BEGINNER PIANO LESSON

DAY ONE

A JOURNEY OF ONE THOUSAND MILES MUST BEGIN WITH A

SINGLE FOOTSTEP

Lao Tzu c 531 B.C.

LESSON 1 NOTES

Definition
Identification of notes
Naturals, Sharps, Flats
Numbering of Alphabets
Pitch and Intervals

NOTE DEFINITION

A note could also be referred to as “pitch”, (how high or low it is). It

is also referred to as the written symbol of the note. In music, a note
is a small bit of sound, similar to a syllable in speaking a language. It
will interest you to know that Music without notes might be sound
effects

IDENTIFICATION OF NOTES

There are seven alphabets that are used to name piano keys. The
notes or keys of the piano are given according to their pitch. These
notes include

A B C D E F G………..A standard piano is made up of 88keys and

has it’s key name start with the alphabet A, after which the other
alphabets follow in alphabetical order

Hint; count the number of keys on your piano…how many?...is it a

standard piano…?

The piano is a colour-coded instrument. It has white and black keys.

There are pairs of 2 black keys and a pair of 3 black keys..The white
key before a pair of 2 black keys is the key of C. The white key before
a pair of 3 black keys is the key of F.

NATURALS, SHARPS AND FLATS

SHARP

A sharp note is any black note to the right of a white key (remember
to the right is higher). The sharp note names are derived from the
key directly to the left of the black key. For example, the black key is
directly to the right of C is Csharp (C#). The black key directly to the
right of F is Fsharp (F#)

FLAT

Any black key directly to the left of a white key is a flat note
(remember to the left is lower). The flat note names are derived from
the natural note. Example, the black key just to the left of A is Aflat
(Ab). The black key directly to the left of D is D flat (Db)

NATURAL

Simply put, a note is natural when it is neither flat nor sharp (nor
double sharp or double flat). Natural notes are the notes A B C D E F
G and are represented by the white keys on the keyboard, piano or
organ.

NUMBERING OF ALPHABETS

Numbering in music stops or ends at thirteen (13). Therefore we have

A B C D E F G A BC D E F

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Notice that after the 7th note (G), there alphabets repeats again. This
continues till the last note on the piano.
PITCH AND INTERVALS

PITCH

Pitch is not only something you find in a free and at a baseball game.
As it relates to sound, Webster’s definition of pitch is; the property of
a sound and especially a musical tone that is determined by the
frequency of the waves producing it. Don’t you sometimes just hate
dictionaries? What pitch means in music is the highness or lowness of
a sound or note.

A B C D E F G A B

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

The first note “A” is the same with the eighth note “A” but are of
different pitches. The first is of a lower pitch compared to the eight.
If the pitch of one note is higher than another, it will be written
higher.

INTERVAL

An interval is the distance between two pitches. An interval is also

expressed as a number from 1 to 13. There are 2 types of basic
interval

HARMONIC INTERVAL

A harmonic interval is when two notes are sounded simultaneously.

This practically means when two notes at random are picked e.g A
and F# are sounded together. Sound these notes together

E and G#
C and F

MELODIC INTERVAL

A melodic interval is when two notes are sounded one after the other.
This practically means when two notes at random are picked e.g B
and E are sounded one after the other. Sound these notes one after
the other

C and E
B and C

THANKS
CJMUSIC