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Look at the Bass and Treble clefs for a moment. Notice that they "split" at middle C (as it is referred to on the keyboard). You can visualize this by taking the treble clef and flipping it upside down using middle C as the "pivot point". (at least that is what helped me when I was learning to read music).
Each key (black or white) on a piano represents a half step.
In a scale it helps to know the whole step/half step pattern. A step refers to how many keys you jump between notes. A whole-step equals two keys (because each key is a half-step).
All major scales are:
whole-step whole-step half-step whole-step whole-step whole-step half-step
This is for equal temperament and Ionic mode only ... don't worry too much yet about temperament and modes. Modes will be important later when you begin to grasp theory a little more ... and THEY ARE IMPORTANT. Temperamant is not so important ... but you will need to watch out for it if you start composing for "exotic" instruments.
There are minor scales that you probably shouldn't be worried about right now.
How this translates to keyboard is fairly easy:
C-major scale
C D E F G A B C ... all white notes starting on any C-key.
(C to D = whole-step; D to E = whole-step; E to F = half-step; F to G = whole-step; etc).
D-major scale
D E F# G A B C# D ...
(D to E = whole; E to F# = whole; F# to G = half; G to A = whole etc)
E-major scale
E F# G# A B C# D E
Sit in front of your keyboard and think about the whole-step/half-step pattern while playing those keys and you might begin to figure that part out. At first you'll have to think about it; but eventually it becomes second-nature.
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