Introducing dynamics

[gleeok]

Well, this might be taken as a sacrilege. But my keyboard was very old and had no touch-sensitive keys. Whoever, I'm fixing this small issue. I will be taking an Yamaha PSR-423 later today with a small discount for my PSR-175 in exchange. I might have some problems with dynamics since I NEVER played with that detail. Any tips on how to start? How will I be able to make difference between pp, p, mp etc? Is there a general, fixed, rule?

Thank you for commenting!

[musicioso]

Try out your new instrument, i think its not that a big deal at amature level.

[davidjosepha]

Well, this might be taken as a sacrilege. But my keyboard was very old and had no touch-sensitive keys. Whoever, I'm fixing this small issue. I will be taking an Yamaha PSR-423 later today with a small discount for my PSR-175 in exchange. I might have some problems with dynamics since I NEVER played with that detail. Any tips on how to start? How will I be able to make difference between pp, p, mp etc? Is there a general, fixed, rule?

Thank you for commenting!

It takes a lot of control to do dynamics. There's usually an optimal volume that passages should be played at in order to make it technically easy, and playing louder or quieter than that requires greater control. Start with pieces easier than what you had been playing and try to play them both very quietly and very loudly, and everywhere in between. Also try starting quietly and getting louder in certain places, and softer in others. Your fingers will take a while to get used to doing things like this, but dynamic control is a huge part of playing musically, so it's definitely worth the effort.

[j_menz]

You may well have been "doing dynamics" more than you think, just niot hearing the results of it.

My advice, take a few pieces you know well and play them on the new keyboard. Play around with making bits louder and softer, try and make it sound like it does in your head.  You'll soon get the hang of what is required; perfecting it is the work of a lifetime for all of us anyway.

[ajspiano]

Is there a general, fixed, rule?

Sure - the faster you depress the key (and in turn move the hammer [if you're keyboard has a hammer ]) the louder the note will be.. and vice versa.

Consciously thinking of it like that is not a great move though. If you have a basic ability to depress a key in different ways (which you do, and which you'll continually grow/refine for as long as you continue playing through experimentation and more music) then its like j_menz said. You focus on the sound in your head, and your mind/body translates that to the key subconsciously.

You can start worrying about it in more detail if you find yourself uncomfortable and unable to focus on the sound in your head as a result.

[gleeok]

My god! this thing is awesome! I tried playing one of my pieces right way and it was so funny because the sound went crazily from loud to soft without any kind of control XD. I practiced for a few hours and now it is MUCH better. I'm still getting used to it, at first It felt weird, frustrating and much harder, but now I recognize playing with dynamics is so much better.

What rested of my musicality is now, so far, non-existent with these sensitive keys xD, But I won't turn the "feature" off, its now much more challenging and it feels much more personal! I will surely have lots of fun with my new keyboard and this whole new way to play, it just feels entirely new.

edit: forgot to say thanks to everybody who gave me tips here, thanks for your time.

[gleeok]

Sure - the faster you depress the key (and in turn move the hammer [if you're keyboard has a hammer ]) the louder the note will be.. and vice versa.

Yup, technically speaking yes. As far as I know Yamaha keyboards dont have the best sound in the market, but for their price they are completely worth it, the idea behind the whole thing is not only offer a big range of digital resources but emulate a piano in a compact instrument. I saw a piano back when I was 8, i vaguely remember the way the keys felt, but Im really satisfied with the emulation this one offers. but of course I still dream with the day i will have a real piano! ps: i got the joke XD i just felt like posting something