{"id":38363,"date":"2022-08-02T10:45:02","date_gmt":"2022-08-02T08:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latouchemusicale.com\/?p=38363"},"modified":"2023-02-23T17:17:21","modified_gmt":"2023-02-23T16:17:21","slug":"piano-notes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latouchemusicale.com\/en\/piano-notes\/","title":{"rendered":"Piano Notes: Reading, Timing, Patterns, Dynamics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What is a piano note?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Definition and generalities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A piano note is first and foremost a symbol that is affixed to a document (called a \u201cscore\u201d) and whose purpose is to represent the two main components of a sound: its duration and its pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The piano note is the very foundation of music theory and music theory. Everything is based on it. It determines the way to play, the velocity, the duration, the nuances, the rhythm, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It allows any musician who knows how to decipher it to be able to play it right away on the instrument, including the piano. It also allows to write music. Widely used by composers, the piano note offers an ineffaceable trace of the work and is reproducible by other musicians who know how to read it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Composition of a piano note<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The anatomy of a note is composed of three parts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 \u2013 The head<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2 \u2013 The stem<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 \u2013 The flag<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These three elements determine a lot about the nature of the note, which we will see towards the end of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"piano
Anatomy of a piano note.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The concepts of scores and staves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Piano notes are most often associated with the concepts of score and staff. To read the notes on piano sheet music<\/span><\/a>, one must first know the concept of a staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contemporary music notation is called staff notation. It is characterized by a set of five horizontal lines and four spaces, each representing a different musical pitch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Musical symbols (such as piano notes) are placed on the staff in different places according to their pitch and function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"score
Example of a score with staff and piano notes.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Notes on the staff can be placed either on the lines or between the lines, i.e. in white spaces. Their location indicates the precise note you should play when it appears on the staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are piano notes important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some people will tell you that knowing how to read notes on sheet music is not essential to play music. And it is true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many famous artists (John Lennon, Hans Zimmer, Jimmy Hendrix) were self-taught and did not know how to read piano notes. This did not stop them from learning the instrument quickly. But you should know that if you don\u2019t do this, you will find yourself limited in your learning quite quickly. There are several reasons for this. We will explain them to you below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can play whatever you want<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Imagine that you could read piano notes. You could take any sheet music of the song you wanted, and play it right away on your instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as you can read a text in front of you, you could play the song just as easily. Compared to a learning method that works with memory, this is a huge time saver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can write down what you play<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Have you ever made up a tune in your head and hummed it? If so, you have already composed your own song! When it comes to music composition, knowing how to read (and therefore write) series of piano notes is fundamental. Why? Simply because you can write down your song to make sure you never forget it and so that other pianists can also perform it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But writing a song on a score with notes is also a way to structure your work. It is as if you had to imagine a text that you invented without writing it down. When you write, you are constantly reminded of the previous sentences you have written to help you build the rest of the story. With music composition, it\u2019s exactly the same thing. Writing the song helps you structure it and give it its full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You speak the same language as the other musicians<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you speak the same language as the people you are talking to, you can understand them and they can understand you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can read a score, you can discuss and debate with other musicians. In this way, you can benefit from the advice of your peers in order to progress or even help others progress by giving your own advice. Playing the piano is not only an activity, it is also a community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"read
Knowing how to decipher piano notes allows you to play any piece.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The names of the piano notes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the music notation system, each note has a specific name, which can vary from country to country. Indeed, the English speaking system does not have the same notation as the Latin system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The English speaking countries (United States, England, \u2026) use the oldest names of the piano notes, using the first letters of the alphabet and inspired by Antiquity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Latin countries (France, Italy, \u2026) use a more recent system to name the notes, inspired by Latin songs from the middle ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To familiarize yourself with the names of the notes and their international correspondences, you can consult the following table:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

English notation<\/strong><\/td>Latin notation<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
C<\/td>Do<\/td><\/tr>
D<\/td>R\u00e9<\/td><\/tr>
E<\/td>Mi<\/td><\/tr>
F<\/td>Fa<\/td><\/tr>
G<\/td>Sol<\/td><\/tr>
A<\/td>La<\/td><\/tr>
B<\/td>Si<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The location of notes on a piano keyboard<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before we get to the heart of the matter and discuss the music notation system, it is important to know how to find your way around a piano. We will briefly look at the location of the different notes on a keyboard. This way, you will be able to play them more easily on your piano when you know how to read a score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The white keys<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with the simplest: the white keys. On a \u201cclassical\u201d piano, there are 88 piano notes. Each note produces a specific sound. However, there are only 7 note names for the white keys: C, D, E, F, G, A and B. Once we get to B, the next white key is C. And this recommends next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can locate C by looking at the black keys on the piano. You can see that the black keys are made up of groups of two or three:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"black
The black keys on a piano keyboard.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

