One of the most important things to learn in music is the names of the notes. This allows for musicians to communicate with one another, and provides a foundation for more complex topics like scale and chord construction. Resources on this page will help familiarize you with where notes are located on a piano keyboard and how they are written using musical notation.
You can either scroll down this page, or click one of the following links to jump to a particular resource:
The embedded website below is an article titled "Music Note Names" from the website "Piano Keyboard Guide." It does an excellent job providing an overview of how musical notes are arranged on both musical notation and a piano keyboard. Lots of important musical terminology is also discussed such as "ledger lines," "accidentals," and various lengths of notes, which will be helpful for future musical development.
Citation:
Cazaubon, M. (n.d.). Music Note Names. Piano Keyboard Guide. https://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/music-note-names.html
The image to the right is an excellent summary of where the natural (no sharps or flats) notes are located on both the treble clef and the keys of a piano. This is an excellent resource to use as a reference. I'd also suggest trying to memorize it and draw it out with pencil and paper!
Citation:
Note Names [Infographic]. (n.d.). DaCapoAlCoda. https://www.dacapoalcoda.com/note-names
The video below is an excellent overview of the note names used in music and where they're located on musical staff notation. Both the treble and bass clefs are covered in this video, and there is some built-in practice. I'd suggest watching the video through once, and then going back and reviewing any aspects that are unclear.
Citation:
Calderón, L. (2020, April 2). Note Names [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOxgqQ3VZx4
The presentation below is a helpful step-by-step explanation of music reading notation. Click through at your own pace and review as needed. There are also some links contained within to other resources for practice and others that may prove entertaining and useful!
Citation:
Wozniczka, M. (n.d.). Reading Music Notation: Staff, Clef and Note Names [Google Slides]. Google Drive. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TOV__AgUgSINsYFdazPCvN968cjHoO57cR0fFbgui3o/present?slide=id.p
The website linked in the image to the right hosts a fun game to test your not identification abilities! When you start, choose either treble or bass clef. If you choose "beginner" mode, you'll just be asked to identify natural notes, but with a time limit. Challenge yourself and see how well you can do!
Citation:
Richman Music School. (n.d.). Name That Note - Online Music Flashcards. https://www.richmanmusicschool.com/products/name-that-note
Sometimes it's helpful to print things out and practice on paper. The document I've linked to <here> is a four page PDF document that introduces the note locations on both the Treble and Bass clefs. It also contains "blank" staves with exercises for writing in specific notes. Even if you don't print the document out, it's worth looking at for one more way of interacting with note identification concepts!
Citation:
Frayne, D. (2018). Treble and Bass Clef Introduction and Practice. Presto! It's Music Magic Publications. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b1f56848ab722d5e4f7b305/t/5d4733b81c7ed700016fd31d/1564947393870/Treble+and+Bass+Clef+Beg+Intro+and+Practice.pdf
