Fallen is a song by Lola Amour – a band in the Philippines that their name came from the lead vocal’s grandmother. This song has also an extended version with more instrumental on intro part. Their songs has this brass sound from their saxophone and trumpet combined with funky electric guitar riffs and subtle keyboard sounds that makes them distinct to other bands. The extended version of this song is often heard in tiktok.

We will discuss the tutorial in 2 parts, the original version and the extended version.

On the original version, the song starts with the signature sound and the most recognizeable sound on the song. Then it will go to verse, which consists of only piano with its riffs after the end of the line except on the last line. on the chorus part, the brass section will only be heard from the 3rd line. Repeat again from the intro then verse and chorus. The next part is the bridge to the end of the song. There is another sound progression – a melody of brass section that is heard until the end of the song.

Alternatively, on the extended version the intro is much more longer. The intro took longer than a minute including the intro on the original version. It will go on verse, again, only piano with its riffs on the 3rd line only. Then the song will continue like the usual on the original version except with some subtle changes in piano riffs in bridge to ending part.

How to play Fallen in Keyboard Piano

Throughout the song these are the chords most of the time – DM9 – C#m7 – F#m7.

Intro:

For keyboard part, DM9 – C#m7 – F#m7 are the chords on the intro. Repeat 4 times. On brass section, the notes are the following: D E C#, A B A. Repeat 4 times and in sync with the chords on the keyboard part.

On the extended version, The chords is a litte different. The first part is: DM9 – C#m7#5 – F#m7. One drop per chord. Then it will go back to the original chord progression DM9 – C#m7 – F#m7. Still one drop per chord except in the F#m7 which is 8 times with syncopated on the 7th time. There are pauses in the extended intro, I will show it where are pauses below.

After 4 loops of the chord progression, the brass sound notes is as follows:

(E C# B C# B A E(lower oct) B A)

(E C# B C# B A E(lower oct) B A) (C# E)

(E C# B C# B A E(lower oct) B) pause (C#-B-A)

(E C# B C# B A E(lower oct)) x3 (E(lower oct) B A)

(E(lower oct) B A) x5 pause

(A) (E(lower oct) B A)

(A) pause x3

(D E) x7 speed increases after 2 loop

(E E E E E) pause

After these all notes on brass, the extended version is now ended. Now, you will connect the intro from the original one and the song will start from here.

The chords for verse are same as the intro: DM9, C#m7, F#m7. The verse starts on electric piano only. For the original version, there are piano riffs on this. On first line, the notes are: C# E D C# A. The seconde line the notes are: E F# G# A G# A E. The third line goes like this: A B C# D C# B A C# B A. On the last line, there are no riff so just to the chord progression. For the extended version, only the third line has the piano riff. E B F#-G# E B(lower) C# B(lower) A(lower).

The chorus on keyboard still does the same chords as the verse. The only difference is at the third line of chorus, the chords will be difference. You will repeat the DM9 C#m7 F#m7 for 2 times. Then on the third line, the first two chords is still the same but the third is different and there is another chords. Therefore the chords will be 4 and they are: DM9, C#m7, DM9 and AM9. The last line is still the typical chord progressions.

On the brass part of chorus, on the lyrics “I’m Ok with you by your side”, these notes are perfomed: (A) (B (C#) (E) (C#) (B C# B A).

After the chorus, Intro will commence once again. Intro is exactly the same witht the first one. On the Verse of this part, the riffs performed on the first and second line are still as is but on the second, the F#m7 part will have 4 pauses. The 3rd and 4th are chords only, no riffs.

The pre-chorus will enter for the first time on this part. The chords are only two – DM9 and F#m7 (2 drops for the first 2 lines). Repeat 4 times. On the 4th line there is build-up so you will tap the chords in sync with the other instruments. On the 2nd chorus, DM9 is not perfomed on the first line. Just do C#m7 and F#m7. then continue like the first chorus but on this part (DM9, C#m7, DM9, AM9), you will play B and A on the AM9 chord for the original version.

On the last part, DM9 AM9 are only chords until the intro/outro part. On brass, repeat the note progression for 2 times (A F# E F# A F# E F#) (A, F# E F# A) then on first loop, (B C# E C# E). Repeat the note progression until the intro part. The song ends on the outro.

I hope you liked this tutorial, if you are confused, just refer on my video below and you can perform the song after you watched the video. Enjoy!

The post Fallen Lola Amour Piano Tutorial appeared first on Sure Chords.

Released on 2020, Sa Susunod na Habang Buhay is sung by Ben&Ben – a 9-piece OPM Band that is on the circulation since 2017. Their style on their songs is a combination of folk, pop and poprock genres. You will hear guitar riffs that is sounded folk including the percussions excluding drums. Their electric guitar solos is packed with rock style riffs so when you hear their songs, it’s new to ears because of its genre fusion.

The song starts by the melody of the piano with bass drums and percussions. The piano on the verse part is 1 chords per bar. and only subly heard. Of course the vocals are now in action. There is a pad sound on the other parts of the song. The violin enters in the middle part of the song. When it comes to the guitar solo, you will notice that the sound has increased its dynamics especially in the last chorus. The song will end on a chorus-like part but with piano, violin only until the last moment which also has cymbals.

How to play Sa Susunod na Habang Buhay in Keyboard Piano

The song is not as hard as it seems. You can start by learning the chords of the song in Piano first. Next to focus on is the melodies. Lastly, the synth pad part combining the piano. For this part, your keyboard must have a split/layer feature to do this. Much better if you can adjust the volume of the second sound while performing the appearance of the pad. If not, you can just do the piano part.