C is the white key that is always to the left of a group of two black keys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"c
C is always to the left of the groups of two black keys.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know how to find the note C on the piano, all you have to do is move up one more white key each time to find D, then one more key to find E, and so on until you reach the C on the right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"piano
The notes on a piano keyboard.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The black keys<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know how to identify the piano notes affiliated with the white keys of the piano, you also need to know what the black keys are. You should know that there are two main names given to the black keys, depending on whether you are \u201cgoing down\u201d (right to left) or \u201cgoing up\u201d (left to right) on the piano. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sharp notes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We call the black keys \u201csharps\u201d when we go up on the piano, that is to say when we play notes more and more to the right of the piano one after the other. In this type of movement (called \u201cascending\u201d), the black keys are sharps and are written #.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sharps are always associated with a note of a white key: C, D, E, F, G, A or B. We speak of C sharp (or C#), D sharp (D#), \u2026 In an ascending movement, the black key (sharp) will always have the name of the white note to its left. For example, in a group of two black keys, the left black key will be named C# since the white key on its left is the note C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"c
C sharp on a piano in the ascending movement.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This rule is then always the same for all the notes of the piano. The black keys in sharp (ascending scale) will always have the name of the white key to their left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"sharp
The sharp notes on a piano in the ascending movement.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The flat notes<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We call the black keys \u201cflats\u201d notes when we descend on the piano, that is, when we play notes further and further to the left of the piano in succession. In this type of movement (called \u201cdescending\u201d), the black keys are therefore flats and are written\u266d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with sharps, flats are always associated with a note on a white key: C, D, E, F, G, A or B. We speak of D flat (or D\u266d), E flat (E\u266d), \u2026 In a descending movement, the black (flat) key will always be named after the white note to its right. For example, in a group of three black keys, the left black key will be named G\u266d since the white note to its right is the note G.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"g
G flat on a piano in the descending movement.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As with sharps, note that this rule is then always the same for all notes on the piano. The black keys in flat (descending scale) will always have the name of the white key located to their right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"flat
The flat note on a piano in the descending movement.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Piano notation: knowing how to find your way on the score<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you know how to identify notes on a piano keyboard, we will now look at the piano basics<\/span><\/a> notation on a score. We will mainly talk about the constitution of a score: where are the hands, the different types of notes, the spaces, the middle C, \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are very basic notions but very useful to start reading piano notes on a score and to play some notes on the piano (or other instruments) in the best conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hands on staff<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the score, the first step is to identify where the hands are located. Indeed, each hand will have its own space on the score and you will be able to easily differentiate the notes you will have to play with the left hand from those of the right hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"hands
Identify the hands on a score.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the score, you can see that there are two different staves, each composed of 5 lines. The upper staff is called the treble clef and is usually played with the right hand. The lower staff is called the bass clef and is usually played with the left hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"treble
Top of the staff: treble clef for right hand notes.
Bottom of the staff: bass clef for the notes of the left hand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you want to start by working only on the right hand of a song, then you should focus only on the notes in the treble clef (top staff).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The middle C<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To help you find your way around the staff and identify the notes to be played, you should first focus on identifying middle C. Finding middle C is very important for orientation on a piano keyboard. The same is true for the score. Middle C gives you a reference point that will help you identify the position of the other piano notes on the staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Middle C is in the center of the score, between the two staves, on an imaginary line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"middle
Middle C is the note between the two staves.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is the scale of C major in the key of G. We took this example because it is a simple illustration of what we mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, when you start reading piano scores and deciphering the notes on them, the best way to orient yourself is to always start with middle C. This will make it easier to play the following notes or piano chords<\/span><\/a>. This will make it easier for you to play the following notes or piano chords. Now that you have your first guide, let\u2019s see how to identify the other notes on the staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The location of the piano notes on the staff<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Being able to identify the notes on the staff of a score is to begin to master the basics of music theory. It is therefore a very important knowledge that you need to acquire in order to progress very quickly in the musical theory and the practice of your instrument (piano, guitar, flute, \u2026).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pitch of the notes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

On the staff, notes can be located either on a line or between lines, in white spaces. The head of the note (the black ball) indicates its actual position on the staff. The higher the note is on the staff, the higher its pitch will be. More concretely, imagine that you have your score placed on your piano. The higher the note is on the staff lines, the more you will have to move your hand to the right of the piano keyboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you move one note up on the right side of your piano, you move one level up on the staff. Note that a level can be a line or an empty space. For example, if you want to do E \u2013 F \u2013 G, the E will be on the first line of the staff, the F will be on the blank space just above it and the G will be on the second line of the staff:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"e
The piano notes E – F – G on a staff.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For a more comprehensive presentation of this pitch system, you can refer to the diagrams below. These four diagrams show the position of each piano note on the staff for the treble and bass clefs. You will notice, as explained above, that every other note is on a line of the staff. Similarly, every other note is located in the spaces between the lines, i.e. in the white spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the treble clef, this gives :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"location
Treble clef: the sequence of notes C – E – G – B – D – F – A – C is found on the staff lines.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"location
Treble clef: the sequence of notes D – F – A – C – E – G – B is found in the line spaces of the staff.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For the bass clef, it is :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"bass
Bass clef: the sequence of notes C – E – G – B – D – F – A – C is found on the staff lines.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"bass
Bass clef: the sequence of notes D – F – A – C – E – G – B is found in the line spaces of the staff.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These diagrams are presented as an illustration and allow you to have a better idea of the location of each note on the staff. They also allow you to better understand the pitch system through the \u201clines\u201d and \u201cspaces\u201d levels. On the other hand, if we remove all the notes and leave only one of them, you will inevitably have difficulty identifying it at first, and this is quite normal. This is why there are different techniques in music theory to help you identify the notes on the score more easily (and quickly).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identify notes from middle C<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To facilitate our understanding, we will concentrate in the following example only on the treble clef (the right hand). Let\u2019s play all the notes starting from middle C on the score. Remember to always start with middle C to orient yourself on the staff (at least at the beginning of your learning of piano notes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"c
The notes C – D – E – F – G – A – B on a staff.
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s look at the beginning of this sequence of notes. We notice that our middle C is two levels below the first line. The note D is one level below the first line. Finally, as we saw above, the note E is the note on the first line of the staff. You can use this sequence C \u2013 D \u2013 E as a reference point for the sequence of notes and their position in the staff. For your information, the orientation (up or down) of the note tails is not important. To identify the notes, only their \u201chead\u201d counts and the logic will always remain the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To better understand the notes on a score, we also suggest you to watch the very good video tutorial Reading Sheet Music (Key Signatures, Time Signatures, Rhythm, Notes and rests) :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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