12: Accidentals and Pitch Alteration Beyond the Key Signature

For now, there are 3 symbols to worry about which can change the pitch of a note beyond what a key signature calls for. (Later, you’ll meet two more that are twice as powerful, but they only make things more complicated, so we’ll stick with the three basic ones for now).

·       A sharp symbol raises the pitch of a not-already-sharp note—most likely a natural—by one half step above the natural (F becomes F-sharp; much less likely, G-flat becomes G-sharp)

·       A natural cancels any other accidental, either raising a flattened note by a half-step or lowering a sharpened note (B-flat becomes B; C-sharp becomes C)

·       A flat symbol lowers the pitch of a not-already flat note—most likely a natural—by one half-step below the natural (E becomes E-flat; much less likely, A-sharp becomes A-flat)

There are a few rules that apply to all of these that you must keep in mind:

1.       They apply to all notes of that pitch class (i.e., all instances of that note, in any octave)

2.       They apply only in the current bar, and do not apply past it unless and until they are reapplied

3.       After a change away from the key signature, you may be given a courtesy accidental (that agrees with the key signature) the first time you see the note that changed as a reminder to follow the key signature once again, but you cannot guarantee that this courtesy will be afforded to you

The symbols are as follows:

Symbol name

Symbol appearance

Symbol function

Natural

♮

raises the pitch of a not-already-sharp note—most likely a natural—by one half step above the natural

Sharp

♯

cancels any other accidental, either raising a flattened note by a half-step or lowering a sharpened note

Flat

♭

lowers the pitch of a not-already flat note—most likely a natural—by one half-step below the natural

 Key signatures use some number of one of these symbols to indicate the default state. If for example there is a sharp on the line of F in a key signature, every F should be played as an F sharp unless specified otherwise. 

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