All pianos have the same number of white keys and black keys in the same order. There are various types of pianos. You have the uprights, the spinets, the baby grand and the grand. Tone is important for a piano, and the grand has the best tone with the baby grand second, then the spinet and finally the upright. When you first start, the tone of your piano doesn't matter. It does matter if you are performing, though.
On a piano keyboard you will see white keys and black and white keys. You will learn the white keys first. In fact, the first key you will learn is Middle C. Find the center of the keyboard and put your finger on the first white key. This is Middle C. The note C appears several times on the keyboard. Count eight keys including Middle C and you will find another C note. Those eight keys make up an octave. Continue counting eight keys to find all the C's on the right. Now take your left hand and count backwards from Middle C to the eighth key that is also a C note. Count another octave to the next C and finally go to the last C note. The C notes on the right are called treble notes and the ones on the left are called bass notes.
Now open your piano book and see the picture of the keyboard on the first page. Match the C notes you found to the ones in the picture. Now take your right hand and place your thumb sideways on Middle C. Push your thumb down until you hear a sound. Your index finger is free, so press that on the white part of the note next to C. This note is called D. Look at the picture of the keyboard and match it. Press the key down and hear the sound of D. Take your middle finger and press the next key, E. Go back to C and press each note one after the other: CDE. Practice playing each one with the same amount of pressure to make it sound as smooth as possible. Play CDE three times. Now play EDC and press C twice. You have just played a song! It is called "Birthday Party." This is the first song most students learn to play.
Go back to C and play the first three keys. From now on, keys will be called notes. A note is the sound the key makes and you will see them in your piano book. Turn the page and see the first three notes for "Birthday Party." See what looks like an S? This is the treble clef. The clef tells you which hand you are using. This song only uses the right hand or treble clef. The first note matches C. It has an oval with a line through it and is under the first line.
Next to it is the D note followed by E. Now place your fingers on the C note and play "Birthday Party" again using only the notes in the book. You are playing the piano!
Now let's learn the rest of the octave. You are going to move your thumb underneath your hand to play F. Go back to C and play CDEF. Using your index finger press the next note, G. Play CDEFG. The next note A is played with your index finger. Play the next note, B with your fourth finger and the next note, C with your pinkie. You have played all the notes in the octave. Start at Middle C and play CDEFG. Remember to move your thumb under your hand to play F.
Learning to play with your left hand is easy. You place your left thumb on Middle C. You are going to play the same notes we played, only backwards. Play C then put your index finger on the next note, B. The note after that is A. Put your middle finger on A and play it. Moving your thumb underneath your hand press G with the side of your thumb. Continue with the next note, F using your index finger, E with your middle finger, D with your fourth finger and finally C with your pinkie. You have played all the notes in the octave in the bass clef.
Look at your piano book and see the keyboard. Go back and practice what you just learned. Starting at Middle C with your left hand play the octave. Remember when you get to G you need to move your thumb underneath your hand. This will let you use your index finger for F and so on.. You know both the right and the left hands now. Look at the music in your book, Find the treble clef. Then look underneath it. You will see a backwards C called the bass clef. Take both thumbs and place them side by side on Middle C. Keep your hands raised a little and starting with your right hand play all the notes in the octave. Keep your right hand on the keyboard and play all the notes on the left hand. When you have practiced playing the octaves enough separately put the hands together and starting with the thumbs play the octaves. You will be playing the left hand backwards. Practice this until you can play smoothly. Next time you will be able to learn a piece using both hands. The more you practice the better you will play.