Getting started
01 Find Middle C on the right hand
With your right hand, locate three white keys in the middle of the piano
surrounding two black keys. Place your thumb on the leftmost of these keys; this
is Middle C. To the right are D, E, F and G. If you have a full-sized 88 - key keyboard,
Middle C is the 2 4th white key you’ll count from left to right (the fourth C).02 Play a right-hand melody
Once you’ve found where Middle C is, you can have a go at your first basic
melody. Try the following tune, which is the first line of Mary Had A Little Lamb,
and see how you get on: E-D-C-D-E-E-E-D-D-D-E-E-E. Once you’ve mastered
that, see if you can work out the rest.O
nce you’ve perfected your posture in
our previous tutorial, you’re almost
ready to start playing the piano. The
next step is to learn the names of the
white keys, where the different keys are located, and
how to remember them.
The white piano keys are known as the natural
keys, because they sound a natural note as opposed
to the sharps and flats of the black notes, which we’ll
explain in the next section.
The first thing you’ll want to do is find Middle C. In
the centre of the piano you should see three white
keys surrounding two black keys. The furthest left of
these three keys is Middle C. As a starting point for
beginners put the index finger of your right hand on
this key. From here you should find it comfortable
to press the keys above Middle C. Now do the same
with your left hand, this time pressing the keys
below Middle C.There are seven natural notes on a piano: C, D, E,
F, G, A, B. You’ll notice that the pattern of two black
keys surrounded by three white keys then three
black keys surrounded by four white keys repeats
itself several times up the keyboard. The keys run
in alphabetical order from A to G. The three white
notes surrounding the two black keys are C, D, and
E, and the four white notes surrounding the three
black keys are F, G, A and B. So, if you count eight
keys right from Middle C (or, indeed, eight keys left)
you’ll be back at C. The musical distance between
these two notes is what’s known as an octave.Learn the
white keys
Understand the natural keys on your piano or keyboard before you start
Your first melodies Learn to play two basic melodies with these steps
“The white keys are known as the natural keys,
because they sound a natural note as opposed
to the sharps and flats of the black notes”