In Western music, a scale is a progression of pitches within an octave. The scale is the basic building block of musical composition. The pitches of a scale are separated by whole steps or half-steps. There are two categories of scales: Major scales and minor scales. The difference between the two kinds of scales is the location of the half-steps in each scale. In the major scale, the half-notes occur between pitches 3 and 4, and pitches 7 and 8. In the natural minor scale, the half-steps occur between pitches 2 and 3, and 5 and 6. (There are harmonic and melodic minor scales, but we will not discuss those here.) What’s more, there is a scale for every black and white key within a keyboard octave. When a composer writes music, he writes in a particular key, which is based on a scale. For example, a sonata in the key of F major is based on the F major scale. Consequently, learning scales will help you learn musical pieces more easily. In addition, playing scales will be an important part of your piano practice, as it enhances facility.
An octave is an interval of eight tones. For example, the distance between middle C, which is nearly at the middle of your piano keyboard, and the C above middle C is one octave.
Your piano keyboard consists of black keys and white keys. The black keys represent sharps and flats. Every full-size keyboard includes 52 white keys and 36 black keys. If you elect to practice on a smaller keyboard, you will find a smaller number of keys.
The time signature is notated at the beginning of any written piece of music. The time signature is important because it tells you how many beats each measure will contain. For example, a 4/4 time signature is among the most common. This time signature denotes four beats to a measure; each beat is measured by one quarter note. So, in a 4/4 time signature piece, you might find in each measure one whole note, two half notes, four quarter notes, eight eighth notes, or any combination of these note types in each measure, that represents a value of four quarter notes. You will not find more than four quarter-note beats in any measure. The 3/4 time signature (the signature for a waltz) indicates three quarter-note beats to a measure. The time signature also tells you the type of note on which it is based. For example, a piece with a time signature of 3/8 will require three eighth-note beats per measure.
The key signature appears at the beginning of every line of any printed musical composition. The key signature is a set of sharp or flat symbols that correspond to the sharps and flats of the scale on which the composition is based. For example, a piece written in F major will include a key signature of a B-flat symbol because the key of F major includes only B-flat. On the other hand, a key signature that represents A major will include three sharp symbols representing F-sharp, C-sharp, and G-sharp. Compositions written in the key of C major or A minor will include no sharp or flat symbols because those scales include no sharps or flats.