Piano Notes with Letters: The Pros and Cons

Should you label your piano keys with letters? Learn the pros and cons of this technique and find out when it's useful for beginners.

We're Moving! Exciting news! Miller Piano Specialists is under new ownership and relocating to a new, larger, convenient location. Please call for our temporary showroom address, or click the button below to request the address and a private appointment.

Request Address and Appointment Call or Text: (615) 771-0020

By texting us, you agree to receive SMS. Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Your Privacy is our priority. Your information will not be shared.

Notice: Effective April 1, 2024, Miller Piano Specialists is not an authorized Yamaha Piano dealer and will no longer carry new Yamaha Pianos. For more information, please visit this FAQ.

Miller Piano Specialists October 30, 2019 2 Min Read

To help people learn piano faster, labeling each note with its corresponding letter (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) is a technique that has been suggested. While this technique has its proponents, others argue that it does more harm than good in the long run. Here are some pros and cons of using piano notes with letters.

The Pros

  • You can quickly master a piece when you know which key to hit, and even play intricate pieces as a beginner. This technique is especially helpful for beginners who are still getting familiar with the layout and feel of the piano.
  • It lets you learn a piece without delaying your note reading skills. By following a line of notes and letters, you’re subliminally learning what that note is. This technique can be useful for people who struggle with reading music notation and need a more visual representation of the notes.

The Cons

  • Learning piano notes with letters doesn’t accelerate your note reading skills. It only helps you play a piece faster. This technique can actually hinder your progress if you rely on it too much and don’t take the time to learn how to read music notation.
  • Placing letters is prone to mistakes. It’s easy to write a letter wrong and practice it for weeks or months without realizing the error. This can lead to bad habits and make it harder for you to correct your mistakes later on.

The Verdict of Piano Notes With Letters

Piano notes with letters can be a useful technique to help someone learn what the notes are, but only to a point. To ensure long-term progress, it should be practiced for a few pieces, but not relied on exclusively. If your aim is to read notes (like most piano students), then limit using piano notes with letters in a few lessons. After that, you can gradually start taking the letters off of the sheets and focus on reading music notation.

In addition to piano notes with letters, there are other techniques you can use to improve your piano skills. For example, practicing scales and arpeggios can help improve your finger dexterity and understanding of music theory. You can also try practicing with a metronome to improve your timing and rhythm.

If you’re looking for piano lessons in Middle Tennessee, we at Miller Piano can help. Our piano courses are taught by expert piano teachers who can help you achieve your musical goals. Click on the link for more information on our piano lessons and to sign up for a class.

Share This!

© 2024 Miller Piano Specialists
Privacy Policy
Link to Call Miller PS