Common Piano Music Theory Terms
Chord
A group of notes played simultaneously to create harmony.
Scale
A series of notes in ascending or descending order, forming the basis of a key.
Key Signature
Sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the key of a piece.
Arpeggio
The notes of a chord played one after the other, instead of all at once.
Octave
The interval between one musical pitch and another with double or half its frequency.
Tempo
The speed at which a piece of music is played.
Pedal
Foot-operated levers on the piano that modify the sound (sustain, soft, sostenuto).
Treble Clef
The symbol indicating notes played by the right hand on the piano.
Bass Clef
The symbol indicating notes played by the left hand on the piano.