Piano Fundamentals Tutorial

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Learning Piano Fundamentals

• By
• Kimberlee Richardson-Gross

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• Upon completing this tutorial, parents will
• Be able to locate all seven notes of the music
  alphabet on the piano by sight at any given
  moment when practicing with their child at home
  with 100 accuracy.
• Learn the names of the lines and spaces on the
  treble and bass staves when helping their child
  learn to read music at home With a medium to high
  level of understanding .
• Successfully apply knowledge of note names and
  duration when helping their child learn a new
  song at home and perform each song rhythm with
  100 accuracy.

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4 beats 2 beats 1 beat ½ beat ¼
beat
Whole Half Quarter 8th 16th
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The staff is divided into measures by bar lines.
Each measure contains the same number of
beats throughout the song.
The top number tells how many The bottom
number tells what note beats are in each
measure. receives one beat.
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Here are examples of different time signatures.
Some are more common than others.
Here is an example of common time and what it
means for song meter.
Click here to practice or learn more about time
signature and meter. Practice 4/4 time , 3/4
time , or 2/4 time .
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Music is written on a staff. The treble clef and
bass clef on the staff will determine where the
notes on the piano are played.
Piano music is written on a grand staff. In most
cases, the right hand will play on the treble
staff, and the left hand will play on the bass
staff. The grand staff is separated by Middle C.
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Treble Clef lines
Treble Clef spaces
Treble Clef spaces
Think you know it? Take the quiz!
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Bass Clef lines
Bass Clef spaces
Think you know it? Take the quiz!
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Notes of the Music Alphabet are named using the
first seven letters of the alphabet.
A B C D E F G
After G, the Music Alphabet starts over at A and
continues up the piano. Below are the pneumonic
devices I use to teach your child the names of
the notes on the piano. The story is simple, but
effective.
When you are ready, click here and practice
finding all notes on the piano.
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The first hand position your child will learn is
C position. The fingers on each hand rest on the
notes, C, D, E, F, and G.
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The next hand position your child will learn is G
position. The fingers on each hand rest on the
notes, G, A, B, C, and D.
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The final hand position your child will learn is
Middle C position. The fingers on each hand rest
on the notes, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.
Notice that both thumbs rest on Middle C.
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Time to practice what you know!
Twinkle, Twinkle Love Somebody The
Donkey Rock Song Ode to Joy Lightly Row
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