Basic Keyboarding (pt. 3)

Materials
• BUMP Beats Keyboard Worksheets
• Pencils or pens

Discussion
Last time we learned the white keys of the keyboard. What are their names?

Today, we're going to talk a little bit about the remaining black keys.

The black keys are a little bit trickier, because they don't have their own letters like the white keys do (ABCDEFG). Instead, the black keys are named by where they are in relation to the white keys.

Here’s the most important point for the day:
A black key to the right of a white key is called a sharp.
A black key to the left of a white key is called a flat.

These are the symbols of sharps and flats:
…and here is how they look on a keyboard:

Do you notice anything interesting about the names of the black keys?

That brings us to another important point…

Black keys each have two names because they are always to the right of one white key and to the left of another.

Confused? It's actually not so tricky. Think about it...

Let’s say there is black key in between F and G. If you're starting at F and going to the right, then the black key is “F sharp”. If you're starting at G and going to the left, then it is “G flat”.
Before you start your Reason assignment, let’s get a little practice figuring out sharps and flats…

(Instructor: Hand out Keyboard Worksheets)

Worksheet
Please get a copy of the Keyboard Worksheet from the instructor and label all the keys. Don’t forget to write both the sharp and flat name over each black key. When you finish, have the instructor take a look. Then, use this sheet for reference as you’re doing the assignment below.

Please do the following:
1. Open Reason and create a new file.
2. Create a Redrum and load some sounds into it (bass, snare/clap, hi hat, percussion, etc.)
3. Make a 32-step drum beat.
4. Set your L marker to Bar 1 and your R marker to Bar 17.
5. Use Copy Pattern to Track to put the beat into the Sequencer.
6. Now, click on Pattern 2 and make a 2nd drum beat (16-step is fine).
7. Move your L marker to Bar 17 and your R marker to Bar 25.
8. Use Copy Pattern to Track to put the beat into the Sequencer.
9. Create a NN19 Digital Sampler.

10. Click on the Browse Patch button and load any sound into it that you like.

11. Move the L marker back to Bar 1 and the R marker back to Bar 5 and hit Play to listen to your beat play back.
12. Using only the black keys on your keyboard, come up with a melody to go with the beat. When you've got it down, record it.
13. Use ALT/OPTION-drag to Copy out your melody so that it ends on Bar 17. 14. Now move your markers so that the L is on Bar 17 and the R is on Bar 25.
15. Create a 2nd NN19 Digital Sampler and load a different sound into it.
16. Again, using only the black keys, come up with a second melody and record it.
17. When you're done, move the L marker back to Bar 1 and play the whole thing back from the start. Sound good? If not, what can you do to make it better? 18. Add any other instruments that you like.
19. Save this as: your name_black keys
20. Raise your hand and have the instructor check your work. Also, turn in your worksheet! You’ll need it for next time!

(Instructor: Be sure to collect Keyboard Worksheets for use in the following class (Week 9, Lesson 2)