Intro

The intro is split in to to parts, the left (chords) and the right (melody) side. On the left side, there are only 4 chords: G F#m Em D. You will repeat this 4 times. For the melody part, it is recommended that you also press the octave of the notes. Will show this later.

Left Hand G Chord

Left Hand F#m Chord

Left Hand Em Chord

Left Hand D Chord

You will notice that I have only used 2 notes of the triad. The first and the fifth. The reason that I’m not doing a triad on the left hand because since the sound is at the bass part, adding the third will make the sound ‘muddy’.

For the right hand melody of the intro, these are the notes respectively: (D – E – F#) (D – C# – B – A – F#)

Right Hand D Note

Right Hand E Note

Right Hand F# Note

Right Hand D Note

Right Hand C# Note

Right Hand B Note

Right Hand A Note

Right Hand F# Note

Along with the chord, you will do this melody 4 times. However, on the fourth time, you are only doing the half of it because in the song, the guitar will do the other half of the intro. So the notes are only (D – E – F#) (D).

Verse

The verse part, you only needed to do the chords of the part. No melodies/riffs on this part yet. The chords are the following: GM7 F#m Em D. As you can see, the chords are the similart to intro. The only exception is you will also do the chords on the right hand as well.

Pre-Chorus

The easy part on this part of the song is you will only have to play 1 chords. And that chord is the G Chord. This is where the melody of the piano will be done. Do the first drop of the G Chord (Left and Right Hands) then perform the melody (B – C#) (E – F#) (D). The first two notes must be done in the higher part of the keyboard. While the next notes must be done in the lower octave than the first. On the last note (D), this is where your layered pad will be inserted. After this melody, you only gonna to G until the Chorus part.

Chorus

The chords used in the chorus are the following: D F#m Bm7 G Em Bm. When you do the D chord, the layered pad must also performed here as well. Then you will do the intro again. But the difference is the chord on the left side will be only D chord and F#m. So it’s 1/4 shorter than the first intro. When you do the chorus on the second time, no need to do the intro since the guitar solo will take place.

Guitar Solo

This is a bit different from the Chorus. The chords are the following, D F#m Bm7 A F#m G. You will do this on the left and right hand side. No melodies on your piano part here. After this solo, the part is chorus-like but the chords are different. The difference are from the start and end chords only. The chords are: G F#m Bm7 G Em A

Last Chorus

The last chorus is different from the first two chorus. This chorus has an additional chords. There are two additional chords which is F#m and G. Therefore the chord progression of this final chorus are the following (the additional chords are highlight by bold format): D F#m Bm7 G Em Bm F#m G. At the G part, there is a drop for about 9 times. So the G chords will be tapped or pressed 9 times before going to the next and last part of this song.

Last Part

On the part with lyrics “Ikaw parin”, it is a D chord but if you hear the song, there is no instrument or piano sound of chord. The sound is a melody. The descending melodies are (C# – B – A ). The next part will have no piano sound at all. On the lyric “Sa susunod na habang buhay”, there is a piano notes that is played at the same time on the words “habang bu”. The notes are the same on the voice notes. When uttered the syllable “hay” from “habang buhay”, do the D triad chord on the left side with melodies on the triad played in exact order: (D – F# – A) (D – A) (F# – A).

In order for you to understand the tutorial visually, I will share my video tutorial on this below. If you follow my instructions, you can play it the same as Pat of Ben&Ben plays it. How you enjoy this article.

The post Sa Susunod na Habang Buhay Piano Tutorial appeared first on Sure Chords.

Raining in Manila is a song by Lola Amour – a band in the Philippines that their name came from the lead vocal’s grandmother. Their songs has this brass sound from their saxophone and trumpet combined with funky electric guitar riffs and subtle keyboard sounds that makes them distinct to other bands. This song has gone viral online since its release in the rainy season in the Philippines. Every tiktok video related to the rain and floods has set their background music of this song.

The song starts by the keyboardist playing at the intro. After two times, the band will enter and their catchy part of the song now started. If you hear the song from the verse, the keyboard sound will be heard there then after 2 lines of stanza, the brass section now appears. The brass comes every now and then throughout the song especially when it comes to the instrumental part. There are 3 sections in the instrumental part: the ensemble, the slow part for saxophone and the fast part for the trumpet. It will go back to pre-chorus then go to the last chorus part.

How to play Raining in Manila in Keyboard Piano

You can refer on my video regarding the timing but the notes are what they are.

Intro (Keyboard):

On the right hand, the starting notes are the following:

F# (3x)

D#

C#

B

and repeat it but at an extra F# note.

On the left hand, the are the following:

E Chord (E and B notes):

F# Chord (F# and C# notes):

G#m Chord (G# and D# notes):

Combine the left hand chord and the right hand notes. Repeat 4x. After these there are still 2x repeat with the brass section and you can just do the chords on boths sides of the hands. Altenately, you can split the brass on the upper side and the keyboard sound on the lower side to do both sounds at the same time.

Intro (Brass):

The brass section will appear after the intro of keyboard 4 times. This will also serve as the first two parts of the chorus. The notable difference of the intro and the chorus is the timing of the pause. At intro, the pause comes after the word “babalik”. At chorus, the pause will be at the 2nd line which is the “when it’s been” and the drop will be on the word “raining”.

The notes can be based from the above images. The notes are the following:

F# – C# – D# | D# – C# – D#

Note that you can want to do this part, you can either split the sounds on your keyboard or if you have another keyboard player, that person can play one of these parts.

