Emerogork
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Looking for simple Keyboarding software
No pops and whistles needed.
I cannot seem to make any headway to find the software I need to learn keyboarding.
Similar to a touch typing tutorial using a computer with the QWERTY keyboard, I would like to connect an electronic piano keyboard to my computer and have the program walk me through lessons increasing in difficulty. I do not want to compose, learn chords at first, or save any score I create.
On an old XP system, I have a program called Touch-Typing Tutorial (TTT). It would show ASDF JKL: and I had to practice the home row. This Piano Keyboard Tutorial (PKT) will show the C pentascale for example and I would hit the keys accordingly. TTT would, and PKT will, detect to see that I hit the correct keys and measure the number of errors I made. Of course the C pentascale is insanely simple but eventually, the lessons would progress to full complex scales then to simple melodies leading to complete pieces. G, D, A E pentascales would follow, then full scales then simple to complex melodies. You get the picture. Yes, it is going to be boring, slow, but strong in theory and discipline which is exactly what I want.
As I see it, a typist is not shown how to write novels in order to learn to type, and I don't want to learn pieces by rote to study keyboarding. In that a typist becomes proficient not only in finding the correct key but also in words per minute, the software should count the number of errors and eventually tell me if I am hitting the correct keys and checking my timing.
Eventually, as I play phrases and make errors, the program will find others with similar key constructs and set them as additional lessons in the same way that TTT does. Periodic exams will be presented to go on to the next lesson/chapter.
A nice scoring system will show my progress.
Does anyone know if there is anything available to do this?
If not and someone takes this idea and writes it, I want a commission. (:
Actually, I want the software so that I can learn piano and I will test any software to help develop it..
Em
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TheMaartian
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/03/31 16:32:14
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☄ Helpfulby BobF 2017/03/31 17:49:59
Intel i7 3.4GHz, 16 GB RAM, 2 TB HD Win10 Home 64-bit Tascam US-16x08 Studio One 4 Pro Notion 6 Melodyne 4 Studio Acoustica 7 Guitar Pro 7 PreSonus FaderPort Nektar P6 M-Audio BX8 D2 Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro NI K9U XLN AK, AD2 AAS VS-2, GS-2, VA-2, EP-4, CP-2, OD Toontrack SD3, EZK
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Emerogork
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/03/31 16:56:47
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Thanks but the site is lame in its description. Even for $15, I am not going to purchase.
They do not seem to have any description other than how great the software is as with any other product.
Do you have any experience with it?
Does it show the score to play? Does it check to see that you played that specific note? The picture seems to suggest that there is an animation of the keyboard to follow to play a single piece note by note. This is like a teaching typing by telling me what keys to press in order to write a book. I don't want to learn how to play "Heart and Soul". I want to learn how to play a keyboard.
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abacab
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/03/31 21:39:40
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☄ Helpfulby Emerogork 2017/03/31 21:52:27
Take a look at eMedia Piano and Keyboard Method v3, with 300 lessons, 70 videos, and 100 songs. http://www.emediamusic.com/keyboard-piano-lessons/beginner-piano-method.html It is interactive, with short lessons and videos by the instructor, that the leads the way. Once you have a MIDI keyboard attached to your PC it will follow your notes played during the exercises, either to a metronome or a backing track, and score your playing accuracy (notes and timing). There are several connection options, so you can use your onboard keyboard sounds for playback if you have them, or else use a soft synth and the PC audio interface. The best setup is where you can hear yourself play along with the accompaniment tracks. It is also possible to use the microphone in your laptop with an acoustic piano. With my MIDI controller, I use the standalone Cakewalk Rapture Session as my sound source. The Dimension Pro piano patches work well for this purpose. I can hear my piano sounds at the same time that eMedia Piano is playing the accompaniment. If using a soft synth it is important to use a low latency audio driver (preferably ASIO) in order for your piano sounds to not have any audible delay.
DAW: CbB; Sonar Platinum, and others ...
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Emerogork
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/03/31 21:52:11
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Thank you, I will look into it.
I am beginning to think that I will have to write my own program...
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Kamikaze
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/04/01 07:38:43
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azslow3
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/04/01 08:27:43
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I am not a pro and the following my personal opinion only. But...
Comparison with computer keyboard typing is incorrect. For resulting text, the only important are characters hit, second is "words per minute". The rest is completely irrelevant for the result.
In playing keyboard/piano hitting correct keys is important, but that is the basis only. Important is how you hit it, precisely how good you can control the velocity when you hit it (for real acoustic piano there are other aspects). The speed is also just the basis. You need to be able follow and control the tempo, so time intervals between notes.
Especially at the beginning, without correction from a teacher and learning on MIDI keyboard, with high probability you develop incorrect way to play. Your body remember it and that will be a show stopper later. Re-learning is hard.
I understand that the situation, finances and goals can be different. But if you ever plan "play piano", get at least so called "hammer mechanic" MIDI keyboard. Better just Digital Piano. If you have place, normal acoustic upright (old used upright is normally cheaper than used reasonable Digital Piano, disadvantages are space, noise and maintenance). I mean if you will learn on cheap MIDI keyboard with synth mechanic, you will be unable to play on even Digital Piano. The internet is filled with horror videos children learned on MIDI keyboards attempt to play piano... there are no stories with "happy end" there.
Try to effort a teacher. Or at least someone who show you how to position your hands right. Or at least point in case the position you are going to use is unacceptable.
