Learning to Play the Piano Keyboard

We will be learning to play the Piano Keyboards by using our MIDI keyboards, Mixcraft, and online resources.

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO HAND THIS IN!

Objectives:

• Learn left and right hand note reading and playing on MIDI keyboards
• Learn to set-up a MIDI keyboard and choose sounds in Mixcraft
• Learn to use the Metronome while practicing and recording.
• Learn to Arm a track and record MIDI 

Your final project should sound like this.

Steps:

Setting Up MIDI

1. Open up a new Virtual Instrument Project in Mixcraft and call it "Piano Practice 1"
2. Plug in your MIDI keyboard through USB
3. Choose the first Virtual Instrument Track and click on the Keyboard symbol.  Choose a keyboard or Piano sound from the selection of MIDI instruments. Click "Musical Typing" to try the sounds out before you settle on one.  Then close the musical typing window and the MIDI selection window.
4. On the Virtual Instrument Track, click the ARM button to prepare the track for recording.  Beside the Arm button is a downward arrow.  Click it to make sure the if Acorn 25 is selected as the input source. 
5. Now that your track is Armed, you should be able to hear your MIDI keyboard when you play the keys.
6. Try recording some sounds and playing them back AFTER turning the ARM button off.
7. Turn on the Metronome to 75bpm and try to play some notes at that speed.  Choose 2 Bars of count in measures in the metronome dialog box.  

Practicing Piano

1. Click on Exercise Page each link below and read and practice the piano music on each page.  
2. Record the pages with the word "Record" beside them.  Record all songs on the same project, but use different Tracks. Use the metronome when you record.
3. Don't worry about perfection, this is just an exercise for practice.  Listen to your recordings and play them for a classmate to get feedback.  Do not quantize for this assignment.
4. Place each of the three songs in their own Virtual Instrument Track, and start each where the last finished.  For instance, Ode to Joy ends at the end of bar 8, and Aura lee should start in Bar 9. 
5. Name your file "Piano Practice 1 Your Name" and submit it for completion marks.

Exercise Pages

1. Right Hand C Position Introduction

2. Right Hand C Position - Ode to Joy *Record

3. Left Hand C Position Introduction

4. Left Hand C Position-Aura Lee *Record

5. Grand Staff Introduction

6. Melodic Intervals 2nds and 3rds

7. Melodic Intervals 4ths and 5ths - Good King Wenceslas *Record

EXTENSION Activity: If you finish the above activity early, add 2 or three tracks of Loops that complement the songs in the KEY OF C! 

ADVANCED PLAYERS: If you have piano training, record this piece with left and right hands together.  If you do this and find it simple, please ask Ms. Moynihan for some extra challenge work. 

Challenge Piece

Cockles and Mussels *Record (Change your Time Signature to 3/4 time first!)
Extension Activity: Find drum or rhythm tracks in a 3/4 time signature and add it to your recording.