Verse:

The verse 1 and even verse 2 in keyboard part starts with the EM7 and G#m Chord while doing (dut-dut-dut-dut dut-dut dut-dut-dut) style of comping in piano (please also refer on my youtube tutorial on this). Do this 2 times. Before the 2nd G#m, the brass part will enter the scene. Notes descending (G#-F#-D# D#-C#-B-C#-D#). On the second time, the notes are in these combination (G#-F#-D#-C#-B-G#(low oct) B). Then lastly (B-C#-G#).

Pre-Chorus:

The chords in Keyboard are: EM7, A7, G#m7, C#7, C#m7 then E/F#. when doing the E/F# chord, it should be tapped 5 times (bam-bam-bam-bam-bam). Before going to chorus, there is a passing chord after the 5 bams of E/F# chord then bam the E/F.

The brass notes according to the line with the corresponding chords are the following:

EM7 (B-C#-D#)

A7 (C#)

G#m7 (B)

C#7 (D#-C#-B)

C#m7 (B)

E/F# (B) – also 5 times

E/F (B) – 1 time

Chorus:

Using the chords of the intro for 3 times and also the brass notes these are these combinations:

EM7 (F#)

F# (C#)

G#m (D#)

But at the third time, there is a delay then drop the chord/notes above. After this, the chord changes a bit when at the part of “Pag wala ang mga tala”. The chords are, EM7, F#, Gdim, G#m7. No brass at this part.

Then at C#7 chord, there are notes on brass (G#-A#-B). On C#m7 and E/F# (B). Before going to verse 2, there is a one last drop of E/F# and (B) note.

Verse 2 (Brass):

The brass notes according to the line with the corresponding chords in Verse 2 after the 2 line with Keyboard are the following:

(G#-F# D#-C# C#-B G#-B)

(F#-G# B-C#-D#-C#-B B)

Then there goes the part where the brass are non-stop playing:

EM7 (B-B-C#-B D#-B)

(F#-G#) G#m

EM7 (B-B B-C#-D#-F#-C#-B B)

(B-B-C#-B B-B B-C#-B-F#-D#-C#-B) G#m

Repeat the Pre-Chorus and Chorus again but this time, there is a drop 5 times at the chord E/F# (B) then 1 time with E/F (C#). We are now entering to the instrumental part. The drops and the instrumental are connected.

Instrumental:

The instrumental can be divided into 3 parts – the first part (Brass), the slow part (Saxophone) then the fast part (Trumpet). The first progression are repeated 2 times but there are 3 notes (C#-D#-F#) in between the first loop and the second loop. After the slow part, the song will go back to Pre-Chorus then the last Chorus.

First Part:

EM7 (D# F#-D#-C#-B)

F# (F#-G#-B-C#)

Gdim (F#-D#-C#-B)

G#m (F#-G#-B-C#)

(C#-D#-F#) EM7 (F#-D#-C#-B)

F# (F#-G#-B-C#)

Gdim (F#-D#-C#-B)

G#m (F#-G#-B-C#)

Slow Part:

(G#-B-C#-D#) (F#-D#)

(G#(high) G#-F#-F) (F#-F) (F#-F) (descend)(D#-C#) (A#-G#) (F#-E)

(D#-C#) (B-C#-D#) (D#-F#-G#-F#-G#-A#) (C#-B-A#-G#-F#-C#-A#)

(D#-C#-B-G#-D#(low))

Fast Part:

(B-C#-D#) (F#-F#-F#-F#-F#) (D#-D#-F#-F#)

(F#-F#-F#-F#-F#) (F#-F#-G#-G#)

(F#-F#-F#-F#) (descend)(F#-G#-F#) (D#-C#-B-G#) (F#) (D#-C#-B)

(B-C#-D#(long))

(G#-B-C#-D#) (F#-G#-F#) (F#(high))

Tag(on Last Chorus):

This is the part after the 3 lines of chorus and has no brass part. The lyrics on this part are “Andyan lang ang mga tala”. The chords are: EM7, F#, Gdim, G#m7. Repeat 2 times. Then repeat the at C#7 chord, there are notes on brass (G#-A#-B). next is “Saan mang sulok ng mundo” chords is C#m7. Lastly, the E/F# (B) combination will have a 5 times drop and the song will end abruptly.

That’s it! You can now play the song Raining in Manila, for reference, I will also include my video tutorial on Keyboard and Brass. Enjoy practicing!

The post Raining in Manila in Piano Tutorial (with Chords) appeared first on Sure Chords.

In order to play the piano at your best, mental preparation is an essential skill that entails developing the proper attitude, concentration, and psychological readiness.

Having a confident and upbeat attitude is crucial for excellent piano playing. Confidence in your skills, preparation, and practice can help reduce performance anxiety and improve your overall performance. A Piano Player must develop a mindset that sees difficulties as opportunities for progress and mistakes as teaching moments. Also have a sense of self-belief in your musical ability and see yourself performing with poise and success.

Practice is the Key

Keeping your attention and concentration during practices and performances is essential. Avoid interruptions and provide a setting that encourages focus, such as a quiet, designated practice area. To improve your ability to be present and attentive while playing, practice mindfulness techniques. Teach your mind to remain attentive to the music, paying close attention to each note, each phrase, and the musical aim. You will be able to perform with higher precision and musicality if you can focus for long periods of time.

In order to be confident on your playing, you need to practice, practice and practice until you mastered the song that you’ll be playing. There’s a difficult part of course, you need to play it slow first then slowly add some speed until the right tempo. Also memorize each melody and the chords from the start like a stanza for example. But don’t just memorize. Feel the song as well. Until you’re good with that, you can proceed to the next part. if you’re good with the next part, try it with the one you first practiced until the latest part that you practiced. Repeat the process until you finished the whole song. If you can do it in a day, that is good. If not, just plan your practice schedule until you complete the whole song.

