Piano studio posters

What to hang, by where

Where	What	Size
On the music stand or the piano	A keyboard and grand staff chart students can check mid-piece	Letter or A4
On the wall beside the piano, at eye level when seated	The keyboard, the grand staff and finger numbers	11 × 17 in or A3
The main studio wall	Key signatures or the circle of fifths, and rhythm	A2 or 18 × 24 in
Where parents wait	What students are learning this term, so parents can follow along	Any size

Hang the chart by the piano low enough to read from the bench. A student who has to stand up to read it won’t.

What to hang, by level

Students	Put up	Trebly posters
Beginners	The keyboard with note names, finger numbers, the grand staff, note values	Piano keys chart, piano poster
Early intermediate	Both clefs, key signatures, scale fingering, dynamics	Treble and bass clef notes, key signatures
Intermediate and up	The circle of fifths, chords in a key, intervals	Circle of fifths, music theory poster
Preparing for a theory exam	Scales, intervals, chords, cadences and Roman numerals	Music theory poster
All levels	Counting rhythms, note values, dynamics, articulations	Rhythm and note reading poster

The piano poster puts most of the beginner and early intermediate topics on one page: finger numbers and C position, the keyboard, the grand staff, scale fingering, chords on the keys, the pedals, note values, articulations and dynamics.

Wall art or teaching chart?

Wall art sets the mood but doesn’t teach; a chart teaches but can make a living room look like a classroom. In a home studio you can have both: a well-designed chart in a frame.

• Choose a quiet style. The Poster Maker’s Minimal and Dark styles look like framed prints and are still accurate charts.
• Frame two or three, rather than taping up many. Every Trebly size fits a standard frame (see how to print your poster).
• Mix in one real piece of art, like a concert poster or a print of a composer’s manuscript, so the wall doesn’t feel like homework.

Make it your studio’s

The free posters come in the Trebly style. In the Music Theory Poster Maker you can put your studio name across the top, choose your colors, pick just the sections your students need, and add your own practice tips or a note. A custom poster is a $9 print-ready PDF. Print it as often as you like for your studio, and give copies to your students.

It also makes a good end-of-year or recital gift for students: see personalized poster gifts.

Teaching aids that work alongside posters

Posters are for reference. These do the other jobs:

• A small whiteboard with staff lines, for writing notes and rhythms during the lesson.
• Note flashcards or a note-reading game for quick recall. Trebly’s free online note flash cards need no printing. Trebly’s Training works on the treble clef, the bass clef or both, with no account, so students can practice at home.
• A metronome for steady time. A free online metronome on a tablet by the piano does the job.
• A practice chart or notebook, so students and parents know what to practice this week.
• Copies of the poster to take home. A Letter or A4 copy on the piano at home means students practice with the same chart they see in lessons.

Questions

What’s the best circle of fifths poster for a piano studio? One that’s accurate, big enough to read from the bench, and quiet enough to live with. The circle of fifths chart at A2 or 18 × 24 in suits a studio wall. Our guide to choosing a poster has a five-minute check for mistakes on any poster.

Can I give copies to my students? Yes. Print as many free posters as you like and hand them out. Custom posters can be printed for your own students too. Please don’t sell them or upload the files.

US or UK terms? Every poster comes in both: quarter note, measure and half step, or crotchet, bar and semitone. Pick the one your students hear in lessons.

What about group piano or a keyboard lab? See music classroom posters for classroom sizes and where to hang them.