The piano has 88 keys, 52 white keys and 36 black keys.The white keys are labeled as C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. As you can see, the piano keeps on repeating with this pattern. The black keys are labeled as letters with a symbol to the right of them, either: # or ♭. The black keys each have two names for them. For instance, C# is the same as D♭.
Terms:
White keys - Refers to the white colored keys on the piano; they are labeled as C, D, E, F, G, A, and
B. They do not have a # or ♭ next to them.
Black keys - There are two names for each black key:
# - Sharp: Play the black key adjacent to the indicated white key on the right. For
instance, if a sharp (#) appears next to C, then you have to play C#, or
the black note to the right of C.
♭ - Flat: Play the black key adjacent to the indicated white key on the left. For
instance, if a flat (♭) appears next to D, then you have to play D♭, or the
black to the left of D.
Half step - The distance between two adjacent notes; this is NOT the distance between two white
keys (except for a few exceptions that will be explained below) or two black keys. A
half step is the distance between a white key and a black key. Sharps are always a half
step above (or to the right of) a white key, and flats are always a half step below (or to
the left of) a white key. That is why the name of a sharp is determined by the white key
to its left, and the name of a flat determined by the white key to its right.
Whole step - A whole step is the distance of two half steps. For example, the distance between C
and D is a whole step, because it requires two half steps to get from C to D (C to C# is
a half step, and C# to D is another half step). Whole steps are usually the distance
between two white or two black keys. The exceptions to that is the distance between
E♭ to F, and B♭ to C (the distance between E♭to F and B♭to C is a whole step).
Why there is no E#, B#, C♭, or F♭:
If you study the labeled keyboard above, you'll notice that there is no E#, B#, C♭, or F♭ labeled on the keyboard. That is because there is no black key between B to C and E to F. However, sometimes a piece of music will have you play E#, B#, C♭, or F♭. Recall the definition of a half step, sharps, and flats. If you observe the keyboard, you will realize that the distance between E to F and B to C is a half step. That means, E# is the half step above E, which is F. So E# is the same as F. The same applies to B#, C♭, and F♭. B# is a half step above B, which is C; C♭is a half step below C, which is B; and F♭is a half step below F, which is E.
Remember this:
E# is the same as F.
B# is the same as C.
C♭is the same as B.
F♭is the same as E.
Terms:
White keys - Refers to the white colored keys on the piano; they are labeled as C, D, E, F, G, A, and
B. They do not have a # or ♭ next to them.
Black keys - There are two names for each black key:
# - Sharp: Play the black key adjacent to the indicated white key on the right. For
instance, if a sharp (#) appears next to C, then you have to play C#, or
the black note to the right of C.
♭ - Flat: Play the black key adjacent to the indicated white key on the left. For
instance, if a flat (♭) appears next to D, then you have to play D♭, or the
black to the left of D.
Half step - The distance between two adjacent notes; this is NOT the distance between two white
keys (except for a few exceptions that will be explained below) or two black keys. A
half step is the distance between a white key and a black key. Sharps are always a half
step above (or to the right of) a white key, and flats are always a half step below (or to
the left of) a white key. That is why the name of a sharp is determined by the white key
to its left, and the name of a flat determined by the white key to its right.
Whole step - A whole step is the distance of two half steps. For example, the distance between C
and D is a whole step, because it requires two half steps to get from C to D (C to C# is
a half step, and C# to D is another half step). Whole steps are usually the distance
between two white or two black keys. The exceptions to that is the distance between
E♭ to F, and B♭ to C (the distance between E♭to F and B♭to C is a whole step).
Why there is no E#, B#, C♭, or F♭:
If you study the labeled keyboard above, you'll notice that there is no E#, B#, C♭, or F♭ labeled on the keyboard. That is because there is no black key between B to C and E to F. However, sometimes a piece of music will have you play E#, B#, C♭, or F♭. Recall the definition of a half step, sharps, and flats. If you observe the keyboard, you will realize that the distance between E to F and B to C is a half step. That means, E# is the half step above E, which is F. So E# is the same as F. The same applies to B#, C♭, and F♭. B# is a half step above B, which is C; C♭is a half step below C, which is B; and F♭is a half step below F, which is E.
Remember this:
E# is the same as F.
B# is the same as C.
C♭is the same as B.
F♭is the same as E.