You can affirm yourself that you can do it. It can help you maintain and boost your self-confidence. If you’re having trouble or feel overburdened, don’t be afraid to ask for help from others. Discuss your worries and challenges with your piano teacher or other musicians. They can provide direction, criticism, and support.

Test Rehearsal

You can use this technique to get used of the people. Start by performing in front of friends, family or small group of people to help you assess your playing live. You can also ask for feedbacks on them on how you look while playing, if you’re stiff, then you can take note of that when performing live.

You may also try to record yourself if no one’s around. Act like it’s your D-day. Do your best, continue playing even there are mistakes. You can make them as much as you like because it is only a mock performance. As you watch your video, you can see if you have some mistakes to correct and also some parts to improve like posture or positioning.

You can also have a mental rehearsal. Close your eyes and see yourself playing with assurance, accuracy, and musicality before you practice or perform. Visualize your physical experiences, the sound of the music, and the audience members’ enthusiastic reactions. This mental practice aids in familiarization, improves muscle memory, and supports successful performance results. Utilizing visualization techniques on a regular basis will help you concentrate better and feel more confident when it comes time to perfomance. This is also applicable on the performance day.

On the Performance Day

Breathe in, set a calm mind before going onstage. If you’re still overwhelmed with the amount of people watching you, you just don’t mind them and play like you’re usually do. Focus on the music. You can also look for the supporters that are watching like your family or friends. As they support you, you can bring back by doing what you practice on stage.

Focus and concentration is more needed on this point. Mind over matter. Don’t get distracted, just do what you practice. Do your best effort. Some people are perfectionist that they feel bad when they make mistakes. It is not bad of an attitude at all but if you fail to do a part, continue playing, focus on what’s next. Because if you get distracted in one mistake, it can affect the whole performance so continue.

Remember you’ve practice well enough to perform it on stage in front of people. Learn from your mistakes and charge it to experience on the next performance. There’s this feeling that when you done what you’ve practice and performed it well, it is very satisfying. Not only satisfying but you hunger for more. And that is the fire of passion. If you frequently play live, you will get used to the stage fright and more relaxed.

Overall

Whether your solo or with a band, you have to play your best and not worry about the anxiety of playing in front of many people. Being emotionally connected to the music is essential for giving an engaging performance because music is an expression form. Practice not only to memorize, but to feel the song. Don’t get me wrong, I still have jitters even now when performing live. Just remember the more you practice properly, the more you can get confident with your playing.

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How to improve your piano playing? There are many ways to enhance your piano playing capability. For example, you’re a starting cook, you won’t know if your food is delicious and well-cooked if you don’t master the basics. Therefore, in piano playing there are also things to consider in order to execute playing with ease but at the same time sounding beautiful.

Finger Dexterity

Finger dexterity is the ability of our fingers to move swiftly, independently, and precisely over the piano keyboard. The ability to play intricate melodies, rapid passages, and difficult technical pieces with easily all require high finger dexterity.

Finger dexterity is crucial since it allows for swift, autonomous, and precise finger motions on the keyboard. Your fingers are must be independent, controlled, strong, flexible, and agile. Your fingers may move freely without feeling of strangling when you achieve finger independence and as a result, you will have an accurate and controlled playing. Flexibility supports relaxed finger and hand positions, which improves control and fluidity. When you developed finger agility, your finger movements will be quick and fluid between various keys or positions on the Piano.

You can practice exercises that focus on particular finger combinations, rhythms, and articulations to increase their finger dexterity. These drills promote coordination, finger flexibility, and strength. You must repeat these exercises requently, in order to develop muscle memory and teach your fingers to move more quickly. When you finger experience greater trials gradually, their dexterity improves over time.

Finger dexterity can only be developed with constant practice, perseverance, and attention to correct technique. Piano players can improve their finger dexterity and improve their ability to play quick sections, complicated melodies, and technically challenging songs by including focused exercises into daily practice regimens.

The short videos below can be used as a starting to increase finger dexterity, you can start slow then fast.

Hand Positioning

The hands and wrists must be in an ideal and comfortable position to achieve technical precision, flexibility, and musical expression. Hand positioning is a crucial aspect of piano playing. It’s important to have a correct hand form, with fingers that are naturally “C”-shaped and somewhat rounded. Better finger control, agility, and precision are all made possible by this hand shape when playing. Avoiding excessive tension or collapsing the hand is vital since these actions can limit flexibility, cause weariness, or even result in damage.

Wrist alignment is just as important to hand positioning as hand shape. It is ideal for the wrists to be untense, level, and in line with the forearm. They should be in a neutral position, not too high or too low. A tension-free approach is ensured by proper wrist alignment, allowing for more range of finger movement and reducing muscular strain. Excessive wrist flexion might interfere with technical fluency and alter the natural flow of action.

Another part of hand posture is using the arms as support and weight. The weight should be put on the keys with the arms supported and at ease. This gives off a smooth, controlled touch that improves tone and emotion. For a balanced and dynamic tone, it’s crucial to strike a balance between arm weight and finger control.

In hand positioning, the placement of the thumb is crucial. When playing the piano, the thumb offers support and stability. Align your thumb with your hand’s natural curvature and place it lower than the other fingers. Effective thumb crossing, octave jumping, and thumb-under movements are mini skills that you can achieve by proper thumb placement. Keeping a steady and regulated thumb posture throughout various musical parts promotes technical precision and fluidity.

Posture

Starting with a good seated position at the piano, for you posture. Sit forward on the bench while keeping your alignment balanced. Avoid slouching or leaning too much forward or backward. Keep your spine upright. Your knees should be just below the height of the keyboard, with your feet flat on the floor. This promotes stability and enables optimum weight distribution and balance. Your reach and posture as a whole can be hampered by sitting too far back or perching on the edge of the bench.

When playing the piano, you must have a good posture maintained by proper upper body alignment. Your shoulder should be relaxed and have leveled neither elevated nor slumped forward. Tensing your shoulder muscles can cause stiffness and limit your range of motion. To easily reach the keys without straining or overextending, the arms should be somewhat forward. Maintain an open, expanded chest for unobstructed breathing and the best support possible while performing.

Put your elbows a little bit away from your sides and place your hands at a comfortable distance from the keyboard. To enable a natural and relaxed hand position, your hands should be at or just slightly above the key level. Avoid raising or lowering your hands excessively as this might put strain on your wrists and restrict finger movement. You can see the keys and have distinct visual reference points while playing if you keep the right distance and hand-eye alignment.

Pedal Usage

Piano Has 3 pedals : The Sustain/Damper Pedal, Soft Pedal and the Sostenuto Pedal. Bu We’re focusting on the most common used pedal which is the Sustain Pedal since it is most used on the Keyboard Piano/ Electric Piano.

The piano’s sustain pedal, is like as I said, the one that you will use the most frequently. When pressed in an Acoustic Piano, it removes all of the string’s dampers, enabling the played notes to sustain or ring out. You must use the sustain pedal to link notes, provide a fluid and legato tone, and increase your piano’s resonance. To simplify, it is prolonging or sustaining the sound of the last pressed chords, arpeggios, and melodies. It is important when playing that you remove the pedal before striking set of notes to prevent muddying or overly blending the harmonics. You must utilize the damper pedal paying close attention to the tonal effect and applying it sparingly to get the desired musical impression.

There you have it. They say that basic is everything. After you followed and practice all the tips in here faithfully, you will feel that you’re playing much better. If ever you have more tips than what I shared, feel free in the comments section. Please remember the name – surechords.com for more articles like this.

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In this lesson, we will identify the duties and responsibilities of a Keyboard Player in a band.

Pianist vs Keyboardist

Before we proceed, let’s identify first the difference between a Piano Player/Pianist and a Keyboard Player/Keyboardist.

A keyboard player is often someone who uses synthesizers, digital pianos, or MIDI controllers to play keyboard instruments. These instruments frequently offer a wide range of sounds, effects, and programmable features, enabling the creation of a wide range of textures and timbres. A pianist, however, focuses solely on playing the piano, whether it be an acoustic piano or a digital piano that is made to mimic the sound and feel of an acoustic instrument. The development of piano-specific abilities, such as touch control, pedaling, and playing dynamics on a weighted keyboard, is frequently given priority by pianists.

Due to the nature of their instruments, keyboard players’ and pianists’ playing styles might vary in terms of technique and touch. To produce distinctive sounds and textures, keyboard players may use strategies like synthesizer programming, sound editing, and experimenting with different electronic effects. Additionally, they might use unconventional playing methods like pitch bending, modulation, or sampling. Conversely, pianists concentrate on honing classical piano technique, which includes appropriate finger positioning, hand independence, control of touch, and dynamic range. They place emphasis on the finer points of touch, e.g., producing a range of dynamics from mild to loud and using pedal methods to sustain or color the sound.

Piano players and keyboard players frequently specialize in different musical genres and styles. As they may modify their tone and playing technique to suit numerous genres including pop, rock, jazz, electronic music, and more, keyboard players tend to be more musically adaptable. To produce the required ambience or aural environment, they frequently investigate and experiment with various sounds and effects. Conversely, pianists frequently concentrate on the classical music repertoire, though they can also be experts in particular genres like jazz or contemporary classical. Pianists often invest a lot of time in learning about the classical piano tradition, studying and interpreting the works of classical composers, and practicing their craft.

Keyboard players and pianists may perform in different environments. Keyboardists frequently take the stage with modern bands, ensembles, or electronic music groups where they add to the sound and texture of the song as a whole. They might work alongside singers, guitarists, and other instrumentalists or play as a rhythm section. Contrarily, pianists frequently appear as soloists or as the principal performer in classical chamber music or symphonic settings. Additionally, pianists can perform collaborative piano work by providing support for other musicians or singers.

Keyboardists and pianists can take a variety of educational and training paths. Keyboard players frequently acquire their skills through a combination of formal education, independent study, and hands-on training. Along with improving their instrumental technique, they might concentrate on honing their programming, sound engineering, and music production skills. On the other hand, pianists often follow a more planned and conventional path of education, frequently starting their study at a young age. They receive in-depth training in sight-reading, interpretation, music theory, and piano technique, frequently through private lessons, music schools, or conservatory programs.

It’s significant to note that there may be some overlap between keyboardists and pianists and that these distinctions are not absolute. Some people are excellent at both playing the piano and the keyboard, while others may focus more on one instrument. In this particular topic, we will identify the Keyboardist role in a band.

Synthesizer

A keyboardist uses the following sounds in the band that is most common is a synthesizer. Synthesizer keyboard is a type of electronic musical instrument that uses analog or digital circuitry to produce sound. It typically has a keyboard interface, buttons and knobs for changing settings like sound timbre and pitch, and it may also have different effects, modulation, and sequencing capabilities. Synthesizer keyboards may produce original, electronic sounds that can be employed in a variety of musical genres, such as pop, rock, hip-hop, and electronic dance music, as well as replicate the sounds of conventional instruments.

