Welcome to keyfreemusic.com
The following diagram shows how keyfreemusic notation can be easily moved so that any note on the keyboard can be the root or zero note.
Keyfreemusic is a music notation that is compact, easy to learn, and free from musical key and octave while also being free from any spcific instruments unlike TABS which are specific to the type of instrument they are written for. It has been designed for people who experience difficulty learning and reading sheet music.
The root note is always zero, up each semi-tone (note) gets the next number, except 10 is written as @ and 11 is written as *.
In the key of C the notes would be
| In the Key of C | keyfreemusic notation | pronounced |
| C | 0 | oh |
| C# | 1 | one |
| D | 2 | two |
| D# | 3 | three |
| E | 4 | four |
| F | 5 | five |
| F# | 6 | six |
| G | 7 | sev |
| G# | 8 | eight |
| A | 9 | nine |
| A# | @ | at |
| B | * | star |
| 'C | '0 | oh (octave higer) |
Very important if using a language other than English to name these notes using one syllable names. As part of the power of keyfreemusic is that a song can be said using the notes, unlike sheet music in which it is very difficult to say C# very quickly.
An apostrophe (') before the note designates the next higer octave and a comma(,)before the note designates the next lower octave. An attempt is always made to set the main ocatve for that song to be without apostrophe or comma. A rest is given a dash (-) and a long note is shown as an underline (_) after the note. Very short notes can be shown with the vertical line(|) but most keyfreemusic is used for songs that the person already knows, just needs help with remembering which notes to play, and the relative duration of the note.
Any note on the piano can be labelled as zero and all the other notes get the next higher number. Any song can then be played in any key using the same keyfreemusic notes. example:
Hot cross buns can be played as BAG__BAG__GGGG_AAAA_BAG in keyfreemusic notation hotcross buns would be written as 420__420__0000_2222_420 since it is in the key of G which would be 0, A=2, B=4.
Hotcross buns can then be easily played in the key of C since C=0, D=2, E=4.
Please do not think keyfreemusic is any attempt to replace sheet music or TABS. Keyfreemusic is designed for people who have problems with other forms of music.