How many natural notes are in the musical alphabet?

There are 7 natural notes in the musical alphabet: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.

What is the distance between any two adjacent notes on the piano?

The distance between any two adjacent notes on the piano is a half step (also called a semitone).

A# and B♭ are the same note. What is this called?

When two note names refer to the same pitch, they are called enharmonic equivalents. A# and B♭ are enharmonic — same key on the piano, different name depending on context.

How many notes are in the chromatic scale?

The chromatic scale contains 12 notes — all 7 natural notes plus 5 accidentals (sharps/flats).

Which natural notes are only a half-step apart?

B and C are only a half-step apart, and E and F are only a half-step apart. There is no accidental between these pairs of notes.

♪ Episode 1 of 7

The Musical Alphabet: 12 Notes & The Chromatic Scale

The 12 building blocks of every song, scale, and chord you'll ever learn.
Master these, and everything else clicks into place.

Interactive Keyboard

Click any key to hear it

A (Natural)

The first letter of the musical alphabet. Click any key to learn more.

Frequency

440 Hz

Note Type

Natural

Enharmonic

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The Chromatic Scale

All 12 notes in order. This is the complete musical alphabet.

Note Mastery Practice

Test your knowledge. Find the notes. Build muscle memory.

Difficulty:

Find the note shown before time runs out. Easy mode shows labels briefly.

Find the note above on this keyboard

Click or use keys: A W S D R F T G U J I K

Up Next

Your First Scale

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