To put in simple words, the synthesizer is a electronic piano that has many sounds that can mimic the sounds of a particular song, provides ambient sounds that complements the band and make the overall sound richer.

Keyboardist’s Role

A keyboardist in a band could be expected to do the following duties:

Sound Harmonic Foundation

A keyboardist’s main responsibility is to set the music’s harmonic foundation. Chords and harmonies can be played on keyboard instruments like pianos and synthesizers, which give the entire sound more depth and richness. The keyboardist usually provides the harmonic foundation for the other musicians in the group by playing the root notes, chords, and chord progressions that support the melody. They contribute to the music’s general tonal structure, laying a strong basis for the addition of other instrumentalists and vocalists.

Melody and Solo Parts

A keyboardist frequently incorporates melodic and soloistic aspects into the music in addition to harmonic support. They might perform countermelodies, riffs, or melodic lines that interact and support the main theme. Keyboard solos, which display the keyboardist’s technical mastery and improvisational skills, can also be a performance’s high point. The keyboardist can shine as a featured artist thanks to their melodic and soloistic contributions that help the music have more variety, texture, and excitement.

This kind of soloistic contributions can be a exact solo from the original song or improvisation. Playing an exact solo part of a keyboard is an amazing technique. Some says that it just copies the original however the exact meaning here is not entirely relying on the melodic sounds. It has also the sound that the orignal song uses too or the closes to the orignal sound. Examples of these sounds are piano interludes, string sections, and synthesizer solos.

The art of improvising and incorporating solos and melodic flourishes into performances. This part can be only be done when you find the thins portions of a song and get a signal from your bandmates to do it.

Ambient Sounds

Many different textures and atmospheric sounds can be produced using keyboard instruments. Different sounds and timbres can be used by a professional keyboardist to improve the music’s mood and atmosphrere. To create distinctive musical environments, they could use strategies like layering different keyboard sounds, applying synthesizer effects, or using pedal techniques. The keyboardist can significantly alter the sound and appearance of the performance by adjusting the dynamics, timbre, and spatial characteristics of the keyboard sounds. The keys player does this to compliment the overall sound of the band with keyboard sounds like Strings, Pad or Organ when the song has no keyboard/piano part.

Sound Arrangement and Design

Keyboardists frequently contribute to the music’s arrangement and sound design. The keyboard sections, instrument selections, and overall sound palette may be decided in close collaboration with the composer or band leader. Because of their skill with sound programming and manipulation, keyboardists may produce unique sounds and textures that improve musical compositions. To construct and mold the ideal soundscape, they might employ synthesizers, samplers, or software-based instruments, giving the song more depth and originality.

Sensitivity to Band Members

A keyboardist collaborates and interacts with other musicians as part of their job as a vital member of a musical group. They must pay close attention to the dynamics and playing styles of the other instrumentalists and adjust their performance accordingly. Keyboardists frequently work closely with the rhythm section to establish a solid groove and support the beat. Additionally, they engage in musical exchanges with singers, guitarists, and other soloists while responding to their phrasing and facial expressions.

Musical Director/Conductor

The keyboardist may serve as the musical director or conductor in specific situations, such as musical theater shows or big ensembles. They are in charge of running practices, working with the group, and making sure the musical performance goes off without a hitch. The musical director directs the other musicians during performances by giving cues, tempo adjustments, and dynamics. Managing the musical dynamics of the Musical Director can be done by incorporating fills, riffs, and other musical components to increase excitement and vigor.

Church Service Setting

For church setup, the keyboardist also does the following:

• Play something during service intervals. This includes Pads, Strings and just simply Piano to provide an ambient sound during a part of a Church Service.
• Playing songs that’s not in the lineup. This provides impromptu ability of a player to play a song without even studying a song.Overall, the keyboardist is extremely important in determining how a band’s sounds and feel. The keyboardists’ contributions to the group’s overall musical expression and inventiveness increases a lot when they’re around.

Overall

A keyboardist’s overall responsibilities include harmonic support, melodic contributions, the development of texture and mood, arrangement and sound design, working with other players, and possibly even musical direction. A talented keyboardist enhances a performance’s depth, originality, and musicianship while also increasing the overall sound and significantly influencing the musical experience.

Reminder for keyboard players especially if you are now a great player, don’t overplay. It is good to express your music through solos but if you are with a band, doing thing can be good but there is a timing to this. If the band allows you to, thats good. Listen to you bandmates playing and identify when to play solo can help your band have a cohesive sound.

The keyboardist is extremely important in determining how a band’s sounds and feel. The keyboardists’ contributions to the group’s overall musical expression and inventiveness increases a lot when they’re around.

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What to play when there is no Piano part on a song? This article is about how a keyboard play a song that doesn’t have a keyboard or piano part. Particularly for keyboard players that rely on the mp3 or original sound of the song. This is mostly happens on gigs with bands the cover songs. What if a song doesn’t have any keyboard sounds? There are options for this dillemma. Let’s dig deeper to find out.

Piano Sound as a sound choice

First, as a keyboard player, you can just play piano on all songs if you don’t have any idea what to play. However, play just enough to compliment the band. Don’t overpower them. Less is more. So the subtle sound you provide here is good enough to boost the band’s overall sound. Also remember the keyboardist role. Your selected keyboard sound/s affects the overall sounding of the band. More on to this later.

The next items below particularly uses either an Arranger Keyboard or a Synthesizer Keyboard.

