Pianos and Keyboard Instruments Key Terms

Learn the lingo of pianos and keyboard instruments

By Andrea Townsley

Becoming a professional at playing pianos and keyboard instruments takes practice and dedication. Knowing the proper terminology can help you become more familiar with your instrument and grasp the practical aspect of it better, enabling you to learn more, and at a faster rate. It will also help you appear more knowledgeable around other professionals, which can enhance your networking opportunities. Here are some pianos and keyboard instruments key terms to help you get started.

Octave

An octave is separated by eight white keys on the piano keyboard. An octave starts and ends with the same note, each at a different pitch.
Try: Piano Finders explains how to properly identify the different keys, such as middle C vs. C3, which are exactly one octave apart.

Scales

Scales are the basis for playing all pianos and keyboard instruments. They consist of a series of notes that sound "right" together. There are several types of scales, including the major scale and a variety of minor scales. Scales are great tools for practicing dexterity and keyboard skills.
Try: Learn the structure of the different types of scales at Free Online Piano Lessons.

Sharps and flats

Sharps and flats are the black keys on a keyboard, each representing a half step up (sharp) or down (flat) from a white key. There are five total black keys per octave, and some can be both sharps and flats. For example, C sharp can also be D flat. Sharps and flats also come into play when reading key signatures on sheet music, as they set the tone for the entire piece.
Try: Capistrano Elementary School has a thorough explanation of sharps, flats and key signatures.

Pedals

There are several types of pedals used with pianos and keyboards. The most commonly used pedal is known as the damper or sustain pedal, and allows notes to keep sounding after taking your hands off the keys. Most pianos have these pedals built in, and professional keyboards allow for plugging in electronic pedals.
Try: know-your-keyboard-piano.com provides an explanation for the different kinds of pedals.

Timbre

Timbre can be defined as the quality of a certain musical instrument, a quality that helps the human ear distinguish it from others. For example, most people will recognize a piano for a piano when they hear notes being played. Keyboard instruments, however, can be more difficult to distinguish, as they can be programmed to imitate different sounds.
Try: Find out more about timbre from Indiana University.

Synthesizer

Called a "synth" for short, synthesizers use preprogrammed tracks to provide beats and background melodies for music. They connect with a keyboard for user convenience and can imitate a wide variety of sounds.
Try: Gigasonic.com and innovativesynthesis.com both offer information on different types of synthesizers.