How to Play Two Keyboards at Once

If you've seen a band perform live, you've probably seen one of its members playing two keyboards at once. Keyboard players often set up two to three different instruments on a rack for concert performances because it allows them to instantly access a variety of different sounds. Although expert players display incredible dexterity and creativity when playing their instruments, learning the basic two-keyboard technique is a piece of cake.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Learn the different sounds each of your keyboards can make. Most players use keyboards with weighted keys for playing piano sounds and ones with unweighted keys for playing synth sounds.

2. Practice each hand's part separately before you bring them together. Playing two keyboards at once is challenging, especially in a live performance, so get comfortable with each part first.

3. Use your right hand to play lead melodies, accompaniment chords and background harmonies. In general, anything melodic or high-pitched belongs in your right hand.

4. Play bass lines and accompaniment chords with your left hand. This is just like playing a single keyboard or piano, except the sound of these lower lines will be different from the top melodies.

5. Combine the two parts to form a single musical structure.

6. Control the dynamics of the two parts sensibly. Since you're assuming the role of two instruments in the band, you must be extra aware of how heavy or loud you're playing.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you stay on beat while playing two keyboards at once. The separation makes it harder to think of what you're playing as one performance, but don't lose sight of the music's tempo and groove.