Reading music guides
Free guides to reading piano music, written in the order Octotune teaches it: the keyboard and middle C, the treble and bass clefs from three landmark notes, ledger lines, rhythm, keys, chords and sight-reading, plus two guides for parents of young children.
These guides explain how to read piano music, in the order Octotune teaches it. Each one opens with the short answer, then explains, lists the common mistakes and gives a way to practise. Start at the top if you are new, or go straight to the question you have.
Start here
- How to read piano music: the whole route, from the first note to sight-reading.
- Landmark notes: read from middle C, treble G and bass F instead of counting from the bottom.
The keyboard
- Piano keyboard layout: find any note from the black keys.
- Where is middle C?: on the keys and on both staves.
- Finger numbers: 1 to 5 in each hand, and the five-finger position.
- Connect a MIDI keyboard: Chrome, Edge and Firefox, and what to do on an iPad.
Reading notes
- Treble clef notes: every line and space, E G B D F and F A C E.
- Bass clef notes: G B D F A, A C E G, and the F landmark.
- The grand staff: how the two staves meet at middle C.
- Steps, skips and leaps: reading by distance.
- Ledger lines: every note from C2 to C6, above and below both staves.
- Note mnemonics, and when to drop them: Every Good Boy Deserves Fun and friends.
Rhythm
- Note lengths: quarter, half, dotted half, whole and eighth notes.
- Rests and 3/4 time: counting silence, and three beats in a bar.
Keys, chords and reading at sight
- Key signatures: G and F major: F sharp and B flat.
- Triads and I, IV, V: chords as one shape.
- Sight-reading: look ahead, keep the beat, keep going.
For parents of young children
- Piano for toddlers: what a 2½-year-old can really learn, and how to practise at home.
- Colour-coded notes for children: why colours come before letters.
Each guide links to the unit of Octotune's adult path or Kids path that teaches it.
In the order to read them
- How to read piano music
- Piano keyboard layout
- Piano finger numbers
- Where is middle C?
- Treble clef notes
- Bass clef notes
- The grand staff
- Landmark notes: read without counting from the bottom
- Steps, skips and leaps
- Note lengths
- Rests and 3/4 time
- Ledger lines explained
- Key signatures: G major and F major
- Triads and the I, IV and V chords
- Sight-reading piano
- Note mnemonics, and when to drop them
- Connect a MIDI keyboard to your browser
- Piano for toddlers: what a 2½-year-old can learn
- Colour-coded notes for children