mr dave

I'd say take some lessons, either in a classroom setting or private one on one situations.

I managed to teach myself how to play guitar and bass through magazines. I tried teaching myself keyboards a few years later and failed miserably even though I understood a fair amount of the concepts and theory.

As for the difference between pop and classical keyboard... I'm not really sure what your friend was talking about. Ultimately it's stylistic difference, it's still the same instrument, still black and white keys, still pressed with fingers. I'd suggest learning the classical stuff since you'd likely learn a bunch more theory and technique that would apply itself to symphonic metal.

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