Keyboard majors in the Bachelor of Music in Performance (Contemporary Styles) program undertake intensive instrument technique and live performance curricula along with a wide range of classes in supportive music and general studies to earn MI's unique contemporary music degree (see the Bachelor Degree home page and Program Outline for an overview of requirements).

Keyboard instrument technique courses are designed and taught according to the same principles that have made MI one of the world's leading centers for the study of contemporary keyboards. Requirements include: 

K112a.b.                    Keyboard Technique IIA-IIB
Intermediate-to-advanced techniques and concepts of contemporary keyboard playing. One lecture hour and one lab hour per week for two quarters.

K122a.b.                    Keyboard Voicings IIA-IIB
Covers seventh chord construction and symbols with an emphasis on “rootless” voicings as well as exercises in diatonic and chromatic chord movement and left hand accompaniment to melody and improvisation. Stylistic etudes are used to reinforce performance. One lecture hour and one lab hour per week for two quarters.

K221a.b.                    Keyboard Voicings IIIA-IIIB
Prerequisite: K122b Keyboard Voicings IIB. Learn the concepts of chord-scale harmony and apply them to the construction of voicings and chord progressions. Students explore the techniques of “tension substitution” and use it to create voicings while composing and performing their own progressions. One lecture hour and one lab hour per week for two quarters.

K211a.b.                    Keyboard Improvisation
Introduces blues tonality, 7th chord arpeggios, and improvising over all major and minor tonalities utilizing a key center approach and variations. Students improvise over simple blues and jazz progressions. One lecture hour and one lab hour per week for two quarters.

M142Ka.b.                Reading IIA-IIB
Class examines simple left-hand chord voicings, rhythms involving switching from triplets to duplets and more complex melody lines with exercises drawn from contemporary styles. Students learn to read two-stave arrangements with complex rhythms and harmony. One lecture hour and one lab hour per week for two quarters.

M241Ka.b.                Reading IIIA-IIIB
Focuses on reading difficult charts with lead lines and chord symbols. Rhythmic syncopation and fully extended chords are explored. Students play complex charts drawn from contemporary arrangements in a lab/ensemble setting. One lecture hour plus one lab hour per week for two quarters.

The Associate of Arts in Performance (Keyboard) program includes a combination of general and instrument-specific courses designed to produce skilled, knowledgeable, stylistically and technologically versatile contemporary keyboardists. Courses are described below (see course catalog for specific course descriptions and other information). Combined with regular seminars, clinics, and small open counseling sessions with internationally-known musicians, the AA-Keyboard program provides the world's premier contemporary keyboard educational experience.

KEYBOARD CORE

Keyboard Technique I
Covers exercises for the development of keyboard facility and precision control over melodic components including scales, patterns, arpeggios, and intervals. Keyboard Technique IB concentrates on hand independence, melodic phrasing, stamina, and contemporary keyboard techniques.

Keyboard Technique II
A continuation of the techniques and concepts of contemporary keyboard playing.

Keyboard Voicings I
Fundamentals of chord construction, symbol recognition, and voice leading. Course covers triads, slash chords, inversions, added-note chords, and diatonic harmony. Weekly sightreading is used to reinforce performance.

Keyboard Voicings II
Covers seventh chord construction and symbols with an emphasis on “rootless” voicings as well as exercises in diatonic and chromatic chord movement and left hand accompaniment to melody and improvisation. Stylistic etudes are used to reinforce performance.

Keyboard Voicings III
Learn the concepts of chord-scale harmony and apply them to the construction of voicings and chord progressions. Students explore the techniques of “tension substitution” and use it to create voicings while composing and performing their own progressions.

Keyboard Improvisation
Introduces blues tonality, 7th chord arpeggios, and improvising over all major and minor tonalities utilizing a key center approach and variations. Students improvise over simple blues and jazz progressions.

Groove I
Learn the basic role of the keyboard player in an ensemble with an emphasis on time, tempo, and rhythmic feel in performance. Drills focus on rhythmic awareness and consistency, playing against a steady pulse, and basic hand independence, eighth note syncopation, playing with a drummer, swing and straight feels.

Groove  II
Learn basic keyboard groove patterns in diverse styles including rock, pop ballads, blues, country, bossa nova, salsa, reggae, swing and other popular genres.

