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How to Learn the Name of Music Notes

Learning the names of the music notes is an essential part of becoming a musician. Identifying and remembering notes on a musical staff and on piano keyboard will allow you to play basic songs like "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Once you've mastered the note names, you can move on to more advanced musical concepts. Use this guide to get you started.

Things You'll Need

  • Piano or keyboard
  • Music staff paper
  • Pencil
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Instructions

    • 1

      Memorize the seven different names of the music notes. Western music uses only seven different note names -- A, B, C, D, E, F and G -- in scales. Every note played on an instrument is one of the above seven notes or a variation of those notes (reference 1). Say each of these note names aloud, starting with A and continuing through G.

    • 2

      Find a cluster of three black keys in the middle section of the keyboard. Place your right thumb on the white key between the middle and right black keys. Press down on this key and hold your finger in place. This is the A note. Place your right index finger on the white key to the right of A. This is the B note. Place your middle finger on the note to the right of B. This is the C note. Continue this process until you have played seven white notes. Repeat this step and say each note aloud as you play its key.

    • 3

      At the top of the sheet of staff paper are two groupings of lines. Focus on the top group of lines. Look at the second space from the bottom of this grouping. This is the A note as represented on a musical staff. Look at the black line directly above this space. This is the B note. Look at the space above that line. This is the C note. Continue moving up the lines and spaces until you have reached G.

    • 4

      Write the name of each note over the corresponding space or line on the staff. This will help you visualize the names of notes as you learn to read music.

Music Basics

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