The keyboard: sharps, flats, tones and semitones

The piano keyboard is a map of pitch. Once you can find your way around it, scales and chords make much more sense.

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Finding the notes

The black keys come in groups of two and three.
C is the white key just to the left of a group of two black keys.
The white keys are named A B C D E F G, then the pattern repeats. Moving right goes higher in pitch.

Sharps, flats and naturals

A sharp (#) raises a note by a semitone. The black key just to the right of C is C sharp.
A flat lowers a note by a semitone: the same black key is also D flat. One key can have two names.
A natural sign cancels a sharp or flat.

Tones and semitones

A semitone is the smallest step on the keyboard: from one key to the very next key, black or white.
A tone is two semitones.
E to F and B to C are semitones with no black key in between.
There are 12 semitones in an octave: 7 white keys and 5 black keys.
Pianists number their fingers: thumb = 1, little finger = 5.
Worked example

Is the step from E to F a tone or a semitone? What about F to G?

  1. There is no black key between E and F, so they are next to each other: one semitone.
  2. Between F and G there is a black key (F sharp, also G flat).
  3. So F to G is two semitones, which is a tone.

Answer: E to F is a semitone; F to G is a tone.

Key idea

C is just left of the two black keys. A sharp raises by a semitone and a flat lowers by a semitone. A semitone is the next key; a tone is two semitones. E to F and B to C are semitones. An octave has 12 semitones.

Key words
Pitch
How high or low a sound is.
Semitone
The smallest step on a keyboard, from one key to the very next.
Tone
A step of two semitones.
Octave
The distance from one note to the next note with the same letter name, 12 semitones.

All KS3 Music key terms and definitions →

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2 more questions

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  1. On a keyboard, which note is the white key just to the left of a group of three black keys?

    1. C
    2. F
    3. G
    4. B
    Show the answer

    Answer: F

    F sits directly left of each group of three.

  2. What does a flat sign do to a note?

    1. Raises it by a semitone
    2. Lowers it by a tone
    3. Lowers it by a semitone
    4. Makes it quieter
    Show the answer

    Answer: Lowers it by a semitone

    A flat lowers the pitch by a semitone.

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Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

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