How Many Black and White Keys on a Piano? The Simple Answer

How many black and white keys on a piano? In total, there are 88 keys on a standard piano or a digital piano. What is the division of black and white? Why do we have different shades? In this guide, we’re exploring how many black and white keys on a piano and the origins of this.

Firstly, we should start by explaining that in digital pianos or keyboards this might be different. While the vast majority of acoustic pianos have 88 keys, there are digital pianos with 88, 76, 61 and 49 keys, there are even 25-key mini models. The answer will be different for these keyboards and pianos, but for the purposes of this guide, we are talking about the “standard” size, 88-keys.

How Many Black and White Keys on a Piano? The Simple Answer

An 88-key acoustic piano or digital piano is split into 52 white keys and 36 black keys. This has been the standard for pianos for over 100 years. As this guide from ClassicFM explains; “in the late 1880s, piano manufacturer Steinway created the 88-key piano. Other manufacturers followed suit, and Steinway’s model has been the standard ever since.”

So, while there wasn’t a decision made by all the piano manufacturers, it seems that Steinway created the industry-standard inadvertently. We’ve gone into the subject of the number of keys on a piano in much more detail in this post.

Of course, there are always exceptions. There is even a piano manufactured that has 102 keys! 88-keys seems to give a good compromise between range and practicality. You can still transport an 88-key keyboard, for instance.

Octaves

Pianos are split into octaves. This is basically a repeated pattern all along the keyboard. Octaves are made up of 7 white keys and 5 black keys. The white keys are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. This pattern repeats all along the keyboard. The black notes are sharps and flats, intervals between those notes. For instance, between a D and an E is a black note. This functions as both the D sharp and the E flat.

A sharp is identified with a “hashtag” symbol, “D#”, for instance. A flat is notated with a small “b”. “Eb” means E flat.

This pattern is the same on digital pianos, acoustic pianos, keyboards, synthesizers and pretty much anything with a bed of keys to play. This makes it easier if you need to switch from one to another in the future.

Why Are the Keys Black and White?

Simply put, the reason for keys being black and white is for differentiation. Having one set of black keys and one set of white makes it easier to see the difference, and to know that the black keys are the intervals between the white notes. This is also made easier by their positioning as they are literally in between the white notes.

As well as how many black and white keys on a piano, people are wondering about the color of the keys, and what this stems from. Actually, some keyboards and synths have taken a different design, black keys and white keys may be reversed, for instance. However, this is rare.

Conclusion

So, in the majority of situations, there are 52 white keys and 36 black keys. You don’t need to make a roadmap for the whole keyboard, though. Luckily, as the pattern repeats, you will always be able to anchor yourself by the pattern of the piano. Knowing how many black and white keys on a piano is not vitally important to your playing or learning. If you have a smaller keyboard or digital piano then you will have less black and white keys, with 7/12ths white notes and 5/12ths black notes.

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