Why are the keys on a piano black and white?

Answer 1

The piano is based on the harpsichord which had wooden keys painted brown and black. The piano makers decided to cover some of the keys with ivory, which is naturally white in color, and leave the others painted black.

Answer 2

The contrast in colors helps you locate where you want to be more easily. On our pianos the black keys are in sets of 2 black keys and sets of 3 black keys. The sets keep alternating. Each set of 2 + 3 marks a different octave. When you are playing you can jump and reach the key you want because you use the black sets like road signs. The black keys are not always the sharps & flats. I once played a piano with the colors reversed. Amazing the way we can train our brain. I could still locate where I needed to go but it took real concentration.

Answer 3

The piano is both in a family of it's own - Keys. So that includes things like keyboard and organ as they have keys, d'uh. however it also belongs in the percussion family because when you press down the key, A MALLET HITS THE STRING. This is what makes it percussion. Whoever it was from a musical family, clearly they just didn't talk about it, or they're all mistaken. Go to any jazz band and they wont have someone on piano, they will have someone on keys. And who was it that said that the xylophone was part of the keyboard family?! That is the biggest pile of rubbish i've ever heard. An instrument qualifies to be in the keyboard family if it has keys that you press down. The Xylophone/marimba/glock, whatever, are blocks of wood/metal that you hit with a stick. They are called tuned percussion, because you beat them with a stick, and they come out with different notes. Just wanted to clear that up, but back to the original question... Keyboard instruments include piano, keyboard, organ, clavinova, celeste, harpsichord, i suppose accordian too... Plus anymore that other people have mentioned.

Answer 4

Interesting fact: Did you know those keys used to be the opposite? Like white and black? The sharps and flats keys were white instead of black and vice versa. I saw an ancient victorian piano like that in Maria Theresa's exhibition that day.
Actually, I think it's to distinguish between the two so it's easier to play accidentals. Plus it'll hurt your eyes if they were blue and red instead.

Answer 5

Very simply, the white keys represent the scale of C Major. The black keys allow us to play in other keys which include sharps (to the right) and flats (to the left.)

Answer 6

To disinguish Sharp keys to Flat Keys.

Answer 7

the white keys are regular or "base" notes like E, G, B, D, F, A, C. black keys are the sharp and flat notes, eg. E sharp, B flat. essentially they are the sounds in between the "base" notes.

Answer 8

To distinguish the diference between a sharp/flat to a natural tone.
the number/position of black keys also help locate which note is being played.

Answer 9

To distinguish between them easily.

Answer 10

Because they're supposed to represent Ebony and Ivory..I think.