These two are both electronic piano instrument or electronic keyboards, their capabilities and primary uses vary. What is the difference between the two?

Keyboards for arrangers are often equipped with a variety of sounds, built-in styles and accompanying patterns, and are intended for live performance. They frequently have built-in sequencing and drum machine capabilities and are made to make it easy for the player to build complete arrangements and accompaniments.

Conversely, synthesizer keyboards concentrate on creating and manipulating sound, frequently providing a wide range of sound-shaping choices, such as modulation, effects processing, and various analog and digital synthesis approaches. Although they can be used in live and studio situations, synthesizers are more suited to electronic and experimental music and may not have as many built-in effects.

To learn more on types of keyboard piano click this link.

Personal Tip: The common sound to choose is what the band lacked.

Although it’s often a keyboardist’s primary responsibility to cover other instruments in bands, these songs don’t really “ask for a keyboard” because the original song didn’t have one. So the sounds that will be discussed below can be an alternative to piano sounds.

E. Piano

E stands for “Electric” in E. Piano. The sound of this is known as the Fender Rhodes. This has a distinct sound that sets apart from the Piano or Acoustic Piano Sound. Soft sounding is one of its characteristics. This is not the only sound that modern keyboard pianos has in its category. Other sounds has more twinkly, others has some effects and mostly used in 80s sounds.

This is one of my favorite sounds due to it’s nighttime vibe. If you know the songs from the 80s like “Who’s holding Donna now” by DeBarge or “Babe” by Styx, both sounds are different but its from the family of the E.Piano Sound. If you want the song to have a nostalgic vibe or chill vibe, you can choose this particular sound.

Organ

You know what this is. Mostly heard at some churches, this sound has a wide array of usage. There are variations of the organ sound. So for example, if you want to give a reggae vibe, you can use this one. It can be used as a subtle sound when playing in a band for complimenting the overall sound. Songs such as “I’m a believer” by The Monkees to “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran can give you samples of different usage of the Organ sound.

Strings

Strings is the most frequently imitated sound that is used during gigs. Whether its orchestral or quartet sound, you can never go wrong with strings. You can play it as subtly or obviously depending on the song. An orchestra is expensive just to perform a song for a simple gig or a mini concert. As an alternative, the keyboardist can do the Strings part.

However, If a song has a piano and ALSO has Strings included, either you layer both sounds, or have another Keyboard Player to play the Piano or Strings Part. This is not only for piano sound. It can be another sound from the keyboard may require Keys 1 Player and Keys 2 Player. If you watched the live version of “A thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton you will get what I mean. I also included the video below.

Brass

Another frequently used sound is the Brass section synth sound. When the band you’re playing with is a variety in playing style or genre, the brass section sometimes are not included. So, if the band doesn’t have a brass section, and your song you want to cover needed the brass sound, you can opt to this sound. Examples are “What you won’t do” by Bobby Caldwell and “Smooth” by Santana feat. Rob Thomas.

Pads and Synth

Other notable sounds or patch to use is Pads and Synth. Synth pads are distinguished by their ethereal and enduring properties. They are frequently employed in music to produce lush, ethereal, and background textures. As the name implies, synth leads are utilized to carry melodic lines and take the lead position in a piece. They are frequently distinguished by their cutting, bright sounds that stand out in a mix.

Pads are keyboard patch that sound passive and great for ambient vibe sound. Synths are more used in Electronic Pad or EDMS. One good example using both sounds is “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars. In this song, there are different sounds used. During the Pre-Chorus, you can hear the Pad sounds, In the Chorus Part, the Synth Lead.

Not to play anything

You can also choose not to play at all. It’s OK for a band to perform one or two songs throughout a set that don’t feature the complete ensemble. If the keyboardist can sing, they can skip playing an instrument and just do lead or backup vocals. If the keyboardist is a good enough singer to handle lead vocals, a song like this is an opportunity to focus their full attention on singing.

Some players has another instrument besides piano. If you can play one more instrument like Saxophone, Guitar, Violin or Flute, you can instead play it when there is no piano sound. The only downside of this style is when you bring both instruments, the logistics will be you need a vehicle or you are fully loaded with your gears.

My Preference

To summarize, What to play when there is no Piano part on a song? As a non-singing keyboardist, I prefer to play something even a subtle sounding patch to complement the band. For the multiple instrument style, though I have done it only once, a Guitar (Electric or Acoustic) or Ukulele for my secondary instrument. If you can also do it and if it’s not a hassle for you to bring another instrument, you can do it too as long as the band allows you to.

You may produce distinctive and fascinating sounds for your part by experimenting with various sounds, playing methods. You can judge the sound to choose based on the overall sounding of band, In time you’ll get what I’m implying on this post and you can identify quickly what sound to use. When the time comes, you can also identify your sound style. You can do what I do which is mostly on synth pads/synth leads or you can discover your own style based on your preference. Happy Playing!

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If you can’t read notes, you can learn this alternative to make it up on your playing. Learning to play a song by ear is a powerful skill that people can be trained. Regarless of what instrument you use, as long as you can learn ti identify the notes, you can play it through your instrument of choice. In drums or percussions, there is no note but as long as you can identify each drum or cymbal sounds, you can still learn it and replicate it to your playing.

Let us try to identify two things that people are able to do in terms of hearing – perfect pitch and relative pitch.

