Transcript: Accidentals: Sharps, Flats and Naturals
Accidentals: Sharps, Flats and Naturals Accidentals are sharps, flats and natural signs. A sharp sign tells us to play the very next key to the right, whether black or white. A flat sign tells us to play the very next key to the left whether black or white. And a natural sign cancels either a sharp or flat, returning the note to the white key.
Accidentals remain in effect until the bar line which cancels the accidental.
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Here’s F to F sharp: so first you play the F note, and then the very next key to the right which is F sharp. Now here’s E to E flat; first you play E, the white key, then the very next key to the left, the black key, which is E flat. Now, here’s E flat to E: E flat is the black key we just played, and the natural sign cancels that so we go back to the E natural note, the white key.
Enharmonic notes are the keys that can have two names, all of the black keys and some of the white keys can be either a sharp or a flat, depending on the scale of the piece and or the direction of the melody. For example, C sharp can also be called D flat, and E natural could also be called F flat.