22 Playing Keyboard

Playing Keyboard written by Julie Ellis

keyboard parts All keyboards have black and white keys. A keyboard can have 49, 61, 76 or 88 keys. On most keyboards you can change the settings to make it quick or quiet, or even sound like another instrument. You can use headphones, a keyboard stand and a foot pedal. Other people could think you play too loud, but if you use headphones they won't hear you.

white notes The white note names are A, B, C, D, E, F, G. They are easy to get to know if you think of animal names. Find the two black notes that look like kennel walls. The white note b for dog lives inside those two black notes. The C note is the cat hiding outside the kennel on the left. The E note is the elephant on the other side of D. Play all the C notes on your keyboard. Do you notice anything about the sound of each C note?

animal names Give the other notes animal names, too. To the right of the E note are the notes F for frog and G for goat. To the left of the C note are the notes B for bear and A for ant. How many Ant, Bear, Cat, Dog, Elephant, Frog and Goat notes are on your keyboard?

fingering Middle C is the most important note. How do you know which note is middle C? Middle C is the C note closest to the middle of the keyboard. Can you find it? It is easy to play the keyboard if you use another finger to play each note. Put both thumbs on middle C. Which notes are your fingers on? Can you match each finger with a note?

Hickory Dickory Dock The beat is an even sound. It is easy to feel. You can change the speed of the beat to play faster or slower. If you change the speed of the beat it will change the sound. Not every word has a beat. using your right hand, can you play the beat for this tune by reading the finger number or the note name?