How to Play Fast on the Keyboard

If you want to play fast on the keyboard, then this is the article for you.

Steps

  1. Image titled Play Fast on the Keyboard Step 1
    1
    Learn the finger names.[1]
    • Your thumb is finger 1
    • Your index finger is finger 2
    • Your middle finger is finger 3
    • Your ring finger is finger 4
    • Your pinky finger is finger 5
  2. Image titled Play Fast on the Keyboard Step 2
    2
    Start with your right hand. Place all of your fingers in the "middle c" hand position. This means finger 1 is on C, finger 2 is on D, finger 3 is E, finger 4 is on F and finger 5 is on G. To find this position quickly, just put your thumb on C and let the other fingers fall into place, one finger to one note.[2]
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  3. Image titled Play Fast on the Keyboard Step 3
    3
    Practice playing up and down this position. So you should play 1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then 5, and then back down (5,4,3,2,1). Remember to count out loud. Count 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2 1 as you play that finger. Keep a steady pace. Play this very slowly and gradually speed up. Most keyboards come with a built in metronome, this will help you greatly. Set the speed to 80 BPM (beats per minute) to start with, then speed up until you can play 110 BPM. If the tempo is ever to fast, just slow it down. This exercise will get you used to moving your fingers around.[3]
  4. Image titled Play Fast on the Keyboard Step 4
    4
    Learn a few chords. A good one to learn is the C chord. Every time you count 1, play and hold the C chord. This will get you used to playing with chords and you will need that to play in the future.
  5. Image titled Play Fast on the Keyboard Step 5
    5
    Learn some basic songs. Once you're used to moving around with chords, learn some easy keyboard songs. You could just buy a grade 1 music book that comes with songs because they are very easy. Take a trip down to your local music shop and speak to the people there about easy songs to learn. They will be willing to help you. They could also show you some tips on how to play faster. Remember to practice very slowly so you can speed it up and still be accurate.
  6. Image titled Play Fast on the Keyboard Step 6
    6
    Get your grade 1. If you have a keyboard tutor, speak to them about getting your grade 1 in keyboard. This will keep you motivated and you will have something to show for your hard work in the future. If you don't want the grade, skip this step. If you do, take another trip to your local music store and ask them about it.[4]
  7. Image titled Play Fast on the Keyboard Step 7
    7
    Get into more advanced pieces. Once you master the easy stuff, master some more advanced songs. The best thing to do is get your grade 2. The grade 2 is very similar to grade 1 so it's not that hard.[5]
  8. Image titled Play Fast on the Keyboard Step 8
    8
    Keep going until you reach grade 8. Now you have truly mastered the keyboard. You should be able to play pretty fast by now too. If you're not fussed about the grades, just keep learning until you can play very well. Do not aim to play fast when starting out, just aim to play well. Speed will come with time.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    How can I keep the correct beat when playing the keyboard?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Use a metronome and try to match its beat. You can also play along with the song playing in the background to get the right tempo.
  • Question
    How can I keep the correct beat when I am playing the keyboard?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You can use a metronome. You can buy one at a store, use it online, download the app, etc. If that does not work, start with the tempo you want and tap your toe to it, but you still might get off track. So another idea is to keep the beat in your head. For example, your tempo was in 4/4 time then in your mind you can say to yourself 1...2...3...4 2...2...3...4 3...2...3...4 and so on. But the most efficient is to get a metronome.
  • Question
    Do keyboards come with a built in metronome?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    This depends on the type of keyboard. Usually more expensive keyboards come with a metronome.
  • Question
    How do I learn to play a keyboard without any outside help?
    FreeAdvice.Com
    FreeAdvice.Com
    Community Answer
    Practice or use apps like Yousician which are quite helpful when trying to learn a new instrument.
  • Question
    My keyboard has stickers that tell me the notes and note placement. Will these help, or will I just become dependent on them?
    LovePusheen
    LovePusheen
    Community Answer
    It is best to avoid them as they can become a crutch. However, if it, helps, you can start off with them, but as you learn more, take them off. If you want to play fast, reading the stickers will only make you slower.
  • Question
    How to avoid mistakes when playing keyboard?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    The best way to avoid mistakes it to start at a tempo you can comfortably play at. If you increase the tempo gradually, you will notice progress. If you make a mistake, then don't restart the piece or excerpt. This will only waste your time and make it harder to achieve a faster tempo. If all else fails, ask for advice from someone you know personally who plays keyboard, or ask a question on a forum. The piano subreddit on Reddit is a good place to start.
  • Question
    I want to learn keyboard with out outside help, any tips?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Make sure to practice every day. If you have enough money, you can buy piano books for both theory and practice. This will help you so much. To start off, good books for practice are Ministeps to Music, these help you learn notes on the piano and help you learn new songs.

Warnings

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References

  1. ↑ https://mentalfloss.com/article/74308/how-5-fingers-got-their-names
  2. ↑ https://music2me.com/magazine/learn-piano-in-13-steps
  3. ↑ https://music2me.com/magazine/learn-piano-in-13-steps
  4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmify14RZsc
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVBanRr6gjk

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 14 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 66,534 times.
197 votes - 86%
Co-authors: 14
Updated: November 5, 2019
Views: 66,534
Categories: Keyboard Instruments
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