Keyboard basics (part 2) - Black Keys

Yesterday we took some time to learn about the keys of the keyboard.

How many different notes are there?

Which ones have we learned so far?

So, today, we're going to talk a little bit about the remaining notes - the ones on the black keys.

The black keys don't have their own letters like the white keys do (ABCDEFG). Instead, the black keys are named by where they are in relation to the white keys.

A black key that is to the right of a white key is called a sharp.

A black key that is to the left of a white key is called a flat.

Here are the symbols of sharps and flats:
Here is what they look like on an actual keyboard:
What do you notice about each of the black keys?

OK, here is the important thing about black keys:

Black keys each have two names because they are always to the right of one white key and to the left of another.

Confused? It's actually not so tricky. Think about it...

There is black key in between F and G. If you're going up from F, then it is called F sharp. If you're going down from G, then it is called G flat.

Simple right? Prepare yourself Thursday for the Major Scale!