Notes on the piano

C
A0B0C1C1D1E1F1G1A1B1C2C2D2E2F2G2A2B2C3C3D3E3F3G3A3B3C4C4D4E4F4G4A4B4C5C5D5E5F5G5A5B5C6C6D6E6F6G6A6B6C7C7D7E7F7G7A7B7C8C8A♯0C♯1D♯1F♯1G♯1A♯1C♯2D♯2F♯2G♯2A♯2C♯3D♯3F♯3G♯3A♯3C♯4D♯4F♯4G♯4A♯4C♯5D♯5F♯5G♯5A♯5C♯6D♯6F♯6G♯6A♯6C♯7D♯7F♯7G♯7A♯7

Tap any key to hear it. The keyboard opens on middle C (C4).

Where is C on the piano?

A full 88-key piano has 8 keys that play C: C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8.

Middle C is C4 – the fourth C from the left on an 88-key piano, usually right under the brand name. The A above it (A4) is the 440 Hz tuning reference.

The piano repeats the same pattern of 12 keys – 7 white and 5 black – from A0 at the far left to C8 at the far right. Each white key is a natural note (C D E F G A B); each black key is a sharp of the white key to its left and a flat of the one to its right. C is always the white key just left of a group of two black keys.

More note finders

How do I find C on the piano?

Look for the groups of two black keys: the white key directly to their left is always C. The one nearest the middle of the keyboard is middle C (C4).

What do the numbers after the note mean?

They are scientific octave numbers. Each octave starts on C: C4 is middle C, the B just below it is B3. A4, the A above middle C, is tuned to 440 Hz.

How many keys does a piano have?

A full piano has 88 keys: 52 white and 36 black, from A0 to C8 – just over seven octaves.