Okay, so I wanted to share something I’ve been fiddling with lately. It’s about trying to get a handle on some keyboard stuff, specifically the kind Alex Staropoli does in Rhapsody, you know? I’ve always been blown away by those epic, fast keyboard lines he plays.
Getting Started
It all began a few weeks back. I was listening to some old Rhapsody tracks, stuff like “Emerald Sword” or “Dawn of Victory”. And that keyboard just cuts through everything. So, I thought, hey, I’ve got this keyboard sitting here, mostly gathering dust. Maybe I could try learning one of those parts? Seemed like a fun challenge.
First thing I did was try to find some guides online. Sheet music for that kind of stuff isn’t always easy to come by, or it’s simplified. I ended up watching a bunch of performance videos, trying to see what his hands were actually doing. Paused. Rewound. Paused again. It’s crazy fast.
The Actual Practice Grind
I decided to focus on just one section of a song first. Picked a bit that sounded slightly less impossible. And man, it was tough. My fingers just didn’t want to move that fast or accurately. It wasn’t just about hitting the notes, it was about the way he plays them. Very precise, very articulate, even at speed.
- Day 1-3: Basically just trying to figure out the notes by ear and watching videos. Super slow progress. Felt like my fingers were made of concrete.
- Day 4-7: Started getting the basic sequence down, but at a snail’s pace. Like, maybe quarter speed? If that. Trying to make the arpeggios sound clean was a nightmare.
- Week 2: Speeding up was the next hurdle. Every time I tried to go faster, my fingers would just trip over themselves. Lots of frustration here. Almost packed the keyboard away again. Seriously thought, “This guy must have extra fingers or something.”
- Week 3: Had a small breakthrough. I realised I was tensing up too much. Tried to relax my hand, focus on efficiency of movement, not just brute force speed. It helped. A little bit. I could play the section maybe slightly less terribly.
Where I’m At Now
So, after all that, can I play it like Alex Staropoli? Absolutely not. Not even close. But I can play that one small section now, slowly, and mostly correctly. It sounds recognizable, which is honestly more than I expected when I started.
The main takeaway for me wasn’t really about mastering the song. It was more about the process. About breaking down something that seems ridiculously complex and just chipping away at it. Seeing that tiny bit of progress, even if it’s slow, feels pretty good. It gave me a much bigger appreciation for what guys like Staropoli actually do. It’s not just flashy; it’s incredibly skilled and takes a ton of work. I’m still chipping away at it when I have time. Maybe one day I’ll get it up to half speed. Maybe.
