Music Theory is easy to learn.

It uses just seven letters of the English alphabet. They are A – B – C- D- E – F – G. Then start all over again and again! Those are all the white keys. The black ones are the sharps and flats. We’ll discuss them a bit later.

But the black keys play a huge role in helping us locate the notes and letters on the piano. Look carefully at the black keys. What do you see?

Yes…they do have a pattern. They are in groups of two and three. This helps us find C and F. We call them landmarks. Seated in the middle at the piano or keyboard, look for the name. It will be in the center of the piano. Just below it, there will be a group of two black keys. The white key directly to the left is C. This one is called Middle C. There are other C’s to the left of two black note groupings to the right and left of middle C.

Count them. That is your first landmark.

Now…look at the group of three black keys immediately to the right of the two black keys that found Middle C. The white note immediately to the left of the three black notes is is F. No, it isn’t called Mddle F. It is just F, like all the others.

F is your second landmark. Find F up and down the piano beside each three note group.

You can now begin at the left or bottom and play every white key till you reach the top or right. Listen how the tone changes from low to high as you play. Use any finger or fingers, this is just “playing around.” (Pun intended.)

As a beginner, you will be concentrating on the notes around middle C.

The right hand will play C – D – E – F – G, with fingers 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5. Thumb is 1, pointer finger is 2, middle finger is 3, ring finger is 4, pinky finger is 5.

Do that first. Get the feel of it. Become really comfortable with it. That is your first playing warm-up exercise. Place each finger carefully and securely on each key as it is played. Speed is of no matter. You are getting to know the piano. Doing it slowly at first helps very much.

Your fingers need to be exercised, just like the muscles of your body. Athletes warm up before playing their sport and keyboard players need to warm up their fingers. There are tiny muscles and tendons in each finger that need special warm up attention.

Moving on the the left hand. Place your thumb on Middle C. Yes, Middle C does double duty for this exercise. Play C – B – A – G – F with fingers 1 – thumb, 2 – pointer finger, 3 -middle finger, 4 ring finger, 5 – pinky finger. Then return back to C.

Play each exercise three times to warm up and get comfortable with the piano. After a while, experiment with the low C’s and the high C’s. It is fun getting to hear the various high and low sounds made by the piano. If you are using a full keyboard with weighted keys, the sounds are similar, but the feeling will be a bit different.

Next time: clef signs, notes and rests!