One of the first things we teach our students is the topography of the keyboard. The layout of the piano is important for tactile and visual navigation of the keys. I teach my beginner students about the black keys first. I talk about how the black keys are raised slightly higher than the white keys, and that they are in groups of twos and threes. I have them identify the groups of two and three black keys. If a student is very young and not yet visually efficient at identifying patterns, they may need practice in identifying the groups of black keys. One of the activities I do with my students is I take index cards and use them to show the division of the piano keys into the groups of two and three black keys (It also shows the grouping of the white keys CDE, FGAB, which is useful later on when students are learning those keys.) The cards help the students see the different groups. I have the student play all the groups of two black keys and then all the groups of three black keys while the cards are in place. If the students seems comfortable with finding and playing the groups of 2s and 3s, we then play a little game. Students love games! I remove the cards, and I give them to the student and ask them if they can divide the keyboard up into the 2s and 3s. They should be able to do this easily, and I find that the students like doing it.

I have also created a Black Key Search and Find Skill Builder activity sheet! Students can either do the activity with you in their lesson or take home for more practice!

It is good for beginner students to start out playing songs on the black keys. this aids in the process of building finger/hand muscles and the curved finger/hand position us piano teachers strive to teach our students. Some students may need more time and practice in this area of development. I am finding that a lot of younger students do not have the fine motor skills you would expect. I am spending more time trying to help students strengthen the Intrinsic Muscles in the Hand so they can play the keys. I talk to parents about the importance of playing with Legos, Squeezing Play-Doh, using single hole punchers on paper, anything that will help in building fine motor muscles. This is why playing the songs on the black keys is so important. Students are required to hold their hand up over the white keys in order to play the black key groups. Sometimes students will still revert to playing with a flat hand, but I keep correcting and explaining to them that playing with curved fingers will help them play the notes more accurately.

I don’t know if any teacher has the magic wand so to speak for helping their students immediately play with perfect hand position. It is a process and something that takes time. Some students do it more naturally than others too. If you are a piano teacher, I would love to know what tips and tricks you use to help your students!

PK