1. 3 READ: Sharp and Flat

Sharps and flats are the symbols musicians use to indicate the note either going up a half step or down a half step from its natural note on a keyboard. 

 

This figure 1. 3. a shows the white keys (natural notes) on a keyboard. 

 

 

Sharp (#) and Flat (b)

A sharp sign (#) means "the note that is one half step higher than the natural note". A flat sign (b)  means "the note that is one half step lower than the natural note". Some of the natural notes are only one half step apart, but most of them are a whole step apart. When they are a whole step apart, the note in between them can only be named using a flat or a sharp. 

figure 1. 3. b

 

 

 

Sharps, and flats can be found in front of the notes or in the key signatures. 

figure 1. 3. c

 

Natural (♮)

A natural (♮) is an accidental which cancels previous accidentals. For instance, let’s say a previous note in a piece of music is Bb, if a natural symbol precedes the new note, you are to play B. 

 

Enharmonic Note

All pitches, but chromatic pitches especially, may be “spelled” in different ways. These differing spellings are context-dependent (or a matter of convenience) as will be discussed below. Notes that share the same pitch space but employ different spellings are said to be enharmonically equivalent, or enharmonic note.