Seven letters, repeating forever
The white keys are named with seven letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. After G the sequence starts again at A. There is no H, and every octave uses the same seven names.
- C sits immediately left of the group of two black keys
- F sits immediately left of the group of three
- From either landmark you can count to any other white key
The black keys are sharps and flats
Each black key takes the name of the white key below it raised a semitone, shown with a sharp sign (#), or the white key above it lowered a semitone, shown with a flat sign (b).
So the black key between C and D is both C# and Db โ same key, two names. Which name you use depends on the key you are playing in, not on the sound.
Octaves, and why middle C matters
The distance from one C to the next C is an octave, and notes an octave apart share a name and sound like the same note at a different height.
Middle C is the C nearest the centre of the keyboard and the usual starting point for beginners. On most piano keyboards it is labelled, which makes it the quickest anchor for finding every other note.
Name the keys as you play them
Turn the note labels on, play a slow scale, and say each name out loud as you press the key. Saying it is what moves the name from the screen into memory.
Then turn the labels off and test yourself: find every C on the keyboard, then every F, then play C to C naming each note. Three minutes a day is enough.