How piano keys are named
Piano music uses just seven letters: A B C D E F G. The white keys repeat these letters from left to right, over and over. Each repeat of the pattern is called an octave, and the same letter one octave higher sounds like a higher version of the same note.
The black keys take their names from their neighbours. The black key just right of C is C♯ (C sharp), which is the same key as D♭ (D flat). There is no black key between E and F or between B and C.
Finding your way: groups of two and three
The black keys come in alternating groups of two and three. C is always the white key just left of a group of two black keys, and F is just left of a group of three. Once you can spot those two, you can find every other note.
Octave numbers and middle C
Each octave has a number, which changes at every C. The lowest key on a piano is A0 and the highest is C8. Middle C is C4, the C closest to the centre of the keyboard; on this site it is also the Q key of your computer keyboard.
One octave of piano keys
| Note | Key | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| C4 | White | 261.63 Hz |
| C♯4 / D♭4 | Black | 277.18 Hz |
| D4 | White | 293.66 Hz |
| D♯4 / E♭4 | Black | 311.13 Hz |
| E4 | White | 329.63 Hz |
| F4 | White | 349.23 Hz |
| F♯4 / G♭4 | Black | 369.99 Hz |
| G4 | White | 392.00 Hz |
| G♯4 / A♭4 | Black | 415.30 Hz |
| A4 | White | 440.00 Hz |
| A♯4 / B♭4 | Black | 466.16 Hz |
| B4 | White | 493.88 Hz |
Pitch doubles every octave: A4 is tuned to 440 Hz and A5 to 880 Hz. Neighbouring keys are a semitone apart, and twelve semitones make one octave.
How many keys does a piano have?
A standard piano has 88 keys: 52 white and 36 black, covering a little over seven octaves. Smaller digital keyboards often have 61 or 76 keys. This virtual piano shows all 88 on a wide screen.
Try it
- Find every C on the piano above, then every F.
- Play C, E and G together — that is a C major chord.
- Play the online piano using your keyboard, or learn an easy song note by note.