Accidentals and Enharmonics

Accidentals and Enharmonics

What you need to know in a nutshell.

Poll

What do you currently know about accidentals?

• Everything. I could teach the class.

• I could stand to learn more.

• Probably not as much as I think I do.

• Nothing. I know nothing.

Poll

What do you know about enharmonics?

• Enharwhat? Never heard of it.

• I've at least heard of it.

• I could figure it out.

• I could explain it to someone else.

Shall we begin?

Pay close attention!

What are accidentals?

Hmm... 

Accidentals

Accidentals are the signs that modify (change) musical notes in written musical notation.  These signs can make a pitch higher, lower, or return it to it’s natural (original) state.

The 3 Most Common Accidentals

... and how they work.

The Sharp

The sharp sign RAISES a pitch by a half step. The note that it affects will sound HIGHER.

The Flat

The flat sign LOWERS a pitch by a half step. The note that it affects will sound LOWER.

The Natural

The natural sign cancels a sharp or a flat, returning the note to its NATURAL state.

Quick Review

Think Fast!

Multiple Choice

What does a flat sign do to a note?

• Raises a pitch by a half step

• Lowers a pitch by a half step

• Returns the pitch to its natural state

Multiple Choice

What does a natural sign do to a note?

• Returns the pitch to its natural state

• Raises a pitch by a half step

• Lowers a pitch by a half step

Multiple Choice

What does a sharp sign do to a note?

• Raises the pitch by a half step

• Returns the pitch to its natural state

• Lowers the pitch by a half step

Here are the other two less frequently used accidentals... 

... but you still need to know what they are.

The Double Sharp

The accidental raises a pitch by a whole step (two half steps).

The Double Flat

This accidental lowers a pitch by a whole step (two half steps).

We will talk about these two signs more later in another lesson.

Check out this keyboard!

It will help us figure out the difference between half steps and whole steps.

Half Step

This is the distance from one key on a keyboard to the next key closest to it (adjacent).  

Example 1

A half step can be from one white key to the black key beside it.

Example 2

A half step can occur between two white notes when there is no black key between them.

Sharps - When raising a pitch...

• The key between C and D is called C sharp (C#)

• The key between A and B is called A sharp (A#)

• Since there is no black key between E and F, F could also be called E#.

Flats - When lowering a pitch... 

• The key between C and D is called D flat (Db)

• The key between A and B is called B flat (Bb)

• Since there is no black key between E and F, E could also be called F flat (Fb)

Enharmonics

When one note has two different names, these two names are considered to be ENHARMONIC.

Enharmonics are like having a nickname

Mr. Graves and King Graves are the same person.

Let's try a few examples!

Use the keyboard if you need it!

Multiple Choice

What is the enharmonic to A#?

• Ab

• Cb

• Bb

• Gb

Multiple Choice

What is the enharmonic to C#?

• Ab

• Bb

• Eb

• Db

Multiple Choice

What is the enharmonic to F#?

• Gb

• A

• Ab

• C#

Multiple Choice

What is the enharmonic to Ab?

• B

• Ab

• G#

• B#

Multiple Choice

What is the enharmonic to Eb?

• F

• D#

• Db

• C#

Multiple Choice

What is the enharmonic to Db?

• G

• C#

• D#

• E#

Multiple Choice

What is the enharmonic to B#?

• D

• C

• A

• F

Multiple Choice

What is the enharmonic to Eb?

• D#

• E#

• Db

• F#

Multiple Choice

What is the enharmonic to G#?

• Ab

• F#

• A#

• F

Congratulations!

You're done!