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These contain either flats or sharps, but not both, and the different key signatures add flats or sharps according to the order shown in the circle of fifths. Each major and minor key has an associated key signature, showing up to seven flats or seven sharps, that indicates the notes used in its scale.
A natural is used to cancel the effect of a flat or sharp. This system of accidentals operates in conjunction with the key signature, whose effect continues throughout an entire piece, or until another key signature is indicated. An accidental can also be used to cancel a previous accidental or reinstate the flats or sharps of the key signature.
Sharp The sharp symbol raises the pitch of a note by one semitone. Natural A natural cancels a sharp or flat. This sharp or flat may have been indicated as an accidental or defined by the key signature. Double flat A double flat lowers the pitch of a note by two semitones. Double sharp A double sharp raises the pitch of a note by two semitones.
The combination ♮ ♯ can be also written when changing a flat to a sharp. [6] In environments where the symbol is not supported, or in specific text notation, etc., a double sharp can be written using two single sharp signs (♯ ♯), hash signs (##) or a lower-case letter x. Likewise, a triple sharp can be written as ♯ ♯ ♯, etc.
When a musical key or key signature is referred to in a language other than English, that language may use the usual notation used in English (namely the letters A to G, along with translations of the words sharp, flat, major and minor in that language): languages which use the English system include Irish, Welsh, Hindi, Japanese (based on katakana in iroha order), Korean (based on hangul in ...
For example, A-minor is "Am" and D-sharp minor is "D ♯ m"). The small interval between equivalent notes, such as F-sharp and G-flat, is the Pythagorean comma . Minor scales start with , major scales start with .
Despite being three sharps or flats away from the original key in the circle of fifths, parallel keys are also considered as closely related keys as the tonal center is the same, and this makes this key have an affinity with the original key.
List of musical scales and modes Name Image Sound Degrees Intervals Integer notation # of pitch classes Lower tetrachord Upper tetrachord Use of key signature usual or unusual ; 15 equal temperament