Keyboard Basics

Introduction to the Keyboard

Today we are going to start using the keyboard.  We will be using the keyboard to record all of the melodic instruments that we use in Reason. Lets take a look........

What can you observe about keys on a keyboard? 
What patterns do you notice with the keys?

The notes on the keyboard are labeled by using the first 7 letters of the alphabet, ABCDEFG.

The black keys each have two names, 

they can either be sharp (#) or flat (b).

Above we can see one octave of the keyboard. An octave is made up of 7 white keys and 5 black keys; 12 notes total.  This pattern repeats over and over......

 

How many octaves are on this keyboard? Do you see the letters repeating? There are three sets of letters, which means there are three sets of the 12 notes and a total of three octaves.

Lets look at the keyboard that we will be using in class. The M-Audio Oxygen 8.

The Oxygen 8 is two octaves long. What is the note name of the first white key on the left?

Look for a button that says Octave.  This allows you to listen to your instruments at a lower octave or a higher octave.