“Keys to the Keyboard” is a series of piano and music workshops presented by Leon Olguin at Colleges and Recreation Centers all across Florida. For more information and to find the current class schedule, check out
www.pianofun.com.
A short (one hour) beginner level class that teaches you everything you need to know (and nothing you don’t need to know!) about music reading for popular piano styles. The type of music reading needed to play popular songs is very different (and much easier!) than that needed for reading classical music. A student with only an interest in playing the piano, and next to no musical knowledge, can use this course to get started. The content leads naturally into the “Instant Piano” class.
You don’t need years of weekly lessons to learn piano or keyboard. In just 3 hours you can learn enough to give you years of enjoyment, whether entertaining others or just for your own amusement. The traditional approach teaches note reading, while professional pianists use chords. Here you will learn all the chords you’ll need to play any song in this one session. Any song. Any style. Any key. You’ll then perfect your technique at home, using the exclusive CD and workbook provided by the instructor. It’s fun, easy, and musically correct!
This course is a natural follow-up to “Instant Piano.” Contrary to popular belief, anyone can learn to play by ear. This workshop shows you the inside secrets professional piano players use. You’ll learn how to pick tunes right out of your head. You’ll learn how to get songs off the radio (think of the money you’ll save in sheet music). You’ll even learn how to transpose. This workshop goes beyond mere “ear training.” You’ll get information found nowhere else, and you’ll be picking out tunes by ear—with both hands—from the very first day. Open to all musicians (not just piano players) who have a basic understanding of chord theory. Beginners should take Instant Piano as a prerequisite or have a basic knowledge of pop piano.
Another class that naturally follows “Instant Piano.” Perhaps the greatest invention of American music is the blues. You hear its influence everyday. Now you can learn it in this basic program. You'll learn the 12 bar blues form, the blues scale, and the blues rhythm. The section on Boogie-Woogie explores the eight-to-the-bar left hand styles and the special jazz-swing chords that defined this music. We also cover 12-bar-blues variations, minor blues, eight bar blues, and seven improvising techniques. The workbook even contains a CD listening guide.
This is the “Instant Piano” course with a seasonal twist! We take you through the basics of pop piano, as in the IP class, but we also use holiday songs as examples. We also spend some time learning how to play for singers, using different accompaniment styles. “The Season” book has 16 of everybody's favorite Christmas Carols, all in easy-to-play chord format with a brief playing guide before each song. The two cassettes take ten of the carols past the basic playing structure and show you how to create fresher and more professional sounding arrangements. Each song reveals new material, either with the right hand, the left hand, or both. Each style is patiently explained and slowly demonstrated so you can pick up the styles quickly. Of course once you know a certain style for one song, it's easy to apply it to other songs in your repertoire. It's a fun way to improve the sound of your playing over all.