      <li>The base of all pitch names is one of the seven letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. We do not use more than seven letters to name pitches because most Western music is based on 7-note <Term>scales</Term> which use each letter exactly once. We will cover <Term>scales</Term> in a future lesson.</li>
      <li>The 7 notes on white keys each have a one-letter name with no symbol. These are called <Term>natural</Term> notes.</li>
      <li>The black keys each have two names: one with a "#", read as "sharp" and meaning slightly raised, and one with a "b", read as "flat" and meaning slightly lowered. This is because Western music has 12 names for pitches but only uses 7 letters. To name the 5 pitches on the black piano keys we add sharps or flats &mdash; called <Term>accidentals</Term> &mdash; to the letters to indicate where the note is compared to an adjacent note.</li>
      <li>There are no black keys between B &amp; C and E &amp; F. This is because we are only left with 5 notes after naming all the natural notes &mdash; there has to be gaps somewhere! These "missing" black notes also create groups of 2 &amp; 3 black notes, which are useful for finding where you are on a piano by sight or by touch.</li>
    </ul>
    
    <NoteText>Though there are no black keys in-between B &amp; C and E &amp; F, you can &mdash; and sometimes must, as we will discover in a future lesson &mdash; use accidentals to name those notes relative to another. So, Cb is the same as B, B# is the same as C, Fb is the same as E, and E# is the same as F.</NoteText>
    
    <p>It is <strong>vitally</strong> important to learn where all the notes are on your instrument of choice. Please take some time to do so before moving on to the next lesson!</p>
    <p>If your instrument of choice is piano, there is an interactive exercise below. If your instrument of choise is guitar, there is an interactive exercise below, and a comprehensive lesson: <NavLinkView to="/learn-guitar-notes-in-10-steps">Learn the Notes on Guitar in 10 Easy Steps</NavLinkView></p>

    <SubSectionTitle>Interactive Exercises</SubSectionTitle>