The Contemporary Keyboardist John Novello Pdf [WORKING]
Most piano books teach genres in isolation (a chapter on Blues, a chapter on Jazz). Novello’s genius lies in showing how these genres connect. He creates a continuum starting from Stride Piano, moving through Swing, Bebop, R&B, Funk, and finally into Pop/Rock.
The search for "the contemporary keyboardist john novello pdf" is ultimately a search for a shortcut to mastery. Ironically, the book contains no shortcuts. It contains the roadmap. The PDF is merely the vessel.
If you download a legal copy, you gain a mentor who refuses to let you be lazy. Novello demands you learn your keys, respect the metronome, and listen to the history of the instrument—from Count Basie’s block chords to Herbie Hancock’s electric funk.
Whether you are a bedroom producer triggering MIDI controllers or a classical refugee trying to learn a blues scale, acquire this book in its digital form. Put it on your tablet. Open it every day. Practice for 20 minutes. In one year, you will no longer be a "keyboardist who owns the PDF." You will simply be a Contemporary Keyboardist. the contemporary keyboardist john novello pdf
Disclaimer: This article promotes the ethical acquisition of educational materials. Always purchase digital copies from authorized retailers to support the artists and educators who create these resources.
Owning the PDF is not the same as mastering the material. The Contemporary Keyboardist is dense. Many musicians buy it, play the first three pages, and then shelve it. Here is a strategic roadmap:
Phase 1: The Foundation (Chapters 1-3) Do not skip the finger independence exercises. Novello uses non-standard fingerings designed for organ and synth action, not weighted piano keys. Practice these with a metronome for two weeks before moving on. Most piano books teach genres in isolation (a
Phase 2: Harmony (Chapters 4-7) This is the heart of the book. Spend one month on triad inversions. Then one month on seventh chords. The "2-5-1" progression in all 12 keys should become muscle memory. Use a looper or backing track.
Phase 3: Groove & Style (Chapters 8-12) Pick one style per week. Funk week: Focus on the right-hand staccato and left-hand 16th-note patterns. Latin week: Isolate the left-hand tumbao while the right hand plays sparse montunos.
Phase 4: Synthesis & Technology (Chapter 13) Even if you don’t own a synth, read this section. Understanding ADSR envelopes and filter cutoff will make you a better programmer when you finally buy a hardware or software synth. Disclaimer: This article promotes the ethical acquisition of
Novello pioneered a visual method for understanding intervals and chords by their shape on the keyboard. Instead of memorizing abstract formulas (e.g., "a minor 7th is 1-b3-5-b7"), he teaches you to see the geometry of the keyboard. This accelerates sight-reading and transposition dramatically.
Most method books separate technique (scales/fingerings) from theory (chords/progressions) from ear training. Novello interweaves all three. A single chapter might teach you a blues scale, show you how to voice it with left-hand shells, and then provide a play-along chart to internalize the groove.
