Paste a song written as piano letter notes (C D E F G) or as virtual piano keyboard letters (t y u i o) and hear it played on a virtual piano. Each note lights up on the keyboard and in your text as it plays, and you can change the tempo, loop it and play along.
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Letter notes: separate notes with spaces; add an octave number (C5), # or b for sharps and flats, [C E G] for a chord, - to hold a beat, . or _ for a rest, and :2 for a two-beat note (G:2). Virtual piano sheets: t is middle C, letters together play quickly, a space adds a pause, | adds a longer pause, [tu] is a chord.
Piano
Tip: click the piano or type on your computer keyboard (when you are not in the text box) to play along using virtual piano letters.
Your notes as note names
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How to use the Piano Letter Notes Player
Paste your notes into the box, or pick an example song to see the format.
Check the format: Auto-detect works for most sheets; choose Letter notes or Virtual piano keys if it guesses wrong. Notes without an octave number use the Default octave.
Press Play. The current note is highlighted in your text and on the keyboard.
Adjust the tempo with the slider and tick Loop to practise a passage over and over.
Play along by clicking the piano keys or typing the virtual piano letters on your keyboard.
Letter notes cheat sheet
You type
What plays
Example
C D E
Notes in the default octave, one beat each
C4 D4 E4
C5, A3
A note in a specific octave
C above middle C, A below middle C
F#, Bb
Sharp or flat
F sharp, B flat
[C E G] or C+E+G
A chord (notes together)
C major chord
G -
Hold the previous note one more beat
G for two beats
G:2, E:0.5
Set the length in beats
Half note G, eighth note E
. or _
Rest for one beat
Silence
do re mi
Solfège names (fixed do: do = C)
C D E
|
Bar line, ignored (just for reading)
Virtual piano key map
Virtual piano sheets use the computer keyboard as a 61-key piano. The white keys run along the number row and the three letter rows; hold Shift (or write the capital letter or symbol) for the black key just above.
Octave
C
D
E
F
G
A
B
Black keys (C# D# F# G# A#)
2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
! @ $ % ^
3
8
9
0
q
w
e
r
* ( Q W E
4 (middle C)
t
y
u
i
o
p
a
T Y I O P
5
s
d
f
g
h
j
k
S D G H J
6
l
z
x
c
v
b
n
L Z C V B
7
m
Tips for learning a song from letter notes
Start slowly: set the tempo to 60-70 BPM, loop one line, and play along until it feels easy. Then raise the tempo a little at a time.
Paste only the line you are practising so the loop repeats just that phrase.
Letter notes do not show rhythm the way sheet music does. If a song sounds wrong, add holds (-) and lengths (:2) where the melody has long notes.
Click a single note in the text to hear it again, or use the note-name list to write the song into sheet music later.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write piano letter notes for this player?
Write one note per word, separated by spaces: C D E F G. Add # for sharp or b for flat (F#, Bb) and an octave number when the note is not in the default octave (C5 is the C above middle C). Put notes in square brackets to play them together ([C E G]), use - to hold the previous note one more beat and . or _ for a one-beat rest. G:2 plays a two-beat G.
What are virtual piano letters like t y u?
Virtual piano sheets map the computer keyboard to a 61-key piano from C2 to C7. The number row and letter rows are the white keys in order (1 = C2, t = middle C, m = C7) and the same key with Shift is the black key just above it (T = C sharp 4). Letters written together are played quickly one after another, a space adds a short pause, | adds a longer one, and letters in brackets such as [tu] are played as a chord.
Which octave is middle C?
Middle C is C4 in the scientific pitch notation used here (the 4th C on an 88-key piano), and it is the t key in virtual piano sheets. A note written without an octave number, such as plain C, uses the Default octave setting, which is 4 unless you change it.
Why are some of my notes underlined in red?
Those symbols were not recognised as notes in the selected format and were skipped. Common causes are lyrics mixed into the notes, unusual symbols, or the wrong format being detected. Remove the extra text or choose the format manually.
Can I change the rhythm of a song?
Letter notes are played one beat each by default. Use - to make a note longer, :2 or :0.5 after a note to set its length in beats, and rests (. or _) for silence. In virtual piano sheets, rhythm comes from spacing: letters together are fast, spaces and | add pauses.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The player uses the Web Audio API that is built into modern mobile browsers. On iPhone, make sure the ring/silent switch is not set to silent, because that mutes web audio. Tap Play once to start the sound.
Are the example songs free to use?
Yes. The examples are traditional melodies and classical themes that are in the public domain (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Ode to Joy, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Jingle Bells and the opening of Für Elise), written out by hand for this tool.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.