Easy Piano Lessons

Every major-scale consists of two “equal” parts called Tetrachords.  Each of these parts consists of two whole-tone-steps (WT) and one half-tone-step (HT) i.e.

WT   WT   HT       WT   WT   HT

example

C (WT)  D (WT)  E  (HT)  F        G  (WT)  A  (WT) B (HT) C

Note in the example above  HT is where there is no black not between the white notes i.e. between E and F and the B and C notes.

The black keys on the keyboard are named after the white keys and because of this there are always two possible way to name a black key as there is a white key to the left or the right of the black key. In spite of the two different names the black keys note remains the same.

If you name the black key after the white key to its left it is written with a sharp (#) or after the white key to its right is is written with a flat (b).

So for example the black key between C and D is called either C sharp or D flat.

The distance between two notes (keys) is called the interval (which comes from the Latin “inter” meaning between and “vallum” meaning wall).

The distance between two C’s (or A’s or E’s etc) equals 8 notes for eamble A, B, C, D, E, F, G and A. This interval of 8 notes is called the octave (from the Latin “octavus” meaning eight.

Viewed fro Middle-C we refere to the octaves as first octave left second octave left etc.

All the C notes are located as the first white key to the left of the groups of two black keys. On many keyboards Middle-C as its name suggests is in the exact middle of the keyboard.

If you do not find a C in the middle you should take the next left of centre C key as Middle-C.

Middle-C is the most important reference point on the keyboard. To the left of Middle-C you play most of the bass-figures in Pop and Rock (with your left hand) and to the right of Middle-C you play melodies and chords (with the right hand) (This is not a hard and fast rule!)