Basic Music Theory: How to Read, Write, and Understand Written Music

Basic Music Theory

From there it’s easy to fill in the rest of the note names, like so:

Example 20.2 Piano keyboard with natural notes named.

Flat Notes on the Keyboard

Any black key directly to the left of a white key is a flat note (remember

to the left is lower). The note’s name is derived from the natural note. So

the black key just to the left of the A, is A flat. The black key directly to

the left of the D is D flat. And so on.

Due to the limited space, I’ll use the symbol for flat (b) next to the letter

name instead of the word flat.

Example 20.3 Piano keyboard with natural notes and flat notes.

CDEFG A B CDE

Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb

C D EFGABCDE