Basic Piano Keyboard Layout

Here's a simple diagram of the piano keyboard layout. As you may have noticed, this pattern of keys repeats itself up and down the piano keyboard, which should help you feel better about learning to play! Yes, you'll need to learn to play with both hands and multiple fingers, but it's best to break the keyboard down into its most basic components and learn them one at a time.

What About The Black Keys?

A "half step" is the smallest unit of measure on the piano keyboard. The distance from C to the black key just to its right is a half step, as is the distance from E to F. Got it?

The black keys are represented by sharps (#) and flats (b) applied to the "white key" notes. A sharp sign raises the pitch one half step - either to the black key just to the right (as in C# or D#) or, if there is no black key, to the next white key (as in E#, which is actually F).

A flat sign lowers the pitch one half step, to the nearest black key (as in Db or Eb) or white key (as in Fb, which is actually E).

Here's a diagram that should help explain things: