Collections - Key Diagrams
The following VIDEOS demonstrate the special full sized DIAGRAMS
used to help students understand the basic concepts of how the
KEY MAPS SHOW WHICH KEYS TO PLAY.
About the Key Diagram Collections. Although this site clearly is focused on Key Maps, there are good reasons for including some Key Diagram Collections on this site. If you are familiar with the instructional materials on this site, you will already know that the key DIAGRAMS provide the basis for learning to play from the key MAPS. Several of the beginning learning units in our instructional materials for key maps are notated entirely with the key diagrams.
Direct Visual Relationships Between Notes and Keys. Because the notes on the key diagrams are sized to fit the keyboard, as you can see in these illustrations, it is logical that they can help students understand the direct visual relationships between the notes and the keys that they stand for. This direct relationship makes the notation easy to learn and easy to read. This is why we use the key diagrams in our beginning instructional materials and collections.
Benefit of Large Notes. Also, the diagrams have some very nice features to commend them. The notes are very large, making them easier to read by those who have some visual challenges. In fact, some visually challenged persons can read these notes, even though they can't read notes of the standard sizes.
Song Texts INSIDE the Notes. Another very pleasant feature of the key diagrams is that the texts for songs actually can be placed INSIDE the notes. Another feature that makes the notation pleasant to look at is the color coding for the rhythm, along with the color coding of the octave groups.
All in all, we think that these are reasons enough to prepare some collections with this key diagram notation. You will find a limited number of collections using the key diagram notation at the end of this page. Also included are instructional materials from our PK Series that are based on the key diagrams that we use for all of our beginning students.
(Below) The Key Map Notes for the black keys are on the vertical lines. Notes for the white keys are in the spaces between the lines, just as the white keys are between the black keys on the keyboard.
You can click on the image to enlarge it.
About the Chord Symbols. Some of the following collections include chord symbols along with the notes for their melodies. Playing from chord symbols requires some advanced training beyond just learning to play from the key diagrams. The advanced instructional materials for this training are located at our basic chord skills page: