Playing the piano helps to get you into a more musical mood and helps build a more solid connection with the music you are playing, even if you are using sheet music. It has been suggested by many piano masters that in order to learn how to play great sheet music you should learn how to play by ear as well. You never know when you’re going to need to improvise on a piece, and playing by ear comes in handy in many situations. Take the time to learn both to really be on the road to becoming a better piano player.

Introduction

The key to learning to play the piano is being able to recognize patterns.

Let’s take a look at our piano.

Do you see a pattern?

There are 3 black keys, a space, then 2 black keys,

a space, then

3 black keys, then a space, then 2 black keys and so on…

Now, in the middle of your piano locate 2 black keys. Place your right thumb on the white key that is to the left of the first black key.

Your right thumb now rests on the middle “C” key.

Piano keys are arranged in sets of 8, also called octaves, in order from A to G and then it begins to repeat.

Sharps & Flats

The black keys represent a sharp (♯) or flat (♭) key.

Moving in the right direction, the black keys become sharp notes.

For example, locate the black key in between the “C” and “D” keys.

Starting at middle C and moving towards the right, this key becomes C ♯.

Starting at D and moving towards the left, this key becomes D♭.

Whether the black key is flat or sharp depends on what scale you are playing in.

Scales

A scale is a series of notes that are played in ascending or descending order. There are 12 major scales that form the foundation for all other scales. Each key of the major scale begins and ends with its root note.

For example, the key of C begins and ends with the “C” note.

Major scales will contain either sharps or flats but not both at the same time. Many people use what is called the “Circle of Fifths” to help them remember what keys have flats or sharps.

Here, going clockwise you can see that the key of C has no sharps or flats. The key of G has 1 sharp (♯). “D” has 2 sharps. “A” has 3 sharps. “E” has 4 sharps. “B” has 5 sharps and “F♯” has 6 sharps. Going counter-clockwise you can see that the key of F has 1 flat (♭). “B♭” has 2 flats. “E♭” has 3 flats. “A♭” has 4 flats. “D♭” has 5 flats. “G♭” has 6 flats.

Sharps & Flats Playing Order

Now that you know how many sharps and flats each major scale has, let’s learn the order in which they are played.

Here is the order in which sharp notes are played.

Notice that E♯ is also the same as the F key. Here’s why . . .

You may have often heard of the formula that many use to determine the notes in a scale.

Whole step

Whole step

Half step

Whole step

Whole step

Whole step

Half step

For example, the F♯ major scale looks like this using this formula:

Whole steps follow the same rules as in math.

Therefore, 2 half steps will equal to 1 whole step.

1 whole = 2 half steps

Example: From C to D is equal to 1 whole step or 2 half steps.

From D to E is also equal to 1 whole step. From C♯ to D♯ is also a whole step.

However, from C to C♯ is equal to 1 half step. From C♯ to D is another half step.

Two consecutive notes equal 1 half step.

Remember, two half steps equal 1 whole step. Therefore, from F to G is a whole step. A to B is a whole step. Where do you end up after 1 whole step up from B?

Since there are no black keys between B and C, from B to C is a half step. We need one more half step to create a whole step. One more half step up from C takes us to C♯ or D♭depending upon the key (scale) that you are playing in.

To play E♯ in the F♯ scale, you move 1 half step up from E. Since there aren’t any black keys available, the F key becomes E♯.

This is because each scale contains all 8 alphabetic notes (the scale root key note is played twice). No two notes (except the root note) are repeated.

For example, take the F♯ scale.

Going in order of the alphabet from F you would have . . .

F G A B C D E F

Remember that in music, the scale begins to repeat after G.

The scale key of F♯ has 6 sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯

Instead of the looking like this . . .

F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ F F♯

The F♯ scale will look like this . . .

F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯

Learning to play the piano doesn’t mean you have to be born with talent nor do you have to be as young as your niece or grandchild. Anyone who has normal mental and physical abilities can teach himself to learn to play piano easily and succeed. Piano playing is as much a learned skill as it is a talent. If you can teach yourself the skill, you’re halfway there. Hope you learned.