An Overview of Pattern Piano and Keyboard
Learning to Play Piano Using Rhythmic Patterns
Feb 5, 2009
Pattern Piano and Keyboard claims to teach anyone to play the piano by ear using “rhythmic patterns”. These are patterns that can be played over any chord, anywhere on the piano to dress it up, instead of simply playing block chords.
Pattern Piano and Keyboard students are taught to use these patterns to create different arrangements of songs.
Pattern Piano and Keyboard Method
The Pattern Piano and Keyboard course teaches accompaniment piano, requiring that teh student sings the melody over the top, at least while they are still learning rhythmic patterns. David Sprunger shows students how to find any chord on the piano and introduces his method of rhythmic patterns through a series of simple songs.
The basic course focuses on these chords and patterns, rather than how to recognise what is being played in a particular song, so the claim of learning to “play any song by ear” may be misleading. It would be more accurate to say that the student is simply taught to play without sheet music.
However, the downloadable Pattern Piano and Keyboard demo offers a game called Ear Training 101 to help develop an ability to genuinely play by ear.
How is Pattern Piano and Keyboard Different from Traditional Lessons?
Sprunger’s course differs from traditional piano lessons in a number of ways:
- Traditional lessons require you to learn to read music as the basis of learning to play. Sprunger talks about different note values but otherwise bypasses reading.
- Traditional lessons tend to begin with a focus on individual notes (a by-product of learning to read before learning to play) while Pattern Piano and Keyboard teaches you to think of chords and intervals as the basis of music.
- In traditional lessons, students are usually taught pieces that require them to play both the melody and harmony. In Pattern Piano and Keyboard, the harmony and accompaniment that has traditionally been played by the left hand is played by both hands as the melody is sung.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Pattern Piano and Keyboard
Sprunger’s course jumps into learning songs almost immediately and in his words “enjoying music right away” without being bogged down by lots of theory and reading. He helps the student to quickly build up a library of rhythmic patterns that are helpful in accompanying others, as well as for improvisation.
He also provides students with the chance to expand their playing through more advanced online lessons such as the Keyboard Blues course.
On the other hand, Pattern Piano and Keyboard is lacking in the technical aspects of piano playing that traditional and classical lessons develop. Scales and keys are not explained, for example.
The course is clearly aimed at people who wish only to play popular music and for whom reading music is not a priority. However, at $US39.95 for the physical DVD and book, and $US19.95 for the downloadable version, it is an easy-to-follow and reasonably priced course for anyone who wants to play accompaniment on the piano.
See Also
Suzuki Piano: a Beginner's Guide
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