Accidentals
Accidentals are symbols we had next to notes on the staff to alter the pitch of the note. There are 3 that we will learn for now:
- Sharp
- Flat
- Natural
Sharps
Sharps (#) raise a note by half a step (the smallest space between two notes in Western Music).
Flats
Flats (b) lower a note by half a step.
Natural Sign
Notice the natural comes on the left side of the note.
A natural sign cancels out a previous sharp or flat. Please not that naturals, sharps, and flats are always written on the left side of a note when in music notation. When we say it or write, however, the accidental follows the name of the note. For example, it is "A flat" rather than "Flat A".
Half Step vs. Whole Step
As mentioned earlier, a half step is the smallest space possible between two notes. If we think about it in relationship to the piano, the black keys represent the half-step between the white keys. A whole step, is equal to two whole half steps. On the piano this normally means from a white key to a white key, or a black key to a black key.
There are two exceptions. If you see on the keyboard, there is no black key separating E and F, and B and C. Therefor the space between these notes is only a half step. Please memorize this exception.
