The White Keys

The white keys on a piano (or your midi controller) are named
by the first 7 letters of the alphabet.
On a piano the standard is to learn the naming of the keys starting from the middle note
C, thats called middle C. Its not the exact center of the piano, just the middle note C.

The names of the white keys.

Starting on a C, the names of the white keys are: C - D - E - F - G - A - B

After the B comes a C again, only 1 'octave' up from where we started. The octave is
the most important repeating pattern on a piano. Its the distance (distance on a piano is
called an 'interval') between a note on the piano and that same note higher or lower on
the piano. So the interval from C to another C (up or down) is an octave. Same goes for
the other notes on the piano.

The C major scale.

The notes C - D - E - F - G - A - B form the easiest scale on the piano: the C major
scale. Well get to major and minorscales and chords a little later. For now all you need
to know is that a C major scale starts on a C and it contains all the white keys up (or
down) to the next C. There isn't a single black key in this scale, so it's easy to remember
compared to other scales we'll see later on.

The Black Keys

The black keys aren't named by the letters H, I, J, K and L.

The names of the black keys are derived from the names of the white keys theyre next
to. Every black key has two names because it has a white key on either side.

Sharps and Flats

For example: the black key thats to the right of the every C and left of every D, has
two names.

Its first name is C ( = sharp), where sharp means above.

Its second name is D( = flat), where flat means below.

So when a white key is sharpened its the black key to the right of it, and when
its flattened its the black key to the left of it.

The names of the black keys

Starting from C, the names of the black keys are : C or D- D or E - F or G -
G or A - A or B

Sharps and Flats

For example: the black key thats to the right of the every C and left of every D, has
two names.

Its first name is C ( = sharp), where sharp means above.

Its second name is D( = flat), where flat means below.

So when a white key is sharpened its the black key to the right of it, and when
its flattened its the black key to the left of it.

The names of the black keys

Starting from C, the names of the black keys are : C or D- D or E - F or G -
G or A - A or B
The Major Scale

Scales are built out of fixed intervals - let's reveal the pattern!
By counting the intervals between notes in the C major scale youll discover the pattern
underlying the major scale.

C major scale = C - D - E - F - G - A - B

The smallest interval between two different notes on a piano is called a 'semitone'. So
moving up from an A to an A is a semitone. From A to B is a semitone. From B to C
also. Its not necessarily the interval between a white key and a black key. The interval
between B and C and E and F are also called semitones. Within 1 octave there's a total
of 12 semitones.

I said counting steps...were actually going to count semitones to reveal the fixed
intervals.

The pattern of the major scale

By de-constructing the C major scale, you'll find the following pattern:
2 semitones, 2 semitones, 1 semitone, 2 semitones, 2 semitones, 2 semitones, 1
semitone = 12 semitones.

You can use these fixed intervals to construct any major scale. It always starts on the
so-called root note. The root note of the C scales (both major and minor) is the C, the
root note of the F scales is an F etcetera. From the root note up, the scale follows the
fixed intervals. Let's for example apply the formula to build the G major scale. It starts
on its root note G and then you'll start counting...

G + 2 = A + 2 = B + 1 = C + 2 = D + 2 = E + 2 = F + 1 = G. The G major scale is: G -

A - B - C - D - E - F and back to G.

Weve just looked at single notes in a scale - that's over now.

Triads are chords that are built with 3 notes following a fixed semitone pattern, that's
opposite for major and minor triads.

The formula for major triads

A major triad follows the formula: root note + 4 semitones + 3 semitones.

The A major triad for example starts on an A. Then well count 4 semitones up to C#
and then 3 semitones up to an E. That's an A major triad. On a piano the major triad is
the default, so when a chords tab says A - it means an A major chord (not necessarily a
triad though). A minor chord is written down as Am.