Click on any section:

• Why are there different keyboard notes?

• How to work out the notes on a keyboard

• Why are there different guitar and bass notes?

• How to work out the notes on a guitar or bass

• Why are there different drums?




Why are there different keyboard notes? .............................. top

Portable keyboards have abouta. 6 b. 60 c. 600notes, each one lower or higher than the next, which gives them a different note, or pitch.

They are in alphabetical order.

Some kind person has arranged the notes so the black ones squish behind the white ones to make it easier for up toa. one b. ten c. twelve fingers to stretch across enough keys at the same time
to make a good sound.

It’s set up that way just for convenience, a bit like the way a computer keyboard has more than one row of keys.

Play the note at the very left of your keyboard, then the note at the very right. Can you tell that the sounds run left to right from the lowest to the highest pitches?

Oh, all right they run from the right to the left from the highest to the lowest. Same thing.

So if you play the top note of the keyboard and then the notes below it down the keyboard, each note makes a
a. sales pitch b. lower pitch c. cricket pitch
than the one before.

And each of these notes has a name. That makes it easier for all musical instruments to sound in tune playing the same note.



How to work out the notes on a keyboard .............................. top

Can you see the pattern of black and white keys?

There’s a group of two black keys, then a group of three black keys –
all the way along the keyboard.

Find the group of two black keys nearest the middle.
The white note on their left is called C (right before the two black notes)

Then the white note above that is D (between the two black notes)
Next to that is E (after the two black notes)
Then F (before the three black notes)
And G (between the first and second black notes in the group of 3)
Then A (between the second and third black notes in the group of 3)
Then B (after the three black notes)

Then back to another C (before the next two black notes)

That’s it. That’s the pattern.
The keyboard is not as mysterious as it looks.

To get used to the order (it’s always alphabetical)
find all the A notes on the keyboard from low to high,
then all the B notes, then all the C notes…

Click here to order CD 1, with a video of the keyboard notes.



Why are there different guitar and bass notes? .................... top

The guitar hasa. 2 b. 6 c. 900strings, each one with a
different thickness, which gives them a different note, or pitch.
The bass has onlya. 2 b. 4 c. 900strings.

They are not in alphabetical order.
Some kind person has arranged the strings to make it easier for
a. one b. four c. sixfingers to stretch across enough strings
at the same time to make a good sound.

The thinnest string is the one furthest away from you –
it’s the string with the highest pitch, so it’s called the
a. top string b. ham string c. bottom string

The strings are numbered from the highest to the lowest pitch.
So the thinnest string is the
a. first string b. ball of string c. draw string

Start at the top (thinnest) string and count the strings up from 1,
and you should end up at the lowest (thickest string) as number 6.
(or 4 on the bass) Each string makes a
a. sales pitch b. lower pitch c. cricket pitch
than the one before.

And each of these strings has a name. That makes it easier for all musical instruments to sound in tune playing the same note.



How to work out the notes on a guitar or bass ...................... top

Starting from string 1 on the guitar, pluck each string with your finger or thumb and say the names "E, B, G, D, A, E"

The order of those letters is already worked out so we can play the guitar notes easier! Use this phrase to help you remember the right order:
Even Billy Goats Don’t Always Eat

Make up your own phrase – it doesn’t have to make much sense.

Guitar Strings

The bass is almost the same, using just the bottom 4 strings!
Starting from string 1 on the bass, pluck each string with your finger or thumb and say the names "G, D, A, E"

Make up your own phrase for the bass…

Bass Strings

The more you can hear those notes as a kind of tune on the guitar or bass, the more you’ll have an idea of whether you’re roughly in tune or not.
Play them over and over to hear the different sounds.



Why are there different drums? ............................................. top

Most people find it easier to start on a kit which has
a. five drums b. live drums c. jive drums
because the drum rolls (fills) are much easier to fit in each bar.

The biggest drum has thea. lowest b. sales c. highest pitch.

The snare drum is usually the
a. loudest b. smelliest c. best dressed
It’s usually made of metal (or wood for a more mellow tone)

The snare also has a lever at the side in case you don’t want it in some songs. It’s a good idea to always turn it off whenever you’re off the drums, so it doesn’t rattle with any other sounds played at the same frequency.

The toms are usually tuned from left to right so each one makes a
a. higher b. lower c. cricketpitch than the one before.

Drums come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, finishes, and materials.

Cymbals also can be different sizes, thickness, volume and
a. pitches b. venues c. ball games

Skins can be made of animal hide, or synthetic stuff, and even filled with oil - all to provide different sound
a. colours b. barriers c. investments

And there’s a huge range of sticks, brushes, twigs, rods, and drum extras. Some sticks even have nylon tips to give a
a. doorbell sound b. brighter sound c. wooden sound

Reckon you've got the hang of notes and sounds?
Click here to check you know the strings on the guitar and bass
Click here to check you know the notes on a keyboard
Click here to check you know the different sounds of a drum kit
(especially the sound of the side-stick or rim shot on the snare)

Not sure of the squiggles?
Click here for the names of the lines and spaces

And if you reckon you know the squiggle lines and spaces...
Click here to check you know the lines and spaces on the treble clef
Click here to check you can play treble sharps, flats and legers on keyboard
Click here to check you can play bass sharps, flats and legers on keyboard

Click here to order CD 1, and find out more about the written squiggles.

So now you know the notes and sounds, it must be time to tune up...

Click here for a FREE lesson on tuning ................................... top