From 2016 to the beginning of 2020 I worked as a piano and music theory teacher in Togher Music Project in Cork. The project’s goal was to provide classes for people with an aptitude for music who had been unemployed for a period of time, and equip them with the knowledge and tools needed to take an entrance test for third level music education.

This video is a recording of one of my music theory classes, which I made for those students to review later. In hindsight I regret not having thought of setting up a camera earlier — if I had, I would have an enormous library of music theory videos that everyone could access. Unfortunately that idea struck me only much later.

Finding Your Way Around the Keys

In the video below, I break down the keyboard layout and suggest some ideas for identifying the notes on the piano. This is foundational knowledge for any theory course, and in Togher Music Project we used ABRSM as our theory examining board.

Video Breakdown & Timestamps

  • 0:00 – Introduction: Why the keyboard layout is your theory map.
  • 1:15 – The Black Key Patterns: Identifying groups of twos and threes.
  • 2:45 – Finding ‘C’ and ‘F’: Using the black keys as consistent landmarks.
  • 4:30 – Navigating the notes: Moving up and down the white keys.
  • 6:10 – Practical Exercise: Testing your speed and accuracy across the octaves.

Why Theory and Sound Must Go Together

When I teach or talk about music theory I make every effort to translate every concept into sound — chords, intervals, modes and scales, rhythms, all of it. I like theory and musicianship to be so tied together as to be almost inseparable: that way theory becomes practical, and not just mere abstraction.

And one more thing worth mentioning: no instrument reflects what happens on the musical staff more clearly than the piano, thanks to its linear layout. It’s a theory map you can actually play.

If you’re preparing for your ABRSM Theory Grade 1 and want to make sure you’re building on solid foundations, get in touch — I’m looking forward to hearing your story.