Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
In musical notation, an accidental is a symbol that indicates an alteration of a given pitch.The most common accidentals are the flat (♭) and the sharp (♯), which represent alterations of a semitone, and the natural (♮), which cancels a sharp or flat.
The sharp symbol, ♯, indicates that the note to which the symbol is applied is played one semitone higher. The opposite of sharp is flat , indicating a lowering of pitch. The ♯ symbol derives from a square form of the letter b (see History of notation of accidentals for more information).
In Western musical notation, a key signature is a set of sharp (♯), flat (♭), or rarely, natural (♮) symbols placed on the staff at the beginning of a section of music. . The initial key signature in a piece is placed immediately after the clef at the beginning of the first l
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 flat symbol (♭) is used in two ways: It is placed in key signatures to mark lines whose notes are flattened throughout that section of music; it may also be an "accidental" that precedes an individual note and indicates that the note should be lowered temporarily, until the following bar line.
When a flat sign is placed before a note, the pitch of the note is lowered by one semitone. Similarly, a sharp sign raises the pitch by one semitone. For example, a sharp on the note D would raise it to D♯ while a flat would lower it to D♭. Double sharps and double flats are less common, but they are used. A double sharp is placed before a ...
Get AOL Mail for FREE! Manage your email like never before with travel, photo & document views. Personalize your inbox with themes & tabs. You've Got Mail!
The same principle can be applied when canceling a triple sign (triple flat / triple sharp) or beyond. [3] [4] When changing a flat to a sharp or vice-versa, the combined symbols ♮♯ or ♮♭ can be used. [5] In John Stump's Prelude and the Last Hope, double naturals are used to cancel double flats in a key signature. [6]