Perfect pitch

The ability to recognize the pitch of a musical note without any reference, such as a previously heard note or a tuning instrument, is known as perfect pitch, sometimes known as absolute pitch. A rare ability, perfect pitch is said to occur in less than one in 10,000 people. It allows a person to identify the pitch of any note they hear, including C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. These people are like human tuners because they can quickly identify the notes even without musical concept. Even the whistling of a kettle or a sound of the bus’ horn can be identified by perfect pitch people and knows the note of it instantly.

If you want to learn music with a perfect pitch, you already have a jumpstart and an advantage. However, perfect pitch is not necessary for success in music, yet it can be helpful for artists. Many well-known musicians do not have perfect pitch. I do not have this ability but I have the ability that I have learned which is the Relative Pitch.

Relative pitch

Some musicians can learn the ability via practice and training and this is called a Relative Pitch. A musical note’s relative pitch can be determined by comparing it to another reference pitch, such as a note that has already been heard or a well-known pitch, such as the tonic of a key. Relative pitch, as opposed to perfect pitch, is a talent that musicians use more frequently and that can be learned via practice. A musician can utilize relative pitch to detect chords, play by ear, write down music, and improvise by knowing the distance between two notes, such as a major third or a perfect fifth.

Many musicians value relative pitch as a key talent, especially those who perform in ensembles or without written music. Relative pitch is also an essential part of ear training. In this lesson, we are focusing on the relative pitch side to learn songs by ear. It takes practice to fully utilize this ability. We will focus on learning a song by ear with the relative pitch skill.

How to learn song by ear

Listen Intently

Pay close attention while you listen and try to identify the harmony, rhythm, and melody as you go along. First, a good recording of the song you want to is the one you must listen to. To accurately hear the various musical aspects, you must have a version that is crystal clear and professionally produced. There’s Spotify, Apple Music and even Youtube Music for most of the songs. It is a good practice to familiarize the song up the the point that you know it almost well.

Focus on one instrument or section at a time. Try to follow the song’s main melody or vocal line by identifying it at the outset. Move on to additional elements, such as the bassline, chords, or certain musical passages, once you have a firm grip of the melody. Start by identifying the main melody or vocal line and try to follow it throughout the song. Most of the melodic part or vocal line of the songs fall under the Major Scale. I also suggest to learn a simple song that you like and start from there.

Once you have a good grasp of the melody, move on to other parts of the sound. It depends on your part, if you play bass, focus on the bassline. If you’re a flutist, saxist or the like, focus only on the melody of your instrument. Guitarist and Pianist/Keyboadist like me, focuses on their respective parts, if there’s a riff/melody or solo, take extra attention to it.

Hum/Sing the Melody

To better comprehend the melody and its structure, hum or sing along with it then try different notes. Use your ear to select the right notes as you try to perform the song on the piano for example. If your hum matches the note, that is the note. You can try to identifty one note. As you go along, the melody that you can identify can be a phrase of the music already.

Chords

For instruments that require chords to play, Try to recognize the song’s chords by ear as you listen for them. Play around with different chords to see which ones work best with the tune. Just like the melody, there is a unison when you hit the right chord that you are learning by ear. It feels like a shirt that has a great fit. If it fits, it sits as they say. If you confirm most of the chords, base on their chord family or relative chords, you will have a clue what key the song will be.

Key

You can determine the key of the song with 3 ways:

1. Hear the bassline of the song first. Then if the chords from the bassline identified in the song matches most of the relative chords, you can already identify the key of the song and find the remaining chords.
2. From your humming of the melodies, in piano, if you see the frequency of the notes that the melody has and it relates to the chords in the circle of fifths, you already know the key of the song. In piano, if you notice that all white keys are the melodies of the song, it is from the Key of C or A Minor.
3. You can trial and error chords on a part of a song then if it sits, list it, then identify next, you will notice that there is a pattern that is called chord progressions. Chord progressions are also the relative chords and therefore you can identify the key of the song.

Tip: Find the Key of the song first, then you can easily see patterns of the chords of a song.

Practice

Practice at a slower pace at first to ensure accuracy. Pay close attention to the timing, note lengths, and note transitions. Increase the tempo gradually after you have mastered the song at a slower speed until you can play it at the original speed. Until you feel confident playing the song, regularly practice the song until there are no mistake in playing it. As you proceed, you can improve your playing by listening for any errors and fixing them. Doing this will build the song that you are learning little by little.

Did you know that if you practice learning by song by ear and if you get used to it, there are levels?

First level: The 3 items above.

Second level: You can play along with songs and you’ll get the chords easily.

Third level: You can identify the chords even if you haven’t used an instrument yet.

If you ask me, I’m almost at the third level. I think in betwen the second and third level – 2.5 lol. I can identify the key most of the songs by hearing without using and instrument yet. Then I will play along and learn the remaining chords. Not bragging but just sharing that I have come a bit far for this skill and I’m happy for it and I’m still determined to master it, little by little. That is why most of the chords here that I’ve published came from this skill.

Overall

This article is for the ones that are determined to learn song by hear and is passionate in music. Don’t push yourself too hard. You can do simple steps little by little, no pressure. If you can do little, it’s okay. There are chords out there. Since you know the basic of learning by ear, you can verify if the chords you found is close to the original or if the chords you got has the right chords.

If you have bandmates, you can play along with them with your learned song much better. But if not, just play along with the music from the chords and melodies you learned until you are satisfied. At first, you will have difficulty with it, but with perserverance, you can improve a lot from this and you’ll be able to play without music sheet.

Learning songs by ear require time and practice to master. Be kind to yourself and acknowledge minor accomplishments along the way. Keep in mind that developing your ability to learn songs by ear takes time and practice. You’ll get better at understanding and playing music by ear as you practice active listening and the strategies mentioned above.

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