21st-century keyboard players need much more than simply being able to play two or more different kinds of keyboard instruments. But digital keyboard teaching tends to focus mainly on the portable keyboard and typically omits training in vital skills such as arranging, band playing and improvising. In this deck I explore the issues and suggest some solutions.

1. THE TROUBLE WITH
LEARNING KEYBOARDSPhoto: Keyboard player, Hull © Bill C Martin

2. Keyboard player, course designer & author
Bill C MartinBY

3. IF YOU TEACH KEYBOARDS
What is your long-term goal for your students?
Piano Circus rehearsal, March 2010 © Bill C Martin

4. GOOD KEYBOARD TEACHERS
Train their students in basic techniques
www.localfitness.com.au

5. BUT WHAT IS THAT
TRAINING LEADING TO?
Photo: Stairway To heaven cr Michael Filion via Creative Commons

6. BUT WHAT IS THAT
TRAINING LEADING TO?
Photo: Stairway To heaven cr Michael Filion via Creative Commons
A grade 8 portable keyboard
exam pass, perhaps?

7. BUT WHAT IS THAT
TRAINING LEADING TO?
Or is there something more
we could be doing that would

8. BUT WHAT IS THAT
TRAINING LEADING TO?
Or is there something more
we could be doing that would
REALLY make a difference to
KEYBOARD PLAYERS?

9. LET’S EXPLORE FURTHERPhoto cr Shako via Creative Commons

10. TAKE A WELL-KNOWN
PERFORMER
Photo: Spotlight On The National, cr ChrisGoldNY via Creative Commons

11. EVELYN GLENNIE
For example, percussionist
Photo: Evelyn Glennie by Nigel Paine via Creative Commons

12. SHE LEARNED TECHNIQUES
Using sticks, beaters & hands
Photo: Lefima Timpani by vxla via Creative Commons

13. SHE PLAYS WITH GREAT MUSICIANSHIP
on a wide range of percussion instruments
Original photo source: Drum Sticks by Andrewa via Creative Commons

14. TUNED PERCUSSION
And she also learned to play

15. PLAYING MELODY & HARMONY
As well as RHYTHM

16. WHY DID SHE DO
ALL OF THIS?

17. PROFESSIONALS
Because that’s what’s required by percussion

18. KEYBOARD PLAYERS?
So, what’s expected of professional

19. PLAYING PIANO
Photo: Unplayed Piano by tunachilli via Creative Commons

20. PLAYING SYNTH
Photo: Prophet 5 by allert via Creative Commons

21. OCCASIONALLY, DIGITAL KEYBOARDS
With built-in automatic accompanimentsPhoto: Yamaha PSR-423 Digital Keyboard

22. ADDITIONAL POWERS...
But keyboard superheroes must also have
Originalphoto:SwissArm
yKnife1301233178
openclipart.orgcom
m
ons.wikim
edia.org

23. STANDARD STUFF
This is all
for our superhero semi-pro & pro keyboard players!

24. KEYBOARD TEACHING?
So why is so much of this often missing from
Photo: Yellow Piano 2 by MSThurnell via morguefile.com

25. THE INSTRUMENT
Is it because we focus too much on
(mostly the portable keyboard)...

26. THE KEYBOARD PLAYER?
And not enough on
Photo: Keyboard player. Norfolk Keyboard Orchestra © Bill C Martin 2010

27. KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS
Let’s explore the kind of skills
keyboard players are likely to need

28. KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS (BASIC SET)
Musical Technological
Solo Playing (portable kbd + synth + piano) Controlling the instrument’s technological facilities
Technical (Performing) Ability
Scales & Arpeggios
Notation Skills
Theory
Aural skills (usually to confirm theory knowledge)

29. KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS (BASIC SET)
Musical Technological
Solo Playing (portable kbd + synth + piano) Controlling the keyboard’s technological facilities
Technical (Performing) Ability
Scales & Arpeggios
Notation Skills
Theory
Aural skills (usually to confirm theory knowledge)
This is the kind of skill set often taught by teachers
who use a keyboard exam syllabus as their curriculum

30. KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS (FULL SET)
Musical Technological
Solo Playing (portable kbd + synth + piano) Controlling the instrument’s technological facilities
Technical (Performing) Ability Amplification
Scales & Arpeggios Use of FX (reverb, chorus, delay, etc)
Notation Skills Recording
Theory Use of Apps
Aural skills (imitation at instrument) Data Storage & Retrieval
Aural skills (transcribing from audio source) Programming (synth, sequencing)
Band Playing
Musical Communication
Composing
Improvising
Arranging
Musical Directing
Accompanying (including harmonic capability)

31. KEYBOARD PLAYER SKILLS (FULL SET)
Musical Technological
Solo Playing (portable kbd + synth + piano) Controlling the instrument’s technological facilities
Technical (Performing) Ability Amplification
Scales & Arpeggios Use of FX (reverb, chorus, delay, etc)
Notation Skills Recording
Theory Use of Apps
Aural skills (imitation at instrument) Data Storage & Retrieval
Aural skills (transcribing from audio source) Programming (synth, sequencing)
Band Playing
Musical Communication
Composing
Improvising
Arranging
Musical Directing
Accompanying (including harmonic capability)
This is the kind of skill set that keyboard players working at intermediate to advanced levels
might reasonably expect to call upon

32. 1. THE SKILL REQUIREMENTS OF
So there’s often a MISMATCH between:
Chalk&Cheesebyopensource.comviaCreativeCommons

33. 1. THE SKILL REQUIREMENTS OF
KEYBOARD PLAYERS
So there’s often a MISMATCH between:
As they progress towards higher levels
and...
Chalk&Cheesebyopensource.comviaCreativeCommons

34. 2. THE CURRICULUM
or syllabus, offered by
some keyboard teachers, courses
& exam boards

35. YOUR EXAM CERTIFICATE
may tell you you’re a grade 8
keyboard player...

36. BUT DO YOU REALLY FEEL
LIKE YOU’RE A GRADE 8:
Improviser?
Accompanist?
Arranger
Band Player?
Musical Director?

37. YOU CERTAINLY NEED
THESE SKILLS
But you may find you have
too many skill gaps!

38. BUT MANY PEOPLE LOVE
the overly narrow curriculum!

39. FEWER SKILL STRANDS
= Faster Progression

40. KEYBOARD COURSES FOR YAMAHA UK
But a few years ago, when I was designing
Yamaha ‘Play For Keeps’ © Yamaha Music Europe GmbH UK

41. 18 SKILL STRANDS
Covering the broader range of skills that
keyboard players need to use
The curriculum map I designed contained

42. KEYBOARD EXAMS HAVE
COME A LONG WAY
But some still ignore 50% of these skills*
*Keyboard students are advised to check curriculum/syllabus content
with their exam board & teacher

43. SO TEACHERS WHO RELY ON
THESE EXAMS AS A
CURRICULUM
Risk giving their students a very narrow experience

44. SO, WHAT AM I DOING TO HELP?

45. I TRAIN
Keyboard teachers in 21st-century approachesBill Martin (right) leading a keyboard workshop for Norfolk Music Service teachers

46. I PROVIDE A FAST
Curriculum Design & Development service
(using ‘Lean Startup’ principles)

47. I CAN HELP EXAM BOARDS
SHAKE UP their keyboard syllabuses
Photo:SamMartin,SpiritusBars©BillCMartin

48. MAKING THEM MORE
RELEVANT
to the needs of the 21st-century keyboard player

49. TEACHERS & EXAM BOARDS:
Make sure your offer
truly meets the aspirations
of keyboard players

50. IF IT DOESN’T...

51. CONTACT ME:
bill@billcmartin.co.uk
www.billcmartin.co.uk
+44 (0)7718 122146