Piano basics
Piano keys and notes, labelled
Every key on the piano has a name, and there are only twelve of them, repeating. Tap the keys below to hear them, then learn the trick that lets you find any note in seconds.
Tap a key. The dot marks middle C.
The pattern that unlocks the keyboard
Look at the black keys: they come in groups of two and groups of three, all the way up the piano. That pattern is your map.
- C is the white key just to the left of every group of two black keys.
- F is the white key just to the left of every group of three black keys.
- From C, the white keys go up the alphabet: C, D, E, F, G, A, B, then C again.
That's all seven white-key names. Find every C on the piano now, then every F, and you'll never hunt for a note again.
The black keys: sharps and flats
Each black key has two names. It's the sharp (♯) of the white key to its left and the flat (♭) of the white key to its right. The black key between C and D is both C♯ and D♭: the same key, two names. Which name you use depends on the key of the music. Switch between sharps and flats above to see both.
There's no black key between E and F, or between B and C. Those pairs are just a half step apart already.
Middle C
Middle C (marked with a dot above) is the C nearest the middle of the keyboard, usually right in front of the piano's name. Most beginner music starts there. Its scientific name is C4: the fourth C from the bottom of an 88-key piano.
Octaves and note numbers
From one C to the next is an octave: twelve keys, seven white and five black. Octaves are numbered from the bottom: the lowest key on a piano is A0, middle C is C4, and the top key is C8. The A above middle C, A4, is the note orchestras tune to (440 Hz). Turn on octave numbers above to see them.
How many keys does a piano have?
A standard piano has 88 keys: 52 white and 36 black, just over seven octaves. Digital keyboards often have 61 or 76 keys, which is plenty for beginners, though 88 lets you play everything.
Learning your way around? Ivory shows you keys on the keyboard as it talks, and hears which ones you play, so you can find your way around the piano by ear and by eye.
Questions people ask
How many keys does a piano have?
88: 52 white and 36 black, from A0 at the bottom to C8 at the top.
Where is middle C?
Middle C (C4) is the C nearest the middle of the keyboard, usually in front of the piano's name. On an 88-key piano it's the fourth C from the bottom.
What are the black keys called?
Each has two names: a sharp of the white key to its left, or a flat of the white key to its right. The black key between C and D is both C♯ and D♭.
Should I put stickers on my piano keys?
They can help in the first week or two, but most teachers suggest learning the pattern of black keys instead, so you're not dependent on them. Use the "Only the Cs" view above to practise.