7 Orientation to the Keyboard
Low and High
The piano keyboard is a repeating pattern of twelve keys encompassing seven and one third octaves. Each octave contains seven white keys and five black keys. Lower notes are on the left; higher notes are on the right.
The black keys appear in groups of two and three. Play the groups of two black keys from low to high. Now play the groups of three black keys. You may notice a lone black key at the low end of the keyboard. If the keyboard continued lower, would it be part of a group of two or three?
Finding the White Keys
The placement of the black-key groups helps differentiate the white keys. The white keys around the groups of two black keys are C, D, and E (from low to high). Play all the CDE groups on the piano from low to high.
The white keys around the groups of three black keys are F, G, A, and B (from low to high). Play all the FGAB groups on the piano from low to high.
Review these patterns until you can find any key immediately.
Relating the Keyboard to the Staff
Observe how these five Cs are represented on the grand staff. Middle C (C4) can appear above the bass clef and below the treble clef.
