Piano keys labeled: printable piano keyboard chart

What are the names of the piano keys#

The white keys are named with the letters A to G. After G the names start again at A, so the order is A B C D E F G A and so on. The black keys take their names from a neighbouring white key, with a sharp (♯) or a flat (♭). In solfège, the white keys are Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La and Si. Fixed do ties Do to C, so each syllable always lands on the same key.

How do you find middle C on a piano#

Middle C is the C key near the centre of a full keyboard. In scientific pitch notation it is written C4. Look for a group of two black keys. The white key directly to the left of that pair is C. On an 88-key piano, middle C is key number 40, counting from A0 as key 1.

What are the black keys called#

The black keys are called sharps or flats. A sharp raises a note by a half step, and a flat lowers it by a half step. The black key between C and D is both C♯ and D♭, which is one key with two names. Each octave has 12 keys: 7 white and 5 black. The black keys sit in groups of two and three, which helps you find your place.

How many keys does a piano have#

A standard acoustic piano has 88 keys, made up of 52 white and 36 black, running from A0 to C8. Many portable keyboards have 61 keys, which run from C2 to C7 and include 36 white keys. Smaller keyboards have 49, 37, 32 or 25 keys. The tool offers each of these sizes with the usual range (49 keys C2–C6, 37 keys C3–C6, 25 keys C3–C5); makers differ on the smaller sizes, so check the lowest key of your own keyboard.

What do the octave numbers on piano keys mean#

An octave number tells you which octave a note belongs to. In scientific pitch notation, the number follows the letter, as in C4 or A4. The number goes up at each C, so C4 to B4 is one octave and the next C is C5. A4 is tuned to 440 Hz, which is the standard reference pitch. Octave numbers help when you match a note on the staff to a key.

How do you label piano keys for a beginner#

Start with the C keys. Turn on Mark middle C and set Label which keys to C keys only, so the learner has one clear landmark. Then switch to All keys so the learner can see how the white keys follow each other. Add black keys last, using Sharps or Both. Many teachers prefer letter names first and solfège later, or the reverse, depending on the class. For easy, simple piano notes, a 25-key chart from C3 to C5 is enough for most first songs. Left hand piano notes usually sit below middle C, in octaves 2 and 3, which is the bass clef range. There are no special minor notes on piano: minor and major describe scales and chords, and both use white and black keys.