When students decide to learn to play keyboard, or seek easy piano lessons for that matter, they must take the time to familiarize themselves with the proper musical terminology associated with that instrument, and a great place to start is with canons. Now, beginners mustn't worry about actually playing canons (depending on the canon, this could prove to be very difficult), but as students, they must be willing to understand the potential that their instrument possesses, so that they can seek the ability to reach that potential.
The best explanation I've ever come across to explain a canon, comes from Douglas Hofstadter, author of "Godel, Escher, Bach: The Eternal Golden Braid":
In the section "Canons and Fugues", Hofstadter explains, "The idea of a canon is that one single theme is played against itself. This is done by having "copies" of the theme played by the various participating voices." The author expounds on the idea by having the reader imagine singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat". "Here, the theme enters in the first voice and, after a fixed time-delay, a "copy" of it enters, in precisely the same key", writes Hofstadter.
I'm sure you've tried this exact canon as a child, but to further explain, I've written an example:
THEME: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
Voice 1: Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream...
Voice 2: (Pause-----------------------) row, row, row your boat, gently down...
Voice 3: (Pause--------------------------------------------------------) row, row, row...
And so on.
But to make this particular theme a canon theme, Hofstadter writes, "...each of its notes must be able to serve in a dual (or triple, or quadruple) role: it must firstly be part of a melody, and secondly it must be part of a harmonization of the same melody." So, as each "staggered" theme initially conflicts with one another (as most themes will not harmonize with themselves automatically) it is up to the musician or musicians to harmonize the words (or notes), and make them work together.
For more FREE, easy piano lessons and tips, visit "Learn to Play Keyboard Now!" here. Or to learn continue your independent study, visit fugues.
James Walmsley is a former touring musician - traveling the world, and lending a hand wherever he can. He writes for http://www.learn-to-play-keyboard-now.com to show the world that they too can learn to play the piano/keyboard independently.
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