A system of teaching piano playing and music theory having piano cards. Piano cards are a flash card system with piano note information on each card. These piano cards are placed above piano keys of a piano or other keyboard designating keys to be played in a specific scale. Black and white triangles on these piano cards designate ebony and ivory keys to be played and can only be placed on a keyboard correctly if aligning white and black triangles with ebony and ivory keys. Triangles designate fingers to be used on fingering cards by way of numbers designating fingers. On music theory cards numbers inside triangles designate scale degrees. On chord cards numbers designate degrees to be played. This music teaching system further comprises a music wheel that has been color coded designating the key a scale is in.

The present invention relates generally to music notes for an easy note reading. In particular, the invention relates to make music note reading much easier, including piano notes.

A new method of written music using a color coded keyboard to show the player which octave on the keyboard to use, which note in the octave to play and the finger of the hand used to play the note. The phrasing of the melody and chord progressions are indicated by the spacing of the notes in the tablature.

A method and apparatus for learning to play a musical instrument, such as a guitar, by incorporating a markable, erasable surface onto the neck of the instrument such that the student may apply, as needed, removable markings to the instrument that indicate the correct finger positions for playing the instrument. The incorporation of this markable, erasable surface onto the instrument is an improved method of learning because a student is better able to place his or her fingers in the correct positions on the instrument when learning how to play the instrument.

A fretless, one-stringed instrument includes a neck having a head formed at one end; a body joined to the neck; and a single instrument string joined to the body and tightenably fastened at the head. No additional strings are present on the instrument and no fret is present on the neck. The neck includes a flat fingerboard having color-coded and numbered finger indicia and divider markings. The body has a front surface and a rear surface between which a cavity is formed. The cavity connects to a hole formed through the front surface. A method of instructing a student to play guitar with the instrument includes the student grasping the instrument; placing fingers on a selected sequence of the finger indicia as indicated in a guide; and strumming the string with a digit of the other hand.

A method and apparatus for learning to play a musical instrument, such as a guitar, by incorporating a markable, erasable surface onto the neck of the instrument such that the student may apply, as needed, removable markings to the instrument that indicate the correct finger positions for playing the instrument. The incorporation of this markable, erasable surface onto the instrument is an improved method of learning because a student is better able to place his or her fingers in the correct positions on the instrument when learning how to play the instrument.

A method and apparatus for learning to play a musical instrument, such as a guitar, by incorporating a markable, erasable surface onto the neck of the instrument such that the student may apply, as needed, removable markings to the instrument that indicate the correct finger positions for playing the instrument. The incorporation of this markable, erasable surface onto the instrument is an improved method of learning because a student is better able to place his or her fingers in the correct positions on the instrument when learning how to play the instrument.

A visual aid for music performers provides a mat-like structure having printed portions including a keyboard section, a tempo section, a music mode section, and a timing section. In use, a musician positions illuminated pucks using his/her foot upon the visual aid to communicate musical key changes, tempo changes, music mode changes, and/or timing changes. The visual aid enables musicians to improvise a musical number without interruption.

An apparatus, teaching method and composing method are disclosed as part of a kit to teach playing the piano. The kit incorporates special arrangements of music notation symbols on cling sheets. The cling sheets cling to a piano keyboard and to a music stand that has a presentation surface. The size of the spaces between the five staff lines on the cling sheets are such that musical notes on the staff lines accurately define finger placement on standard piano keys. The static cling sheets with music notation symbols are used as manipulatives and not just labels or identifiers as has been used in the past. The apparatus and methods do not require that students memorize letters, symbols and the music staff before they can play music; rather it allows students to manipulate symbols printed on cling sheets to learn how to play piano.

A method and apparatus for learning to play a musical instrument, such as a guitar, by incorporating a markable, erasable surface onto the neck of the instrument such that the student may apply, as needed, removable markings to the instrument that indicate the correct finger positions for playing the instrument. The incorporation of this markable, erasable surface onto the instrument is an improved method of learning because a student is better able to place his or her fingers in the correct positions on the instrument when learning how to play the instrument.