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What do you call the keys? (or maybe I should say notes?) I know there is middle C, but it would seem that the 88 keys should all have unique names. The reason is that I have a new YC and want to record things that aren't quite right. You can get descriptive and say "E above C above middle C" but I expect there is some widely accepted naming scheme out there. I just haven't found it yet.

TIA - Maurice

Starting at the bottom. A0, A#0,B0,C1... middle C is C4 and so on. Others simply number them in order so middle c would be c40.

Starting at the Bass:

Frank
Ralph
Susan
Mike
George
Emily....

One of the finest children's teacher I've ever known teaches very young children about the notes using a story about a farm. In the barn, there's the cat, the dog, and the elephant. In the house is the father, the grandma, the aunt, and the brother. Most children can learn the name of the notes in about 3 minutes.

Maybe we should name the notes for contributers to the forum (like 'Steve', 'Larry', 'Iyi byr', 'Klavier Bauer', etc...), then when we disagree, we can say we have an out of tune string that needs a little work...

LOL Eric


As Paulo said, we technicians typically use a numbering scheme beginning at A0, and ending at C8. In tuning, there are no flats, so everything is sharp (A#, C#, not Bb Db, etc.)

The numbering of the octave changes at each C, so you begin with A0, and the fourth note on the keyboard is C1, the next C is C2, etc. on up to C8.

In Germany the notes themselves are a little different than here, and it doesn't go CDEFGAB. They actually have an H in there!

In music composition there is the "theme on BACH" which shows up in a lot of music as a tribute to the Master himself. With German notes, you can actually play a B, an A, a C, and an H and make a melody out of them... your own theme on Bach!

Hope that helps...

As a technician the key naming scheme goes from A0 to C8. As a designer the key naming scheme goes from A-1 to C-88. Just to confuse things....

Del

Then there's the scheme that starts AAA, AAA#, BBB, CC,..., C,..., c,...and goes to c5, with the 5 a superscript. The lowest note of an Imperial is CCC, then.

This is very funny. Here I am giving a concise answer to a given question, and almost automatically the thread heads into a different direction. I am french canadian and I often take things too literally (in english, of course). So on that note: do ré mi fa sol la si ....

Sorry Paulo. Such a serious question does deserve a serious answer. Your observation has been noted.