Relearning the Janko Kbd layout...

[jjj333]

Hi to you wonderful keyboard artists!

 

I'm trying to rewire my brain by playing the Janko keyboard by ear. Would you have some good advice on how to best go about it?

- So far, I just blindly guide my right hand to find the tunes I desire to find and I seem to get very slowly better at it. Maybe that's the only way to do it? I already gained some dexterity practice on a piano accordion. The Janko keyboard layout is pretty close to the traditional zebra piano keyboard, yet requires relearning.

There are no Janko keyboard tutors of any kind available, but since you great keyboard players earned your skills, you might be able to advise me on how to get on with it, for at age 79 I'm somewhat in a hurry.

Maybe I'm on the right track, by just keep on struggling to find the notes for every melody ...until my brain finally got remapped, or is there an easier or more targeted way to Rome? As you see, my setup consists of a DIY Janko Kbd, 120 button DIY MIDI accordion accompaniment, and Tyros 3 Kbd.

[ElmerJFudd]

[Dr Mike Metlay]

Waitwaitwait.

 

You're 79 and you built and are practicing on a historically vital isomorphic keyboard... and YOU are asking US for advice?

 

Go practice Hanon while I stand back and gaze at you in awe, then try to recover my composure enough to remember the one or two people I know who own and play a Janko keyboard and might be able to help you out.

 

If I should live to be your age, sir, may I be HALF as open-minded, focused and determined as you. Holy shit.

[midinut]

Yeah, what the good doctor said !! (doing my best "we're not worthy" impression)

[Spider76]

Isn't the concept and layout of the Janko keyboard basically the same as the harpejji's? In that case, there are several tutorial videos on their website and YouTube channel

[Tom Williams]

Perhaps a silly question: do you drill on scales, chords, and arpeggios? The above suggestion to go with Hanon studies makes sense as well.

[jjj333]

Even though I don't follow any kind of tutor, since I daily practice for 90 minutes I clearly notice that I'm progressing. My method is to allow my fingers freely search for the desired notes of any to me known melodies. - To accelerate this progress I practice at a fast rhythm pace which forces me to search for more notes during the same practice time. - I truly observed that this will gradually map my fingers to my memory although the progress is fairly slow.

For many years I used to whistle to good music to entertain tourists, here at Sydney's Circular Quay. Thus, my idea is to get my fingers to follow my musical mind, just as I'm able to realize the same in my whistling.   Here are a couple of samples of my whistling to interesting tunes for you to enjoy: 

 

https://app.box.com/s/mn2n4arwbxl348av012xwdvi8vr7iivy

 

https://app.box.com/s/u68q3fn26jtwb9673xbfc751mef4wq6e

[ElmerJFudd]

😊

[marino]

Well, IIRC at least it has the big advantage of the same fingering for every type of scale or arpeggio...

[David Colpitts]

Hi.  I am brand new to this site, but a Janko-conversion fan of a couple of years' standing.  How goes the progress?  And, can you by chance provide any more information on the Janko (and accordion) keyboards you have?  I have just received a nice old digital piano and am plotting a simple (and, hopefully reversible) conversion.

And, wonderful whistling!

 

Thanks!