Keyboard Basics in Band Class (or ANY Ensemble Class)
Here’s a quick, easy tip to implement – curated from Band Directors Talk Shop –
Unlike piano, wind instruments (or strings) do not provide a visual representation of music. By teaching students the basics of the keyboard, they can picture theory concepts in their heads. Showing them how a keyboard works specifically helps them with understanding:
- Interval
- Sharps
- Flats
- Enharmonic
- Half step
- Whole Step
- Chromatic Scale
Here is a FREE worksheet that can be used for the purpose of teaching Keyboard Basics. We recommend you spread the teaching over a number of classes and only spend a few minutes each day on it.
Example schedule:
- Day 1 – write the note names on the white keys and talk about interval/half step.
- Day 2 – learn sharp/flat/natural write the names of the black keys
- Day 3 – review and learn enharmonic
- Day 4 – learn and natural half step/whole step
- Day 5 – chromatic scale
- Day 6 – learn whole step
- Day 7 – review/assessment
- Optionally, learn tetrachord/major scale over a number of lessons. Focus on how music has patterns so this can later be related to minor scales, arpeggios, etc. Many schools don’t have time to dive as deep into theory, but if you see your students daily, we recommend you teach this.
Download a FREE blank copy and completed copy HERE or by clicking on the picture below:
