Gigajam Essential Keyboard Skills Level 3 CDROM

In level 3, lessons 21 to 30 make you a highly competent performer with transferable skills that enable you to play live, compose, and improvise. Equivalent to Grade 5.

Here in more detail are the 10 lessons covered in Level 3. To hear an example of the kind of things you'll be able to play at the end of each lesson click the "Hear how you'll sound!" button.

Lesson 21: Introducing Intervals

In this lesson there is a close look at intervals. You will learn to play melodic intervals and thirds throughout the lesson. The 16 exercises take you through a step by step approach to ensure that you have both an understanding of intervals and also the ability to play them with both hands using a variety of scales.

Lesson 22: Developing Intervals

Lesson 22 builds upon the knowledge and skills introduced in Lesson 21 and moves on to introduce harmonic intervals. In this lesson there are 14 exercises which will help you develop your understanding and physical ability to play intervals comfortably. You will also be able to transfer the skill using a variety of scales.

Lesson 23: Minor Thirds

As we take stock of the new information introduced at the beginning of level 3 we consolidate and develop intervals by introducing minor thirds. The 17 exercises ensure that you are comfortable playing minor thirds and are able to transfer the skill using a variety of scales.

Lesson 24: Developing Intervals

Building directly upon the skills developed in Lesson 23 you will learn to be able to play minor thirds as harmonic intervals. You have 14 exercises that will help you develop your performance of the scales and rhythms whilst further improving hand coordination.

Lesson 25: Introducing Ties

This lesson turns to the development of your rhythmic playing with the introduction of ties. By the end of Lesson 25 you will understand what ties are, what they look like and how they affect a note and the rhythm it creates. You will also develop ways if reading ties effectively. Over the lesson’s 10 exercises you will have a good opportunity to practise playing ties in both melody and chords.

Lesson 26: Developing Ties

Building directly on from Lesson 25 this lesson develops ties by introducing eighths notes into the rhythms. The lesson will combine dots and ties to help develop your understanding of the creation of rhythm using different notation and help your reading. Lesson 26 contains 10 exercises focused on developing the new skills you are learning.

Lesson 27: Introducing Triplets

Lesson 27 is focused entirely on developing the rhythmic side of your playing with the introduction of triplets. You will understand how triplet eighth notes divide the beat and be able to count and play triplet eighth notes.

Lesson 28: Extending Arpeggios

This lesson introduces the idea of using broken chords and open voicing to develop your sound as well as helping you create fluency in your playing. This builds upon many elements introduced through the course but specifically develops your ability to play arpeggios with great effect with both hands.

Lesson 29: Creating a Keyboard Part

This lesson is very practical and shows some of the steps you could take to create a keyboard part. Building upon the use of a 12 bar progression you will develop your keyboard playing using a variety of developed skills and different rhythms.

Leasson 30: Performing a Song

In Lesson 30 we have a song to play which as always is designed to build upon many of the skills learned through the course. You will be able to play along with a professional band, whilst reading a keyboard chart. This lesson can go towards your level three in Essential Keyboard Skills with Gigajam Keyboard School.