first million
9.1 Melody notes: Milady, it's got nothing to do with money
9.2 Harmonies: Plain sailing, arranging!
9.3 Chord Colourings: How to colour notes without using paint
9.4 Bass notes: Deep C bass fishing
9.5 Voicing: His master's voicing
9.6 Composing: ...or how to boil water
9.7 Improvised Melody Plan: Lightning strikes by the Unorganized Musician's Union
10 MIDI AND COMPUTERS
All about MIDIotic masters and slaves
11 THE MAGICAL KEYBOARD TABLES
Everything at a glance: Chords. Harmonies, Scales, Improvisation scales, Intervals -- with and without notes
12 KEYBOARD DICTIONARY
From Analogue-Synthesizer, Attack Time and Adagio via MIDI. Master-Keyboard and Mixing Desk to Xylophone
13 CD CONTENT
Listening examples, Improvisation exercises, Keyboard styles
Tracks 1-27
Tracks 28-46