Reading the staff

[m1469]

Can you explain to me what F2, G3, G4 etc... means?  I can't quite figure out the system.

Thanks - I am enjoying this discussion!

Pizno

Yes, this is something that I was taught and have carried it over into my teaching despite some arguments over it here on the forum.

Basically, it is a way of naming registers and octaves on the piano.  I find it extremely helpful in teaching for all ages and this is why I use it.  It's fairly straight forward so it tends to make a lot of sense for the student and help them sort things out.  They can grasp how many of each note there are on the piano, as well as having a specific name for each one which aids us in communication.

Anyway, the first "C" on the piano, the lowest C, is labeled "C1" and the rest of the "C's" follow a numerical pattern all the way up.  Everything in between the C's have whatever number after them that the C before it had.  For example, all notes between C3 and C4 will be threes : D3 E3 F3 ... etc. until we reach the next "C", changing the octave number.


Here is a page from Kostka and Payne, explaining this :



The A, A#, and B below C1 are 0's.


Hope that helps.


m1469