by gematrium
Many of us have been exposed to music as part of our school curriculum. We learned about do-re-mi and the different types of notes, such as whole notes, half notes, and so on. We were also taught about the Treble Clef or G-clef and the Bass or F-clef. As second graders, we may have learned the basic music theories and become familiar with FACE and the Every Good Boy Does Fine notes on the staff. If not, let me refresh your memory.
The black notes on the lines or spaces of the grand staff (Treble Clef and Bass Clef) represent the tones on a piano. The letters F, A, C, and E fall on the four spaces of the Treble Clef (the upper five lines) in that order. F occupies the first space at the bottom, and E occupies the last space at the top. So we have F for the note fa, A for la, C for do, and E for mi.
Next, the phrase “Every Good Boy Does Fine” corresponds to the lines. The first line is E or mi, G is sol, B is ti, D is re, and F is fa. Therefore, the basic do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti notes are represented by the tones C-D-E-F-G-A-B in order.
A piano keyboard consists of 88 keys or notes, with 7 sets or octaves starting with the A tone on the left or the lowest octave and a C tone on the right or the highest octave. The “middle C,” as the name suggests, is located at the very center of the keyboard. It is the 40th note if you count all the keys on the piano, both black and white, starting from the lowest end or the left end of the keyboard. So, all the notes on the Treble Clef or G-clef of a music piece fall on the right side of the middle C on the piano, while all the notes on the Bass Clef or F-clef fall on the left side of the middle C.
It is also important to remember that all the natural notes are played on the white keys of the piano, while sharps (#) and flats (b) in your music piece are played on the black keys. If it’s a sharp, you play the black key to the right, and if it’s a flat, you play the black key to the left. These are the basics you should know even before starting exercises on the piano itself.
Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME