Piano Symbols?

Question

When reading sheet music, what does the arched line that connects two notes together mean?
What symbols tell you to hit a black key?
How do you know which C you start on on the piano?

Answer 1

The arched line, if it is over the notes, is an indication of phrasing.

If the arched line is beneath two notes and the notes are of the same pitch value, then it is a tie. This means that the piano key is not to be struck twice but the key is to be held for the sum of the notes' rhythmic values. For example, if you have two tied quarter notes on the pitch value e, then that e is to held for the duration of two quarter notes, not to be struck twice.

The white keys are your natural keys and the blacks are your sharps and flats, indicated by the symbols # and b (well, at least a symbol that looks like a lower-case b). A sharp is a half-step higher than the natural value of the note. A flat is a half-step lower than the natural value of the note. If the note given is a C#, then you find the appropriate natural C on the keyboard and the sharp is the black key to its right. If the note given is Ab, then you find the appropriate natural A on the keyboard and the flat is the black key to its left.

Special Note: B-natural and C-flat are the same note. Also, E-natural and F-flat are the same note. Conversely, B-sharp and C-natural are the same note -- also, E-sharp and F-natural are the same note.

The note referred to as 'middle-C' is generally always directly underneath the printing of the model name of your piano (Steinway, Yamaha, etc.). On your piano sheet music, you have two clefs (treble and bass). Treble on top-bass on bottom. On the treble clef, the five lines indicate the following pitch values reading from bottom to top (E-G-B-D-F), so middle-C is actually another line below that E. For the bass clef, the five lines indicate the following pitch values reading from bottom to top (G-B-D-F-A). The middle-C is located on the line above that A.

IF THAT WAS TOO CONFUSING, and I think my language was garbled, check ou the link below. There is a graphic of the clefs and the keyboard that shows you exactly where middle-C is.

Good luck!

Answer 2

The curved line is probably a tie if it connects the notes. If it is over the notes then it is a slur.

Sharps (#) and flats (b) in the key signature or in front of notes (the #'s and b's are then called accidentals) usually, but not always, indicate the use of a black key. The cases where the sharps and flats do not indicate playing a black key are E#, B#, Fb, and Cb which are equal to the white keys of F, C, E, and B respectively. Sharps generally indicate going up from a white key to a black key and flats generally indicate going down from a white key to a black key.

Middle C is usually the starting point on a piano and is located, usually, just to the left of the maker's logo.

Musician, composer, teacher.

Answer 3

An arched line between two notes of the same pitch is a 'tie' and simply means you hold the note for the period represented by the tied notes. A tie is usually used when a note is to be held across a bar line. If the notes are of different pitches the curved line is a 'slur' and indicates that the notes be played smoothly, with no discernable gap between them. Longer arched lines over a substantial series of notes are phrase lines and are a composer's indication on how he/she wants the music to 'breathe'.

The white notes on the keyboard represent the notes ABCDEFG in several octaves. A 'sharp' sign (#) will raise these notes by a semitone, requiring use of the black keys (except for B#, which is equal to C and E#, which is equal to F), while a 'flat' (looks a bit like a 'b') will lower the note it precedes by a semitone (except for Cb, which equals B and Fb, which equals E). Because if the key system and equal temperament, each black note on the keyboard will represent two notations (C#/Db, D#/Eb, F#/Gb, G#/Ab, A#/Bb).

When you learn music, you are taught which note on the musical stave represents which note on the piano keyboard. There are 8 Cs on the modern piano keyboard, 'middle' C, being the one nearest the key lock under the keyboard.

Answer 4

The line is a "tie" or a "slur." It tells you to hold that note for the value of both notes, but not to hit it twice.

The # is a sharp, and it means to play the black key to the right. A b is a flat, and it means to play the black key to the left.

Look at your piano. It probably has the company logo in the middle of the wood right above the keys. Middle C is the C closest to the first letter of the company's name.

Answer 5

In addition to Bearcat's answer...
the key signature at the start of the piece will tell you which notes are to be sharp or flat. Sharps or flats during the music are called "accidentals" and tell you when a note is to be something different to the key signature.