How to Label Keys on a Musical Keyboard

While the letter-name system of western music notation is easy to understand in theory, remembering which key on the piano corresponds with which note name can be tricky for a beginning pianist. Temporarily labeling the keys on the piano can be a useful learning tool, but care should be taken for accuracy and to avoid damaging the keys or interfering with playing.

Instructions

1. Consider labeling your keys with note names. Eventually, a new pianist must learn to recognize the keys based on their positioning in relation to the groups of two and three black keys, but when starting out, letter name labels will help this learning process. Eventually, this system can be modified so that only a few keys are labeled (for example, every C and G key) and the student is left to recall the names of the keys in between. Be sure to label all black keys with both their sharp and flat note names.

2. Consider labeling your keys with colored dots. This teaching method requires more of the student's memory. Each key can be labeled, with each letter note name getting its own color, or only a few notes can be labeled (as in Step 1). Cut small dots or squares from colored construction paper or use colored markers.

3. Consider labeling your keys with pictures of the corresponding note on the staff. This system is good for assisting a student's familiarity with reading notation. Create small images of a five-line staff, each with the correct note. If you have difficulty doing this by hand, you can use a computer, either by printing from some notation software (see free software links below) or creating a staff in an image editing program. Alternately, cut appropriate sections of staff out of old sheet music.

4. Attach your labels to your keyboard. Cut squares of clear tape that are slightly larger than the paper labels and attach them to the keys, placing the labels in the middle of the key rather than the bottom to avoid getting in the way of the student's fingers. Note-name labels can be written directly on keys using a permanent marker, though this method is not advisable with keys that aren't made of plastic, as the ink will be more difficult to remove.

5. Remove the labels later. When the student has learned enough to be weaned off the labels, remove them carefully. Use nail polish remover to rid the keyboard of any traces of ink and tape residue.