The Musical Alphabet

Meet the Seven Note Names

The musical alphabet contains these seven letters:

A · B · C · D · E · F · G

That’s all you need to remember for now.

After G, the alphabet returns to A. This happens again and again as you move across the piano keyboard.

The Note Names Repeat

In the previous lesson, you discovered that groups of two and three black keys repeat across the keyboard. The white-key names repeat too.

A section of the keyboard looks like this:

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B

When you reach B, the next white key is C, and the sequence begins again.

This is why a piano has several C keys, several D keys, several E keys, and so on. They have the same letter name but are found in different parts of the keyboard.

For now, focus only on the white keys. We will learn about the names of the black keys later.

Use the Black Keys as Landmarks

You don’t need to memorize every white key separately. The black keys you learned about in Lesson 01.1 can help you find the white-key names.

Start with a group of two black keys.

The white key immediately to the left of a group of two black keys is C.

From C, simply follow the musical alphabet:

C → D → E

These three white keys sit around the group of two black keys.

Then look at a group of three black keys.

The white key immediately to its left is F. Continue through the alphabet:

F → G → A → B

Together, the two patterns give you:

Then the pattern begins again with C.

A useful shortcut

You can therefore think of the keyboard as two easy groups:

C – D – E → around the group of two black keys

F – G – A – B → around the group of three black keys

This is much easier than trying to memorize the position of every white key individually.

Try It: Find C

Look at your piano or keyboard.

Find a group of two black keys, then find the white key immediately to the left of that group.

That’s C.

Now find another group of two black keys somewhere else on the keyboard. Again, look immediately to its left.

You have found another C.

Try to find every C you can see on your keyboard.

Find C on the Keyboard

Try It: Find F

Now use the other black-key pattern.

Find a group of three black keys. The white key immediately to the left of that group is F.

Find several groups of three black keys across your keyboard and locate the F beside each one.

Find the Other Notes

Once you know C and F, the remaining notes become much easier.

Starting from C:

C → D → E

Starting from F:

F → G → A → B

You don’t have to guess. Find your landmark first and then count through the musical alphabet.

For example, if you want to find E:

1. Find a group of two black keys.
2. Find C immediately to the left.
3. Move through C → D → E.

To find A:

1. Find a group of three black keys.
2. Find F immediately to the left.
3. Move through F → G → A.

This is an important habit: use patterns rather than trying to memorize isolated keys.

Try It on Your Own Keyboard

If you have a piano or keyboard nearby, try this without looking at a diagram.

First, find:

3 different C keys

Then find:

3 different F keys

Now choose one C and move to the right while saying:

C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C

Try it again from another C.

Finally, choose random white keys and see whether you can work out their names using the nearby groups of black keys.

Don’t worry about speed. At this stage, getting the answer right is much more important than getting it quickly.

Say the Musical Alphabet

Knowing the letters in order will make future lessons much easier.

Say aloud:

A – B – C – D – E – F – G

Now start at C:

C – D – E – F – G – A – B

And try starting at F:

F – G – A – B – C – D – E

For an extra challenge, say the musical alphabet backwards:

G – F – E – D – C – B – A

You don’t need to be fast. The goal is simply to become comfortable moving through the seven letters.

Quick Practice: What Comes Next?

Quick Check

Great work! You now know the seven letters of the musical alphabet and how they repeat across the piano keyboard.

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