Groove  III
An introduction to sixteenth-note syncopation and its application to contemporary musical styles, with emphasis on bass lines, comping and hand-against-hand rhythmic performance. Second half of the course concentrates on stylistic rhythms, half- and double-time feels and two-keyboard performance. Also covered are synth bass lines, brass parts and organ & clavinet playing styles.

Musical Director Workshop
Keyboard players make natural musical directors, a role that calls on a variety of skills. This class will prepare students to direct other musicians in a professional live setting while performing such typical MD tasks as creating intros and endings, preparing basic slash charts, directing walk-ons and walk-offs, and vocal accompaniment.

Reading I
An introduction to the symbols used for notating melody, rhythm, and harmony.  Class covers clefs, grand staff, ledger lines, song form, and rhythmic syncopation.

Reading II
Class examines simple left-hand chord voicings, rhythms involving switching from triplets to duplets and more complex melody lines with exercises drawn from contemporary styles. Students learn to read two-stave arrangements with complex rhythms and harmony.

TECHNOLOGY

Digital Music I
Students are introduced to the use of digital audio technology as an integral tool in the creation of keyboard-based recordings. Students learn intuitive setup procedures and use of keyboards as digital audio triggers using Logic software. Students learn at individual workstations in small groups.

Digital Music II
Students learn sequencing as well as the use of sound banks and digital effects using Logic as they complete practical, deadline-oriented projects.

Digital Music III
Students apply advanced digital recording skills culminating in the production of a personal Electronic Press Kit (EPK) incorporating original music and video. The EPK is each student’s calling-card for future professional employment.

Keyboard Programming I: Basic Synthesis
An introduction to the structure of an analog synthesizer. Includes essential concepts of subtractive synthesis and synthesized sound production as well as components from wave forms to filters and amplifiers.

Keyboard Programming II: Intro to Virtual Instruments
Composing and performing music with computer-driven instruments. Using Logic Audio’s vast catalog of virtual instruments, students will learn how to trigger and sequence sounds using their own keyboard and groove skills. Includes advanced sequencing, editing and programming of various instrument combinations in a variety of practical applications.

Keyboard Programming III: Video Scoring
Students learn to enhance the emotional qualities of video images through the creation of musical background scores. Includes both creative and technical aspects of scoring commercials, TV and film using Emagic Logic Platinum digital recording software.

PERFORMANCE

Private Lessons  
Weekly instrument lesson with an instructor who guides the student in developing technique, musicianship and style in support of core curricular goals. The instructor and student jointly determine a specific course of study depending on student needs, strengths and experience.

Live Playing Workshops
Students perform regularly throughout the program in their choice of styles and settings. Regularly scheduled* LPWs include:

Blues
Classic Rock
Country Rock
Modern Rock
Hard Rock
Metal
Classic R&B
Contemporary R&B
Freestyle Hip Hop
Funk
Fusion
Latin
Reggae
Traditional Jazz Ensemble
Student Choice (styles vary)
*LPW offerings vary by quarter; check current course schedule for availability

MUSICIANSHIP

Harmony and Theory I
An introduction to Harmony and Theory as it applies to popular music. Includes the development of fundamental music notation skills, rhythms, major and minor scales, intervals, chords and diatonic harmony.

Harmony and Theory II      
Begins with diatonic harmony and expands to include chromatic variations typical of popular music, including scale and chord alterations and harmonic analysis of non-diatonic major and minor progressions.

Ear Training I
An introduction to Ear Training as it applies to popular music. Covers the ability to recognize by ear major and minor scales, intervals, chord qualities, diatonic progressions, and rhythms in the context of examples drawn from contemporary popular music.

Ear Training II   
Concentrates on the recognition and transcription of diatonic major and minor melody and harmony and rhythmic figures including sixteenth notes. Includes specific examples drawn from contemporary popular music.

ELECTIVES

Each quarter, AA (Keyboard) students may choose from an enormous variety of elective courses covering all major contemporary styles, techniques, and musical interests as well as general courses in songwriting, technology, music business and more (see course catalog for current offerings).  