IMHO starting playing piano with scales is not a good idea. Even simple 7 tones C major require smooth hand position movement. Find any book FOR CHILDREN first year piano eduction, there will be many peaces with fixed had position so at least you can theoretically learn to play right (self teaching books for adults usually "jump" too fast, the result is: first notes, small peace, nice simple peace, "I can play piano", game over...)
Scales and the rest of music theory is better to learn separately in parallel, DAWs can be helpful there since you do not have to "play" things in "real time" to understand how different things sounds.
Sonar 8LE -> Platinum infinity, REAPER, Windows 10 pro GA-EP35-DS3L, E7500, 4GB, GTX 1050 Ti, 2x500GB RME Babyface Pro (M-Audio Audiophile Firewire/410, VS-20), Kawai CN43, TD-11, Roland A500S, Akai MPK Mini, Keystation Pro, etc. www.azslow.com - Control Surface Integration Platform for SONAR, ReaCWP, AOSC and other accessibility tools
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Emerogork
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/04/01 09:34:07
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I follow and understand what your reply contains. There are a few things that may help tie what you say with what I seek.
I am taking a Piano 1 course at the University and I am sure that your cautions are being addressed. What I need is a practice option to extend beyond the course. The biggest problem is that as we are getting into site-reading, the pieces in the course are not familiar and I do not know what they should sound like. It is extremely frustrating because I have no idea if I am doing it correctly. I understand why the examples are designed the way that they are and that classic/known pieces are not used but at least let me hear the phrases by tone and timing to let me know that I am playing them correctly. The problem is that there is no sense of reward. I also feel that the course is going too fast for me. I am open to taking the course a second time.
The second need to be addressed is that I am dyslexic. That is not an excuse rather it does say that I need a better foundation in building my skills. For example, I have no problem progressing C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C but coming back down is almost impossible. Even though the notes of the scales are played sequentially, Ds and Bs get reversed, mixing left and right hand movements, and working out the fingering is really messing me up. Therefore I need a lot of practice in pentatonics, full scales, playing phrases, and timing, so in that, the touch-typing comparison is valid even if it is not for everyone. This part needs structure and controlled repetition.
With respect to your cautions, it is interesting that the lab in the University violates several of the recommendations for learning piano. For each student station, the keyboard to the computer is at the position for the easiest data entry taking the correct position needed for the piano keyboard. The table heights are standard classroom height to boot. This requires that the seat be elevated almost to an unnatural position for proper fingering yet it changes the option for proper foot position. These are compromising at best. At home I can address these concerns because I am the only user.
Your comments may well explain why I am not finding the software I seek and that I may have to write my own MIDI code.
I am rambling. It is now 5:30am and I should stop and get back to sleep. (:
Thank you for your insights.
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azslow3
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/04/01 13:01:11
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If you already taking some course, that is good (while if they use MIDI keyboards it should not be call "Piano"). Taking your argumentation into account, may be look at http://www.synthesiagame.com/ . Originally that is coming from "guitar hero" game. I have not used this one (I have shortly demoed it now to check what it is), but I used the same for drums (DTXmania). Almost everyone agree these types of tutors are not good for general teaching, but for your particular case I think it make sense to try. At least it makes much more fun then lonely playing scales. From the description they support arbitrary MIDI files, so you should be able feed required peaces (prepared for example in Sonar with step sequencer). In reality you will either start to understand that you play something wrong pretty quick or you need a separate training for tone and/or rhythm (it happened that my older daughter could not recognize tones. It took me a while to find the methodic to fix that, but I had success). Please think about hammer mechanic if you do not have one (you have not mentioned which type of keyboards you are using).
Sonar 8LE -> Platinum infinity, REAPER, Windows 10 pro GA-EP35-DS3L, E7500, 4GB, GTX 1050 Ti, 2x500GB RME Babyface Pro (M-Audio Audiophile Firewire/410, VS-20), Kawai CN43, TD-11, Roland A500S, Akai MPK Mini, Keystation Pro, etc. www.azslow.com - Control Surface Integration Platform for SONAR, ReaCWP, AOSC and other accessibility tools
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Emerogork
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/04/01 14:24:37
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"(If they use MIDI keyboards it should not be call "Piano".)"
Interesting term,... Piano.
The harpsichord plucked strings and played at one volume. When it went to hammers, it became the piano which means "soft" and you now had volume control by how you hit the keys. (Pianoforte means loud/soft).
The first electric keyboards could not be changed in volume based on how you played it but today you can play loud and soft so I guess that, by definition, they really are pianos but I understand the passion to keep them separate, (:
That said: Almost a year ago, I was given a Weber Baby Grand Piano and that is what sparked my interest in all this. At the University, they are all MIDI. Before I had the first class, I pictured a room full of big boxes.
I also have an older Radio Shack Concertmate 900 electric keyboard (tt was free) and will be replacing it with a Casio CTK2400 61- Key...". MIDI very soon.
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abacab
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/04/01 19:02:34
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Emerogork
will be replacing it with a Casio CTK2400 61- Key...". MIDI very soon.
I noticed that the CTK2400 is not velocity sensitive. The next models up, CTK 3200, 4400, are touch sensitive. I guess they only make the CTK2400 for harpsichord players. 
DAW: CbB; Sonar Platinum, and others ...
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Emerogork
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Re: Looking for simple Keyboarding software
2017/04/01 19:21:01
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Thank you, I will change the purchase.
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