When we talk about an 88/76/etc Key piano, does that include all keys or just white notes?

Question

I have an old cheap keyboard which spans 5 octaves plus one extra C, so it goes from C2-C7 (I think).

Does that make this a 41 (5 x 8 +1) key or a 61 (5 x 12 + 1) keyboard?

When we talk about a standard 88-key piano is that the total number of white and black notes, meaning it covers just over 7 octaves?

While I'm here, what are the standard keyboard configurations if any other than a traditional piano can be said to be standard?

'common standards' are' 88, 76 & as you've just discovered… 61 ;) — Tetsujin, Dec 19, 2014 at 10:28
Good question - if the black keys disappeared, it would still be the same size! — Tim, Dec 19, 2014 at 11:00
If you google "how many keys on a piano", the first result says that "Almost every modern piano has 52 white keys and 36 black keys for a total of 88 keys (seven octaves plus a minor third, from A0 to C8).". Note that your calculation (5 x 8 + 1) isn't how many white keys are on your keyboard, because there are 7 different white keys per octave, not 8. Your 5-octave keyboard has 36 white keys and 25 black keys for a total of 61 keys. — nnnnnn, Jan 3, 2015 at 3:24

Celdor · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-03 02:13:47Z

It is not hard to work out a number of keys when avoiding remembering this by heart.

A full piano has:

An octave (e.g. from C3 to B3) contains 12 keys.

The number of keys:

All together: 3 + 36 + 1 + 48 = 88

Michal Paszkiewicz · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-19 09:46:41Z

10

An 88 key piano will have a TOTAL of 88 keys. White keys + black keys = 88.

answered Dec 19, 2014 at 9:46

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