A & B: Completing the Alphabet
A & B: Completing the Alphabet
The final two notes: A and B. With these, your child now knows every white key on the piano. A sits between the second and third black keys of Team of 3, and B sits just to the right of Team of 3. The full keyboard is now mapped.
To celebrate, we play two iconic songs: Ode to Joy and Merrily We Roll Along. These are real pieces of music — your child is now playing from the classical and folk repertoire with full note geography.
What You’ll Learn
- A = Inside Team of 3 — A sits between the second and third black keys of Team of 3
- B = Right of Team of 3 — B sits just to the right of Team of 3. Now you know all seven: A-B-C-D-E-F-G
- Ode to Joy — Beethoven’s most famous melody — and your child can play it. A milestone moment
- Merrily We Roll Along — A folk song that uses the full note range and reinforces A-G fluency
Practice Activity
The Alphabet Sprint: Play every white key from A to the next A, saying the letter names. Then C to C. Then try G to G. Go up and down. The goal is fluency — knowing where every note lives without hesitation. Then play Ode to Joy slowly, note by note, savoring the moment. This is Beethoven. Your child is playing Beethoven.
This is a massive milestone — your child now knows every note name on the piano. Make it a celebration. Consider a ‘passport stamp’ moment: draw a little certificate or sticker chart and mark ‘All 7 Notes Learned!’ The Ode to Joy moment is especially powerful for adult learners too — it connects them to centuries of musical tradition. Don’t rush past this lesson.