Looking at the piano keys for the first time might make a beginner sick.
Seeing all of those different keys might make you rethink your decision on learning to play.
Don’t let the size or the number of keys get you down. Its rather easy once you learn the basics of the piano.
Piano Layout
All pianos are not created equal. You have the traditional piano, digital keyboards, synthesizers, and so on. Each of these has a different role but one thing stays the same…. the piano keys.
All types of pianos have the same basic layout when it comes how the keys are organized.
If you look at a piano as a whole you will see that there are different colored keys. Look at the image below and you will see white keys and black keys.
The white keys are the naturals and the black keys are the sharps and flats.
To help you understand how the piano layout look at the piano in sections. There is a pattern that is going on.
Look closely and you will see that there is a pattern of s black notes then 3 black notes. This pattern runs all the way up the piano.
A Closer Look
In the image below there is a section of the piano. Compare it with the image above.
You’ll notice that this section of the piano simply repeats itself over and over again.
So if you can learn this little section of the piano then you can know the entire piano. Don’t let all the keys get to you. Now that you know that the piano is divided into sections your ready to learn how to play.
Note Names
If you are wanting to learn the note names of the piano check out these pages Naming the White Notes and Naming the Black Notes. These two pages will show you how to find the notes quickly and easily.
Here I will quickly give you the names of the notes on the piano.
Number of Keys
Like I said earlier there are tones of different types of pianos.
The traditional piano has 88 keys. There are other types of digital keyboards that have less.
Some range from full 88 keys to as little as 37 keys
Even though your keyboard might have a different number of keys doesn’t make a difference. The layout of the piano is still the same.
Lesson #2 – Naming The White Keys
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