Let's Discuss! - "Learning to play the keyboard" - Where to start?!

 Let's Discuss! 

"Learning to play the keyboard" - Where to start?!

Hello World! Welcome back, my name is Benjamin! This post will be taking a look at something that I have been trying to do recently....I've been attempting to learn how to play the keyboard! More specifically...I wanted to learn how to play Nintendo music on my keyboard! I'd like to share my progress and give anyone who is looking to play an instrument some advice....so without further adieu, Let's Discuss! 

Learning an instrument - a daunting task?

- So....you are learning keyboard? well...where did you start? 

That's right! I got a child's size keyboard from my partner for my birthday (special shout-out to Jess, thank you!)...and since I got the keyboard I've been trying to get my head around how to play it. I initially started learning using an online application called "Flowkey". I even went as far as paying to use the service...and I must admit it was useful at the very beginning. This application allowed me to learn where to place my fingers and also helped me to identify the different keys on the instrument. 

However, it should be noted that beyond teaching the basics, I do not see any intrinsic value in using an online application to learn how to play the keyboard. Instead, the best method is to either 1.) get tuition on a 1 v 1 basis or 2.) learn through self-teaching via YouTube and practice, practice, practice. 

- OK....so "Practice, Practice, Practice?"...and then I'll be the next Mozart? 

Not quite! The key takeaway for me was that learning how to play an instrument takes time! If you can find small pockets of time when you aren't busy working/studying/etc then I would argue that this is the best method to learn how to play the keyboard. I would also highly recommend using YouTube tutorials to help aid your learning! For instance, if you have a specific artist/genre/theme that you want to pursue, type it in on YouTube along with "keyboard tutorial - easy" and you are going to find what you need! 

- Great!....so what can you play? 

Well, besides the very basic beginner's stuff such as "Ode To Joy" and "When The Saints", I can also play "Great Fairy Fountain" by Koji Kondo. I can play this song in a very basic format and I was able to learn how to play this in one evening...it took about 1 hour of practice (and plenty of fails) to get a perfect run! 

Well....there you have it! I made this post because I want to inspire other people to pursue a hobby, even if it is something that you thought may have been out of your reach before! If you can find a little bit of time to practice, stick with it and you'll soon reap the rewards. 

That's all for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed this post...thanks for reading as always! See you next time! 

Benjamin Andrew 95!