Current keyboard-specific electives are listed below; topics and scheduling are subject to change and some require prerequisites. Check the current course offering for up-to-date information about courses offered during a specific quarter:

Composition for Keyboards
Hip-Hop Keyboards
Rock Keyboards
Blues Keyboards
Funk Keyboards
R&B/Soul Keyboards
Introduction to Improvisation
Keyboard Kontrol
Brazilian Keyboards
Afro-Cuban Keyboards
Accompany Thyself
Advanced Keyboard Technique
Vocal Accompaniment

The four-quarter, 60 credit-unit Certificate in Performance (Keyboard) applies MI’s unique style of contemporary music education to an instrument that is both traditional and leading-edge. The classic Keyboard Institute of Technology program combines keyboard skills, live performance and innovative technology to prepare a foundation for careers on the concert stage and in the recording studio. Develop stylistic vocabulary and live playing skills under the guidance of some of LA’s best professional keyboard players, then learn to create your own arrangements and productions using digital audio and virtual instrument applications. MI’s unique environment extends beyond the classroom with concerts, seminars, and opportunities for creative collaboration and networking. The Keyboard Certificate program includes:

Private Lessons
A weekly, one-hour lesson with an expert instructor focuses on identifying and overcoming weaknesses, enhancing your strengths, exploring styles, and getting the most out of your MI experience.

Performance
Live Playing Workshops and keyboard-specific Groove classes put you on stage in real-life performing conditions as you learn to work with a band and reach your full potential as a performer.

Technology
Use your keyboards to access a universe of musical possibilities through classes in Digital Music, Synthesis, Virtual Instruments and Video Scoring.

Open Counseling
Informal, small-group lessons let you ask questions, try out new ideas, and jam with your teachers and fellow students.

Classes
Core and elective classes build you into a skilled, well-rounded player capable of understanding and performing virtually any style of contemporary music. A partial list includes:

Keyboard Technique
Keyboard Voicings
Digital Music
Keyboard Programming
Harmony & Theory
Ear Training
Rock Keyboards
Blues Keyboards
Funk Keyboards
R&B Keyboards
Brazilian Keyboards
Vocal Accompaniment

MI’s Encore Program is a non-certificate option for students of bass, guitar, keyboards, drums, and voice. Working closely with the Encore Coordinator, Encore students create a personalized ten-week schedule drawn from the wide range of lessons, classes, performance workshops and other activities available for each instrument (students may also combine different instrument classes subject to availability). There are no required courses and grading is optional. All instruments, styles and levels are available and classes start every quarter.

The Encore Program includes:

Private Lessons
As an Encore student, you receive a weekly, one-hour private lesson on your primary instrument with a private instructor hand-picked to match your personal style and level. The instructor works with you in the areas of your choice, guiding you during your program while also providing you with enough information and inspiration to keep you working long after you leave (requests for private lessons with a specific MI instructor will be accommodated subject to instructor availability).

Personal Schedule
Before beginning classes, the Encore Coordinator will counsel you on course selections and arrange for a placement profile to determine the course levels for which you qualify. You may choose any combination of courses normally available to students at your level equal to a full-time credit load of fifteen units. We’ve found that students who set clear-cut goals accomplish much more in a limited amount of time, so the Coordinator will assist you in defining the results you wish to achieve. See the current Course Catalog for information on particular classes you may want to attend.

Access to Facilities
While you’re an Encore student, you’ll enjoy all of the privileges available to our students, including 24-hour access to MI’s facilities for practice and rehearsal, use of the video library, admission to special clinics and seminars, and participation in open counseling and live performance workshops.

Additional Encore information:

- State and federal financial aid are not available to students who are not enrolled in Certificate or Degree programs.

- Most core classes available to entering Encore students during January and July quarters are at an intermediate-to-advanced level. January or July enrollment is not advisable for beginning-level Encore students. Consult with the Encore Advisor before making your decision.

- All courses are not offered every quarter. Courses specific to Baccalaureate and non-instrument-based Certificate programs (as well as certain other courses offered by instrument-based Certificate and AA programs) are not available for Encore enrollment. Before enrolling, consult with the Encore Coordinator to confirm the availability of the specific courses you wish to attend.

- Encore students are entitled to the curriculum, materials and other resources applicable to the courses included in their enrollment schedule only.

- Encore students are responsible for all applicable fees

- Courses taken during an Encore session do not earn course credit, and attendance or completion of any course does not subsequently guarantee advanced placement in a Certificate or Degree program.