Becoming more comfortable in more keys

[cynmoore]

I've been playing piano on and off for 60+ years, but only had a few lessons as a child. I'm probably an advanced beginner. I would like to become more comfortable in more keys. Are there exercises that are fun to play (not just scales) that are designed to develop facility in multiple keys?

One idea I had was to take simple pieces with regular chord changes, like Canon in D (I-V-vii-iii-IV-I-IV-V7) and learn them in several keys. Then develop modulations so I can go from key to key until I am comfortable with that progression in each key. Another one might be Heart and Soul (I-vii-IV/ii-V7).

Any suggestions appreciated.

[brogers70]

Your own suggestions sound good. I got comfortable in all the keys just by doing scales and learning pieces that were a lots of different keys. There are pieces at the advanced beginner level that will get you into lots of the keys more distant from C major, and in fact I think keys with 3-4 sharps or flats are often easier to play than F, G, and C major because of how the black keys fit under the hand.

[adodd81802]

I've been playing piano on and off for 60+ years, but only had a few lessons as a child. I'm probably an advanced beginner. I would like to become more comfortable in more keys. Are there exercises that are fun to play (not just scales) that are designed to develop facility in multiple keys?

One idea I had was to take simple pieces with regular chord changes, like Canon in D (I-V-vii-iii-IV-I-IV-V7) and learn them in several keys. Then develop modulations so I can go from key to key until I am comfortable with that progression in each key. Another one might be Heart and Soul (I-vii-IV/ii-V7).

Any suggestions appreciated.

Sounds good, can be a little monotomous though and a little less about learning the keys but just learning the distance between the notes.

I think it's better if you just find some easy sight reading books and just pick a key and try and play it off the bat referencing the notes but not specifically where they're placed, but the distance between the different notes as applied to your key.

Or just take easy pieces, in whatever key they're in and modulate up a step and down a step? so you're playing c major, C#/db major and b major.

[quantum]

After learning the basics of a key - such as the scale, chords, common progressions/cadences, scale tone triads - improvise in that key.  You don't need to try making anything formal or tax yourself in trying to make theoretically correct music.  Just explore the piano in the key you have chosen with a sense of freedom.

[debmel]

Try taking the Dozen a Day book 2 (the green one) as a basis for transposing into other keys.Many of the exercises are in a basic 5 finger position with slight extensions. These short and relatively fun exercises  are easy to play in other keys once you are familiar with the I IV V7 chords.

More tips for piano students on www.pianoways.com 

[ted]

After learning the basics of a key - such as the scale, chords, common progressions/cadences, scale tone triads - improvise in that key.  You don't need to try making anything formal or tax yourself in trying to make theoretically correct music.  Just explore the piano in the key you have chosen with a sense of freedom.

Or you could do it the other way around, by improvising around the key circle using a fairly short idea, motif or phrase, not staying in any key for too long. Exact transposition, although useful mental arithmetic, is pretty uninteresting musically, and unnecessary for this purpose. Rip out such new ideas and modifications as come to mind, letting your mind run free. This way is especially good for building vocabulary in those driven to create spontaneously. On the other hand, if you just want to play a complete tune at any pitch, then maybe quantum's way would suit you better. No law against doing both ways of course.

[xdjuicebox]

Play your scales and do a TON of roman numeral analysis for pieces in different keys

Also play your ii-V-I's or your circle of fifths if you're adventurous in every key.

[j_tour]

Play your scales and do a TON of roman numeral analysis for pieces in different keys

Also play your ii-V-I's or your circle of fifths if you're adventurous in every key.

I agree, of course, since you're right.

But, as a point of interest to me, what exactly IS the best way to mark in roman numeral analysis tunes which have a LOT of changing key centers?  Temporarily speaking in jazz-mode, there are so many tunes everyone knows that can/should be played in all kinds of different keys, and lots of jazz teachers insist "every tune:  every key" and "every melodic fragment/lick:  every key," which has always seemed kind of pedantic to me, even though a good player can actually play just about anything in any key (I'm still drawing the line at blues in B natural, but I'm old school!).  

Just a question.

Beyond that, I agree with everyone above:  just know all your scales, chords, and basic progressions.  Take two or three minutes every day and play some folk tune or something in a "strange" key, like "Happy Birthday" in B major, or "Waltzing Matilda" in F# major, or whatever.

I'll take the outside view and say that, while it's nice to do the fifths/fourths circle/cycle, and certainly sounds more "smooth" while practicing, I prefer to just go up by half-steps/semitones.  Personal preference, I guess.

[j_tour]

Exact transposition, although useful mental arithmetic, is pretty uninteresting musically, and unnecessary for this purpose. Rip out such new ideas and modifications as come to mind, letting your mind run free.

I'm not sure about this.  It's been my MO for most of my life, but there is a downside, namely, that you get to associate certain keys with certain patterns. 

For example, just doing a blues in Ab or in G, there are things that one does in one that you wouldn't do in the other.  I don't know if it's habit or what, but I can say you can certainly get "stuck" in those associations, and I'm pretty sure it's not good.

Really not sure if complete "key-blindness" is a good goal, but, it's something to consider.  For the OP, I'd say, if it's a problem playing scales and common progressions in any key, that's the first step -- it's really not optional to have the basics down.