Music is one of the things we still have left that helps restore faith in the hope of a better world. When music meets its passionate lovers, all is set to work seamlessly and harmoniously. The piano is one of those musical instruments that piques one’s curiosity and leaves them thirsty for more. It possessed a wealth of mystery, especially when the keys came together in one accord. What strikes most piano lovers is that there’s only so much to learn about, including its keyboards and how to successfully maneuver your way around it. Read on for a detailed article on piano keyboards and all there is to know about them.
1. They Vary In Number
Everyone genuinely interested in learning or playing the piano knows its key variation. This helps accommodate piano players whose stages of expertise vary greatly. Some experts already know of a MIDI keyboard controller and its functions.
Beginners may do well with a keyboard containing 66 keys, while an advanced player does well with 88 or more keys. Each of these keys has a note that enables it to come together with others to produce soothing melodies.
Understanding one’s piano keyboard helps make provision for learning and delving deeper into other keys. The internet has made it easier to explore each of them and exciting aspects such as where and how to find them.
2. They Have Basic Notes
Piano keyboards have notes to help the player identify which ones to hit to produce heavenly tunes. The primary notes are C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. A keen follower notices that these keys repeat themselves throughout the keyboard.
This allows piano players and lovers to experiment with each other to create harmonious sounds. One of the basic rules when learning to play the piano is to understand where each key is situated.
This makes playing even without maintaining eye contact with the keys easier. Complete knowledge of these notes makes introducing the chords and how they work safely. There are two types of chords: major and minor.
The major chords are responsible for the more rejuvenating and uplifting sounds when playing the piano. On the other hand, minor chords are responsible for the darker and gloomier sounds we hear when we strike the keys.
3. Black and White Keys
Even non-piano enthusiasts know this to be general knowledge. However, not everyone understands why the keys on a keyboard have to be black and white. This is mainly for easy reference and identification.
Black keys stand for different tonal variations when playing, and each white key has its own set of tonal variations. The magic comes alive when the black and white keys are hit simultaneously.
They come together to release an atmosphere of musical perfection. However, some keyboards may have adopted a different way of doing things using other colors.
This keeps the original idea relevant. It only enhances the creative juices of geniuses who would love to stand out.
4. Require Proper Hand Positioning
The last thing you’d want is hitting all the wrong notes involuntarily. This is a common mistake that most beginners make but can be easily corrected when we pay full attention to the position of our hands and fingers when playing.
Resting your hands thoroughly on the keyboard will produce all the erroneous results contrary to what you expect. Be sure only to allow your fingers to contact the keys.
Doing this often makes it easier to familiarize yourself with the keys. With time, you won’t need to look closely at the position of your thumbs and fingers when making music.
5. Exist In Different Types
Most piano enthusiasts may have already established that there are different keyboards. The most common include pianos, organs, and electronic keyboards. Synthesizers and digital pianos fall under the category of electronic keyboards since they don’t require much effort to operate.
Others include stage, hybrid pianos, workstations and arrangers, vocoders, and string machines. Each is classified differently based on portability, number of keys, and other unique features they may possess.
Knowing and learning one or all is beneficial as it opens doors to grand musical opportunities.
6. Cleaning is Necessary
Care and maintenance of keyboards are necessary to enhance durability and effectiveness. Proper cleaning and storage are considered some of the most basic care and maintenance practices.
In the real sense, they are less common to most keyboard enthusiasts. Some will go as far as leaving them uncovered when not playing. This causes the keyboard to accumulate dust, which affects the quality of the music it produces.
Taking care of your instrument is one of the keys to ensuring it serves you for years. Besides, no one looks forward to having their fingers come into contact with rusty keys. Worse still, playing a keyboard that has some keys missing is not exactly thrilling.
Always use a soft cloth dampened with mild detergent to clean the keyboard keys. Ensure no water droplets can be seen as you rub the fabric against the keys.
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Bottom Line
All music lovers will attest that piano keyboards always have a way of heightening the thrill and teaching something new. Even the most outstanding expert on the planet may admit to learning some things about the keyboard piano they never knew.
There’s always room for lessons and improvement, especially when you can access all the valid sources.