Finding Middle C

Lesson

The keyboard's repeating pattern

Look at the black keys. They group in twos and threes, and the pattern repeats every seven white keys (every octave). Once you can find the groups, you can find any note.

Finding C — the anchor note

C is the white key immediately to the left of every group of two black keys. There are several Cs across the keyboard. The one near the middle is middle C — it's the home base of beginning piano.

From C, name the rest

Once you've found a C, the white keys ascend C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. The pattern repeats. The black keys are the sharps and flats — we'll get to them.

Try it on the widget below: click the white key just left of any group of two black keys. That's a C. Move up or down a key — that's D, or B.