Hands, fingering and range

Finger numbers

Both hands number their fingers 1 to 5, starting with the thumb. So the right-hand thumb and the left-hand thumb are both finger 1.

Pitch names

Each key has a name and an octave number. Middle C is C4, the C nearest the centre of the keyboard. A4 (the A above it) is tuned to 440 Hz. The full range of an 88-key piano is A0 to C8.

Scale fingering

Your hand covers five notes. To play longer, the thumb passes under the hand.

• C major, right hand, up: 1 2 3 – 1 2 3 4 5 (thumb goes under after finger 3).
• C major, left hand, up: 5 4 3 2 1 – 3 2 1 (finger 3 crosses over the thumb).

Chords

A root-position triad is usually played with fingers 1-3-5.

The grand staff

Piano music is written on two staves joined by a brace: treble on top, bass below.

The pedals

• Right pedal: sustain.
• Left pedal (una corda): softer sound.
• Middle pedal (sostenuto): sustains only the notes already held down when pressed.