Understand
Sharps, Flats, Naturals and Enharmonics
Raising and lowering notes, and two names for one pitch.
Class code
W2FKThe three signs
A sharp raises a note by a semitone, a flat lowers it by a semitone, and a natural cancels either. An accidental lasts to the end of the bar it appears in.
Enharmonic equivalents
The same key on a piano can have two names. Which name you use depends on the key and on how the line moves.
- F sharp = G flat
- C sharp = D flat
- A sharp = B flat
- E = F flat
- B = C flat
Why the spelling matters
Writing D flat in a flat key and C sharp in a sharp key keeps the scale letters in order, which makes music far easier to read at speed.
Try it
Test yourself